We are raising a generation of deluded narcissists - Dr. Keith Ablow

Disclaimer:  I only know of Dr. Keith Ablow by name and the occasional time I see him on the news.  Apart from sharing a birthday with him I know very little about the man.

In this op-ed the gloves come off as he describes the up-and-coming generation. He writes:

A new analysis of the American Freshman Survey, which has accumulated data for the past 47 years from 9 million young adults, reveals that college students are more likely than ever to call themselves gifted and driven to succeed, even though their test scores and time spent studying are decreasing.

Psychologist Jean Twenge, the lead author of the analysis, is also the author of a study showing that the tendency toward narcissism in students is up 30 percent in the last thirty-odd years.
This data is not unexpected.  I have been writing a great deal over the past few years about the toxic psychological impact of media and technology on children, adolescents and young adults, particularly as it regards turning them into faux celebrities—the equivalent of lead actors in their own fictionalized life stories.

On Facebook, young people can fool themselves into thinking they have hundreds or thousands of “friends.” They can delete unflattering comments. They can block anyone who disagrees with them or pokes holes in their inflated self-esteem. They can choose to show the world only flattering, sexy or funny photographs of themselves (dozens of albums full, by the way), “speak” in pithy short posts and publicly connect to movie stars and professional athletes and musicians they “like.”  

Using Twitter, young people can pretend they are worth “following,” as though they have real-life fans, when all that is really happening is the mutual fanning of false love and false fame.

He goes on to argue that this generation's narcissistic bubble will burst one day.  And with that will come lots of suicides and homicides (one might argue that we are already there).

I only bring attention to this because Dr. Ablow is no evangelical Christian and is probably not friendly toward the church.  If the secular folks are saying such things then where is the church in this mess?  Sadly, we are part of the problem.  Long ago we capitulated to the narcissism when we adopted 'seeker-friendly' and 'market-driven' strategies.

For those perceptive folks out there here's a question:  How will we reach the coming generation who thinks that it is all about them?  Will we cater to them even more or will we have the courage to get into their faces and tell them the truth that the world doesn't revolve around them, that it never has and that it never will?  This is a relevant question for pastors, elders and church planters.

Race maps of America | Mail Online

Bet you can't identify this major U.S. city as represented by this map (double click to see a larger image).  The color coding is based on U.S. census data from 2000 (the most recent census data has not been released).  Each dot represents 25 people.  Pink = white, Blue = black, Orange = Hispanic, Green = Asian, Grey = other.  Any guesses?  Give up? 




The answer: Detroit.

A digital cartographer has used this data to create similar maps for other major U.S. cities.  Click here to see similar maps of other major U.S. cities.

A Mormon on the Glenn Beck rally

I did not watch the Glen Beck rally but have read the analysis of others, including Russell Moore.  He notes how far we (evangelicals) have fallen in the last thirty years:  "It’s taken us a long time to get here, in this plummet from Francis Schaeffer to Glenn Beck. In order to be this gullible, American Christians have had to endure years of vacuous talk about undefined “revival” and “turning America back to God” that was less about anything uniquely Christian than about, at best, a generically theistic civil religion and, at worst, some partisan political movement."  That's one side of the coin. 

Gene Veith shows us the other side of that coin - a Mormon's view of the rally.  In short what the Mormons got out of the rally was legitmacy.  They now believe that the they have been embraced by evangelicals as Bible-believing Christians. 

I'm astonished that evangelicals now rally around a Mormon as their leader.  What happened to Schaeffer's distinction of "co-belligerency"?  Where is the basic understanding of Mormonism that it has a defective view of Jesus Christ (i.e. not in keeping with the Nicene or Athanasian Creeds)?  I believe that this is the fruit of thirty years of church growth, topical sermons, and "practical", consumer-oriented Christianity.  I shudder to think where we will be thirty years from now. 

Veith also has a link to David Barton's explanation as to why he supports Glenn Beck.  I've never had much use for his work and this statement is the final nail in that coffin.

Gay Marriage - Reformation21 Blog

Last week a federal judge struck down California's Proposition 8 which blocked homosexual marriage.  In the face of this act of judicial activism the cultural warriors have expressed outrage and are planning their next moves. 

