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

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Federal Vision

Whose Legalism? Which Works-Righteousness?

The 2002 Auburn Avenue Pastor’s Conference and the Assurance of Grace Recently, there has been some controversy over the presentations of four speakers at the Auburn Avenue Pastor’s Conference. Accusations have been made including a denial of justification by faith alone and something close enough to “baptismal regeneration” that it…

by Mark HorneMay 28, 2003
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Galatians

The Problem with Moses (It's Not What You Think!)

Today, many in the Reformed world view a meritorious covenant of works as essential to a proper understanding of the gospel. These theologians believe that God set up a program in the Garden by which Adam would merit eternal life and blessing by his obedience. These same theologians usually regard…

by Rich LuskMay 24, 2003
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Theologia

The Gospel = Jesus Is Lord

After I graduated from college in 1989, I spent a summer in the Atlanta area in Georgia learning that I was not cut out for construction work. Then I met George Grant, one of my favorite authors. He was working for a church in South Florida in charge of their…

by Mark HorneMay 24, 2003
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Justification

Righteousness from God

One meaning of “righteousness” in the Bible is moral uprightness. Perhaps a more basic meaning would be faithfulness. For example, Psalm 96.13 praises God, saying: He will judge the world in righteousness, And the peoples in faithfulness. In Hebrew poetry two lines often say the same thing using different words.…

by Mark HorneMay 24, 2003
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Eschatology

Participationist Eschatology

I once saw “eschatology” defined as the study of edible French snails. But it really means the doctrine of the last things in Christian theology. In American Evangelical culture it is usually reduced to science fiction stories. But for the Apostle Paul it was actually the key to the Christian…

by Mark HorneMay 23, 2003
Atonement

N. T. Wright on the Atonement

To understand the view of Nicholas Thomas Wright regarding Christ’s work of redemption, one must begin with the centrality of Adam to the plight of the human race. Anyone who has heard Wright’s lectures on Philippians will not be able to forget his haunting appeal to Genesis 5.3 as a…

by Mark HorneMay 23, 2003

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God and the First Amendment

"The First Amendment’s religious liberty provisions make no sense except on the supposition that God exists - that such a thing as religious truth exists and that the commands of true religious faith are real and superior to the commands of civil society." This is the thesis of a 2013…

August 27, 2018

Literal, Figurative, Fundamentalism

Adam S. Miller begins his editorial introduction to Fleeing the Garden (vii-ix) by observing the confusions that surround the terms "literal" and "figurative" in biblical interpretation: "the word literal often just functions as shorthand for the claim that the text refers to something real. In such cases, the word is…

August 23, 2018

Culture of Death

In her introduction to Ratzinger's Faith , Tracey Rowland contrasts the emphases of John Paul II and those of Benedict XVI with regard to what each called the "culture of death." Though neither is a dualist, John Paul focused more on the destruction of bodies while Benedict called attention to…

August 22, 2018

Become Like Children

One of the students at the recent Theopolis course on covenant epistemology nailed the theme of the week. It was a week-long re-initiation into childhood, led by an authoritative guide in childlikeness, Esther Meek. Covenant epistemology calls us to be childlike in our unfeigned delight in the world, childlike in…

August 21, 2018

Look at the Birds

Look at the birds. Look at the lilies. Jesus meant what He said: Look, actually look. Look in order to address anxiety about food, clothing, shelter, and other necessities of life. When you look at the birds, you realize that God provides food. When you look at the lilies, you…

August 20, 2018
Epistemology

The Adventure of Knowing

Some highlights from this past week's Theopolis course on "covenant epistemology," taught by Esther Meek. 1) Using the journey of the Magi as a paradigm of knowing, Esther described knowledge as a venture or adventure, a pilgrimage toward a gift. That is a lovely description that nicely captures much of…

August 16, 2018

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