A Twenty-first Century Reformation?
Every year a new round of publications on the Protestant Reformation checker the pages of academic catalogs around this time. While the arguments and approaches of these books differ, they all implicitly point to the same conclusion: the Reformation’s significance to Christianity is enduring and will continue to be the subject of conversation going forward. Baptists are frequently dismissed as not being historically or theologically...
I Voted! (Here’s Why)
ONE Magazine recently honored HSF by publishing articles by two of its members in its August-September 2012 issue. It published “The Scandal of Singleness” by W. Jackson Watts, which was adapted from an original HSF article by the same name. It also published “I Voted! (Here’s Why)” by Matthew S. Bracey. As America is just one week away from Election Day 2012, we present this timely article now:...
The Seduction of Story
As adults, most of us remember with delight those stories that filled our imaginations as children. Mark Twain’s Tom Sawyer or Huck Finn, Franklin’s Dixon’s The Hardy Boys, or J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter are just a few examples. Bible stories also memorably captured our attentions. Think of Noah and the Ark, David and Goliath, or Jonah and the Great Fish. Stories aren’t just for children, though. They’re for adults, too. What is it...
Theological Triage
Discrediting Christianity is not too difficult these days: “Why work too hard or get our hands too dirty, when applying the labels Fundamentalist and Evangelical will do the trick of sending those pesky Christians back to the hills where they belong,” some think. These are the tactics of many media outlets. There is no denying that the Church is at odds with the things of this world. Though the world despises the Gospel, Christians...
Religion for the Weak
“Who did Jesus come for?” This is not the typical way we frame the purpose of Jesus’ coming. Usually we think about the cross, forgiveness, and perhaps even the kingdom of God. But inserting the interrogative “who” moves our thoughts elsewhere. Former Governor of Minnesota, Jesse Ventura (D), infamously said, “Organized religion is a sham and a crutch for weak-minded people who need strength in numbers.” We could dismiss this as the...
Clothed in Righteousness: What Isaiah 61 Teaches About Justification
With all the debate among evangelicals regarding justification, we find a renewed vigor among Christians to mine the Pauline epistles for nuggets of gold. Even church history shows that when questions about justification arise, Christians go particularly to Romans and Galatians for their answers. Yet much of the Bible is neglected when developing our views on justification, particularly the Old Testament. Countless passages of...
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