The ancient world was one filled with myths and stories of all types, stories about gods and about prophets and oracles who spoke with those gods. In secular society the Bible is often seen as just another one of these ancient myths. The Bible is not just another myth, but it is in the context … Continue reading Exploring The Uniqueness of the Bible [In Its Ancient Near Eastern Context]
In his classic book All of Grace, C.H. Spurgeon makes the statement in regards to Christianity that “Faith is believing that Christ is what He is said to be, and that He will do what He has promised to do, and then to expect this of Him.” If this is accepted as an accurate description of … Continue reading Knowing Who Christ Is, What He Has Promised, And Expecting This Of Him – The Person & Work of Christ
In his Preface to Romans, Martin Luther makes the statement that "If we do not choose goodness freely, we do not keep God's law from the heart... Granted that, in appearance and conduct, you observe the law, owing to your fear of punishment or hope of reward, yet you do nothing from free choice and out of love … Continue reading Martin Luther on Faith & Works
" Wherefore, there is no difference in the internal meaning, from which the whole power and peculiar nature of the sacrament is to be estimated. The only difference which remains is in the external ceremony, which is the least part of it, the chief part consisting in the promise and the thing signified. Hence we … Continue reading John Calvin on Infant Baptism
In the realm of thought the twelfth and thirteenth centuries were a time of scholasticism, in the realm of politics a time of guilds and the roots of nationalism, in the realm of religion a time of monastic reform, and in the realm of expression it was a time of the Gothic, in painting, sculpture, and primarily … Continue reading Gothic Cathedrals & Medieval Symbolism
The question of the relationship between faith and reason is one of the perennial questions within Christian philosophy. Nearly every major Christian thinker down through the ages has said something on the topic of faith and reason, especially those with some sort of apologetic in mind. The greats of these ranks include those such as … Continue reading Pascal: Faith & Reason
From antiquity through the postmodern age Christian thinkers have been faced with the confrontation between Christianity and culture, and even more specifically the confrontation between Christianity and secular (or pagan) philosophy, which is one of the chief areas in which Christianity fights against the thought patterns of any given generation. One of the earliest Christian … Continue reading Tertullian and Philosophy – Rationalist, Fideist, Apologist?
In his book The Everlasting Man G.K. Chesterton asserts that “the whole world once very nearly died of broadmindedness and the brotherhood of all religions.” Chesterton is here referencing the way the early church had to deal with their contemporary culture attempting to bring all religions into one accord; the solution as Chesterton presents it was … Continue reading Rereading the Faith for Today – Gnostic Tendencies and Defending Against Them
Within the realm of Christian theology there are many fiercely debated topics. One such topic is the question of the how the Law is to be understood in the Christian faith, especially in the light of the gospel and in the life of the Christian. Taking on this task, Reformation thinkers Martin Luther and John Calvin … Continue reading Two or Three Uses? – The Law in Luther & Calvin
Not too long ago I had a conversation with a man who has been a pastor for quite some time, and who was at the time taking a course in apologetics. He was clearly frustrated with the course, and as he spoke he attempted to explain why he disliked it so much. His main criticism? … Continue reading On Apologetics – Purpose, Why You Should Take An Interest
Presbyformed 