Arminius and the Doctrine of Prevenient Grace
In his recent essay, Jackson Watts reminds us that Arminius wholly affirmed the human will’s complete depravity and perversity after the Fall. The Magisterial Reformers were not alone in affirming this. Arminius too held to the human will’s bondage after the Fall: Therefore, if ‘where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty’ (2 Cor. 3:17); and if ‘the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed’ (John 8:36) it...
Ancient Orthodoxy: The Importance of Chalcedon in Your Local Church
“What does Chalcedon have to do with me? In fact, what does Chalcedon even refer to in the first place?” These are often the first questions from church members and even pastors when confronted with the Chalcedonian Creed. And usually, our questions represent our neglect of church history. Whether it is the early ecumenical councils or the Protestant Reformation, we evangelicals cannot afford to lose such rich, biblical doctrines that...
Are We Really Together for the Gospel?
We live in an age of conferences, seminars, and mp3 downloads. Evangelicalism bulges with an excess of venues for pastoral education and encouragement. In the past, the majority of these events focused on new tools or particular programs that a pastor or pastoral staff might implement in their church. And while some of these suggestions were helpful, an awareness of their inability to solve our problems grows [1]. Partly because of...
A Critique of the Christ-less Church
Christianity has always had its critics—some from within the body of Christ, and others from spectator seats. While some criticize with tact and tastefulness, most do so in a tasteless fashion that is unbiblical. Still, there are those critics along the way who love Christ and hope to see His Church strengthened through their work. Flannery O’Connor was such a person. Mary Flannery O’Connor was born in Savannah, Georgia on March 25,...
From Eden to Eden
A man created from dust, and a woman created from that same man’s rib: surely we’re more intelligent than to actually believe in this, right? Prior to the nineteenth century, rarely did Christians deny the historicity of this Genesis account. However, it has become quite common to do so in modern Christianity, as many professing believers doubt this seemingly unbelievable account of creation. Some have done so for literary reasons,...
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