Archive for November 2020
How May God Be Known?
The following is an excerpt from J. Gresham Machen’s Things Unseen: A Systematic Introduction to the Christian Faith and Reformed Theology (Westminster Seminary Press, 2020). Read what Credo Magazine’s executive editor, Matthew Barrett, thinks of the book: It is not hyperbole to say that J. Gresham Machen is one of the most— some would say…
Read MoreAddressing Fraternal Disagreements in the Body of Christ
Scripture does not require brothers and sisters in Christ to agree about everything, but it does place certain expectations on the way we are to disagree with one another. Biblical authors—and Jesus himself—seem to place a considerable weight on the way we disagree with one another. Glorifying God with One Mind and One Voice Since…
Read MoreIs theology theological? Herman Bavinck answers
Herman Bavinck has become a household name for many in the reformed, evangelical world. But who was he? How did he conceptualize his role as a theologian in the 19th and 20th centuries? What goes into making the renaissance man that was the enigmatic Herman Bavinck? In this episode of the Credo Podcast, Matthew Barrett…
Read MoreNew Credo Podcast: Is Theology Theological? Herman Bavinck Answers
Herman Bavinck has become a household name for many in the reformed, evangelical world. But who was he? How did he conceptualize his role as a theologian in the 19th and 20th centuries? What goes into making the renaissance man that was the enigmatic Herman Bavinck? In this episode of the Credo Podcast, Matthew Barrett…
Read MoreIntroduction to the Major Prophets of the Old Testament
The major prophets in the Old Testament of the Bible refer to the books of Isaiah, Jeremiah, and Ezekiel (in chronological order). They are major because of the scope and size of these books. Like a movie or novel, the Bible has an overall plot structure; the major prophets must be located within this larger…
Read MoreWhy Study Heresies, Creeds, and Councils?
Following the apostles, the early church maintained that heresy means directly denying the central orthodox beliefs of the church. Early church creedal statements codified orthodoxy into a widely accepted form. Even before important Christian beliefs such as the canon of Scripture (list of books in the Bible) and the Trinity had been carefully articulated, the…
Read MoreEavesdrop on a Theological Conversation: Recent Episodes of the Credo Podcast
Are you looking to deepen your understanding of theology? In the last several episodes of the Credo Podcast, a range of doctrinal issues have been covered including Greek philosophy, the Church Fathers, Christological anthropology, classic works of literature, and the trustworthiness of the Gospels. In each episode, Matthew Barrett talks with fellow theologians about the…
Read MoreKeach’s Creativity as an Example for Ministers Today
Help me aloud thy wonders to declare Amongst thy chosen people everywhere; That all may know the riches of thy grace, And sinners flock thy gospel to embrace. – Benjamin Keach, War with the Devil In their context within War with the Devil, these words come as the overflow of a youthful heart recently redeemed…
Read MoreTeaching Kids Regular Rhythms of Worship
When you think about explaining a worship service to kids, you might say something like this: “First, we sing. Then, we listen to the sermon.” But most worship gatherings involve more than music and preaching. When the church gathers, we follow a rhythm—or liturgy—of call and response. It’s like a big game of follow the…
Read MoreAllegorizing the Greek Myths
Orpheus was not only the king of Thrace; he was the greatest musician the world has ever known. When he played on his lyre, the tallest trees would bend and sway to the music, and the dumb rocks themselves would leap and dance with joy. His was a song of life and growth and fruition.…
Read More“Go and do Likewise”: The Continuing Relevance of Jesus’s Parables
This is part one of David Gowler’s analysis of Jesus’s parables. Click the link to read part two: “The Domestication of Jesus’s Parables” How can the parables of Jesus be relevant for the church today? The answer, at first, seems simple: One should strive to understand the meanings of parables in the contexts of Jesus’s…
Read MoreThe Escape: God’s Wrath and the Shorter Westminster Catechism
The following post is the fourth entry in a series written by Randall Greenwald on the Shorter Westminster Catechism. Click here to read: part one, part two, and part three. Today, Randall shares an excerpt from his new book, Something Worth Living For: God, the World, Yourself, and the Shorter Catechism (Christian Focus, 2020). Q.…
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