You better believe it. Some reflections on press freedom over at First Thoughts , where I have brought next week's post forward a few days because of recent events. Is there anybody left so naive as to believe that the Ubermenschen don't run the evangelical show?

Good morning, good morning! What a week it has been: all the Elvises have apparently left the building , all the respectable evangelical players are falling over themselves to affirm rap music, and it seems that the gospel-centred consensus is that Christian journalism is a legitimate calling, but...

Over at First Thoughts , Collin Garbarino offers some very perceptive comments on the Driscoll plagiarism affair . He makes the point that such activity receives a failing grade at his university. I would only add that at Westminster it also involves automatic suspension from the degree program...

I commented at the weekend that Janet Mefferd's allegations of plagiarism against Mark Driscoll should be fairly easy to establish on the grounds that we have empirical evidence in the form of texts to compare. She has posted a link to photographic plates here . Regardless of whether one is...

It may not be quite as significant as the moment when Jimmy met Robert met John met John Paul but, if you want to kill a bit of time while waiting for the levee to break, the latest Mortification of Spin is available. Not exactly Batman and Robin meet Spiderman and Thor but, hey, we're on a budget...

The controversy surrounding Janet Mefferd's interview of Mark Driscoll is interesting for a variety of reasons. There is one aspect of it which has yet to attract comment as far as I can tell. That is the way it brings out another aspect of the celebrity culture which has so corrupted the young,...

A while back I bumped into somebody who mentioned that he was 'talking to my people' to arrange for me to come and speak at his church. Somewhat puzzled, I asked him who 'my people' were. Equally puzzled, he responded that they were the people he contacted to arrange for me to etc. etc. I then...

The BeeGee's edited book on the atonement, From Heaven He Came and Sought Her , is finally here. There is also a website with accompanying promotional video. Just in time for Christmas.

Over at Credo, friend of Ref21 and indeed of Cornerstone Presbyterian Church, baptist pastor and theologian, Fred Zaspel, has posted some moving reflections on the recent loss of his daughter Gina, at age 29.

This week we have the pleasure of interviewing Boyce College professor, Denny Burk, on his new book, What is the Meaning of Sex? The book itself is excellent and we are grateful to Denny for giving his time to the podcast.

I have a few things to report from around the patch today. First, it is that time of year again. Yes, the Banner of Truth Trust once again honours the seasonal convictions of one of its early supporters, Professor John Murray, by offering its books at a special discount for Christmas . The Trust...

Earlier today in a post over at First Thoughts I offered some reflections on the way in which identity has been psychologized. Then, as if on cue, my attention was brought to this piece of Mumpitz which is apparently what passes for serious reflective journalism in one of the country's top schools...

Over at Janet Mefferd's radio show , Dan Dan Dispensational Man, discusses charismaticism. I now forgive DP for sending me a link to a Chicago concert which I opened at a faculty meeting without realising my laptop's sound was on and which thus earned me a rebuke from the Moderator, our esteemed...

Over at the Underground Bunker , Bob and Dorothy have a go at another hard part of megachurch pastor ministry: what do you do with a 16 000 square foot mansion? For those pastors whose calling is dangerous primarily because of the potential eye damage done by flying champagne corks in the first...

Perhaps I am alone in this but maybe, just maybe, there are others out there who are fed up of hearing just how hard the ministry is. Indeed, the 'ministry is hard and dangerous' style of writing is almost a genre in itself these days. The latest addition to the Ministry Hall of Pain comes from...

Over at The Housewife Theologian , 'Nunchucks' has posted a guest column by Persis Lorenti reflecting on a recent Mortification of Spin , specifically on the question of why women in abusive relationships are often reluctant to ask for help. The sad news from the UK is that Oliver Barclay, a very...

The latest Mortification of Spin: Bully Pulpit is now available, dealing with the apparent inability of the evangelical Christian world to understand how public criticism of public teaching works. If you are uncomfortable with the idea that one can criticize a Christian leader who has used their...

I had great fun last week attending the Reformation Worship Conference at Midway Presbyterian Church near Atlanta. There was one terrifying moment when Irfon Hughes approached me and spoke in his native language. Not having heard the Dark Tongue of Mordor spoken by a native for nearly thirty years...

The latest Mortification of Spin is up in which we are joined in the Underground Bunker once again by Aimee 'Dueling Banjos' Byrd, one of the founders of the recent Reformed Chick Lit. movement which looks set to become a major cultural force in West Virginia. Her next book, Real Housewives Wear...

Westminster Theological Seminary has a faculty opening in Practical Theology. You can find details here , although for some reason the bit about washing the Church History professor's car each week seems to have been omitted.

After the switchboard at the Underground Bunker was jammed with complaints that the last episode did not mention Eastern Orthodoxy, Reformed Baptists or 'Dave' from Manchester, we have introduced a new ratings system to help obviate any future offence by warning of what to expect. G: Suitable for...

Here is a report on Rosaria Butterfield's talk at USF. Kudos to RUF for organising it and to Mrs Butterfield for what was obviously a gracious and faithful presentation.

I spent part of last week back with the Boys from Brazil, speaking on Reformation worship and spirituality in its Anglican and Puritan variations. The highlight of the week was being able to denounce from the lectern the audience member who was wearing a Chelsea shirt -- a gesture calculated as an...

The latest offering from the Underground Bunker is up . Todd describes his journey between tribes, I feel his pain and then offer absolution. WARNING: Southern Baptists may find some of the material disturbing.