Paul Washer: The Great Commission - Passing the Baton

On Flying Cast Iron Kites

Doug Wilson's response to Christianity Today's soft article on polyamory:

It should be noted at the outset that Preston Sprinkle and Branson Parler are not exactly sons of thunder. They recently wrote an article on polyamory for Christianity Today, in which they pelted this particular noxious sin with some cotton balls. The cotton balls were thrown with a modicum of force, which allowed them to make it all the way to the target, and amounting to a modest disapproval, but they didn’t even use up the whole bag of cotton balls...keep reading

Worshiping in Pain

From the TMS blog:

It's difficult to recall the number of perplexed looks I've received over the past two-and-a-half years as I have explained to people my doctoral research project. Some have mused that wrestling with lament for this long must be disheartening.

I have experienced the opposite.

My intrigue with lament in the psalter was born from deep grief in my life. I was struggling to adore God with my soul while my wife and I were wading through a miscarriage, the loss of a child that had long been anticipated and prayed for. As this season of struggle continued in my life, it became obvious my trials were not unique. It became apparent that most in our church were in pain, in some form or another. The psalms of lament became something of a somber, unifying anthem for my congregation and I...keep reading

See also Abounding in Hope.

Prophecy and Covenant Theology

There have always been debates about prophecy, even among people holding the same millennial views. I recently noted in an article that Spurgeon went from postmil to premil. Yet he strongly discouraged prophetic debating. Michael Reeves (Spurgeon and the Christian Life) notes that:

His concern was that the person of Christ - not the millennium or the date of Christ's return - should be central to the Christian's hope.

I wonder what he'd say to all of us prophecy nuts now. Yes, I can imagine the responses to Spurgeon's concern. But I think he makes a good point.

Some amil-postmil Covenant Theologians regarded premillennialism with suspicion. This comes out in various comments in Andrew Bonar's Diary and Life. Bonar expressed concern that his brother Horatius was being set aside from positions because of his millennial view and interest in prophecy.

These days, the Banner of Truth has all of premillennialist J. C. Ryle's books, except anything on prophecy. Some things haven't changed. I also found Waldron's reaction to Barry Horner's book Future Israel both interesting and over the top. Horner noted:

There have been many blog responses such as from Dr. Sam Waldron, Professor of Systematic Theology at Midwest Center for Theological Studies. Staunchly Reformed Baptist and amillennial, he commented: “I had to pray for grace and patience not to fire it across the room...."

You can read Barry Horner's article HERE

An Evaluation of the Hermeneutics of Historic Premillennialism

Dr House will have something to trigger most posttribulationists here...

Ladd gets several mentions.

95 Theses Against Dispensationalism & A Response (Redux)

The Ninety-Five Theses Against Dispensationalism

Disputation of NiceneCouncil.com On

The Power and Efficacy of Dispensationalism

-or-

The Ninety-Five Theses Against Dispensationalism

By Ken Gentry and Jerry Johnson

Sounds pretty serious, doesn't it? Every once in a while I like to re-post Dr Paul Henebury's detailed response to the above on different forums. I still get a lot out of reading it.

The link on Paul's blog to the "Theses" he is responding to has moved. You can find them HERE 

Read the Answers to the 95 Theses in Order HERE

Over the last few years, I've tended to read more materials from the Reformed community than from dispensationalists. Of course I regularly come across frustrating statements. They tend to be entrenched in their traditional view that the church has replaced Israel, despite often elaborate arguments-statements denying Replacement Theology. This impacts their position on eschatology and hermeneutics (in some cases).

On the other hand I've also spent a good deal of time in dispensational forums. For reasons I won't go into now, I've often found this frustrating as well. Dispensationalists need to pick up their games in a few areas too.