John Owen was not a Presbyterian
In the last month or two on Reformation21, I think it’s safe to say I have decisively proven once and for all that: 1. John Wesley was an Arminian. 2. John Owen was a Paedobaptist. I have been challenged to…
Category Reformation21
Luther on Divine, Human, and Puppy Love
We tend, perhaps, to think of divine love as something akin to, albeit much greater than, human love. We tend, in other words, to assume that God’s sentiments towards us are much bigger and stronger than, but fundamentally similar to,…
Justification, Faith and Works: Calvin on Ezekiel 18:17
A passage from Calvin’s commentary on Ezekiel 18:14-17 has the distinction of being among the last, perhaps the last, of his comments on the relationship among justification, faith and works. Apparently written shortly before his death in 1564, it is…
A trinitarian theology of salvation in miniature
“The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.” 2 Corinthians 13.14 B. B. Warfield long ago observed that the apostolic writings do not develop but…
Do some pray more effectually than others?
Do all professing Christians pray with the same efficacy? Does our godliness or lack thereof affect our prayers in terms of the influence they have on God to answer them? There is no question, our sin can hinder our prayers…
Privately Criticizing Those You Publicly Praise
Social media has brought about many interesting phenomena. Some of them are quite irritating. Someone can be privately critical of another person, but still praise that same person publicly. I’ve seen it happen. In South Africa we have a name…
The Good of Politics
James W. Skillen, The Good of Politics: A Biblical, Historical, and Contemporary Introduction. Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2014. $22.99 A welcome addition to Baker Academic’s “Engaging Culture” series, James Skillen’s The Good of Politics offers an accessible, probing introduction to…
Lament: Self-Indulgent Whining, or Faithful Complaints? [Part 1]
Who likes a complainer? Complainers are unsettling to be around. Holiday meals ruined by laborious and endless complaints about how life has shortchanged them – the car that broke down too early, the college that should have given admission, the…
Should Christians Praise Snipers?
I have decided to go see the movie American Sniper because by all accounts it thoughtfully delves into the moral contours of warfare and killing. Whether we prefer to acknowledge it or not, our society has been at war for…
John Owen: still not a Baptist
Well, if I thought it was bad when I exposed a few less-well-known things about John Wesley, that’s nothing compared to what happens when you touch the sacred shibboleths of Owenian Baptists! There was a bit of a social media…