Rightly Evaluating Tradition
If we are to grow a right view of the Christian tradition within our churches, we will have to overcome the ‘suspicion of tradition’ that… Read More »Rightly Evaluating Tradition
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Did Luther use tunes from love songs?
It is irresponsible to claim that Luther used tunes from secular loves songs for his hymns and compare it to today’s situation. If there is… Read More »Did Luther use tunes from love songs?
Cultural skepticism, the opposite of worldliness
Conservatism will have little attraction for those who fail to be skeptical of their own culture. The skepticism of which I speak must run deep;… Read More »Cultural skepticism, the opposite of worldliness
Rightly Viewing Tradition
The religious scene of the country in which I minister is populated by mainline Protestant churches, some of whom place great emphasis on tradition. However,… Read More »Rightly Viewing Tradition
Some concluding thoughts on discernment (Part 8)
I was pushed to write a series on discernment when I heard a famous evangelical pastor define discernment as the ability to see, allegedly by… Read More »Some concluding thoughts on discernment (Part 8)
Conservatives and Tradition
A church that is self-consciously conservative has a relationship with both the past and the future. If we are conserving Christianity, we must be conserving… Read More »Conservatives and Tradition
Christianity and Liberalism by J. Gresham Machen
It has been called “the second most important book you will ever read.” Whatever rank of importance it may command, there is no doubt that… Read More »Christianity and Liberalism by J. Gresham Machen
Discernment and God’s Judgment (Part 7)
I have been arguing for the importance of discernment in the life of a Christian. I define discernment as a biblically informed judgment whether certain… Read More »Discernment and God’s Judgment (Part 7)
Form and Meaning
Christians’ affections are greatly shaped by the moral imagination. The moral imagination is largely shaped by the meaning of the various media it encounters. This… Read More »Form and Meaning
Encouraging Reflectiveness
Ours is not a particularly reflective age. When a pastor begins speaking of the meaning of the media, devices and technologies that surround us, he… Read More »Encouraging Reflectiveness
Maturity and Discernment (Part 6)
Discernment is a biblically informed judgment whether certain extra-biblical moral actions are good or evil. Last week, we looked at discernment in Eph 5:7-11 and… Read More »Maturity and Discernment (Part 6)
A World of Meaning
Once a pastor has it settled in his mind that sola Scriptura does not require him to ignore, dismiss or reject extra-biblical sources of knowledge,… Read More »A World of Meaning
On being elitist
Those who advocate conservatism in worship become accustomed to accusations of elitism. This comparison is employed for several reasons. We are elitists, it is alleged,… Read More »On being elitist
The Pastor and Sola Scriptura
If pastors are to shepherd churches in which there is a desire to understand the meaning of the world and apply it to worship, obedience… Read More »The Pastor and Sola Scriptura
Review: Art in Action: Toward a Christian Aesthetic by Nicholas Wolterstorff
Nicholas Wolterstorff, the Noah Porter Emeritus Professor of Philosophical Theology at Yale University, confronts the common trends in aesthetics in 1980 with his engaging Art… Read More »Review: Art in Action: Toward a Christian Aesthetic by Nicholas Wolterstorff
Discernment and Good and Evil (Part 4)
To this point, the passages studied in our series on discernment have been pretty straight-forward. Whether Philippians 1:9-11, Romans 12:1-2, or Colossians 1:9-10, each passage… Read More »Discernment and Good and Evil (Part 4)
The Christian and Meaning
Two propositions summarize why a conservative Christian church is concerned with meaning: Christians are humans, and Christians live in the world. What is the world?… Read More »The Christian and Meaning
The Creeds of Christendom by Philip Schaff
Custom, convention, continuity. Prescription over invention. Nothing seems less likely to make a difference for Christ. We need to acquire the fire, or so we are… Read More »The Creeds of Christendom by Philip Schaff
A Christian Imagination
Don’t use adjectives which merely tell us how you want us to feel about the thing you are describing. I mean, instead of telling us… Read More »A Christian Imagination
Man’s purpose is to worship and obey
In the creation account of Genesis 1-2, most English translations make it seem like Adam was put in the Garden for gardening purposes, since Genesis… Read More »Man’s purpose is to worship and obey