The Cross and the Kingdom of Christ
MCPC Pastor's Blog
You Are What You Love — Liturgy and Habit
You Are What You Love -- Liturgy and Habit "The mall is a religious site, not because it is theological but because it is liturgical. Its spiritual significance (and threat) isn't found in its 'ideas' or its 'messages' but in its rituals. The mall doesn't care what...
The Sabbath as Creation Ordinance
Dear Congregation, This Sunday we turn to the Fourth Commandment. Since the catechism spends six questions on the Fourth Commandment, we will spend two weeks working through the biblical teaching on the Sabbath. This Sunday we will focus on two basic principles: 1)...
Trueman on Tragic Worship
Carl Trueman opens a recent article on worship with the following line: "The problem with much Christian worship in the contemporary world, Catholic and Protestant alike, is not that it is too entertaining but that it is not entertaining enough. "...
Millbank on the Gay Marriage Debate
John Milbank always has interesting things to say on ethics and religion. Here is his latest on the gay marriage discussion in Britain. http://www.abc.net.au/religion/articles/2013/04/23/3743531.htm He suggests that the push for gay marriage is really "a strategic...
Augustine on the Hermeneutical Priority of Love
"Whoever, then, thinks that he understands the Holy Scriptures, or any part of them, but puts such an interpretation upon them as does not tend to build up this twofold love of God and our neighbor, does not yet understand them as he ought." (Augustine, On Christian...
Machen on “Christianity a Life…produced…by telling a Story”
This week we will begin the second part of our catechetical sermon series. In part one (questions 1-38), we focused on "what man is to believe concerning God"; now in part two (questions 39-107), we will focus on "what duty God requires of man." We start with the law....
“Peter Wallace in Plaid and Skinny Jeans” (or, Why You Should Love Catechism, Psalmody and the Sabbath)
Jamie Stoltzfus linked to this article on Facebook (though it was Jacob's comment, "Trying to picture Peter Wallace in plaid and skinny jeans" that called my attention to it and convinced me to read it!):...
Practices Have Consequences
What shapes us? What forms us? What is it that makes us "who we are"? Are we shaped mostly by ideas (our intellectual beliefs) or by our practices and customs? I grew up Baptist -- but I became Reformed because I was convinced by the *ideas.* Did that make me...
Feminism and Patriarchy
I find it immensely useful to read feminist critiques of patriarchy as a means of reminding me of my own sinful tendencies. After all, too often the critique is accurate! Consider this quote from Allan Johnson's "The Gender Knot": "When men's reflection is obscured by...
A Baptismal Exhortation
What is baptism? What do the scriptures say about what baptism is – and what baptism does? At the day of Pentecost, when asked by the people, “what shall we do?” When they see that the promised Holy Spirit had been given to the followers of Jesus (and not them!) –...
We Are Created to Be More Than This
by Virginia Wallace I said yes. Because it seemed like the right thing to do. I am not the leader-type – but I am also not the type that likes to be told how to raise my kids – or how I am not raising my kids – or respecting my husband, or whatever the thing is that...
The Three Questions of Job
There are three questions that drive the book of Job: 1. Job's question: Why is light given to him who is in misery, and life to the bitter in soul? (3:20) 2. Satan's question: Does Job fear God for no reason? (1:9) 3. God's question: Have you considered my servant...