Karl Barth the fundamentalist

Karl Barth is a pleasure to read. I guess I should add my fundamentalist caveat here and say that I have strong disagreements with him in certain areas (for example, we differ on inerrancy). Nonetheless the bit of his Church Dogmatics that I have read I found quite enjoyable (though at times he was not [...]

Read Full Post »

Happy Birthday C. S. Lewis

In 1898, C. S. Lewis was born on this day, Nov 29, in Belfast. In honor of his birthday, I have given a couple of interesting selections from his An Experiment in Criticism, the first on Bach and the second dealing with how we should appreciate art:
“Many people enjoy popular music in a way which [...]

Read Full Post »

Advent music on-line

Those of you who appreciate sacred music may find Classic Church Music enjoyable. You will have to endure through some annoying ads, both visual and audible, but I think it is worth it in the end. The current focus for the station is Advent music. The station is described, “Classic choral and organ works, celebrating [...]

Read Full Post »

Machen critiquing hymns

Although some may see efforts to critique both old and new church music as elitist or judgmental, we have an excellent example of this sort of thing done by J. Gresham Machen. In Christianity & Liberalism he distinguishes between three different hymns, explaining how the text in each either fails or succeeds at describing well [...]

Read Full Post »

Christ, Christmas, and American Commercialism

I used to get quite upset around this time of year. Every time I heard “Happy Holidays” or even “Happy X-mas” instead of Merry Christmas, I was convinced that there was some underhanded pagan strategy to “take Christ out of Christmas.” Yes, the American Corporate World was banding together to rid the world of Jesus. [...]

Read Full Post »

Worried about church attendance?

Here comes Narnia! The really sad thing is that these actions do not come as any surprise.

Read Full Post »

David Clark on objectivity

In his monograph, To Know and Love God, David Clark distinguishes two kinds of “objectivity.” The first is kind is the sense in which we say that a theological truth is “objective.” When we want to say, for example, with “objectivity”, that God is holy. The second kind of objectivity is when we say that [...]

Read Full Post »

Come, Ye Thankful People, Come

One of the most interesting “thanksgiving hymns” is Come, Ye Thankful People, Come, written by Henry Alford. The song’s theme is focused on harvest time, it is true, but uses it as metaphor to teach about coming judgment.
I
Come, ye thankful people, come, raise the song of harvest home;
All is safely gathered in, ere the winter [...]

Read Full Post »

Good CD

There are at least two reasons to buy good hymn CDs. First, good recordings of hymns will usually introduce you to hymns with which you are currently unfamiliar. I have learned many new hymn texts and settings from CDs I purchased. Good recordings of hymns also aid your worship. I like them in the background [...]

Read Full Post »

A Word from Jonathan Edwards

Everytime I listen to Jonathan Edwards’ “Sinners in the Hands of Angry God“, I am astonished at his boldness and frankness. I wonder if our idea of a “pastor’s heart” could not stand some scrutiny. I am also struck by his effective use of imagery, giving picture after picture of the idea he wants to [...]

Read Full Post »

All Things Fun and Trivial

I was talking the other day with my three-year-old son about church, and for some reason I thought of a certain comment to add to the conversation. I paused. Could I really say it? “Would this even be orthodox?” I asked myself. “Yes,” I thought, “and you should say it.” So I let the words [...]

Read Full Post »

A hymn for Saturday evening

This hymn by Paul Gerhardt (1607-1676) is often sung to INNSBRUCK, a setting harmonized by Johann Sebastian Bach.
The duteous day now closeth,
Each flower and tree reposeth,
Shade creeps o’er wild and wood:
Let us, as night is falling,
On God our Maker calling,
Give thanks to Him, the Giver good.
Now all the heav’nly splendor
Breaks forth in starlight tender
From myriad [...]

Read Full Post »

American Evangelicalism has issues

I stumbled across this critique of a children’s DVD called Baptism Central. The critique is alright, and makes some good points. But why must we stoop to these levels to get people baptized? Does identification with the Creator of the Universe and holy Lamb of God in his death and resurrection just not cut it [...]

Read Full Post »

The role of the Septuagint in early Christian life

There may be some in our ranks who have an interest in some of the practices of the ancient church. I am right now doing some work in the writings of Theodore of Mopsuestia (350-428), so I hope you will indulge my bringing another remark your way. Theodore is well-known for his hermeneutics, and no [...]

Read Full Post »