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

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Romans

The Politics of Justification

The doctrine of justification is precious among Protestants. And it should be. The fact that God has declared our sins forgiven and that we have a righteous standing in the sight of God united to Christ is comforting and brings great joy. Unfortunately, the biblical teaching on justification is, many…

by Bill SmithNovember 21, 2017
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Priest

What is a Priest?

The Old Testament priests were given a number of seemingly disparate duties. As everyone knows, the priests led the sacrificial worship of Israel; only the priests could sprinkle blood on the altar or within the tabernacle, and only they could approach the altar to turn sacrificial animals into smoke. But…

by Peter LeithartNovember 17, 2017
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Liturgy

Ite, Missa Est

M issional ecclesiology is all the rage these days, but for many being “missional” means downplaying or even eliminating concern for the “internal” life of the church, particularly its liturgical life. Missional and liturgical, mission and communio , are locked in zero-sum combat. That cannot be right. The liturgy is…

by Peter LeithartNovember 14, 2017
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Romans

The New Gospel

An old friend of mine, now passed into Heaven, started to say this in relationship to his sometimes troubled family, in the last quarter of his life, "I just had to take responsibility for the whole thing..." That was the seed for a new reading of the Gospel for me,…

by Richard BledsoeNovember 9, 2017
reformers
Reformation

Reformation Retrospection

She departed the port, dressed in her best ceremonial regalia, with tassels and flags fluttering from her mast and rigging. She stood tall, robed in mist, crowned in white, and backlit by the rising sun. There she sat, shimmering and spotless; with a perfect ragtop, and a full tank of…

by Jon HerrNovember 7, 2017
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Revelation

Locusts and Honey

John the Baptist is presented in the gospels as the fulfillment of the Old Testament promise that God would send His messenger to prepare the way for the coming of the glory of the Lord (Is. 40), and the promise to send Elijah before Him to turn the people to…

by Peter LeithartNovember 2, 2017

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Sullivan and Reagan

On his website, Andrew Sullivan quotes the following statement from the recently published letters of Ronald Reagan: I guess what I am trying to say is that I oppose the dogmas of some organized religions who accept marital relationship only as a “‘tolerated” sin for the purpose of conceiving children…

September 24, 2003
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Deus Ex Machina

Deus ex machina has a bad rap, but perhaps it’s undeserved. What is the gospel but the supreme instance of a deus ex machina ?

September 23, 2003
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Books

Imperium Sine Fine?

Virgil calls Rome an imperium sine fine . Can he be serious? Every other city that appears in the epic — Troy, Carthage, Latium — is doomed. How can Rome escape? How has the world changed to make a permanent city possible? Perhaps I’m looking for too much philosophy from…

September 23, 2003
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Theology

The “Hands” of God

Irenaeus’s claim that the Son and Spirit are the “hands” of God can sound subordinationist, but with due qualification it contains an important insight. A monadic god can only stand over-against the world as a ruling and commanding power. Anything that goes out from such a god is necessarily lesser…

September 23, 2003
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BooksHistory

The Tragic Ancient World

The whole ancient world is tragic because the only way to bring happiness and peace is through imposition of power. Aeneas is the hero of pietas , which includes the meaning of pity; he conquers with tears in his eyes because he knows what his conquests cost. His motto is…

September 23, 2003
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Culture

Uninterrupted Day

Definition: “Uninterrupted day”: a) Day in which there are no interruptions; b) (more common) day in which there is no day because the whole thing consists of interruptions.

September 23, 2003

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