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History

Congregational Theocracy: That Time Theocrats Ran Puritan New England

Timon Cline wrote recently that “theonomists” didn’t run Puritan New England. 1 He is correct, in his major thesis, that the claim that “Puritanism and the natural law tradition are antithetical” is “wildly ahistorical.” Mr. Cline demonstrates that Puritans repeatedly extolled natural law. Besides the Puritan sources Mr. Cline mustered,…

by John CarpenterAugust 9, 2022
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Mark

The Land of the Walking Trees

The Church is the land of the walking trees. In Mark’s Gospel, the identity of Jesus is slowly and progressively revealed. Though St. Mark announces at the beginning of his narrative that Jesus Christ is “the Son of God” (1:1), this is a reality that must be spoon-fed to His…

by Jackson ShepardAugust 4, 2022
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Ephesians

The Significance of Ephesians (with a comparison to Romans)

All Scripture is of ultimate significance as the word of God, but it may be helpful to think about what makes a book (in this case, a letter) possibly unique within the canon. In this case, the “general” nature of Ephesians should stand out, but it often is not recognized…

by Mark HorneAugust 2, 2022
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Ecclesiastes

A Time to Kill (Ecclesiastes 3:3)

Where do we draw the lines between what is right and wrong? This question is fundamental to civilization, fundamental to a free society. To put this question in the bluntest and most offense terms: if there is a time to kill — which Solomon says there is — whom shall…

by Ralph Allan SmithJuly 28, 2022
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Biblical Horizons

Broadening Our View of the Trinity

This article was originally posted in May of 1994. We speak of God as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. The early Church tended to speak of Him as Father, Word, and Spirit. In this short essay, I want to suggest some other ways to think of the Trinity, ways that…

by James B. JordanJuly 26, 2022
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Jonah

Journeying Prophets in Kings

Jonah’s Home The story of JONAH belongs in the book of KINGS. JONAH balances the story of the unnamed Judean prophet (1K13) in KINGS’ literary structure. Each story describes a journeying prophet that crosses land or sea to confront a wayward king. The two stories are located during the reigns…

by Scott FairbanksJuly 21, 2022

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Calendar

Living in Season

Sylvie Vanhoozer’s Art of Living In Season is a beautiful book. Vanhoozer’s meditations on the art of living are organized by the church calendar, and so guide the reader to live in ways appropriate to each season of the year – the “art of living in season” of her title.…

May 14, 2024
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EucharistLord's Supper

We Are God's Hospitality

The true God, the living God, is a hospitable God. He’s eternally hospitable. The life of God is infinitely faithful, infinitely joyful welcome. God is hospitality. God is hospitable because He’s Triune. As we confess every Sunday, we believe in one God who exists in three Persons. The Son isn’t…

March 19, 2024
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LeviticusFood

Table of Demons

Let’s stipulate some translations. The Hebrew sheretz = “swarmer”; remesh = “creeper”; chayyah = “beast.” In the original creation, swarmers are found only in the water (Gen 1:20-21), while creepers are on land (1:24-26). Only after the flood do swarmers swarm on earth (Gen 7:21 is the turning point). There…

March 12, 2024
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Theopolis News

Theopolis Appointment

We're pleased to announce that Jackson Waters has been added to the Theopolis team as interim Executive Editor of the Theopolis blog. Jack is currently a student at Reformed Theological Seminary in Washington, D.C., where he also serves as Youth Director at Christ the King Anglican Church (ACNA). A graduate…

September 19, 2023
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Uncategorized

Cautions About Conversion

Wisdom from my old friend and colleague, Rev. Rich Bledsoe, on conversion . People "meet" Jim Jordan, and have the bracing thrill of escaping the flatness of just living and being in the 21st century. They might take off to the thrilling different world of Eastern Orthodoxy. They experience the…

August 7, 2023
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AbortionAmerican Culture

Love the Little Children

First we slaughtered unborn babies in their mothers' wombs. Then we started killing babies born from "botched" abortions. Or born babies that didn't look quite perfect. Now we're butchering the bodies of children in an insane attempt to turn them into their opposites. And the UN is undermining age of…

April 19, 2023

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