Archive for April 2013
Are you a jellyfish Christian?
By Matthew Barrett— Jellyfish Christianity. It is Christianity with no theological backbone or nerve. It occurs when a Christian will not stand up for what he believes and knows to be true due to pressure from others. It is Christianity with no gusto, no courage, and no ability to tell it like it is.…
Read MoreThe Mystery of the Trinity (Scott R. Swain)
In the most recent issue of Credo Magazine, “The Trinity and the Christian Life: Why a Triune God Makes All the Difference,” Scott R. Swain has contributed an article entitled, “The Mystery of the Trinity.” Swain walks us through some of the most important facets of the doctrine of the Trinity. But first, a little…
Read MoreBook Notes: Basics of Biblical Greek Video Lectures
By Matthew Barrett– William D. Mounce. Basics of Biblical Greek: Video Lectures: A Complete Course for the Beginner. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2013. William Mounce’s DVD set is out for students learning biblical Greek. If you are starting to learn Greek for the first time, this is a great resource to have. Not only can you…
Read More“I vow to thee my country” … “There’s another country”
The church-state relationship in England at the present time is something of a dog’s breakfast, the latest stage of a process of de-confessionalisation that began in the 18th century, and which still continues. As an example of absurdity of this relationship, it now seems that the state church will be exempted by law from the…
Read MoreAnnie Pearce Kinkead (Mrs. B.B.) Warfield
By Fred Zaspel– (reprinted from Banner of Truth Issue 595, April 2013) Believe it or not, since the publication of my The Theology of B.B. Warfield: A Systematic Summary in early 2010 I have received more inquiries regarding Warfield’s wife, Annie, than any other single Warfield subject. This is a curious thing, given the many…
Read MoreWhy a Triune God is Better than any Other (Michael Reeves)
In the new issue of Credo Magazine, “The Trinity and the Christian Life: Why a Triune God Makes All the Difference,” Michael Reeves has contributed an article entitled: “Why a Triune God is Better Than Any Other.” Michael Reeves (Ph.D., King’s College) is author of Unquenchable Flame: Discovering the Heart of the Reformation (B&H), and…
Read MoreThe Messiah in the Old Testament
Walter C. Kaiser Jr.The Messiah in the Old Testament.Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1995. I have a tendency to overstate my case. I can get excited about this or that idea and too quickly claim it’s the best in its category. I know I shouldn’t, but it’s easy to do. Therefore, I will summarize my opinion of…
Read MoreSalvation—Trinitarian through and through (Matthew Barrett)
One of the beauties of theology is seeing how different doctrines of the faith are interconnected to one another. The theologian who tries to address one particular doctrine, only to put it aside so that he can move on to the next, has seriously misunderstood the fabric of theology. Theology is like a spider’s web,…
Read MoreWhat Does It Mean To Practice World Missions In Today’s World? (Anthony Carter)
Two Men on the Western Frontier: Jonathan Edwards and William Johnson
Michael Haykin– When Jonathan Edwards (1703-1758) was ministering at Stockbridge, he encouraged his son, the future theologian-pastor Jonathan Edwards, Jr. (1745-1801), to spend time learning the culture and language of the Oneida. The boy went with a missionary, Gideon Hawley, to an Oneida village at the head of the Susquehanna, about two hundred miles away…
Read MoreThe Trials of Theology
Andrew Cameron, and Brian Rosner, eds. The Trials of Theology: Becoming a ‘Proven Worker’ in a Dangerous Business. Christian Focus, 2009. Review by Fred Zaspel– This is an unusual book. First, its authors come from both the past and the present. Second, in under 200 pages it addresses a wide range of pastoral, biblical, theological,…
Read MoreCalvin, Classical Trinitarianism, and the Aseity of the Son
Brannon Ellis. Calvin, Classical Trinitarianism, and the Aseity of the Son. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2012. Review by Tyler R. Wittman– In the church’s early fight against “Arianism” and Sabellianism, the faith’s defenders in the pro-Nicene tradition shared a strategy of distinguishing between essence-appropriate and relation-appropriate language in Trinitarian theology – two ways of speaking…
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