Archives for “Reformed Theology”

Daniel Kirk at Storied Theology has a great post up in which he’s critical of an article in the current Christianity Today theme this month by J. I. Packer and Gary A. Parrett in praise of catechism. Now I must say, since we’re attending a Presbyterian church now (I’m actually serious), my kids have recently been learning the [...] Related posts:

  1. My love affair with theology
  2. In Luther’s footsteps
  3. The place of God’s providence in my theology


Here’s an excerpt from the first part of a review of a book I’ve been interested in since I first heard about it. It’s from the New Perspective school of thinking, and at 1218 pages it promises to be an important work on the subject. The book is entitled, The Deliverance of God: An Apocalyptic [...] Related posts:

  1. An (ancient) introduction to “faith in Christ” vs. “Christ’s faith”
  2. Christian responsibility according to St. Paul
  3. More on what NT faith is about


Last Sunday night, our church hosted a Reformation Party for the kids. It was sort of a Halloweenish deal, with lots of games and candy, and the kids were encouraged to dress up in Reformation-era costumes. My son won the prize for his age group wearing a Martin Luther costume my mother made for him. The [...] Related posts:

  1. Not historic, orthodox Christianity
  2. Thinking “Outside the Box” about the Bible
  3. Brief question about inerrancy


I haven’t been posting much lately. To explain why, allow me give you a sketch of my relationship with theology, which has always formed the backbone of this site. First, a plea: don’t waste your time cultivating the most intellectually and emotionally satisfying theology until you know what the Bible is, nor until you’re willing to [...] Related posts:

  1. Does majority rule in theology?
  2. Covenant Theology
  3. In Luther’s footsteps


Something jumped out at me several days ago when I was reading Acts 13: it reminded me of Romans 11. And well it should. After all, Acts was written by a fellow who accompanied Paul on numerous missionary journeys and should have been quite in sync with his doctrine and theology. Interestingly enough, at about the [...] Related posts:

  1. Election and Adoption Part 3: God’s Purpose in Election
  2. Election and Adoption Part 1: Romans 7 and 8
  3. Election and Adoption Part 2: Gracious Sovereignty


Who said this? But the things which took place afterwards, did our Saviour, from his foreknowledge as THE WORD or GOD, foretell should come to pass, by means of those which are (now) before us. For He named the whole Jewish people, the children of the City; and the Temple, He styled their House. And thus [...] Related posts:

  1. Common objections to full preterism: below the surface
  2. Major revision to an earlier post
  3. Does majority rule in theology?


Jeremiah 18 and Romans 9: a shared metaphor In talking with Calvinists, there is always one passage that they pull out that in effect tells Arminians/non-predestinarians to “shut up and color.” This passage is the potter/clay metaphor of Romans 9. Most bible scholars acknowledge that Paul’s potter metaphor was drawn, at least in part, from Jeremiah [...] Related posts:

  1. Election and Adoption Part 1: Romans 7 and 8
  2. The jealousy of the Jews and the fullness of the Gentiles
  3. Election and Adoption Part 2: Gracious Sovereignty


I’ve been trying to figure out a way to get into a topic I’ve been reading into for quite a while now, but it’s so deep and I’m so shallow. The issue is the so-called New Perspective on Paul. The Paul Page has some extraordinary articles describing it (start with Mattison’s summary), and so what [...] Related posts:

  1. Campbell: what did Paul mean by “justified”?
  2. Election and Adoption Part 3: God’s Purpose in Election
  3. Election and Adoption Part 2: Gracious Sovereignty


In this week’s installment of Theology Unplugged, a podcast I highly recommend, Reclaiming the Mind Ministries president Michael Patton made the following comments about full preterists (like myself): Now I would say, you can believe that, and you can make your arguments — and many people do from Scripture. I’m not persuaded at all [...] Related posts:

  1. Is full preterism a new doctrine? (revised)
  2. Covenant Theology
  3. My love affair with theology


I was listening to one of my favorite podcasts, Covenant Radio, today and feeling rather baffled. The hosts, both Presbyterians, were interviewing a Reformed Baptist, Dr. Thomas Schreiner. They were engaging him in regard to a recent book of his called Believer’s Baptism that contended a position contrary to their own Presbyterian position. Not being Presbyterian, [...] Related posts:

  1. New Perspective
  2. Election and Adoption Part 3: God’s Purpose in Election
  3. Does majority rule in theology?


As I stated in Part 2, I reject the notion that foreknowledge is prescriptive. I hold to the conviction that there is an interplay between man’s choice and God’s choice. One cannot rationally hold a robot responsible for the destruction it wreaks if it merely follows the software intentionally programmed to make it destructive. Yet [...] Related posts:

  1. Election and Adoption Part 1: Romans 7 and 8
  2. Election and Adoption Part 2: Gracious Sovereignty
  3. The jealousy of the Jews and the fullness of the Gentiles


I had to cut the last post short, somewhat abruptly as you might have noticed. But presenting bite-size chunks is better for blogging anyway (not that you would know it from my posts!), so I went ahead and posted it. Here’s a continuation. What I’m trying to do is present an audience-relevant view on certain passages [...] Related posts:

  1. Election and Adoption Part 3: God’s Purpose in Election
  2. Election and Adoption Part 1: Romans 7 and 8
  3. The jealousy of the Jews and the fullness of the Gentiles


As long as I can remember, I have struggled hard against the Calvinist understanding of the doctrine of election. Recently I have been observing and interacting with a number of people of the Reformed persuasion, and I am astounded at the intellects of some of the people wholly sold on a teaching that requires so [...] Related posts:

  1. Election and Adoption Part 3: God’s Purpose in Election
  2. Election and Adoption Part 2: Gracious Sovereignty
  3. The jealousy of the Jews and the fullness of the Gentiles