The Missing Category of the ‘Righteous Man’–Revisited
A while ago I posted an article entitled, “Is Anyone More Holy Than Anyone Else? The Missing Category of the ‘Righteous Man”. In that article I discussed the downplaying of sanctification and holiness in some Reformed circles today. For whatever set of reasons, certain pastors and theologians are convinced that in order to preserve the doctrine of justification we cannot emphasize that real progress is possible in our sanctification. If we are really about ‘grace’, we are told, then we must focus predominantly on our depravity.
In my prior post, I argued that one of the motivations for this entire approach is a misunderstanding of the doctrine of total … Continue reading...
Sola Scriptura in Tabletalk
For the last week or so I have been helping my 9-year old son memorize Luther’s famous declaration at the Diet of Worms (1521) for a school project. As I helped him, I was struck again by Luther’s unwavering commitment to the scriptures as the ultimate guide for the Christian life:
…Unless I am convinced by the testimony of the Scriptures or by clear reason (for I do not trust either in the pope or in councils alone, since it is well known that they have often erred and contradicted themselves), I am bound by the Scriptures I have quoted and my conscience is captive to the Word of God.
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“Is Everything Sad Going to Come Untrue?”: Eschatology in the Lord of the Rings
In my opinion, some of the most overlooked portions of the entire Lord of the Rings trilogy are the chapters right after the final battle in The Return of the King. In these chapters, Tolkien expresses a vision for cosmic renewal that closely mimics the one laid down in the biblical accounts themselves. In Rev 21:5 we read, “And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, ‘Behold, I am making all things new.’” God has declared that one day he will set all things right. Likewise, at the end of The Return of the King, Tolkien describes how evil has been vanquished and all things set … Continue reading...
Everybody Submits to Somebody: Viewing the Submission Issue in Its Larger Context
In our culture, “submission” is a four letter word. Few are praised in our modern world for subjecting themselves to those in authority over them. On the contrary, the model laid out for us is that we should always challenge and question those who are over us. After all (we think), we know better than they do. We should be in charge, not them. The classic bumper sticker captures it well: “Question Authority.”
There is perhaps no place where this is seen more vividly than the controversy over Eph 5:22, “Wives submit to your husbands as unto the Lord.” Cultural pundits are quick to label Christians as anti-woman or patriarchal … Continue reading...
Where Have All the Heroes Gone? The Refreshing Moral Vision of Lord of the Rings
Ralph Wood, author of The Gospel According to Tolkien, tells us that often his students “have confessed that they feel ‘clean’ after reading Lord of the Rings.”[1] Indeed, one of the most compelling features of Tolkien’s work is the sweeping, grand, and refreshing vision of the moral character of its heroes. It is not just the lack of bad language and sexuality, but the positive presence of attributes like conviction, loyalty, integrity, and courage. There is an “other-worldliness” about the heroes of the Lord of the Rings. They seem to come from a distant time and place where people still behaved like we know they ought—and the … Continue reading...