I am currently walking my 9th grade theology class through C.S. Lewis’s classic Mere Christianity. We are on chapter 4, the final note of which called to mind the thesis of the recent book Mind and Cosmos by philosopher Thomas Nagel (Oxford University Press, 2012), which I reviewed last year. Nagel takes a rather unique position; although he […]
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Berkouwer on the Covenant of Works
October 21, 2014 
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G.C. Berkouwer (1903-1996) was a leading 20th-century Dutch theologian in the neo-Calvinist tradition of Abraham Kuyper and S.G. De Graaf. His major work was his 14-volume Studies in Dogmatics, from which the following quote is taken. Here he critiques the language (though not the substance) of the Westminster Confession’s “Covenant of Works.” In many respects, his […]
Continue reading What Does Republication Have to Do with Christotelic Hermeneutics? Quite a Lot, Actually
September 23, 2014 5 Comments
Those who have followed the Reformed blogosphere lately will likely have heard a lot of talk about two intramural controversies over Old Testament interpretation. What they may not realize, however, is just how much these two controversies actually have in common. The first controversy has been around for quite a while, although it has attracted […]
Continue reading Lord over Every Square Inch of CSU
September 14, 2014 0 Comments
Things took a turn for the worse for evangelical campus ministries nationwide last week. America’s largest university system, California State University, has officially “derecognized” InterVarsity Christian Fellowship on all of its 23 campuses. This was in response to IVCF’s refusal to comply with CSU’s new “all-comers” policy requiring all campus organizations to open up leadership roles […]
Continue reading Two Kingdoms vs. Two Cities: What’s the Difference?
September 6, 2014 2 Comments
As Christians, we are called to be “in” the world but not “of” the world. Jesus preached in the Sermon on the Mount that our mission is to be salt and light (Matt. 5:13-16). But exactly how are we supposed to do this in the midst of a secular culture? What does it look like concretely? […]
Continue reading Pride and Privilege in the American Church
September 4, 2014 1 Comment
The events in Ferguson, MO over the past few weeks have been like a social earthquake. The shooting of Michael Brown has revealed again the fault line in American race relations, and one overwhelming theme rising from the discussion is we don’t understand each other. Or to be more specific, whites, on the whole, don’t […]
Continue reading Patrick Fairbairn on the Law’s Promise of Life
August 31, 2014 1 Comment
Patrick Fairbairn was a 19th-century minister in the Free Church of Scotland and Professor of Church History and Exegesis at Free Church College in Glasgow (now Trinity College). His most notable works included The Typology of Scripture, The Interpretation of Prophecy, and The Revelation of Law in Scripture. The following is an excerpt from his work An Exposition […]
Continue reading The Proper Place of Science in Biblical Interpretation
August 26, 2014 3 Comments
Over on his blog Ponderings of a Pilgrim Pastor, Jason Van Bemmel has written this post on the slippery slope of selectively pitting secular science over against biblical teachings. He begins by saying that Christian educators make two fundamental mistakes in preparing our teens for college: We neglect their intellect, leaving them underequipped for the apologetic task. […]
Continue reading Longing for Sunday on Saturday
August 25, 2014 0 Comments
I recently moved and I can tell you that I drew little “plans” for my new apartment. I lived in my last place for four years- four very full years. That apartment held Christmas parties, dozens, (maybe hundreds?) of dinners with friends, lots of late night chats, and some studying for my masters – but […]
Continue reading Review: Four Views on the Role of Works at the Final Judgment
August 12, 2014 1 Comment
Alan Stanley, editor. Four Views on the Role of Works at the Final Judgment. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2013. Scripture consistently holds two seemingly contradictory truths in tension: we are justified by grace through faith, and we will be judged according to our works. How are we to resolve this tension while respecting the authority […]
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