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Writing

Explore our collection of theological essays, biblical studies, and reflections on faith and culture.

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Biblical Horizons

Writing and Thinking

During one of my AAPC lectures I read a portion of Richard Mitchell’s provocative little book The Underground Grammarian . Here’s the portion I read: The mind is a rudderless wanderer blown here or there by any puff of breeze. If I mention watermelons, you must think of watermelons; if…

by Jeff MeyersJanuary 14, 2008
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Biblical Studies

Psalms 23-29: Analysis

This is the donation thank-you essay for January 2008. Our studies in the Psalms go out month by month in response to donations. I’m putting this one up here as an example, and also because the version I actually mailed out contained several egregious arithmetical errors! So, here is the…

by James B. JordanJanuary 6, 2008
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American Culture

The Case Against Western Civilization, Parts 1-7

Part 1: Introduction The collapse of the Western tradition in the United States, seen in the hostility to Christianity in government and education, and the elimination of “traditional” or “canon” learning from our institutions of middle and higher learning, provides a crisis and an opportunity for serious believers at the…

by James B. JordanDecember 5, 2007
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Theologia

On Forgiving Oneself: Nine Reasons Why It Can Be Appropriate

While “forgiving oneself” is widely accepted in the secular world as a legitimate and needful thing to do, Christians are rightly suspicious. After all, God is the one who forgives. When we sin against other people, we need to seek their forgiveness, not our own. Nevertheless after looking at Vine’s…

by Mark HorneJune 6, 2007
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Biblical Studies

Every Word Matters to the Story

This was originally published as HIStory in the column, “A Pastor’s Perspective” in Ligonier Ministrie’s Tabletalk Magazine . I am not sure of the date but it was probably published in 1999 or 2000. Quick! What’s the basic message of the Bible? Summarize it in as few words as possible…

by Mark HorneJune 6, 2007
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Church Government

The Pastorate and the Presbytery

A Brief Explanation of What a Presbytery Is & Why Pastors in Presbyterian Denominations are Members of Them A belief in the primacy of the local congregation of the Church, I think, reflects the gut feeling of most North American Evangelicals. As a result, the form of Church government universally…

by Mark HorneJune 5, 2007

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Raining Arrows

We don’t know what Henry V said to his troops before the battle of Agincourt. No doubt it was less eloquent and stirring than Shakespeare’s Crispin’s Day speech. But we do know how the English won the battle, and it’s vividly described in Gorgon Corrigan’s recent account of the Hundred…

September 3, 2014

Ancient Theory of Laughter

Writers on ancient laughter often speak in the singular of the “ancient theory of laughter.” What they usually mean is Aristotle’s theory of laughter. Mary Beard ( Laughter in Ancient Rome ) doesn’t think either of these things exists - there was no single ancient theory, and what Aristotle said…

September 3, 2014

Dramatics of Faith

Brian Brock is one of the most unusual theologians and ethicists writing today, and the set of interviews newly published as Captive to Christ, Open to the World is an excellent introduction to Brock’s work. Early on, he explains why he uses the term ethos rather than character, virtue, or…

September 3, 2014

On Nature

I reflect on the problems of using “nature” in Christian theology at the Trinity House site .

September 3, 2014

Maturing Into One

Jesus prays that His disciples “might be matured into one” ( osin teteleiomenoi eis hen , John 17:23). It’s a pregnant phrase. Unity requires maturity, the willingness to deal with those who differ, the willingness to face conflict without anxiety. Think of marriage. Maturity is nurtured by the difficult work…

September 2, 2014

Of Trees and Men

The angels at the corners of the land hold back the winds that could harm the earth, sea, and trees. But they actually have authority to harm only over the first two: earth and sea (Revelation 7:2). The trees won’t be harmed by the wind in any case. When the…

September 2, 2014

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