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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

Problems with Church History Studies

One striking aspect of the recent “Federal Vision” conflict in the various conservative micro-Reformed groups is a debate over what older theologians really meant and said. Examining the credentials of various people who speak with great assurance on these matters one sees repeatedly degrees in church/theology history studies. In fact,…

by James B. JordanFebruary 26, 2008
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Biblical Horizons

Puritans v. Reformed Worship: (Part One of a Book Chapter Review)

The Worship of the English Puritans by Horton Davies really valuable book for gaining historical perspective on the American Presbyterian scene. (I will note for the record that I don’t believe there is an objective definition for “puritan” and I wish historians would stop using it and instead speak of…

by Mark HorneFebruary 23, 2008
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Books

John Frame on Historical Election

This is the conclusion to Frame’s discussion about historical/covenantal election in his The Doctrine of God (pp. 329-30): Historical election and eternal election are distinct, but they cannot be entirely separated. Note the following: 1. Both historical and eternal election are aspects of God’s saving purpose. The election of Israel…

by Jeff MeyersFebruary 21, 2008
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Biblical Horizons

John Frame on Covenantal Election

From John Frame’s The Doctrine of God : So although the election of Israel is by grace, there is an important place for continued faithfulness. Individuals can belong to the chosen people, yet lose their elect status by faithlessness and disobedience. Branches can be broken off “because of unbelief” (Rom.…

by Jeff MeyersFebruary 20, 2008
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Baptism

Is Baptism Admission or Confirmation that one is already a Member?

I’ve recently re-discovered an awesome theological resource, The Westminster Shorter Catechism Project . It is excellent, not least because it demonstrates the healthy diversity that has always been allowable in the Reformed Tradition until recently. For example, consider the sources attached to Question and Answer #94: Q: What is baptism?…

by Mark HorneFebruary 20, 2008
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American Politics

The Pledge of Allegiance

A friend recently asked if the frequent saying of the Pledge of Allegiance was a sign of American jingoism, or an attempt to inculcate “nationalism” of a bad sort. It seemed to him as a Canadian that that might be the case. That seemed to me to be probably backwards,…

by Richard BledsoeFebruary 17, 2008

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Literature

Richardson’s children

What is going on in Samuel Richardson’s fiction that can shape such diverse offspring as Rousseau, the Marquis de Sade, and Jane Austen (who loved Sir Charles Grandison )?

March 13, 2007
Literature

Richardson’s children

What is going on in Samuel Richardson’s fiction that can shape such diverse offspring as Rousseau, the Marquis de Sade, and Jane Austen (who loved Sir Charles Grandison )?

March 13, 2007
History

Quantifiable love

In his Inquiry into the original of our ideas of Beauty and Virtue , the Irish Presbyterian moral philosopher Francis Hutcheson suggested an equation for calculating love: “The Quantity of Love toward any person is in a compound Proportion of the apprenhended Causes of Love in him, and of the…

March 13, 2007

Luther’s hermeneutics

In a 1964 article in Theology Today , Gerhard Ebeling laid out some of the hermeneutical directions found in Luther’s early writings. He focuses on three areas where Luther displays both some continuity with the terminology and problems of medieval interpretation, but also breaks free in significant ways. At the…

March 12, 2007

Luther’s hermeneutics

In a 1964 article in Theology Today , Gerhard Ebeling laid out some of the hermeneutical directions found in Luther’s early writings. He focuses on three areas where Luther displays both some continuity with the terminology and problems of medieval interpretation, but also breaks free in significant ways. At the…

March 12, 2007

Quadriga on the cross

The quadriga makes a neat match with Rosenstock-Huessy’s cross of reality: Historical = past Tropological = inside Allegorical = outside Anagogical = future

March 12, 2007

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