Category: History/Church History
Are Millennials Joining High Church Traditions?
Gracy Olmstead has written the latest edition of an article that is in danger of becoming a meme amongst traditionalist conservatives: Millennial Christians are, apparently, converting to high church traditions en masse. Rebecca Van Doodewaard, Jeremy Tate, and Scot McKnight have also discussed this issue recently...
Still Eating Sausages: Reservations Regarding Evangelicals and Lent
Matt’s discussion of the Radicals and their revolution against comfortable and convenient Christianity has emerged, perhaps fittingly, during the liturgical season of Lent. The annual forty-day fast has always focused on the sacrifice inherent to the Christian call. Therefore, it...
The New Pope: Novelty Following Precedent
Yesterday, the Roman Catholic Church got a new Pope: Pope Francis, né Jorge Mario Cardinal Bergoglio. The former archbishop of Buenos Aires was a bit of a surprise pick, as Cardinal Bergoglio was on almost none of the lists of...
Papal Resignations — A Historian’s Take
Pope Benedict caught the whole world off-guard this morning. At the end of the consistory of the College of Cardinals, he announced his resignation as bishop of Rome, effective on the evening of February 28. It was a true surprise...
Athanasius Trash-Talking the Greek Philosophers
Athanasius takes a swipe at the limited popular influence of the Greek philosophers: As to Greek wisdom, however, and the philosophers’ noisy talk, I really think no one requires argument from us; for the amazing fact is patent to all that,...
Why Church History? Our Future Contemporaries
Last year, I asked “Why Church History?”, and my answer was to point to the spiritual fellowship that we share across time. We look back, and we see a great crowd all bearing witness to one great Savior. This time,...
Variety of the Young Reformed — A Reply to D.G. Hart
D.G. Hart has given some feedback and pushback to Matt’s and my posts on Voluntarity and the Young Reformed. Dr. Hart is not one to back away from the rough and tumble of electronic controversy, so I am glad to...
Dating Easter
Last Sunday was Easter. This year was a special year, in that the Eastern and Western churches celebrated it on the same date. Easter is a variable-date feast for both families of churches, but the range of possible dates under...
Samuel Rutherford on Remembering Christ’s Death
Well-beloved in the lord—You are not unacquainted with the day of our Communion. I entreat, therefore, the aid of your prayers for that great work, which is one of our feast days, wherein our well-beloved Jesus rejoiceth, and is merry...
Why Church History? – The Cloud of Witnesses and the Body of Christ
As you may know, I am trying to make a career out of church history and historical theology. It is a field not without honor, though it is often overshadowed by the other theological disciplines, as well as the more...