Over at the Reformation 21 Blog, Dr. Carl Trueman has a helpful post for those of us in the church.  He makes four basic points highlighting the challenges ahead for Bible-believing Christians:

1) There is a huge cultural divide on this issue - those under 35, Christian or not, have no problem with gay marriage.  Thus the church cannot assume that there is sufficient cultural bias against homosexuality to help it maintain the status quo.  Nor can the church assume that those under 35 understand Scripture's teaching on this topic.

2) If gay marriage is approved the church will find it increasingly difficult to criticize this lifestyle without being labelled as 'homophobic.'  Similarly, the church will find it increasingly difficult to criticize heterosexual promiscuity. 

3) Churches that have approved women's ordination will face stiff opposition if they reject ordination for gays.  Hermeneutically they will have a tough time explaining how the ordination of women is okay and the refusal to ordain gays is anything but bigotry.

4) Evangelicals who currently have access to major media outlets for commentary will likely find those privileges revoked if they stand against gay marriage and gay ordination.  Trueman writes, "...we are not far from the place where to oppose homosexuality will be regarded as in the same moral bracket as white supremacy."  

Read the rest here: Gay Marriage - Reformation21 Blog

A Generation of Bandwagon Jumpers – Kevin DeYoung

Kevin DeYoung, Pastor of University Reformed Church in Lansing, Michigan has a great article for the under 40 crowd, especially those who have begun to understand reformed theology. He has credibility for he is a member of that crowd. He writes...

There are two ironclad rules of Gen XYZ Americans: (1) They like to be trendy, (2) but only until everyone knows what they’re into is trendy. We want to be like everyone else but, at the same time, different. So we gravitate to whatever people are into as long as it doesn’t feel like everyone else is into it.

This leads me to a few thoughts on the young, restless, reformed movement. I believe God is at work in the under-40 generation, doing something doctrinally, ecclesiologically, and doxologically healthy among many youngish Christians. Further, I believe this work of God is being mediated through a remarkable network of like-minded pastors, preachers, and scholars. I don’t know when there have been so many folks, often friends, saying and writing more or less the same things about the gospel, the atonement, the Scriptures, the glory of God, the doctrines of grace, the centrality of the church, the importance of preaching, the roles of men and women, and on and on it goes. We are blessed with an inordinate and growing number of good teachers, good books, good blogs, and good conferences.

But our desire for biblical truth, as understood (for the most part correctly, I believe) by Calvin, Edwards, Piper, Carson, etc. must be a passion for God, not a passion for trendy.


We must embrace historic protestant orthodoxy in general and, for many of us, particular Reformed expressions of it, not because it makes us feel superior to them (whoever them is), but because it is the best way to know Him. The goal is not to be a T4G-TGC-CHBC-ACE-PCA-SGM-DGM groupie. The goal is to know God, love God, and serve God–all of which can be helped, and is being helped, by the love for gospel truth in these groups (and many others).

Now, what interests me in all of this is the opening sentence of this last paragraph.  What does it mean to 'embrace historic protestant orthodoxy' and 'a particular Reformed expression of it'?  Does it mean to simply affirm that one follows a particular teacher or pastor (take your pick)?  Does it mean that one consciously says that "I am a reformed baptist, a reformed charismatic, etc."?  Or does it mean that one do more than give intellectual assent to a tradition or even give permission for others to label them as a certain type of Christian, but that one actually puts shoe leather to his/her profession and actually joins a church in that tradition?  I would hope that DeYoung has this in mind but I'm not sure. 

I, for one, am a bit tired of all of the talk about how much the younger crowd loves reformed theology.  Visit where they choose to worship (note I didn't say the church where they are a member) and you often find little that relates to historic reformed piety or practice.  Ask a few questions and it becomes clear that they are there for the music, the programs, the entertaining preaching, the big screens, the success, and the big budgets. 

There are real reformed churches out there -- places where pastors spend more time over their books than chewing the fat over a Starbucks.  You just need to look for them.  Are they perfect?  Hardly.  Do they have all the trendy things of the larger churches?  No, but they have what is essential: the true preaching of the Word, the right administration of the sacraments, and church discipline. 

Here's an analogy.  What's a more authentic dining experience?  Going to the mall and eating at a national chain restaurant or finding some hole in the wall place run by immigrants that serves food based on family recipes from the old country, with huge portions, and a propreitor that genuinely cares about your well-being?  That's the difference between the franchise model mega-church and the authentic reformed church. 

