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Watch this SPACE:
In the next few days Ref21 is undergoing a complete transformation. In addition to a brand new design four new bloggers will appear: Iain D, Campbell, Stephen (Steve) Nichols, Sean Lucas and Thabiti Anyabwile. Check back regularly over the next week and find out more (Editor).
Ever wonder who these guys are? Click here.
Bad Porn9/27/2007
Last month's post on Naomi Wolf's essay "The Porn Myth" provokes many useful lines of practical and theological reflection. Wolf's basic argument is that, contrary to feminist expectations, easy access to pornography has not been liberating for women, but makes men (especially) more selfish and therefore less able to enjoy real relationships, including sexual ones. Wolf even goes so far as to commend a biblical approach to sexuality.
One of Wolf's comments is especially arresting: "For most of human history, erotic images have been reflections of, or celebrations of, or substitutes for, real naked women. For the first time in human history, the images' power and allure have supplanted that of real naked women. Today, real naked women are just bad porn."
This comment grieved me, because as a pastor I know that it is true, and that women (and men) in the church are suffering as a result. The body of a man's wife ought to be a source of mystery and delight to him (see Song of Songs). But when he drinks water out of stolen cisterns, to use the biblical imagery, her beauty is degraded. Then rather than fueling their romantic passion with mutually satisfying pleasure, their sexual relationship becomes something to use and throw away.
So here is another reason for men to avoid any and all contact with any and all pornography: If you use pornography, it will degrade the sexual cement of your marriage and dishonor a woman who deserves better than to be treated like bad pornography.
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October 2007 Issue9/26/2007
Paul Helm asking just who is forgiving who for what. A roundtable discussion among Derek Thomas, Ligon Duncan, and Justin Taylor. And Carl Trueman on Tolstoy (well, sort of).
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More on "The Great Exchange"9/25/2007
Like Phil, I got a copy of The Great Exchange, kindly sent to me by Jerry Bridges. I'm very glad to see it, having been told of it by Jerry during a dinner we had during last year's PCRT conference. As I was thumbing through its contents yesterday, I reflected on the blessings sown by heresy. It has usually been the case that the church does some of its best work in response to serious attacks on Christian doctrine. It seems that the rule is holding true again. We are presently seeing more serious doctrinal writing than has been the case in quite a while, and much of it is truly outstanding. I hope and pray that out of our doctrinal troubles there may arise a robust, clear, and pointed renewal of commitment to classical Reformed doctrines and that our churches may wake up from so much of the slumber we have been suffering. Kudos to Jerry, and praise the Lord for new and outstanding books on classic themes like justification, the atonement, and the imputation of Christ's righteousness.
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Something good from Wales?9/25/2007
Despite a previously poor cultural track record which includes such low-points of Western civilisation as Derek Thomas, Swansea, and Shakin' Stevens (Excuse me, boyo, but his album `Whole Lotta Shakey' was much underestimated, wasn't it? -- ed.), Wales has upped its game recently in the person of Martin Downes. Below is a link to an excellent interview he conducted with Lewisman, Iain D Campbell, which contains much wisdom for Christians, especially ministers.
http://against-heresies.blogspot.com/2007/09/watch-your-life-and-doctrine-closely.html
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Three books on the Psalms9/24/2007
And while Phil's reading up on imputation, here are three new ones on the psalms:
J A Motyer, Treasures of the King: Psalms from the Life of David (IVP - UK). Good devotional book. Has Motyer ever written anything that isn't worth reading? I suppose not having a blog helps with that one.
Richard P Belcher, Jr, The Messiah and the Psalms (Christian Focus). Offers advice on preaching Christ from the psalms, but worth the read even for non-preachers.
John D Witvliet, The Biblical Psalms in Christian Worship (Eerdmans). Great resource book with some good bibliography. A bit `emergent church meets Eastern Orthodoxy meets the CRC' at points, but worth a purchase by pastors and worship leaders. Nice discussion of how psalms can -- and should -- be at the core of corporate worship. But you all put the psalms at the centre of corporate worship already. Ahem.
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The Great Exchange9/24/2007
I am very happy to have received a book I have not yet read but do not hesitate to recommend. It is called The Great Exchange: My Sin for His Righteousness, and it was written by Jerry Bridges and Bob Bevington. The book amounts to a full survey of the relevant biblical passages -- especially from the apostles -- that explain the imputation of sin and righteousness in the gracious salvation of our God. If this is anything like other books that Jerry Bridges has written, it will be simple, clear, and profound -- the fruit of careful, prayerful reasoning through Scripture.
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Dever on Evangelism9/22/2007
In the foreword to Mark Dever's new book, The Gospel and Personal Evangelism, C. J. Mahaney writes:That’s
why, for many years now, I’ve been pestering Mark to write this book.
It’s so that by the grace of God, church members and pastors and you
and I will notice those we once ignored. It’s so that we will befriend
sinners who are without hope and without God. It’s so that we will
share with them the good news of Jesus Christ’s substitutionary
sacrifice on the cross. It’s so that someday those lost souls might
turn from their sins and trust in the Savior’s death and resurrection
on their behalf. And then, there will be some serious rejoicing—on
earth and in heaven (Luke 15:10)! You can read the Contents, as well as the Foreword, Introduction, and Chapter 1, online for free.
