Monthly Archives: September 2009

Why Gentlemen Often Prefer Barth

By D. G. Hart | Published: September 26, 2009

Reformed Protestants are not supposed to believe in coincidence. So when on the same day email brings reflections on worship and they sound such different notes, am I allowed to attribute this to providence? First came a message from the good folks at Christianity Today with a link to an interview with Bryan Chapell, the… Read More→

Posted in Shock and Awe | Tagged , , | 6 Comments

Did Someone Say “Cocktails”?

By D. G. Hart | Published: September 24, 2009

The good folks at Christ Reformed Church (URC) in Washington, D.C. are sponsoring a lecture series on — you guessed it — John Calvin. “Calvin in the Capital” is a free speaker series exploring the life and work of John Calvin. Events will be held on Thursday evenings at 7:00 pm, running each week from… Read More→

Posted in Shameless Selves Promotion | 1 Comment

The Ecumenicity of American Civil Religion

By D. G. Hart | Published: September 23, 2009

Here is proof of civil religion’s appeal to both sides of the Reformation. What is surprising is that American civil religion was anti-Catholic. Amazing how the culture wars make the anathemas of Trent vanish. (Thanks to DL for the link.)

Posted in Christian politics | 2 Comments

Putting Christ’s Righteousness in a Lock Box

By D. G. Hart | Published: September 22, 2009

Adult Sunday school students at Calvary OPC (Glenside) had the privilege of hearing Richard M. Gamble, an Orthodox Presbyterian elder at Hillsdale OPC and historian at Hillsdale College speak on the appeal of the “city on a hill” in American civil religion. Lest some think the lesson promoted mixing biblical metaphors with America’s civic faith,… Read More→

Posted in Christian politics | 6 Comments

Mencken Day 2009

By D. G. Hart | Published: September 12, 2009

To honor the great American writer and editor born in 1880 on this day in Baltimore, comes the following reflection on conversion: Converting me to anything is probably a psychological impossibility. At all events, it has never been achieved by anyone, though I have been exposed more than once to the missionary technic of very… Read More→

Posted in Miscellany | 4 Comments

Was Calvin a Neo-Calvinist or an Evangelical?

By D. G. Hart | Published: September 11, 2009

The punch line is, what’s the difference? Badop bop. Timothy George, dean of the Beeson Divinity School at Samford University, has a number of articles in a recent issue of Christianity Today that is devoted to John Calvin. George is a very fine historian of the Reformation so the reason for his rendition of Calvin… Read More→

Posted in Paleo Calvinism | Tagged , , , | 13 Comments

Easy Obeyism

By D. G. Hart | Published: September 9, 2009

Over the last several decades discussions of justification among Presbyterians have too often included a remark or two about how salvation is more than justification. When asked to explain the partial nature of justification, interlocutors will talk about the need for sanctification and good works, and sometimes mention the impossibility of entering into glory with… Read More→

Posted in The Hinge | Tagged , , , , | 109 Comments

The Federal Vision and the Decalogue

By D. G. Hart | Published: September 7, 2009

I was under the impression that covenant faithfulness was a big part of Federal Vision teaching. I also thought that Old Testament law was a big part of being covenantally faithful. So what’s up with this (not a song making fun of Samson but going to see a comic on a Lord’s Day evening)? In… Read More→

Posted in Shock and Awe | 8 Comments

Military Chaplains — What’s Up with That?

By D. G. Hart | Published: September 3, 2009

I have long wondered about the propriety of military chaplains. Mind you, I know some military chaplains and even have them for friends. But the complications to jure divino Presbyterianism that come from ministering as an agent of the state pale in comparison to the sort of ministerial promiscuity that goes on among the denominations… Read More→

Posted in Jure Divino Presbyterianism | Tagged , , | 59 Comments