It is impossible to read the history of modern Britain or the United States without realizing at once that it is simultaneously the history of Puritanism. After the "first Reformation," which is how the Puritans referred to the sixteenth century led by Luther and Calvin, it became increasingly clear that many in Britain were simply […]
One sure sign of the enduring significance of the Westminster Shorter Catechism is the frequency with which its first question is answered in even non-confessional circles: "The chief end of man is to glorify God and enjoy him forever." As recent surveys by Barna, Gallup, and many others have demonstrated, even most Christians today regard […]
You may be surprised to find that the word "conversion" does not appear in the Westminster Confession or Catechisms. But the verb "convert" does appear in the chapter on free will (9.4) in the phrase; "When God converts a sinner…" The words "convert" and "conversion" are equally rare in the bible. In the King James […]
"In a world without God, everything is lawful." This is the theme of Fyodor Dostoyevsky's book The Brothers Karamazov, one of the great books of the Western world. It examines the arguments for and against the existence of God. The horror of a world where anything can be done with impunity is Dostoyevsky's clinching argument […]
The Reformed tradition has historically argued that God is glorified in transforming sinful men and women "after the image of God," and also that sinners "are enabled more and more to die unto sin, and live unto righteousness." (Westminster Shorter Catechism Question 35) The sanctification of sinners is indeed a wonder of wonders. But the […]
When it comes to work, many Christians feel as though they have much in common with the mythological figure Sisyphus. Sisyphus, having angered the gods, is condemned by them to the task of eternally pushing a boulder up a mountain. As soon as he reaches the summit with his burden, the boulder rolls past him […]
Perhaps nothing proves more divisive to a church than disagreement about how worship should be conducted. Some find it ironic or even scandalous that believers should be at odds about worship. Assembly to praise and glorify God ought to be a source of unity. But, of course, this concern ignores the fact that Christian worship […]
The idea of finding delight in God has been central to Christian spirituality for millennia. This is perhaps nowhere more clearly reflected than in the Westminster Catechisms, which begin by inquiring into the purpose of human existence. The answer given to this inquiry in the Shorter Catechism is that "Man's chief end is to glorify […]