Hey Generation XYZ.  Do something counter-cultural.  Join an authentic reformed church that subscribes to reformed creeds and confessions.  You won't be disappointed. 

A Generation of Bandwagon Jumpers – Kevin DeYoung

Christianity and Popular Culture

I've often thought that an easy way to illustrate evangelicalism's lack of depth would be to pose these questions:  "If we knew for certain that Christ's return was 500 or 1,000 years away how differently would you choose to live?  How differently would you choose to raise your children?  How differently you would go about selecting a church?"  It's my belief that today's evangelical hasn't thought much about this issue and so most live with a short-term perspective that lends itself to an 'outreach at all costs' mentality.  That, plus its love affair with popular culture is incredibly corrosive. 

With that in mind I'd like to offer a few quotes from cultural analyst and critic, Ken Myers.  He hosts Mars Hill Audio ( http://www.marshillaudio.org/) and was recently a guest on the White Horse Inn and the broadcast was entitled Christianity and Popular Culture.

* Popular culture is not rooted in a specific people or culture...it is mass culture...produced to...make money and make money by entertaining or titillating. 

* One of the dominant assumptions of popular culture is that if it is popular it is good...I don't care how many people like it...that is irrelevant as to whether it is good.

* One of the most corrosive effects of popular culture is the way that it segregates generations... historically all cultures have been ways of passing convictions from one generation to the next...(this has been interrupted).

* It takes a certain type of heroism to admit that the culture has fallen apart so seriously that it we will not be able to fix it in our lifetime...it may take four or five generations.

* It is incredibly chauvinistic for us to assume that God intends to always bless America.  God will bless the Church...and He may curse America.  But whatever He does He will do for the benefit of the Church.

To listen go to the White Horse Inn and go to Listen Now!  Find the broadcast, Christianity and Popular Culture. 

You can also find the broadcast here: http://www.oneplace.com/ministries/the_white_horse_inn/  Go to Show Archives and you will find Christianity and Popular Culture on the date 9/20/09

Please consider supporting The White Horse Inn broadcast on a monthly basis.  Supporters receive monthly CDs and a complimentary subscription to Modern Reformation magazine.  Click on the link above for that information.  I support the ministry and receive CDs with bonus tracks and extra material.  This particular CD had an additional interview from Ken Myers originally broadcast in 1994 entitled, Christianity and American Culture.  It was a fascinating discussion that went hand in hand with this recent broadcast. 

Join the conversation.  What are you waiting for?

Christian movies try to be better, but still. . .

For all you cultural warriors out there Gene Veith has a short and thoughtful piece today on Christian filmmakers.  We can be grateful for Christians laboring in this field, but we must also apply objective standards to the final product. 

He writes,

OK, I’m glad the filmmakers are focusing on better quality. I salute you. But take some lessons from the past. I am currently teaching a course entitled “Major Christian Authors,” covering such authors as Dante, Spenser, Herbert, Bunyan, Hopkins, Chesterton, T. S. Eliot, C. S. Lewis, Graham Greene, Flannery O’Connor. NONE of them wrote about people’s personal problems...These classic Christian authors–who actually did influence their cultures–saw Christianity as being rather more than a means of solving life’s problems, and none of them lapsed into the deadly aesthetic sin of SENTIMENTALITY.

Sentimentality.  Isn't that how you would summarize the Hallmark Channel?

Christian movies try to be better, but still. . .

Paleo vs. Neo-Reformed (continued)

Daryl Hart adds to his previous article with a second installment. This time he differentiates Neo-Calvinists and Paleo-Calvinists a bit more clearly...

The paleo/neo distinction for Reformed Protestants is not only useful for discerning different attitudes toward evangelicalism, but even for figuring out distinct understandings of Calvinism itself. After all, the Kuyperian or world-and-life-view form of Calvinism has always been known as neo-Calvinism. That reputation implies a distinction with paleo-Calvinism, and furthers the wariness that should accompany the use of the prefix “neo” — as in neo-conservative, neo-evangelical, and neo-orthodox.

Neo-Calvinists are prone to dismiss paleo-Calvinists as warmed over Lutherans because of either the two-kingdom doctrine or the spirituality of the church. This is not the place to elaborate on either of these, except to remark that when paleo-Calvinists distinguish between the sacred and the secular, the spiritual and the natural, the temporal and the eternal, neo-Calvinists go batty and think that paleo-Calvinists are following Luther and restricting Christianity to the realm of religion and ethics. (As if Luther’s view of vocation and the goodness of work in this world doesn’t suggest that neo-Calvinists are confused about Luther and Lutheranism.)

