another kind of puritan

There’s been a bit of silliness on the internet recently (surely an entirely redundant phrase?) regarding Jim Packer and his legacy, particularly as regards his relationship to Anglicanism and non-conformity . One of the happy side effect of this has been to prod me to re-read some of Packer’s collected shorter writings. Time [...]

Read Full Post »

ecclesia reformanda 1.2

Happy news: the next issue of Ecclesia Reformanda is almost out – 134 more pages of biblical, stimulating, pastorally helpful Reformed theology.
The articles are:
Neil Jeffers, ‘”And Their Children After Them”: A Response to Reformed Baptist Readings of Jeremiah’s New Covenant Promises’
Paul White, ‘An Intertextual Analysis of Romans 2:1-16′
Marc Lloyd, ‘What the Bible [...]

Read Full Post »

webster on theology

Recently I spent 6 or so very stimulating and edifying hours listening to John Webster’s Kenneth Kantzer lectures on theology.
The lectures are basically a mini-dogmatics, expounding the theme of Immanuel, God with us, and are vintage Webster.  They provide truly evangelical, theological theology, and show again and again how Webster is at odds with much [...]

Read Full Post »

ignorant, bored, bewildered

it is worse than useless for Christians to talk about the importance of Christian morality, unless they are prepared to take their stand upon the fundamentals of Christian theology. (31)

The task is not made easier by the obstinate refusal of a great body of nominal Christians, both lay and clerical, to face the theological [...]

Read Full Post »

something a man might be glad to believe

Perhaps we are not following Christ all the way or in quite the right spirit. We are apt, for example, to be a little sparing of the psalms and the hosannas. We are chary of wielding the scourge of small cords, lest we should offend somebody or interfere with trade. We do [...]

Read Full Post »

the strong hands of God

‘Why doesn’t God smite this dictator [Hitler] dead?’ is a question a little remote from us. Why, madam, did He not strike you dumb and imbecile before you uttered that baseless and unkind slander the day before yesterday? Or me, before I behaved with such cruel lack of consideration to that well-meaning friend? [...]

Read Full Post »

ecclesia reformanda

Slightly late in the day, but on the basis that it’d be odd if I didn’t mention it:
Ecclesia Reformanda is an exciting new print journal for pastors, theological students, and scholars, that seeks to serve the Church in its ongoing reformation according to God’s Word. The journal is distinctively Reformed, with a contemporary cutting edge. [...]

Read Full Post »

lessons from barth on romans

I have been meaning for ages to spend a bit of time with Karl Barth’s legendary commentary on Romans; I have my doubts that it will illuminate Romans greatly, but, in the preface to the second edition (retained in the sixth edition, from which I quote), there are some great thoughts on commentating, which are [...]

Read Full Post »

fanboy theology

Overstated, but sadly often true:
“most theology is really just a substitute for listening to heavy metal or reading comic books, with all the attendent identity politics among the high-school and college-aged–and all the attendant weirdness among theologians who like having fanboys”

Read Full Post »

engaging with barth

Three cheers for David Gibson and Dan Strange!
Anyone interested in systematic theology has to come to terms with Karl Barth in one way or another. I’m just starting that journey, picking away at Church Dogmatics, and the odd introduction to Barth.
There’s long been a need of a significant introduction to Barth from a conservative [...]

Read Full Post »