Archive for February 2013
How to Read the Bible: A Beginner’s guide
By Fred Zaspel– Assured that all Scripture is both inspired and holistically profitable (2Tim. 3:16-17) many Christians have plugged away faithfully at Bible reading wondering, frankly, why they have not found it to be as profitable as they had expected. I’m sure there are many reasons for such failed expectations, ranging from poor reading ability…
Read MoreThe Cross of Christ for $10
John Stott. The Cross of Christ. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 2012. Here is a classic text on what Christ accomplished on the cross. Westminster Bookstore is selling this 20th anniversary edition at 60% off! Buy it now for only $10.
Read MoreHow to Go from Being a Good Evangelical to a Committed Catholic in Ninety-Five Difficult Steps
Christian Smith. How to Go from Being a Good Evangelical to a Committed Catholic in Ninety-Five Difficult Steps. Cascade Books, 2011. Reviewed by Chris Castaldo– Wild boars are potentially dangerous. They indiscriminately charge and maul adversaries with their tusks. Less violent but equally destructive are religious converts. Perhaps for this reason Pope Leo X…
Read MoreThe Holy Judgment of God: Revelation 15-16 (Thomas Schreiner)
By Thomas Schreiner– When terrible things happen, most people wonder what the purpose of life is. And many ask, “Is God speaking to me?” They might wonder if God is punishing them. Even people who don’t have a strong faith in God often wonder if God is punishing them when disaster strikes. We know…
Read MoreMartin Luther on the doctrine of Purgatory
By Jeff Robinson– When the Protestant Reformation broke out in 1517, the sale of indulgences by the Roman Catholic Church was the focal issue that ignited what flamed into the greatest revival of the Gospel since Pentecost, but a related issue which has received less ink was also at play for the reformers: the doctrine…
Read MoreThe Sadness and Beauty of Paul’s Final Words (John Piper)
Four Outstanding Interviews
By Matthew Barrett– One of the blessings of living in the 21st century is that we have resources at our fingertips, resources that can help us draw near to God, understand his Word better, as well as his providence in redemptive-history. We hope that Credo Magazine is one of those resources, helping you and assisting…
Read MoreRevelation according to the Vikings
By Matthew Claridge– In the back of J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Legend of Sigurd and Gudrun there is an appendix that contains a poem entitled, The Prophecy of the Sibyl. I am still a little confused whether this poem is Tolkien’s own creation or a translation of some other Nordic poem. Christopher Tolkein’s introduction to the…
Read MorePreaching Jesus All the Time
By Fred Zaspel– It is an encouraging sign when young ministers and ministerial students ask how to preach Christ more consistently while remaining faithful to the text at hand. It’s a question that we all have faced, and doubtless few have it all figured out. I’m sure I don’t, but I love the discussion. We…
Read MoreShould Evangelicals Believe In Purgatory? (Beckwith and Cowan)
In Credo Magazine’s recent issue we asked the question “Should Evangelicals Believe In Purgatory?” Francis Beckwith, previously an evangelical who has returned to the Roman Catholic Church, has answered yes, while Steven Cowan, a Protestant-Evangelical, has answered no. Here is why they answered the way they did: Evangelicals SHOULD Embrace Purgatory Evangelicals should embrace the…
Read MoreSola Scriptura: Martin Luther & the Rediscovery of the Authority of Scripture (Stephen Nichols)
Intertextuality and Intratextuality
By Luke Stamps — One of the most useful skills or habits that we can develop as interpreters of Holy Scripture is the ability to discern what biblical scholars call “intertextual” and “intratextual” connections.[1] Behind both of these concepts is the observation that biblical passages not only directly quote but also allude to and echo…
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