A Short Review of Levinson’s Beyond Critique
This book is the best source I’ve found for those interested in a systematic explanation of critical theory from the pen of critical theorists themselves.
Popularly, critical theory is known as ‘cultural Marxism’ because it is thought to translate Marx’s idea of an economic class struggle into social and cultural terms. Instead of workers (the proletariat) being oppressed by owners (the bourgeoisie) via their control of the means of production, various subordinate demographic groups (women, people of color, the LGBTQ+ community,... Continue Reading
Pictures of Preachers
Stott’s brief book covering New Testament word-pictures related to pastoral ministry is brief, Biblical, and powerfully and beautifully written.
Any pastor who reads this book somewhat regularly will be equipped to develop their own practice of preaching because the theology presented is so clear and Biblical. Any churchgoer will be helped by a greater understanding of their pastor’s calling and work. John Stott was an English Anglican pastor, whose commentaries and books on... Continue Reading
A Short Review of Collins’ and Bilge’s Intersectionality
The concept of ‘intersectionality’ states that people are complex and can’t be understood as the sum of their identity markers.
“Intersectionality is a way of understanding and analyzing the complexity in the world, in people, and in human experiences. The events and conditions of social and political life and the self can seldom be understood as shaped by one factor. They are generally shaped by many factors in diverse and mutually influencing ways. When it... Continue Reading
The Incarnation
The Incarnation is a wonderful miracle of God by which Jesus, truly God and truly man, bridges the gap between God and man.
They say that “God created a new human nature for His Son” that “merely passed…through Mary.” Instead, MLJ states that is a true human, the seed of Abraham and the seed of David: “Now if a special human nature had been created for Him, He would not have been the son of David nor the... Continue Reading
A Short Review of Cone’s, “The Cross and the Lynching Tree”
Cone’s fundamental mistake is characterizing doctrines as either "White" or "Black" and then rejecting doctrines that he deemed "White."
In reimagining the Bible as a narrative about political oppression and subjugation, Cone misses the real liberation and unity that only the true biblical narrative can provide. Physical bondage is terrible and degrading, but spiritual bondage is far worse. Jesus indeed came as a liberator, but he came primarily to set us free from sin,... Continue Reading
Book Review: Evangelism as Exiles
Evangelism as Exiles helpfully points worried Christians to the fact that the potential of marginalization or outright hostility is not a new phenomenon.
Exiles feel the tension of remaining faithful to their own culture while being immersed in the waters of a foreign culture. The Church is no different as we seek to live out our identity as citizens of the Kingdom while living in the midst of earthly kingdoms. Clark explains that, because of our heavenly citizenship,... Continue Reading
The Mod | “Calvin’s Political Theology and the Public Engagement of the Church: Christ’s Two Kingdoms” by Matthew Tuininga
An incredibly deep and rich picture of Calvin’s thought on the two kingdoms.
Because of the fullness of this portrait, every reader will find himself stretched and surprised by Calvin’s views. Tuininga demonstrates beyond a shadow of a doubt that Calvin’s two kingdoms thought is not merely an antiquarian fancy, but an abundant resource for the church today, as she seeks to navigate the perilous shoals of church... Continue Reading
John Gerstner and the Renewal of Presbyterian and Reformed Evangelicalism
Jeffrey S. McDonald speaks about his book, “John Gerstner and the Renewal of Presbyterian and Reformed Evangelicalism in Modern America.”
John Gerstner (1914–96) was a significant leader in the renewal of Presbyterian and Reformed evangelicalism in America during the second half of the twentieth century. Gerstner’s work as a church historian sought to shape evangelicalism, but also northern mainline Presbyterianism. He wrote, taught, lectured, debated, and preached widely. Jeffrey S. McDonald speaks about his... Continue Reading
Dorothy Leigh and Her Advice to Her Sons
Leigh’s book continues to be a valuable read.
Leigh spends much time instructing her sons on their roles of fathers. First of all, they should make sure their children, “males or females, may in their youth learn to read the Bible in their own mother tongue.”[10] Children can start learning to read when they are four. By the age of ten, they should... Continue Reading
The Empathy Trap
Empathizing without thinking is easy, like diving headlong into quicksand. Compassion with conviction requires muscle.
There should be much compassion for those who fall into the empathy trap, since, where compassion is lacking, unchecked empathy often rushes to fill the void. There is a true dearth of compassion in both secular and Christian culture—tribalism when there should be honesty, shaming when there should be help, and politics when there should... Continue Reading
