Posts by Derek Thomas

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Vanhoozer

Derek Thomas
Jul 24, 2006
Professor Vanhoozer's reply to Paul Helm is now up. Go here . Also, for something completely different, more on my ambivalence on hugging Sinclair Ferguson, here . Enjoy!

Printer Friendly and Phil Ryken

Derek Thomas
Jul 22, 2006
You may have noticed that "Print this page" tags have appeared on our site indicating just what it says: the ability to print the page without losing half the material scrolled off the page to the right, or whatever! Note that some of these tags appear at the bottom of the page and it may require...

Springsteen again

Derek Thomas
Jul 22, 2006
I've been a subscriber to the monthly magazine, The Gramophone , for over forty years and in the latest edition (August 2006) there is an interview with the leading American baritone, Thomas Hampson. It transpires that he's an ipod geek. And what is playing currently on his ipod as he hops from one...

Trueman: Hono(u)r in his own Country

Derek Thomas
Jul 21, 2006
Carl Trueman is speaking at the Tyndale Fellowship Associates Annual Day Conference on September 30, 2006 in Cambridge, England. More details here . The topic is "Church and Theology Today: What is Really At Stake?" [3 sessions plus Q & A] All, except Tony 'the Gent' Pinnochio, are welcome...

Hodge, Helm and Vanhoozer

Derek Thomas
Jul 21, 2006
Those of you who have already read Paul Helm's critique of Kevin Vanhoozer's take on Charles Hodge in this edition, will be interested to learn that Vanhoozer has sent us a reply which we'll be posting on Monday. Helm will have the last word (a brief and cordial response) which we'll publish the...

Presbyterian Church of Brazil

Derek Thomas
Jul 21, 2006
My good friend, Valdeci de Santos, a professor at the McKenzie Presbyterian Seminary in Sao Paulo, Brazil has been attending the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church of Brazil (IPB). He informs me that the Assembly passed a motion, by a good majority, to sever ties with the World Alliance of...

Heinrich Bullinger

Derek Thomas
Jul 18, 2006
Bullinger was born on this day, July 18 1504. I've blogged about this on the First Presbyterian Church blog . I'm wondering if Carl or Ligon have any thoughts on his influence on the European Reformation.

A Kiss is Just a Kiss

Derek Thomas
Jul 18, 2006
Was it Louis Armstrong who crooned, You must remember this A kiss is just a kiss, a sigh is just a sigh The fundamental things apply As time goes by… A kiss is just a kiss ? What world are you living in? Further to my comments in this month’s Understanding The Times about President Putin who...

Zidane on Ref21 Blog

Derek Thomas
Jul 15, 2006
Hey Rodders, Thomas is busy trying to get the next issue of Ref21 up later today, so he's asked me to post this. Lovely jubbly. That's what he says, anyway. He has all kinds of techno-savvy guys doing it for him. Last I heard, he was sending an e-mail to Tony the Gent because the main contributor...

The Cross of Christ

Derek Thomas
Jul 13, 2006
I've been reading the Crossway editions of the sermons of Martyn Lloyd-Jones on Acts (5 volumes so far). In a sermon on Acts 4:23-28, Peter and John, following a night in prison, are questioned by the Sanhedrin and, after Peter has preached a sermon, they are further threatened and released. On...

Family Worship -- New Book!

Derek Thomas
Jul 7, 2006
Don Whitney, professor of Biblical Spirituality at the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, KY has just published a new book, Family Worship . Al Mohler writes: "Don Whitney has written a book we truly need. Christian parents must take the lead in recovering family worship and...

C. S. Lewis Society of California

Derek Thomas
Jul 7, 2006
David Theroux has pointed out to us the establishment of the C. S. Lewis Society of California . Its founder and President, David Theroux, writes: "The C.S. Lewis Society of California is an educational and cultural organization of people interested in events, publications, and other developments...

The Boss

Derek Thomas
Jul 6, 2006
Carl Been thinking of you, mate! Those poor English dipsticks. Couldn't put a ball in the back of the net to save their lives. Even gangly Rodders could've manged it! Still, we need to make sure the French don't steal the show, eh? Me and the boys are havin a bit of a do down at the local: Italian...

New book for children

Derek Thomas
Jul 3, 2006
Our very own (at First Presbyterian Church, Jackson that is) Shirley Windham has published a marvellous little book for Parents of young children which we want to recommend enthusiastically. It contains ideas (templates) for encouraging the training of children from age 3 to eighth grade, including...

