Explore our collection of theological essays, biblical studies, and reflections on faith and culture.
One striking aspect of the recent “Federal Vision” conflict in the various conservative micro-Reformed groups is a debate over what older theologians really meant and said. Examining the credentials of various people who speak with great assurance on these matters one sees repeatedly degrees in church/theology history studies. In fact,…
The Worship of the English Puritans by Horton Davies really valuable book for gaining historical perspective on the American Presbyterian scene. (I will note for the record that I don’t believe there is an objective definition for “puritan” and I wish historians would stop using it and instead speak of…
This is the conclusion to Frame’s discussion about historical/covenantal election in his The Doctrine of God (pp. 329-30): Historical election and eternal election are distinct, but they cannot be entirely separated. Note the following: 1. Both historical and eternal election are aspects of God’s saving purpose. The election of Israel…
From John Frame’s The Doctrine of God : So although the election of Israel is by grace, there is an important place for continued faithfulness. Individuals can belong to the chosen people, yet lose their elect status by faithlessness and disobedience. Branches can be broken off “because of unbelief” (Rom.…
I’ve recently re-discovered an awesome theological resource, The Westminster Shorter Catechism Project . It is excellent, not least because it demonstrates the healthy diversity that has always been allowable in the Reformed Tradition until recently. For example, consider the sources attached to Question and Answer #94: Q: What is baptism?…
A friend recently asked if the frequent saying of the Pledge of Allegiance was a sign of American jingoism, or an attempt to inculcate “nationalism” of a bad sort. It seemed to him as a Canadian that that might be the case. That seemed to me to be probably backwards,…
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John Milbank argues ( Crisis of Global Capitalism , 29) that societies tend to be mixed - combining a necessary hierarchical element with elements of democracy and oligarchy. He begins from the Augustinian premise that "sort of human association defined by 'the object of its love.' This permits us to…
John Neville Figgis ( Pluralist Theory of the State ) acknowledges that corporate persons exist. The key question is: "how is this personality to be conceived? Is it a natural fact, the expression of the social union; or is it merely something artificial imposed upon the body for its own…
Writing in 1942, Christopher Dawson already recognized ( Judgment of the Nations , 52) the inner contradiction of the international principles embodied first in the League of Nations. "Self-determination" was the ideal for every people; yet at the same time technology was bringing nations into ever-closer intimacy. Dawson wrote, "The…
Philosopher James Ross explores “Musical Standards as a Function of Musical Accomplishment.” It’s a radical idea: We don’t measure music by anything outside music itself. Music is assessed and valued by standards that are internal to the performance of music. It sounds like relativism, but it isn’t. Ross insists that…
I've been checking the news more often than usual for the past week to find out if there's a breakthrough in the Las Vegas massacre. I imagine I'm not alone. When horror strikes, we look for explanations. We want to classify. Most often, we're looking for some kind of immanent,…
Stephen Beale argues that the NFL's real problem isn't protests against the flag but the league's militarization. He asks the question few have asked: Why is the anthem played at football games in the first place? According to Beale, "The singing of 'The Star Spangled Banner' was mandated during .…
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