So yesterday, or whatever it was in Indonesia, our Secretary of State beclowned his office by saying that climate change could well be considered as a weapon of mass destruction. This means any number of things, but the central thing it means is that somebody doesn’t want to have the 2014 elections hinge on the …
More Than Structure
“I cannot tell, by examining these parallel liturgies, which tradition contains prayer to graven images. I cannot tell, by examining these liturgies, which ones allow the service to be led by a lesbian minister. In short, by looking at these liturgies, I cannot tell whether God accepts them as ‘acceptable worship’ or not. But whether …
The High Need for Principled Disobedience
This last week a federal judge struck down Virginia’s ban on same sex mirages, and just a few days before that, the same indignity was performed for Kentucky. It should be apparent by now, at least, that these elites don’t care what the people believe, or how they vote. They are going to impose their …
At or Through
“In all the sacred things we are against, we find the same error coming up again and again. Are we using the liturgy as mural or a window? Are we staring at it, or are we looking through it?” (Against the Church, p. 12).
The Unexamined Service Is Not Worth Offering
“Our liturgies shape our faith; our liturgies are a confession of faith, and they are frequently a most unexamined statement of faith. We should be against anything that is shaping us unless we are being taught by Scripture at the same time” (Against the Church, p. 12).
Going Deep
“All who love the church must be against it. If you simply love and promote the church, one of the first things you will lose is the church. This is the very first lesson we need to learn in following Jesus, right? You have to lose things in order to save them” (Against the Church, …
Just A Bit More on Wheaton
Since I blogged a couple times over the last week or so about the Wheaton situation, I thought I needed to highlight this statement by Phil Ryken. I thought it was a good statement, and I was glad to see it. However, there are some additional caveats about the whole situation that I would like …
No Mas
“In the meantime, we do not need for the bishop to process up the central aisle like the shiniest and baddest black crow in the gutter. We do not need another message from Doctrine Man with ten rivets in each subpoint. We do not need the worship leader to take us through yet one more …
Gifts That Profit
“At thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore” (Ps. 16: 11) The Basket Case Chronicles #142 “But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal” (1 Cor. 12:7). Let’s begin our discussion of this passage by citing a more contemporary translation. “To each is given the manifestation of the …
Doctrine Explains What Happened
“We will of course need doctrine that arises from the Scriptures in order to help us understand what the Spirit just did for us. But if the Spirit didn’t actually do anything, then our systematic theologies are nothing but printed kits for organizing smoke. If the Spirit didn’t do anything, then any religious frenzies, conducted …