I wonder if my communicants class will enjoy this. (8-10 year olds)
Thoughts of a Reforming Pelagian
In this e-booklet, Carl Trueman argues that ‘evangelicalism’ increasingly is losing meaning. 'The real scandal of the evangelical mind currently is not that it lacks a mind, but that it lacks any agreed-upon evangel,' (Kindle Locations 524-525) is the startling conclusion.
Trueman introduces with the historian David Bebbington's definition of evangelicalism. Evangelicalism is defined with ‘four hallmarks: (1) biblicism (a high regard for the Bible as the primary source of spiritual truth), (2) crucicentrism (a focus on the atoning work of Christ on the cross), (3) conversionism (a belief in the necessity of spiritual conversion), and (4) activism (the priority of publicly proclaiming and living out the gospel).’ (Kindle Locations 109-111) Trueman notes that this does indicates an absence of doctrinal criteria defining evangelical. Indeed, several adjectives can modify evangelical such as open, emergent, confessing, conservative, liberal, etc. Instead evangelicals often use experience to define evangelical but the author notes the trouble with that is experience without doctrine is often unstable.
Carl Trueman also writes about the lack of drawing doctrine boundaries has led to an accommodating of the world to the detriment of the Word. This also has led to a confusion of the gospel and what the Bible teaches. His suggestion is that we more clearly (narrowly) define our positions, Lutheran, Reformed, Arminian, whatever, and discuss with those of different positions as such, instead of vying for space in nebulous evangelicalism.
I greatly recommend this e-booklet (only available from the Kindle store). Dr Trueman writes concisely and with his characteristic British wit.
We might add, finally, that when we lose sight of God’s work in the past we may easily also lose sight of his work in the future, of the eschatological dimension of the Christian faith.…Reformed theology, by giving due place to history in God’s purposes, points beyond the present to a bright future in eschatological glory and thus does justice to the biblical tension involved in living in the world between Pentecost and the Parousia.
A great article by Carl Trueman of Reformation 21 (and Westminster Theological Seminary): No, Mr Beck is Part of the Problem.
With the blogosphere abuzz about Glenn Beck, I shall have to consider writing my own article. After all, nothing says ‘blog’ like over-saturation.
An interesting article by Carl Trueman of Ref21 as to what is necessary to know someone.
news |n(y)oōz| noun newly received or noteworthy information, esp. about recent or important events from New Oxford American Dictionary, Second Edition
In the last two weeks, most media outlets have tirelessly broadcast the untimely death of Michael Jackson. So much so that that other news (Iran, Al Franklin, Congress debating on universal health care, etc. [even other celebrities' deaths]) have been pushed to the sidelines. I saw an advertisement for a TV news special entitled. 'Is the media coverage of Michael Jackson too much?' I think that by the media asking the question, they have their answer. Apparently journalists have no one else to interview and have begun reporting on themselves. For another interesting perspective, Carl Trueman has a post A Very English Death Scene at Ref21.