You can read the rest by clicking here

Note: Hart's thesis is in keeping with earlier posts I made on redeeming the culture here and here.

To Be or Not to Be (Updated)

Ever get in on the last part of a conversation or debate and wonder what preceded it? Well, if you click on the link below you will enter an on-going conversation between those in the broadly evangelical camp, the Neo-reformed folk, and the Paleo-reformed folk.

Who is in the various camps? Under the evangelical banner I think you can add just about anybody who doesn't embrace reformed theology. This would include Wesleyans, most Baptists, Evangelical Free, Charismatics, Emergents and Pentecostals. Names like Richard Foster, T.D. Jakes, Dallas Willard, Rob Bell and Bill Hybels would all be at home in this camp. Under the Neo-reformed banner you will find men like Tim Keller, John Frame, Reggie Kidd, to name a few. Under the Paleo-reformed banner you will find men like R.C. Sproul, Mike Horton, David Wells, Ligon Duncan, Daryl Hart, and John Muether.

Here is a very important paragraph from the linked article:

"By invoking Horton, McKnight unwittingly makes an important point about the differences between Neo- and Paleo-Reformed, or between Old Life and New Life Presbyterians. The Reformed Protestants who are most intentional about recovering confessional (or better, ecclesial) Presbyterianism, the Paleos, are the ones least interested in taking over evangelicalism and excluding anyone. For them (and us), evangelicalism is over. Meanwhile, the Neo-Reformed, the ones who are most invested in reaching a consensus between Reformed and evangelicals, are also the ones who are most inclined to view evangelicalism from a perspective of Reformed doctrinal litmus tests and so turn a blind eye to the concerns of Wesleyans, Arminians, and Anabaptists. In other words, Neo-Reformed care about being evangelical; Paleos don’t."

I realize that this last line is a bit terse so let me balance it with another brief quote:

"Meanwhile, McKnight himself points with a measure of agreement to Horton’s idea that evangelicalism functions best as a village green that allows folks from different perspectives to talk to each other; the converse point Horton makes is that evangelicalism functions worst when it tries to make the village green into a permanent residence."

All of this might sound harsh at first but it really isn't. As far back as 2002 when R.C. Sproul came to Detroit he was squeamish about the word "evangelical." More recently David Wells has said the the same thing. Why? The word no longer means what it once meant: people who stood on the inerrant Word of God and who proclaimed the Gospel of Jesus Christ - forgiveness of sins through the perfect life and atoning death of Jesus Christ. Furthermore, this justification is acquired by faith alone, in Christ alone, by grace alone. The Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments are alone sufficient for the believer. And finally, all of this is to the glory of God alone.

Put differently, evangelicalism has changed from its early days of Carl Henry, Harold Ockenga, Billy Graham, etc. At that time Bible-believing Christians put away doctrinal distinctives so that they could work together. Ever since evangelicals have focused on what they have in common and increasingly forgotten their own distinctives. One person has said that the reason Evangelicalism worked so well in its early days was because people understood their Bibles much better than the people do today.

When reformed folk, Lutherans, or any other confessional denomination have participated in the evangelical discussion they were force to leave their creeds and confessions at the door. Thus their own identity, beliefs, and traditions were traded for a 10 point statement of faith. We see this playing itself out in the PCA with some churches acting and living as if the Westminster Confession of Faith never existed or that it is merely advisory. What results is a schizophrenic denomination where a church in town A is vastly different from a church 20 miles away in town B which itself is very different from another church 25 miles away in town C. Ever wonder why presbytery and General Assembly can be so contentious?

Many books have been written to analyze this discussion. For further reading try Ian Murray's, Evangelicalism Divided, David Wells', The Courage to Be Protestant, Nathan Hatch, The Democratization of American Christianity, R. Scott Clark's, Recovering the Reformed Confessions, or Mike Horton's, People and Place: A Covenant Ecclesiology. Note: I am still working through this list of books.

In closing, let me say that you can call me Paleo-reformed. Or if you prefer, a Neanderthal or Cro-Magnon. Just don't call me late for dinner.

Click here to read more.

