Franke says, at the beginning of his next chapter, that the emphasis on otherness “that is related to the triune nature of God is also a particularly promising aspect of postmodern thought” (p. 91). Howzzat? Well, as it turns out, the triune nature of God appears to provide a firm foundation for leftist bromides about …
Skyler and Chelsey
In the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, welcome to you all. Let us pray. Our Father and God, we know how You delight to bless Your people, and we thank You that these blessings include the goodness of marriage. We rejoice before You now in the formation of a new union, and …
The Free Safety of Orthodoxy Considered as a Tub of Pudge
Chapter 7 of Franke’s book is where an astute defensive coordinator starts to get a good idea where the wide receiver is going to run his route. But since our free safety of orthodoxy has spent way too much time at KFC and is a tub of pudge, it begins to look as though we …
Sweet Defiance
Why sweet defiance? In Psalm 119:23, we are told, “How sweet are Your words to my taste, sweeter than honey to my mouth.” Now these are wonderful words in every believing ear. We could do some nice graphics work with it, no doubt — along with a picture of a beautiful sunset and beach, have …
She Never Hears the Click
“At thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore” (Ps. 16: 11) “For among them are those who creep into households and capture weak women, burdened with sins and led astray by various passions, always learning and never able to arrive at a knowledge of the truth. Just as Jannes and Jambres opposed Moses, so …
Future Repentance
Book 4/Chapter 16 Men and women (section 16) 1. What does Calvin do with the argument that women ought not to be baptized if they were not circumcised? Old enough to be born again (section 17) 1. What do Calvin’s opponents conclude about the parentage of children? 2. Does Calvin agree that they are in …
Calvin the Immersionist
Book 4/Chapter 15 Alien hodgepodge (section 19) 1. What does Calvin think of baptismal “extras” like chrism, exsufflation, and the like? 2. What should we omit from baptismal ceremonies? 3. What does Calvin say about the mode of baptism? 4. Nevertheless, what does he say the word “baptize” means? Baptism by laymen (section 20) 1. …
And Hearing By the Word of God/Romans 39
INTRODUCTION: In this portion of Romans, we start to see the intersection of two realities—decretal realities and covenantal realities. This will come to full flower in the next chapter, but we see it begin here. God is utterly sovereign, and rightly understood, this means that when He chooses to use created instruments to accomplish His …
The Spiritual Drive Train
This might be the medieval equivalent of an urban legend, I don’t know. I read it somewhere, but can’t recall the source, but here goes anyhow. Somebody, Thomas Aquinas maybe, was being shown around some opulent palace by the pope. “You see, Thomas, no longer can Peter say ‘silver and gold have I none.'” To …
A Pleasant and Instructive Afternoon
It has been a while since I have said anything much about Girard, but this is not because I haven’t been thinking about it. Once you see the mechanism (of mimetic envy) that Girard outlines, it is difficult not to see it everywhere. Now there are some Girardian fan boys out there who do to …