I still recall the first time my parents let me go to summer camp with my best friend. Neither I nor my parents understood what this particular summer camp was really all about. All we saw in the brochure was horseback riding and a big swimming pool, so I was very excited, until the first […]
How Strange Is Your God? James Wood on the Idolatrous Voice of Christ
All week the forecast was bad. Weather.com showed only thunderclouds, rain, and a long series of yellow lightning bolts. But when the day came — a day when college-aged Christians would gather outside to protest human trafficking — the storms held off. The clouds came in, but the air was clear. One of my friends, […]
Circles of Grace and the One-Way Love of God
In anticipation of the publication of John Barclay’s book, Paul and the Power of Grace, Part Six of our “Defining Grace” series concludes with my own post on grace and circularity. In his classic children’s book, The Giving Tree, Shel Silverstein tells the story of a young boy who is befriended by a tree. The tree simply […]
Legislating Morality: The Political Enthusiasm of Christians
This post comes to us from Johnny Walker: Most Christians work with the assumption that their faith in Christ must have some consequence for their political lives. For many this assumption is left more or less uninterrogated and runs its course with only minimal reflection, but for some the political character of the Gospel, once […]
The Election is Wonderfully Good News
I don’t know if you heard, but there was an election this year. That might or might not have been good news. But there’s another election that’s even better news — the best news — and it has nothing to do with paper ballots, hanging chads, exit polling, majority rule, or the Reformed dudebros you’re […]
The Power of Love: Grace in Augustinian Perspective
In anticipation of the publication of John Barclay’s book, Paul and the Power of Grace, Part Five of our “Defining Grace” series continues with this essay from Simeon Zahl, Lecturer in Christian Theology at Cambridge University. He is the author of the books The Holy Spirit and Christian Experience (excerpts of which can be found here) and Pneumatology […]
Home Security, Eternal Security, and Justification: A Quick Reformation Day Reflection
We recently moved into a new home and, as an incentive to take part in a discount on our home insurance premium, the company sent us a smart home monitoring system we could install to protect our home and prevent unforeseen emergencies. As I walked through the installation guide, I viewed a short video in […]
Superabundant Grace in a Time of Scarcity
In anticipation of the publication of John Barclay’s book, Paul and the Power of Grace, Part Four of our “Defining Grace” series continues with this essay from Madison Pierce, Assistant Professor of New Testament at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School. She is the author of the book, Divine Discourse in the Epistle to the Hebrews, and co-edited […]
Mixed Drinks and God’s Word: The Ordering of Law and Gospel
What if I told you that I had some news, but that there was both good news and bad news? Which would you choose first? Would you lead with the bad news to get it over with, or would you lead with the good news to help you brace for the other shoe to drop? […]
Freedom and Why We’re Afraid of It
In case you missed it, last week DZ gave a brilliant talk at 1517‘s “Here We Still Stand” conference on “Freedom and Why We’re Afraid of It.”
Why the Justice of God is Good News
Ahead of the publication of John Barclay’s book, Paul and the Power of Grace, Part Three of our “Defining Grace” series continues with this essay from Wesley Hill, Associate Professor of New Testament at Trinity School for Ministry. He is the author of several books: The Lord’s Prayer, Paul and the Trinity, Spiritual Friendship, and Washed and […]
Fleming Rutledge on God’s Journey to Us
A phenomenal interview with former Mockingbird Conference speaker, Fleming Rutledge, discussing the cross of Christ, procrastination, the powers of Sin, Facebook, and (of course!) God’s irresistible grace.
