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...
Arminius and Calvin: Partners in Reform
It does not take long to sense the palpable tension between Calvinism and Arminianism. A brief overview of seminaries, blogs, and ministerial organizations shows that countless people divide along the lines drawn by these two theologies. Followers of both Calvin and Arminius have applauded them as heroes of biblical orthodoxy—and rightfully so. Unfortunately, adherents of each school constantly construct straw-men of the other. Among...
Art Actually
I sometimes ask myself how in the world I ended up with a degree in music performance. But really the answer is quite simple: I love music. I always have. However, what sold me was a music appreciation class during my freshmen year at the local state university. The entire class was deeply fascinating. What was most curious about this course was that it actually began inside the church. The first two or three weeks were given wholly...
Iconoclasm, Yesterday and Today
For centuries the Church has debated the use of icons in worship. Proponents who champion the use of icons believe that they are teaching tools and enhance the act of worship. Opponents make note of the fact that icons are often venerated if not worshipped. Many of the denominations that were born in the Reformation of the sixteenth century opposed the use of icons in worship for these very reasons. Despite their heritage, icons have...
The Primacy of Preaching
Among the myriad of responsibilities that come with pastoral ministry, preaching stands head and shoulders above the rest in importance. Paul emphasized repeatedly throughout his writings the continual necessity of not just preaching, but preaching from God’s Word. The early church emphasized it, church history has displayed it, and the Scriptures themselves verify the critical nature of biblical preaching. Preaching is God’s ordained...
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