Why should Christians learn about Islam? Why teach on it? Why discuss it? Why stir up yet another debate or controversy? One time, during the debates over the formation of the U.S. Constitution, someone proposed that the United States be prohibited from having a standing army of more than 15,000 men. I forget the exact …
A Second Battle of Tours I
Introduction: We have noted before that we have a responsibility as Christians to understand the times. We do not seek to do so infallibly, but we do want to live our lives in wisdom. This said, there are many good reasons for believing that the conflict between the Christian faith and Islam will occupy in …
Taylor and Beth
In the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, welcome. In the kind name of the Lord Jesus Christ, welcome. In the communion of all the saints who love the Lord Jesus, welcome. As befits a Christian wedding, we have begun in the name of our triune God—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. But this …
Grim Victory
“Women are beautiful, and men are necessary. It has been the great victory of the feminist movement to make women unlovely by persuading them that men are not needed” (Anthony Esolen, in Touchstone, December 2006, p. 5).
Church of England in Exile
I want to begin by praising N.T. Wright, but I want to do so in order to critique the Church of England, along with Dr. Wright’s apparent approach to her. In Jesus and the Victory of God, Wright has a wonderful section where he shows that forgiveness of sins needs to be understood in a …
Narnian Grace
One of the important lessons we learn in Narnia is not just that Aslan is like Christ (and that we are like the people in Narnia who serve and worship him). We also learn the nature of the relationship between Aslan and his servants. The best way to describe this relationship is that of grace. …
Not Being Graded
We have assembled here yet again. We do so aware of our sinfulness, and our unworthiness, and this is something we have already confessed. But at the same time, we are commanded in Scripture to walk in a manner that is worthy of the name we have received. And you, as a particular congregation, need …
A Prayer of Imprecation
One of the easiest things in the world to misunderstand (and therefore to misrepresent) is the biblical pattern of imprecatory prayer. It is very easy to interpret the practice as some kind of primitive voodoo doll custom, practiced only by the petty and vindictive. But for those who are open to a very fine treatment …
Old Flat Top, Grooving Up Slowly
I have just a few random comments, public-service-announcement-wise. I put them under this category because it does relate to a couple of them, but taking one thing with another, this is just a mishmash. Besides, I need something random to go with the title. 1. Happy Thanksgiving. Take great care to eat too much, but …
Nobility in Narnia
What does it mean to be noble? What is false nobility? And what does it mean to fail in nobility? These are all questions that will be answered if you read the Narnia stories they way they really ought to be read. Like Shasta in The Horse and His Boy, we too often have a …