Preferences and Adiaphora
God reveals His will in Scripture in three ways. The first is by explicit command or prohibition. God simply mandates certain behaviours and forbids others.… Read More »Preferences and Adiaphora
Articles
Browse articles on various topics below.
Translation and the Degradation of Language
Not all languages have the same natural facility at expressing all ideas. Some of these restrictions are in vocabulary: a language might have a word… Read More »Translation and the Degradation of Language
Roots of Evangelical Worship: German Pietism
Many factors coalesced in the wake of the Protestant Reformation to produce what we now might call “Evangelical worship.” The first was German Pietism. Pietism… Read More »Roots of Evangelical Worship: German Pietism
Toward a Softer, Gentler Science
Brett Williams My previous essay briefly introduced the limits of scientific knowledge and the rise of Scientism, the modernistic belief that science is superior to… Read More »Toward a Softer, Gentler Science
How Christians Have Responded to the Secularization of Culture
Over the past several weeks I have been tracing how western culture was impacted in eighteenth and nineteenth centuries by the rise of secularism. An… Read More »How Christians Have Responded to the Secularization of Culture
Conservatism and the Preservation of Scripture
Last week, I began a series on the relationship of conservative Christianity to the issues of the preservation and translation of the Bible. My goal… Read More »Conservatism and the Preservation of Scripture
Why I Will Not Watch the Joker or Movies Like It (and Neither Should You)
I’m not sure that anyone who usually reads the blog here at Religious Affections has an appetite for this movie to begin with, but, should… Read More »Why I Will Not Watch the Joker or Movies Like It (and Neither Should You)
Scientism
Brett Williams Science has become a proper noun. Its hegemony and authority are all but unrivaled. Sitting atop the pantheon of disciplines, it enjoys both… Read More »Scientism
The Protection of Preference
Scripture loves unity among the saints, but does not mandate uniformity. Somewhere Tozer points out that a hundred pianos all tuned with the same tuning… Read More »The Protection of Preference
Cold water to splash in Despair’s face over Apostasy
Of late many high-profile apostasies have rattled evangelical Christianity. Some of the men who have departed from the faith were much admired and loved for… Read More »Cold water to splash in Despair’s face over Apostasy
Secular Culture
In blog posts over the last several weeks, I have been trying to help us understand what kinds of influences and values have converged to… Read More »Secular Culture
Conservative Christianity and the Authorized Version: Introduction
At last week’s Knowing, Loving, Ministering Conference, Scott Aniol opened the floor for a brief discussion about the relationship between conservative Christianity and the use… Read More »Conservative Christianity and the Authorized Version: Introduction
The Sharp Disagreement of Paul and Barnabas: Who Was Right?
Acts 15:36–41 records a disagreement that arose between Paul and Barnabas. Paul asked Barnabas to join him to check in on the churches that were… Read More »The Sharp Disagreement of Paul and Barnabas: Who Was Right?
Tried With Fire: The Afflictions of Christ
Kevin T. Bauder For all humans, believers and unbelievers alike, life in this world and in this present body is filled with pain. Mortality takes… Read More »Tried With Fire: The Afflictions of Christ
An Encouraging Passage for a Church Searching for a Pastor
Multiple Scriptures instruct churches as to how to go about finding a pastor. 1 Timothy 3:1–7 and Titus 1:5–9 list out requirements for the pastor—a… Read More »An Encouraging Passage for a Church Searching for a Pastor
Theological Education and the Christian Life
Matt Shrader In the previous essay I explained three areas in which nineteenth-century Baptist theologian Alvah Hovey provided some help in thinking through the nature… Read More »Theological Education and the Christian Life
Worship and the “Mixt Congregation”
The great shift in worship over the last century has been the result of evangelical clergy in America seeking to make the worship of the… Read More »Worship and the “Mixt Congregation”
Secular Worldview
As we Christians seek to live Christianly in the culture in which we find ourselves, it is important that we recognize how values contrary to… Read More »Secular Worldview
Conquering Jealousy Through Christ: Our Example and Help in the Time of Need
Every Christian can struggle with the sin of jealousy, wanting something that is not ours and being displeased with God for holding it back. God… Read More »Conquering Jealousy Through Christ: Our Example and Help in the Time of Need
Theological Education in a Complex World
Matt Shrader Debates over theological education are nothing new. Why do we have seminary theological education? What are seminaries meant to do? What about theological… Read More »Theological Education in a Complex World