Here are some blurbs for the book:“Mark
Dever’s personal devotion to Scripture has led him to think deeply,
read widely, preach clearly, and write simply to the great blessing of
the body of Christ. Evangelism is the church’s mandate, and the one
reason the redeemed are still on earth. Doing it effectively requires
doing it biblically. Mark teaches us how to mobilize our churches to do
just that.”
John MacArthur, Pastor-Teacher, Grace Community Church, Sun Valley, California “For
most of us, personal evangelism is the reverse of easy, and so it
becomes a task we evade. Mark Dever writes to shake us up about this,
clearing our heads as to just what evangelizing involves and motivating
our hearts to go to it realistically and responsibly. This is a word in
season that will surely do a great deal of good.”
J. I. Packer, Professor of Theology, Regent College “At
the heart of this book is a heart for the gospel. Mark Dever
encourages, instructs, and challenges us to proclaim the gospel in all
its fullness, grace, truth, goodness, and wonder.”
Randy Newman, author, Questioning Evangelism and Corner Conversations “Mark
Dever has done every Christian and pastor a tremendous favor. With
great humility, Dever helps us to connect the dots of our hopes for
seeing people saved with the truth about the gospel and evangelism
itself. This little book searches our hearts, corrects our thinking,
calls us to faithfulness, and encourages us with practical examples and
exhortations.”
Thabiti M. Anyabwile, Senior Pastor, First Baptist Church of Grand Cayman; author, The Faithful Preacher
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John Newton on Counselling 1019/21/2007
Iain Murray, writes in the August-September issue of The Banner of Truth magazine, a commemorative edition marking the anniversary of the death of John Newton in 1807, on Newton's pastoral skills:
"'Have you no friend in Cornwall or the north of Scotland you could visit?' he might ask such a person. 'I thought a ride to Land's End, or John O'Groats, might do them more them more good than all the counsel I could give them.' ... 'Spend more time in company with others, avoid musing by yourself, and reasoning.' (p.22).
Priceless!
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Secret Cathedral Building9/21/2007
The mother in your life will be encouraged and edified by Nicole Johnson's short essay "The Invisible Woman." The essay, which compares the work of motherhood to building a cathedral, is currently posted under the title "Be inspired: The Invisible Woman" on the website www.mommylife.net.
Ed. Note: The complete article linked above will take the reader to the full article, found on Parenthood.com.
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Literary Study Bible9/20/2007
Tony Reinke interviews Leland Ryken about the Literary Study Bible, co-edited by Leland and Philip.
The Study Bible--due out at the end of this month--also has an official website.
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An Irony Wrapped in an Enigma inside an Oddity9/20/2007
Sydney's Daily Telegraph reports (September 18) that a husband and wife who didn't realize they were chatting each other up on the internet are now seeking a divorce.
Sana Klaric (aka "Sweetie") and her husband Adnan ("Prince of Joy") spent hours in an online chatroom telling each other about their marital woes. Soon they both felt like they were falling in love all over again.
The (horrible? wonderful?) truth came out when they both turned up for the same date. But here is where things get really strange: instead of reaching out to another in love and repentance, they are both accusing one another of unfaithfulness and suing for divorce.
This is wrong at so many levels that it is hard to tell which is the saddest: Is it the inability to talk through difficulties with one's own spouse? The desperate search for happiness in a relationship outside of marriage? The refusal to fall back in love with the same person that one is supposed to love for life? The hypocrisy of accusing someone else for the same sin as one's own?
This couple has wasted a rare gift: For a brief time they listened sympathetically to one another's real frustrations. If only they had the gospel grace to repent and forgive. . .
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Schilder and the Sentimentalising of Suffering9/19/2007
It's no secret that I don't like much classic hymnody and even less many of the contemporary Christian praise songs. One reason: too sentimental by half. In that light, I was struck by the following comments made by the late Dutch theologian, Klaas Schilder, on medieval attempts to make Jesus' words from the cross into some kind of poetic high point in his ministry:
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Answering Rick's question and an article on Arius9/18/2007
As CRT isn't around to answer Rick's question, having been rushed to hospital having succumbed to a state of traumatic blindness after seeing a student wearing a `Michael Bolton' tee shirt on the WTS campus (no, Del, don't even ask!), I'll answer it for him: Trueman does not dance to `Stairway to Heaven' though I am not sure if this is because (a) it would be worldly (b) he has two left feet or (c) much to his wife's disgust, he regards dancing as a girlie activity not to be practiced by real men.
On another, more important issue, the perennially excellent writer, Patrick Henry Reardon (of Christ in the Psalms), has an extremely helpful article on Nicene Christology in September's Touchstone Magazine (www.touchstonemag.com/), `The Arius Factor.' Currently only available in hardcopy, but well worth a careful read. Thanks to the student who brought this to my attention.
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Checking in from Portland9/14/2007
I am seriously bumming because it is overcast here in Portland, so in my first visit to this lovely city I cannot even see Mt. Hood. But we had a great morning anyway at the first meeting of the Reformation Society of Oregon, sponsored by our friends at monergism.com. R.C. Sproul did his typically informative question and answer period and I spoke about Reformed evangelism. We are all here in Portland for a Ligonier conference on the sovereignty of God. It should be a great event, and it was great to meet with pastors this morning from the beautiful Pacific Northwest.
But everywhere I go, people are stopping me to ask, "Can Carl Trueman dance to Stairway to Heaven?"
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Christians and Rock Music9/14/2007
A new friend submitted a question relating to Carl's love of a certain soon-to-be-reunited band. The question and Carl's response are found on the 'We Get Letters' page.
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