Explore our collection of theological essays, biblical studies, and reflections on faith and culture.
Continuing through The Worship of the English Puritans by Horton Davies: The author gives some of his own appraisals rather than immediately quoting Durel, even though that is how he began his chapter. In Davies’ opinion, while the Puritans would invoke their own interpretation of Scripture in order to condemn,…
What follows are from a couple of posts on my blog. I hoped to do a series. If I do follow up, I will probably want to do it here on the BH blog rather than my own. Feedback welcome: It is no secret that some have been scathingly critical…
Jeremy Sexton wrote this in an earlier line of discussion: “Along those lines, I think what we most often miss in our theology of baptism (though Calvin didn’t miss this) is that Christian baptism — if it “is” anything that came before — is Jesus’ water baptism. In our baptism,…
Jeff pointed out that baptism is not Christian circumcision . Looking at the comments, I think it might be helpful to point out that Israel was not the Church . In the new creation, the idea of an “unbaptized Christian” is either very temporary or an anomaly. Those who came…
Once a upon a time, one Sunday morning, a pastor mounted his pulpit for the sermon and said the following: A troubled young man walked into a downtown high-rise building. As he approached the directory on the wall, he took out a small booklet and looked back and forth from…
If you are, say, leading a Bible study in Genesis, you might notice that right after the covenant is renewed and circumcision is established (ch 17) that we see Abraham eating and drinking with God (ch 18). After that meal, God makes a point of saying the he should share…
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Owen Cummings’s brief study of “the Eucharist across the ages and traditions” ( Eucharist & Ecumenism ) holds many surprises. There are some standard well-known texts - the Didache , Justin’s description of the Eucharistic service, The Apostolic Tradition of Hippolytus. But then Cummings collection goes rogue. He includes a…
Many have objected to the Trinity on the grounds of its mysteriousness. J.R. Illingworth ( The Doctrine of the Trinity [1907]) responds that natural theology is no less mysterious. Natural theology draws from “the material world and the mind of men,” but both “are baffling.” Nature is perplexing, and so…
A few recent scholars have attempted to enlist Jonathan Edwards on the side of social Trinitarianism, most prominently Amy Plantinga Pauw in her Supreme Harmony of All . Steven Studebaker isn’t buying it, and explains why in his Jonathan Edwards’ Social Augustinian Trinitarianism . Studebaker argues that social Trinitarianism depends…
Deists didn’t think revelation necessary. The original religion was natural religion, and the original natural religion was the best. Steven Studebaker ( Jonathan Edwards’ Social Augustinian Trinitarianism ) shows that one of the leading orthodox responses to this argument was the effort to show that “natural” religion was not natural…
When the four living creatures give glory to God, the 24 elders fall and prostrate themselves and sing of God’s worthiness as Creator. He is worthy to receive glory, honor, and power because “you created all things and through your will the were and are created” (Revelation 4:11). By this…
The merits of Christ play a prominent role in Protestant soteriology. William Perkins captures the basic argument: God accepts the elect and rewards them at the last day “not because works can merit: but by reason of God’s favor, who thus accepts works, and in respect of the merit of…
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