Summer Reading

Derek Thomas
Jun 28, 2006
Summer’s a time to catch up on reading! Seminary professors read? And sharing with the public what I’m reading is a dangerous thing, I know, but I thought I would nevertheless. First, despite some biting sarcasms and shallowness of theological discernment, Stephen Tomkins’s A Short History of...

Welcome Elliott!

Derek Thomas
Jun 27, 2006
I had thought the worst! Had Tony "The Gent" got to Elliott in some dark street in Chicago? But no! He is alive and well. Good to hear from you Elliott! We'll get your picture up as soon as we can! Justin, I want you to know that I am on the top of the Fantasy Football (Soccer!) League in my house...

Pot pourri

Derek Thomas
Jun 26, 2006
To Tony "The Gent" Pinnochio : No one was available to talk to, and Carl will have to pass on your messages for a few days. Just be nice to him and remember he's English so give him respect! Hopefully we'll solve it soon. To Carl: Interesting piece on Bono (including references to Springsteen) in...

A Message from Del Boy

Derek Thomas
Jun 23, 2006
Del Boy has also been excluded from the Ref21 site, but he asked me to pass on this reply: Gordon Bennet, if you ask me, that Thomas geezer doesn't know a "new perspective" from "a news headline!" And you don't frighten me Tony; I've met your types before down the East End and we ain't takin' any...

The Monstrous Regiment

Derek Thomas
Jun 22, 2006
Ligon, me too. There is a direct hermeneutical line from the denial of Jesus' maleness as central to his incarnational imaging of his Father in heaven and the trend for egalitarianism. Both deny creational order as expressive of the divine image. As worldwide Anglicanism engages in public displays...

No gay bishops here

Derek Thomas
Jun 22, 2006
The PCA General Assembly is predictably boring. No cat fights between lesbian clergy handing out Hershes Kisses and outraged conservatives; no overtures banning the production, advertising and promotion of alcoholic beverages; not even a hint of women's ordination. The hottest debate thus far has...

The Fun of Being Presbyterian

Derek Thomas
Jun 21, 2006
There are advantages to being Presbyterian! It's called General Assemblies. True, the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church In America is like no other. More about schmoozing than ecclesiastical politics. Truth is, we're more akin to Congregationalism than we dare admit. There's...

Conjuring Tricks?

Derek Thomas
Jun 15, 2006
It must be twenty years since the Bishop of Durham (not N. T. Wright, but his predecessor) called the resurrection a "conjuring trick with bones." Scripps Howard News Service together with Ohio University have published a poll on current belief in the resurrection. Check it out!

Brave New World?

Derek Thomas
Jun 7, 2006
posted by Derek Thomas Harvard University has announced it will begin cloning human embryos.The scientists say that they plan to harvest stem cells in the hope that they might be able to fight blood diseases like leukaemia and diabetes. In this Huxlian scenario, as Oliver O'Donovan, Regius...

Puritan library In Grand Rapids

Derek Thomas
May 30, 2006
Posted by Derek Thomas I spent the last day in Grand Rapids, at Joel Beeke's seminary--The Puritan Reformed Theological Seminary--buried in their fascinating puritan library. It is one of the finest in the country, I should imagine. What with Calvin Seminary just down the road and PRTS, serious...

Charity and Its Fruits

Derek Thomas
May 27, 2006
Posted by Derek Thomas "Cal M..." is partly right, of course. I for one do have emotional ties with dear friends in the C of S. As I do of friends in the PCUSA (a colleague with whom I work on a daily basis and a few students, now ministers in that denomination). I listen sympathetically as they...

The Lord's Supper (Bickersteth) 1

Derek Thomas
Apr 29, 2006
Posted by Derek Thomas Some time ago, I purchased a tiny little volume by Edward Bickersteth, A Companion to the Holy Communion . This particular edition is the twelfth, published in 1888 and measures 2" X 3". It is a pocket-sized companion designed to "assist their Devotions, in preparing for the...

Books and Englishmen

Derek Thomas
Apr 25, 2006
Posted by Derek Thomas So, our twisted sense of humor, as we teased Carl about famous Englishmen, somewhat backfired. To the dozens of you who sent e-mail letting us know that our famous screen personalities were not English, we knew that! We were having fun with our favorite Englishman. Right! We...

Phantom Blogger

Derek Thomas
Mar 29, 2006
Posted by Czar Nicholas Llanybydder Our illustrious President (of the Alliance, that is) blogged this morning and when I returned after 4 hours of class, it had disappeared. Whoosh... A phantom blog-disposer is at work and Dwn Corleone has been informed and is sending round his boys. Fess up! Who...