"I count myself one of the number of those who write as they learn and learn as they write.” -Augustine via John Calvin
If God is all knowing, if He is all powerful, and if He is good, then He’d have to stop any and all instances of evil, wouldn’t He? He would know about all evil, He would be able to stop all evil, and He would want to stop all evil, therefore since God exists there... Continue Reading →
“What huge imago made a psychopathic god” -W.H. Auden The phrase “repent of your sins” is a common expression today, especially amongst Evangelical Christians. But when asked, “what is a sin” the common Evangelical answer is “missing the mark”. And while we might throw in a factoid from Sunday’s sermon about the etymology of sin... Continue Reading →
This post was originally a paper I wrote for Dr. Kevin Vanhoozer's class ST 5201 God of The Gospel. We had a 2,000 word limit- so chill. I hope you to enjoy! Leave me your thoughts in a comment. What does it mean to be human? Countless hours have been spent by a legion of... Continue Reading →
This post was originally a paper I wrote for Dr. Scott Manetsch's church history class on Calvin at TEDS. Hope you enjoy! B.B. Warfield famously proclaimed that Augustine gave us the Reformation, “…the Reformation, inwardly considered, was just the ultimate triumph of Augustine’s doctrine of grace over Augustine’s doctrine of the Church.”[1] It was this... Continue Reading →
Willy: “… well, so rather than deal with indigestion the whole trip, I made myself yak over by Nineveh.” Bob: “Woah, that’s quite a story, Willy. I guess that’s why us whale sharks ought to just stick to plankton, huh?” Willy: “Yeah, Bob, obviously I know we aren’t supposed to eat bearded Middle Eastern men,... Continue Reading →
I hate clichés as much as-if not more than- the next guy, but not all clichés are created equal. So let's not judge a cliché by it's cover, it's the thought that counts, right? I guess time will tell. Right now I want to take some time to consider a cliché that's a real diamond... Continue Reading →
"No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him." -Jesus, The Gospel according to John, Chapter 6, verse 44 Who does God the Father draw to His Son? This has been an in house debate amongst Christians for some time now. In this post, I'm going to argue that all who... Continue Reading →
There are probably tons of different types of Calvinists but I'm going to briefly describe a few types that I've ran into and then address the one that's most ridiculous. First up is the Cage Stage Calvinist (This cartoon will help!) A cage stage Calvinist is someone who's just recently found out about what we call... Continue Reading →
Hopefully you're familiar with John Newton's wonderful hymn, Amazing Grace. It has to be one of the greatest and most widely known songs in history. If you aren't familiar with it give 'er a listen real quick so this post makes sense to you. Amazing Grace, how sweet the sound, That saved a wretch like... Continue Reading →
"So Augustine is right when he so often repeats the memorable saying that 'those who defend free will wreck it, instead of making it secure." -John Calvin quoting St. Augustine in the 1541 edition of The Institutes There is an on going debate throughout the history of philosophy about free will and determinism. Do we... Continue Reading →
I have a very high view of God's sovereignty. I believe God is in control of everything and He has predestined every event that takes place and every fact that is a fact. Holding this view, and being vocal about it, has prompted lots of people, both Christian and non-Christian, to ask me: "If God's... Continue Reading →
You've heard it a million times. Usually people say it when job opportunities disappear, when people get sick, when someone dies suddenly, when comfort is needed many of us take comfort in believing that "everything happens for a reason". But this expression isn't only reserved for trying situations, we even say it when in situations... Continue Reading →
Parker's Pensées 