My response to chapter 6 won’t be that long because I agreed with a great deal of it. Jason does a good job nailing those who have jumbled up their Christian faith with their heartland, red state patriotism. When that particular jumble gets knocked, we should just let matters unfold. The United States does not …
Lord of the Conscience
Book 4/Chapter 10 Law and conscience (section 5) 1. How does the conscience answer to men? 2. When men frame laws, where do they not apply? No right to command (section 6) 1. What do the bishops have no right to command? Lawgivers (section 7) 1. How many lawgivers does Scripture recognize? Two reasons (section …
England Swings
A few weeks ago I ran a plug for my daughter’s fall line of clothing, here. For those of you who were struck by the background music for that video commercial, a great cover of Roger Miller’s England Swings, that song is now available for purchase on CDBaby here. It will be available on iTunes …
Driving the Cultural Car
Chapter 5 is called “Subversive Sabbatarianism,” and addresses the countercultural nature of sabbath observance. It provides a great test case for Jason’s thesis because it is a command that has to do with living, breathing bodies, as well as with competing claims on those bodies. Unfortunately, I don’t think Jason sees this. First, the agreement. …
A Sound Conscience
Book 4/Chapter 10 Binding the conscience (section 1) 1. What do the Roman traditions do? 2. What is the point under discussion? 3. What kind of church law does Calvin not contend against? Paul’s example (section 2) 1. Why did Paul deal with this kind of issue so cautiously? What conscience is (section 3) 1. …
Just Plain Greasy
There is something different about these latest examples of sexual hypocrisy. We are used to sexual shenanigans, and we are used to people lying to cover them up. We are also used to the double standard — if a Republican congressman were to do to a fetching staffer what a Democratic congressman does to a …
Fallible Councils
Book 4/Chapter 9 Fallible councils (section 11) 1. What did Leo say about Chalcedon? 2. What did Gregory of Nazianzus think of councils? No blind obedience (section 12) 1. How do we know that certain pastors must be heard and others rejected? The true weight (section 13) 1. What role then do councils have? 2. …
Quality and Quantity
You are familiar with the exhortation that music in worship is summoned to be skilful music (Ps. 33:3). We are not permitted to just throw anything together and call it good. But skill is not the only characteristic we are told to cultivate. “Sing unto him a new song; play skilfully with a loud noise” …
Deference of Death
In Matthew 20, the mother of the sons of Zebedee came to Jesus and asked if her two sons could sit on Christ’s right hand and left in the kingdom. He asked if they could participate in His baptism, and if they could drink the cup that He would drink. He replied that they would …
No Salvation Without a Savior
Our Father and God, You have established Your Church as a royal priesthood in this world, and so we intercede for the nations of men now, confessing on their behalf so that the grace of Your forgiveness will soon be extended to them all. Father over all, we confess that as a nation, rottenness has …