American Christians are very active participants in the American character, for both good and ill. There is no real need to rehearse the blessings which come from this because we are all probably more aware of our virtues than we need to be. But one of the problems we have is the tendency to moralize …
General Abraham
While their benefits have no doubt been many, church pageants have also had the unfortunate result of making us think that biblical characters did little more than stand around in their bathrobes. The first time someone graduates from such images to an “actual read” through the Old Testament, the effect can be more than a …
Cultural Backbone
Chesterton once commented that a man who does not believe something will fall for anything. The observation certainly holds for societies, and only a blind man could fail to miss that such a necessary gullibility is currently driving our culture. The gullibility is not created by various social pressures; rather, such pressures reveal the gullibility. …
21 Questions for a Prospective Wife
Given the nature of the case, these are not necessarily questions that someone might ever get to ask. A young man is coming to a father because he knows his own intentions, and he is inviting questions. He should be surprised if the young lady’s father had no questions. He is asking to be asked; …
Write That Spot Down
Chapter one of By Faith Alone is a critique by Cornelis Venema of N.T. Wright’s views on justification. This chapter was very good, and was admirable on a number of levels. Readers of this blog know that I have learned a lot from Wright, and I appreciate much of what he has to offer. In …
21 Questions for a Prospective Suitor
A father in my congregation has asked me what sort of questions a father should be asking a young man who wants to court his daughter. It is one thing to affirm that fathers should be active in protecting their daughters, but it is quite another to figure out what sort of specific questions are …
Oh, Never Mind
Guy Waters’ Introduction has three main sections. In the first, he summarizes the doctrine of sola fide. That section was quite good in many respects, actually. I can say this because I affirm, believe, and teach the doctrine of sola fide. The only place I would quibble with Waters here is that I would want …
Let ‘Er Rip
The second chapter of Rod Dreher’s book is on consumerism. He begins by telling the appalling story of what the American people were urged by the president to do in the aftermath of the 9-11 attacks, which was, unbelievably, to “go shopping.” This was hardly a blood, sweat and tears exhortation. Instead of “we will …
Cory and Katie
Cory and Katie, I am giving this exhortation to both of you as a minister of the Lord Jesus Christ, and I am doing so in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. May our triune God seal these words in your hearts as He knits you together throughout the course of your …
Dead and Gone
C.S. Lewis commented once that the present is, historically speaking, a “period.” This may seem too obvious to point out, but there will come a time when what is currently happening will no longer be happening. Several centuries into the future, various schoolchildren will be sweating out the details of our century as they frantically …