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American Religion

Protestantism's Lost Soul

D. G. Hart’s The Lost Soul of American Protestantism vividly clarifies the differences between evangelical and Confessional Protestantism. In part the book is a manifesto for historians of American religion. Hart argues that historians of American Protestantism have operated with a simplistic binary contrast of evangelical/conservative v. liberal/progressive. At best,…

by Peter LeithartAugust 18, 2015
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Books

The Idiot and the Limits of Compassion

Dostoyevsky’s novel, The Idiot , like his other major works, is a complex evaluation of the human condition—a juxtaposition of the innate goodness and innate evil that resides within every human heart. There is much one can say about The Idiot . I am no specialist of Russian literature, or…

by Gerald HiestandAugust 13, 2015
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Homosexuality

If There is “Natural Law” How Can People Believe in Same-Sex Marriage?

At risk of violating some secret handshake agreement on some important nuance to “natural law,” I will sum up what I understand in my own words. As far as I can tell natural law is supposed to be an area of knowledge that all people should be able to agree…

by Mark HorneAugust 11, 2015
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Biblical Studies

Cosmic Language, 2

The first installment of this article may be found here . The Image of Man This brings us to a substitutionary atonement which we do understand, the fulfilment of the cruciform Tabernacle in the cross of Christ. Although Jesus’ execution was Physical and Social, it was primarily Personal . Beginning…

by Mike BullAugust 6, 2015
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Genesis

Every Noise Appalls

The first two essays in this series drew attention to the structure of the first part of Macbeth and to the way Shakespeare incorporates the Garden of Eden into his story. Macbeth , we saw, is a temptation story in which, compared to the Biblical story, the temptation itself is…

by Ralph Allan SmithAugust 4, 2015
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Revelation

The Warrior and the City: A Wedding Homily

Revelation 19:6-9 Then I heard something like the voice of a great multitude and like the sound of many waters and like the sound of mighty peals of thunder, saying, “Hallelujah! For theLord our God, the Almighty, reigns. Let us rejoice and be glad and give the glory to Him,…

by Peter LeithartAugust 3, 2015

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Romans

Cruciform Israel

Has God rejected Israel? Has Israel stumbled so as to fall? Not at all, Paul says (Roman 11:1, 11). On the contrary, He has preserved a remnant from Israel, as He did during the days of Ahab. Even Israel’s stumbling is directed toward her ultimate restoration, as the Lord’s welcome…

November 25, 2019
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EucharistLiturgy

Eucharismatic Worship

Andrew Wilson is teaching pastor at King’s Church in London, part of the Newfrontiers network. He co-authored Echoes of Exodus with Alastair Roberts, and recently published Spirit and Sacrament , a proposal for “eucharismatic” worship and church life. Wilson’s proposal is two-sided: He wants to deepen Evangelical worship, and to…

November 20, 2019
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Romans

Moved to Jealousy

Paul introduces the notion of “jealousy” at the end of Romans 10. He has been discussing how Israel stumbles in their pursuit of God’s justice because they pursue it by works. Gentiles attain that justice because they trusted in the faithful One, Jesus. Israel hears, but doesn’t heed. And so…

November 18, 2019
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Justification

Gospel Allegiance

Matthew Bates argued in Salvation by Allegiance Alone (2017) that “faith” (Greek pistis ) doesn’t merely mean “belief” or even “trust.” It includes those, but connotes loyalty and allegiance. We’re saved by staying loyal to Jesus. In September, Bates published a follow-up, Gospel Allegiance , where he explains in more…

November 13, 2019
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GalatiansRomans

Redeemed from Curse

Salvation is of the Jews. For Paul, this doesn’t simply mean Yahweh preserved Israel so the Jewish Messiah might be the Savior of the world. Salvation is of the Jews because the people of Israel is the object of salvation and, redeemed, God’s instrument for saving Gentiles. In short, Jesus…

November 11, 2019
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Romans

End of the Law

Paul’s argument in Romans 9 begins from a fact: Israel didn’t receive the Messiah. That fact provokes an anguished question, Is there a scriptural way to make sense of that reality? How can God save through Israel when Israel fails in her mission? Paul begins his answer by noting a…

November 4, 2019

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