Christianity, Philosophy, and Presuppositions
Approximately one year ago, in the spring of 2020, I was invited to begin teaching Welch College’s offering of Christian Philosophy, which occupies a place in the general education curriculum. Since that time, I have taught four iterations of the course and have loved every minute of it. The subject of philosophy is not simply about philosophers and their ideas. It is also about what and how we think; to that extent, it is relevant to...
Rod Dreher’s Live Not By Lies: A Review
Christianity Today’s Samuel James says that it presents a “surprisingly weak case.”[1] Southern Seminary’s Al Mohler offers a more favorable review: “I think it’s, if anything, an even more important book than The Benedict Option.”[2] Undoubtedly, these men put forward contrasting analyses of Rod Dreher’s newest book, Live Not by Lies: A Manual for Christian Dissidents.[3] I first encountered Dreherupon reading his book, Crunchy Cons,...
Political Ethics from 1 Timothy 2:1–8
We have recently experienced another tumultuous election season. “Don’t remind me,” you’re thinking. Now I recognize that talking politics is risky business. And yet I also recognize that the Scriptures are sufficient for life and godliness. This principle means that God’s Word has a word for all Christians at all times. It does not necessarily mean that the Scriptures address every contingency specifically. But it does mean that...
The Pro-life Ethic of Orphan Care
The confession to which Free Will Baptists subscribe is the Faith and Practices of Free Will Baptists. The name of our treatise follows the traditional dual concern for orthodoxy (right doctrine or belief) and orthopraxy (right practice). This latter emphasis (practices) sometimes goes by the name ethics. Sometimes when we hear the word ethics, we think of the hot-button issues of our day, such as abortion, biotechnology, capital...
Rhetoric: Clarity in Preaching and Teaching
As a teacher and (occasional) preacher, I find fascinating the subject of rhetoric, which simply refers to “how one ought to speak.”[1] In fact, several years ago, I published two other pieces on rhetoric, entitled “Rhetoric: The Christian and Non-verbal Communication” and “Rhetoric to the Glory of God.” In this post, I would like to return to the topic of rhetoric. One of the important means by which a preacher is the most effective...
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