The idea of ordinate affection is not welcome today. Narcissism has become a celebrated virtue, and is now even given the monikers transparent, authentic, and real.… Read More »Votes From the Democracy of the Dead
The difference between affections and emotions is seen in what art is used in worship. Since worship uses art, worship leaders can use it in… Read More »Affect or Effect
While C. S. Lewis encourages us to not place too much stock in our feelings, he was adamant that the whole point of education was… Read More »Emotional or Affected?
Trying to answer a badly-worded question often leads to an inferior answer. Loaded questions implicate those who even attempt to answer them. “By what authority… Read More »Does God Have “Emotions”?
Some might be surprised to learn that the word emotion is perhaps only 200 years old. Thomas Dixon has documented the history of the term… Read More »A Short History of “Emotion”
Today marks the release of my first book, Understanding Affections in the Theology of Jonathan Edwards: “The High Exercises of Divine Love.” (Amazon Link | Bloomsbury… Read More »Book Announcement: Understanding Affections in the Theology of Jonathan Edwards: “The High Exercises of Divine Love” by Ryan J. Martin
Last week I suggested that data transmission alone does not create disciples. Rather, we must focus upon the heart’s inclinations in order to shape one’s… Read More »Habits
Perhaps one of the most important ideas to grasp in any discussion of music and worship is the difference between affections and passions. Premodern thought… Read More »Affections and Passions
Ryan Martin, regular contributor to Religious Affections Ministries, has successfully defended his dissertation. His Ph.D. will be conferred officially on May 11, but (for what… Read More »Congratulations to Ryan Martin
I’ve been teaching recently about the differences between Jonathan Edwards and Charles Finney. In most ways, these men, their philosophies, theologies, and practices are polar… Read More »The problem with defining worship in any way by physical response
Matt Costella notes here a recent study that finds megachurch worship to create similar physiological responses to that of drug use: The University of Washington just released a fascinating… Read More »Worship euphoria?
Restoring a right view of the affections may take many years of teaching and instruction. Most Christians exist with very foggy notions of ‘the emotions’… Read More »The Centrality and Nature of the Religious Affections