Monthly Archives: December 2009

The Virus is Spreading – Spooky

By D. G. Hart | Published: December 31, 2009

Apparently the Westminster California hermeneutic has now infected the Alliance of Confessing Evangelicals. Ligon Duncan recently issued a statement that clarified difference among ACE members on whether or not to sign the Manhattan Declaration. (For some of the diversity among evangelicals or conservative Protestants, go here.) Duncan wrote: The Alliance has not historically weighed in… Read More→

Posted in Paleo Calvinism | Tagged , , , , | 174 Comments

The Westminster Hermeneutic Apparently Infects Kerux

By D. G. Hart | Published: December 30, 2009

And apparently, readers of the current review haven’t read very deeply in the journal. But a handy gadget at Kerux’s website reveals some items of note. First this article by Scott Clark on John 2:13-22, on Christ’s cleansing of the Temple. One lesson taught is the end of the theocratic arrangement in Israel: It is… Read More→

Posted in Miscellany, Westminster | Tagged , , , | 6 Comments

Fire Season May be Over, But Not Open Season on Westminster California

By D. G. Hart | Published: December 28, 2009

WSC appears to be the pimply, skinny, dorky kid at the beach on whom the buff guys kick sand in order to impress the babes. Remarkable indeed is the constant stream of criticism that seems to throw cautions about charity and slander to the wind. WSC is apparently so obviously egregious that committed (or maybe… Read More→

Posted in Westminster | 26 Comments

When Will Justin Taylor Notice?

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

Actually, even if Taylor doesn’t, for the Gospel Coalition Michael Pohlman does notice, and holds open the possibility that multi-site churches may be a fulfilment of the Great Commission. Still, the blog watch on Tim Keller has been remarkably silent about the feature story in USA Today about multi-site churches in which Redeemer NYC figured… Read More→

Posted in The Sacred Office | Tagged , , , , | 23 Comments

Machen on Roman Catholic Indoctrination

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

Since the Christian school advocates are invoking Machen, here is one more relevant quotation that may clarify his views on American liberty and how it affects folks from different faiths even if they happen to be in the Protestant majority. Since Machen refers in the following to debates over public education, the quotation may also… Read More→

Posted in J. Gresham Machen | Tagged , , | 6 Comments

If Not Two Kingdoms, Two Decalogues

By D. G. Hart | Published: December 21, 2009

In other words, you gotta serve some dualism. I’ve had another worldview moment. I am struck that critics of the two-kingdom position, especially the ones who insist upon Christian schools, believe that a major issue in the disagreement is whether or not the Bible is the norm for public life (as well as other sectors… Read More→

Posted in Novus Ordo Seclorum | Tagged , , , , | 162 Comments

Machen, the Educational Ecumenist

By D. G. Hart | Published: December 19, 2009

So Machen thought highly of Christian day schools among the Dutch Reformed. He also thought that public schools had their place. And to round out the picture, here he is on Lutheran education: . . . it should, I think, be made much harder than it now is to enter the Church: the confession of… Read More→

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When Does The Multi-Site Pastor Get to Confess His Sins?

By D. G. Hart | Published: December 19, 2009

One of the advantages of being a Country Parson that Tim Keller and I both failed to mention is the ability of rural ministers to worship with their congregations while leading in worship. This thought came to mind when reading the recent USA Today piece on the Rev. Keller and multi-site churches. According to the… Read More→

Posted in Piety without Exuberance | Tagged , , , | 15 Comments

Machen on Public Schools

By D. G. Hart | Published: December 19, 2009

Thanks to S. M. Hutchens at Touchstone for this reminder of what Christian school advocates selectively leave out when quoting Machen: A public-school system, in itself, is indeed of enormous benefit to the race. But it is of benefit only if it is kept healthy at every moment by the absolutely free possibility of competition… Read More→

Posted in J. Gresham Machen | Tagged , , | 75 Comments

When Did Reformed Christians Become Adventists?

By D. G. Hart | Published: December 16, 2009

I remember a time when Advent was foreign to most Protestants except for Episcopalians and a few Lutherans. Now one hears regularly of the Advent season in conservative Reformed and Presbyterian churches. Some even bring out the wreaths, the candles, and orchestrate Hallmark moments where an entire family will be involved in a reading and… Read More→

Posted in Wilderness Wanderings | Tagged , , , | 95 Comments