Monthly Archives: October 2010

Freedom for Home Schoolers, Tyranny for Infidels

By D. G. Hart | Published: October 30, 2010

In the category of harmonic convergence, Rabbit Bret and Brothers B recently huffed and puffed about a PCA pastor from Richmond, Indiana who had the temerity to write a letter to the local newspaper editor in which he argued for more government oversight of homeschooling. In his 19-point reply (with subpoints, no less) the good… Read More→

Posted in Novus Ordo Seclorum | Tagged , , , , , | 18 Comments

A Reformed Protestant by Any Other Name Has to Be Shorter

By D. G. Hart | Published: October 29, 2010

From my trip to Geneva last summer for the festivities to celebrate John Calvin’s 500th birthday I still recall the indignation of a professor from the University of Zurich during his plenary presentation. He complained about Calvinism as the designation for Protestants who come from the Swiss Reformation. Obviously, he has a point since the… Read More→

Posted in Old World Presbyterianism | Tagged , , , , , | 1 Comment

Two-Kingdom Tuesday: The Hollowness of Article 36

By D. G. Hart | Published: October 26, 2010

Critics of two-kingdom theology from Dutch backgrounds often cite the Belgic Confession’s teaching on the civil magistrate as grounds for rejection. For those who don’t have a copy of the confession handy, Article 36 reads: And the government’s task is not limited to caring for and watching over the public domain but extends also to… Read More→

Posted in Novus Ordo Seclorum | Tagged , , , , , | 217 Comments

Act One, Scene Two: Kloosterman on Luther as Neo-Calvinist

By D. G. Hart | Published: October 25, 2010

I would not have thought it possible. “It” in this case is an effort to disassociate Martin Luther from two-kingdom theology. Most Reformed Protestants beyond the age of accountability understand intuitively, it seems, that Lutheranism goes wobbly in its Christian teaching because of the dualism that haunts it, thanks to Luther’s two-kingdom theology. Furthermore, when… Read More→

Posted in Neo-Protestantism | Tagged , , , , | 19 Comments

Why Should Chaplains Have All the Good Uniforms?

By D. G. Hart | Published: October 22, 2010

Our southern correspondent sent a story from the Washington Post about the Supreme Court’s justices’ annual photo shoot. Robin Givhan, the staff writer, took particular notice of Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s decision to adorn her black robe with “a white lace frill that flopped down the front of her chest like a hankie she’d tucked into… Read More→

Posted in Shock and Awe | Tagged , , | 8 Comments

Where’s Waldo Wednesday: Union and Two Kingdoms Together

By D. G. Hart | Published: October 20, 2010

Now this is union-with-Christ piety that is more like Calvin than Kuyper: Grant Almighty God, that as thou deignest so far to condescend as to sustain the care of this life, and to supply us with whatever is needful for our pilgrmiage, — O grant that we may learn also to rely on thee and… Read More→

Posted in spirituality of the church | Tagged , | 6 Comments

Act One, Scene One: Kloosterman, Worldview, and the Reformed Confession

By D. G. Hart | Published: October 20, 2010

The indefatigable slayer of 2k dragons, Nelson Kloosterman, has started a review series of David VanDrunen’s recent book on natural law and the two kingdoms. In his opening essay – will this one grow to twenty-one installments like his series on Klineanism and theonomy – he identifies the issue that makes VanDrunen’s position so alarming… Read More→

Posted in Neo-Protestantism | Tagged , , | 96 Comments

Why Conservatism Beats Biblicism

By D. G. Hart | Published: October 15, 2010

An earlier reference to Ross Douthat’s blog posts on gay marriage was intended to show that people in the mainstream secular media can hear an argument that is laced with Christian norms and not go running to the Supreme Court for an injunction to shut said arguer down. Douthat concluded his series of posts (defending… Read More→

Posted in Christian politics | Tagged , , , , , | 93 Comments

Now He’s Channeling DG

By D. G. Hart | Published: October 12, 2010

And I don’t mean Desiring God Ministries. Carl Trueman offers some preliminary thoughts on the Christianity Today feature story on Al Mohler. Trueman recognizes a potential trap in offering a response. If Mohler represents evangelicalism, then the born-again identity is really much smaller than the evangelical guardians at Christianity Today and the National Association of… Read More→

Posted in Neo-Protestantism, Shameless Selves Promotion | Tagged , , , , , | 11 Comments

This Is Not a Program for Changing the World

By D. G. Hart | Published: October 11, 2010

The discordant note in the Kuyperian and Niebuhrian conceptions of Reformed Protestantism is to turn Calvinism not into the little engine that could but the big combine that did and did it some more. Aside from the lack of humility inherent in pointing to Reformed Protestantism as a world-transforming faith that affects every aspect of… Read More→

Posted in Paleo Calvinism | Tagged , , | 5 Comments