Explore our collection of theological essays, biblical studies, and reflections on faith and culture.
When someone expounds the way of salvation found in the Westminster Confession and Catechisms and in the easily-accessible writings of the Reformed heritage, he often finds him embroiled in a debates about the covenant of works and the Mosaic Covenant. One is “proven” to be aberrant by allegations that one…
The ultimate condemnation of a position in Reformed circles is to show that it “leads back to Rome.” Indeed, one gets the feeling that Rome is a worse destination for a Presbyterian than even hell itself. The accusation of Rome stings deeply, of course, because it means that all the…
One of the odd features of Michael Horton’s version of Covenant theology is his interpretation of the covenant God made with Abraham 1 in Genesis 15. According to Horton, The very way in which God made the covenant with Abraham (putting him to sleep; walking through the torn animals by…
What was I trying to do, when I wrote my book on Mark’s Gospel ? Fundamentally, I wanted a book that would change readers by making them better readers of the Gospel of Mark. My ideal reader is not someone who goes to the book to use as a resource…
Why do we need sacraments? According to the Westminster Confession, sacraments were instituted by Christ “to confirm our interest in him” (27.1), “to strengthen and increase” the “faith” of those within the Covenant of Grace and “to distinguish them from those that are without” that covenant (Westminster Larger Catechism, #162).…
In Isaiah 5:1-7, we have a typical covenant lawsuit, in which the Lord accuses his people of rejecting his grace and mercy. It is not my intention here to exegete the entire passage, or to look at the way the vineyard image used here serves as a metaphor in other…
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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…
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…
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…
I reflect on the problems of using “nature” in Christian theology at the Trinity House site .
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…
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…
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