HT: Heidelblog

Christian World and Life View

Dr. R. Scott Clark has been blogging about having/possessing/developing a Christian World and Life View (abbreviated as CWLV). He interacts with the writings of Abraham Kuyper, and others in what is called the 'neo-Calvinist' movement. I found his posts to be thought-provoking.

In seminary I recall people quoting Kuyper: "There is not one square inch of all creation that God doesn't declare, 'It is mine!'" That phrase, coupled with Psalm 24:1 "The earth is the Lord's and the fulness therein" becomes the basis for neo-Calvinists to argue that we must develop a Christian worldview. This would include developing a distinctive Christian outlook on the various disciplines - mathematics, art, music, beauty, science, etc. This, combined with God's command to Adam and Eve, to "Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it and have dominion over (it) (Genesis 1:28)" is used to lay the groundwork to develop a distinctly Christian culture and to 'redeem' the culture created by non-Christians (this is termed, The Cultural Mandate).

Prior to seminary I had been schooled in a pietistic, parachurch ministry that focused on evangelism and discipleship as the believer's highest end. This teaching was new, novel, and a healthy alternative to the sacred-secular dichotomy that I had been taught, though instinctively I knew it was short-sighted. Here, I thought, I might be able to bridge the gap between my background in natural resources and my Christian faith by seeking to develop a Christian worldview towards nature and the environment.

In the intervening years many things have intruded to make this task difficult including children, career interruptions, aging parents, and the demands of pastoral ministry. More than once I've looked at books I've purchased and haven't been able to read due to this issues. At times I have been filled with remorse: at other times I have re-committed myself to the task. I confess, after reading Dr. Clark's posts, I wonder if I really lost anything at all.

I will not re-state what he has so eloquently said in his three posts but I will give you a sample of his writing and links to all three posts:

"When it comes to the relation of the CWLV to the particulars of penultimate questions, the CWLV tends to devolve into platitudes more than it tends to press to particulars.

Consider plowing (sue me, I’m from Nebraska). In the spring and fall farmers plow. They break up the soil to plant and then, after harvest, they turn over the soil to let it rest or perhaps to plant another sort of crop. Is there a distinctly “Christian” way to plow? I doubt it. What farmers do is determined by the nature of the work. I don’t think one can look at a field and tell whether it was a Christian or a pagan who plowed it. Christians plow, but does that make it Christian plowing? Are there “Christian” plows sold in “Christian” implement stores? No, Christian farmers and non-Christian farmers sit on the same tractors and use the same implements. A Christian farmer should be a good steward of the earth and practice soil conservation but the non-Christian farmer does the same if only out of economic self-interest and further, sinful Christian farmers may not be as stewardly as some pagan farmers acting solely out of economic self-interest (if the soil blows away, the pagan cannot plant or harvest).

Again, there is no question whether the Christian and the non-Christian explain why farming works the way it works. The Christian says that seeds grow and rain falls and fertilizers work because of the sovereign providence of God. The pagan farmer appeals to magic or random chance. Their theologies of farming are radically different but the actual art and science of farming is the same for Christian and pagan (which, ironically is Latin for “farmer” or “rustic”) alike.

This example illustrates my concern about careless invocation of the CWLV. It tends to become a license to baptize one’s pet views as “Christian” and thus to make them incontrovertible."
World and Life View: License to Baptize? « Heidelblog
World and Life View: License to Baptize? (2) « Heidelblog
World and Life View: License to Baptize? (3) « Heidelblog

Christians and Culture: Carl Trueman @ Reformation21

With his characteristic sharp English wit and penetrating insights, Carl Trueman, Professor of Church History and Historical Theology at Westminister Theological Seminary in Philadelphia, writes on the topic of Christians and Culture. I have been intrigued by this topic for some time and am grappling with the implications of being engaged with the culture. However, learning of churches where the pastor spends more time exegeting movies instead of Scripture has raised red flags for me. Indeed, it isn't enough that the pastor watches an occasional movie and analyzes it from a Christian perspective -- his goal is to train the congregation to get into the habit of exegeting movies so as to reach out to their neighbors.

Trueman disputes the wisdom of such teaching. Here is his opening paragraph...

