Abraham Kuyper accomplished much over the course of his lifetime, but perhaps his most lasting contribution to Dutch society was a radical restructuring of the Dutch school system according to the principle of religious liberty. Over a span of almost fifty years (1869–1917), he and his Antirevolutionary Party worked diligently to establish the right of
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The Timeless Legacy of Groen van Prinsterer
Why are the populism that hailed Napoleon, the nationalism that supported Bismarck, the naturalism of Darwin, and the nihilism of Nietzsche still with us in the twenty-first century? Of the making of many books there is no end—warns the Bible—but once in a while a book comes along that swallows up many others. Groen van
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Untangling the Problem of Evil
Knots come in many shapes and sizes and perform a variety of functions, as any Boy Scout or outdoors enthusiast knows. Understanding how to tie a knot may mean the difference between life and death. Some knots unravel easily, while others need persistent focus and attention in order to untangle. Working through the problem of
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Recovering Old Testament Theology for World Mission
A familiar trope in contemporary evangelical Christianity posits two kinds of knowledge: the kind that resides in the ?head,? on one hand, and the kind found in the ?heart,? on the other. According to this line of thinking, one can dispassionately acknowledge the truth of certain facts but fail to allow those facts to ignite
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Abraham Kuyper on Christian Conduct in the World
In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven (Matthew 5:16). We can now see clearly the distinction between the twofold process a sinner undergoes when he or she returns to life. The Divine Act On
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The Glory of Bearing God?s Image
The content of our faith should be true and good but also beautiful. The Gospel ought to inspire a response of awe in God?s beauty and the glory of His redemptive story. But what does this mean for humanity being created in God?s image? If we are God?s image, do we reflect His beauty? And
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Pure Theology Is Purifying Theology
For William Gouge and other Puritans, practical divinity encouraged rigorous reflection, introspection, and a disciplined life in order to help believers discern even the tiniest degree of faith that testifies that they are elect, thereby bringing consolation to the anxious soul. They were concerned that if one overemphasized justification and assurance at the neglect of
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Thaddeus Williams Reflects on Christian Identity
What if we worshiped Jesus? Not the imaginary Jesus invented by televangelism, consumerism, fundamentalism, mysticism, or some political ism, but the actual Jesus we meet in the New Testament? How can he, unlike any other object of worship, enlarge our intellects, our emotions, our actions, our relationships, our imaginations, our whole selves? Drawing from science,
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Does Natural Theology Violate Sola Scriptura?
In his new book, Nature?s Case for God, John Frame argues the Bible isn?t God?s only revelation. Though this might seem scandalous at first, he makes the case that Scripture itself shows it is possible to learn about God from his creation. In this excerpt, Frame tackles the objection that natural theology violates the Protestant
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What Paul?s Prayers Teach Us About Early Christian Worship
The Apostle Paul begins all of his letters with a greeting, often calling on God and Jesus together as the joint source of blessing. These greetings may seem rather commonplace but they reveal an important development in early Christian prayer. In?Honoring the Son, Larry W. Hurtado investigates the devotional practices of the early church and
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