The Karen Pence Rule
Recently it was announced that Karen Pence – a private citizen who is not even occupying an elected office in the United States of America – is going to resume her teaching career at a Christian school. Part of this…
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Dueling for Christ at Dort?
As everyone in the Reformed world surely knows by now, 2019 marks 400 years since the Synod of Dort wrapped up proceedings and bequeathed to the Protestant Reformed family of churches that glorious statement of Reformed doctrine known as the…
Some Thoughts on Systematic Theology as Poor Relation, Part One
Last week, I had the pleasure of speaking at the Paideia Center Conference in Orlando, focused this year on the catholic, creedal understanding of God. I also sat on a discussion panel with Mike Allen, Scott Swain, Blair Smith and…
The Incarnate Confrontation
We’ve all given and received gifts this past year, and I imagine the majority of those gifts were probably intended to be used in some way, not just owned or placed on a shelf unopened. But it’s likely you’ve had…
The Disease of Ambition
Herman Melville’s Moby Dick is an intense and rather gothic tale of seaman Ishmael’s experience whaling under captain Ahab. It’s a well-known story of obsession, revenge, mania, and ruin–the typically edifying material or a great American novel. As everyone familiar…
Hell to Pay
18 years ago, I heard a sermon on Matthew 27:46–Jesus’ cry of dereliction on the cross, “My God, My God, Why have You forsaken Me?” At one point, the minister who was preaching this message said, “Jesus wasn’t really forsaken;…
When Discontent Sheep Show Up
Most pastors have heard the complaints of visitors coming from other local churches. It is not uncommon for believers to grow discontent with their circumstances and begin looking elsewhere for a new church family at some point in their Christian…
Consider Me Triggered
I took a camping and backpacking class in college to fill in one of my extra electives. It’s one of the classes I remember the most. We had three trips where we were dropped off on different parts of the…
Ecclesial Theology
Throughout much of the history of the church, theological discourse was largely an in-house project. A broad house to be sure, but even during the upheaval and turmoil of the Reformation, both sides agreed with the basic tenants of historic…
Love and Anger at the Cross?
Last week, Wyatt Graham published a post titled, “The Father Was Not Angry at the Son of the Cross,” in which he rightly explained that God the Father never stopped loving the Son–even when the Son hung on the cross.…