A Distinct Church
Note: To read the previous entry in this series, click here. Christianity did not emerge in a vacuum. It was established in the face of opposition on all sides.[1] The religions of the Roman world stood in stark contrast to…
Category Reformation21
On “Selfish” Church Attendance
One of the current charges leveled against Christians (largely on social media) is that Christians are being selfish by insisting on worshiping even in the midst of a worldwide pandemic. One could put the argument like this: Participating in unecessary…
God’s Gift in Troubled Times
It’s been a tough year. After a long battle against an unpredictable virus, a violent summer, and a contested Presidential election, there is a general feeling of weariness with 2020 and a relief that it’s almost over, as if January…
Take Care of Your Body
“Thou shalt not kill” (Exo. 20:13) The sixth commandment requires that we preserve our lives and the lives of others. This does not prohibit self-defense, lawful war, or capital punishment, but it certainly forbids us to harm ourselves and others.…
A “Rise and Triumph” Review
Last month at the Conciliar Post, writer John Ehrett offered a thoughtful review of Carl’s latest book, The Rise and Triumph of the Modern Self. As he puts it: “It isn’t every Christian writer who can understand (and compellingly articulate) the…
Heart-Trouble
Over a hundred and forty years ago, J.C. Ryle wrote that “heart-trouble” is the most common thing in the world. He also said that no one is exempt from it, and that there is nothing that we can do to…
Wary of Words on the 1%
Did you know the that top 1% own over 50% of the world’s wealth? Maybe you did, and think that disparity is grossly unfair. After all, there’s a high chance—99% chance, to be precise—that you are not part of that 1%.…
Ready for Battle
Every spy movie has one scene that’s my favorite: the moment the hero’s support team equips him for the climactic conflict. You probably recognize it. In a private room, whether it be in a cave accessed only by an elevator…
God’s Waiters
Not every supper is the same. There’s a considerable difference between a fast food eatery and a five-star restaurant. Fast food is quick and casual. You’re there for the price, not the atmosphere, and service happens at the counter. Five-star…
Envy in the Digital Age
Envy is often misunderstood. I suspect many of us today are apt to confuse it somewhat with Greed. Both, it seems, boil down to wanting more stuff, so that Envy would seem to designate merely the sub-set of cases in…