The Trotter Proposal: An extension of the Trueman Hypothesis2/14/2008
Of course, I agree with my close friend Trueman on the absurd trendiness of those whose motivation for dog-collared soulpatchery is metropresbyterial self-regard. But strange Reformed dress styles are not the monopoly of those suffering from stunted emotional growth. One friend in Georgia (who will remain anonymous for his own safety and to avoid bringing shame on his father-in-law) asks: what is it with the `Amish weirdy-beardy' thing among the OPC?' And, indeed, I have heard Trueman's own missus wondering aloud about why it is that so many TR ladies appear to have jobs as extras on 'Little House on the Prairie'. Where have all the normally dressed, Christian people gone?
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Wit and Wisdom1/31/2008
I wonder too if the drift to Rome isn't caused by the dramatic loss of a sense of humour in Protestantism. Frankly, Catholic writers seem to have more fun most of the time; and humour is a great way of coping with the slings and arrows of life. I am struck by the comment of Eric Gritsch on Luther:
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Hey, where's my Protestantism?1/30/2008
I think the attraction of Rome is in large part generated by the fact that one needs a reason not to be Catholic, and that the classic Protestant reasons for not being so have largely vanished -- three of the key issues for Luther in the Reformation (as for others) were perspicuity of scripture, justification by grace through faith, and the interconnection of these two in the matter of authority. Given that contemporary evangelical Protestantism has largely abandoned the first two, with clear implications for the third, there is no real reason for many to remain Protestant.
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Will the US finally enjoy true gastronomic freedom?1/22/2008
No longer might I be tempted to smuggle yon chieftain o' the puddin' race through customs:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/7198751.stm
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The Church's Priorities: a Taxi Driver Speaks Out!1/7/2008
After a long break, Ref21 has once again turned for wisdom to that category of person that some regard as the third office of the eldership: taxi drivers. So, today we are delighted to be able to be talking to Frank Zappa -- no, not the late, great surreal front man of The Mothers of Invention, but driver no 66754 with Moon Unit Cabs, Peckham. Frank -- at the start of the new year, what do you see as the priorities for the church?
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Another good reason why I could never become Catholic 12/22/2007
I could never be a member of any club that would have Tony Blair as a member:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/7157409.stm
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Dr and Mrs Delboy, Sex, the Song of Songs, and Today's ESV12/19/2007
Just ploughing through Dr and Mrs Delboy's new book on the Song of Songs (see post froma few days ago). It's accessible, clearly written and biblically faithful. Nevertheless, it does highlight one problem with moving from the biblical world to the present day:
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A kid's worst nightmare12/13/2007
What is the typical kid's worst nightmare? That mum and dad will write a book on -- well, you know what. So I wonder what trauma has been visited on the Thomas brood by what looks set to be a Reformed bestseller.:
http://www.prpbooks.com/inventory.html?target=indiv_title&id=1491
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After so many years, Wales finally gets culture!11/24/2007
http://news.independent.co.uk/uk/this_britain/article3189239.ece
This article left me all shook up, especially given the rumours that Rev Steve Caprice is the stage name of none other than Wales' finest, Derek Thomas. Is this so? Come on Derek, I think we should be told!
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`Ere we go again11/20/2007
Yes, the Ref21 offices have received news of a book being written on R J Rushdoony, that outstanding historian and scholar, and the aspiring author has requested the editor to call on our beloved friend and occasional blogger, Carl Trueman, to repent of his attitude to the great man and the wonderful Christian movement he inspired. So we asked Carl for his response, and here it is: `A book on Rushdoony??? Well, stone me!'
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Image Makeover for Del?10/30/2007
Some have been emailing asking where I've been. Well, yesterday I was in Jackson, MS and guess what? I saw Del emerging from a hairdresser's salon, sans his trademark soul patch and ponytail. Can it be that Reformed theology's answer to Frank Zappa has allowed one of Trueman's predictable rants to intimidate him into an image makeover? What next? Ligon without the kaftan and beads? Mark Dever abandoning the dreadlocks, tie-dye teeshirt and having his tattoos surgically removed? Think of the kids, guys, think of the kids......
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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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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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Separated at birth?9/10/2007
Given the reputation of Lig Duncan as the evil genius of the PCA, I have been struck recently by his resemblance to an earlier supernatural villain. I wonder if, perchance, they are related. I think Ref21 readers should be told:
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Illicit photo9/1/2007
I notice that a picture of CRT which has not been authorised by WTS Publications Dept has sneaked out onto the web. No wonder he was so happy to be mistaken for Prof Beckwith.
http://against-heresies.blogspot.com/2007/09/how-to-teach-defense-against-dark-arts.html
And, as far as Thielicke goes, a truly great church historian would surely have known that he preached his blitz sermons in Stuttgart, not Hamburg. The man's a fraud, no two ways about it.
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