One of the modern shibboleths of the evangelical church, particularly the evangelical church in the West, is that of culture. One must be interested in culture, or one is simply irrelevant. Books and organizations abound on Christian approaches to various aspects of modern culture; there are magazines and e-zines dedicated to the topic; and numerous conferences are held, some local, some national, some international, which address cultural issues in terms of the categories and so-called world-and-life-view of Christianity. Now, I don't want to throw the baby out with the bathwater: sure, we need to understand the language and idioms of our culture to the extent that we need to communicate the gospel in such a context in a meaningful, comprehensible way; but I do believe that fascination with culture is now way out of hand in Christian circles and has come to eclipse more important, more central things. Indeed, even as I say that it is important to understand context to communicate the gospel effectively, I am conscious that this seemingly obvious statement needs to be tempered by the fact that some of the greatest preaching ever known was designed precisely not to communicate to the contemporary culture. Just check Isaiah's commission in Is. 6, and the use of that text in Jesus' ministry to see how not communicating in comprehensible categories as determined by the immediate culture is a critical sign of judgment on an idolatrous people.

You can read the rest of his post here

The Veritas Forum: Belief in an Age of Skepticism?

Ever wonder how to defend the Christian faith? Dr. Tim Keller of Redeemer Presbyterian Church (PCA) in New York City demonstrates that in a winsome way at UC-Berkley.

While I have known about Dr. Keller for a while (and even listened to a couple of his sermons), I now have a much deeper appreciation for him and his ministry.

May you be encouraged by this address!

Beyond Expelled -- An Evening With Author-Speaker Nancy Pearcey

When I started our church I said from the beginning that I'd like to be a church that engages the culture, in part, through an annual lecture series. My vision has been to bring in top-notch Christian scholars to speak to Christians and non-Christians alike about the issues of our day.

Nancy Pearcey is one of the names that comes to mind. She is the author of the book, Total Truth, and has co-authored The Soul of Science with Charles Thaxton. She studied apologetics under Dr. Francis Schaeffer and theology at Covenant Theological Seminary (St. Louis, Missouri). Currently she serves at Professor of Worldview Studies at Philadelphia Biblical University.

This church, Westminister PCA in Fort Walton Beach, Florida is hosting an event that it quite similar to what I have in mind. To the left is their poster for the event later this week. Below is a link to Nancy Pearcey's blog with additional details.

Pro-Existence: Beyond Expelled -- An Evening With Author-Speaker Nancy Pearcey

Dr. Michael Scott Horton on Transforming Culture

Over at 9 Marks Ministries website I found a terrific essay by Dr. Michael Scott Horton on the topic of the church tranforming culture. Part of his essay traces the historical roots of cultural transformation -- one approach grew out of the First Great Awakening while a distinctly different approach grew out of the Second Great Awakening. Horton demonstrates that modern day attempts to transform the culture are rooted in the theology of the Second Great Awakening.

Horton raises an interesting question that I have not heard before: are we under-valuing Christ's ascension to heaven? In short, he argues that in Christ's physical absence, the church has stepped forward to fill in the gap, to be 'incarnational.' In so doing we have adopted a 'messianic complex' about our own importance to transform culture and finish the work that Christ began.

He also raises this question, IS ALL OF LIFE KINGDOM WORK?

"If this theological argument is correct, then we should question popular statements like, "All of life is kingdom work." No, proclaiming the Word, administering baptism and the Supper, caring for the spiritual and physical well-being of the saints, and bringing in the lost are kingdom work. Building bridges, delivering medical supplies to hospitals, installing water heaters, defending clients in court, holding public office, and having friends over for dinner are "creation work," given a pledge of safe conduct ever since Cain under God's regime of common grace. In this work, Christians serve beside non-Christians, as both are endowed with natural gifts and learned skills for their common life together. "

He also raises this question, "SHOULD THERE BE "CHRISTIAN" INSTITUTIONS?

His conclusion? "Again, if this theological argument is correct, we should ask whether there should be Christian hospitals, Christian businesses, or Christian entertainment industries. Haven't such enterprises, which often do no more than mimic their secular counterparts, distracted the church from its primary focus and ministry? What if churches were more seriously Christian, concentrating on Christ as he is delivered to sinners through Word and Sacrament, and their members were scattered throughout the week to occupy posts alongside their non-Christian neighbors instead of being driven into an ostensibly Christian sub-culture? What if, instead of trying to discipline a pagan culture, we restored the evangelical practice of church discipline in our own churches (a point made better by Paul in 1 Cor 5:9-12)?

Surely the abolition of the slave trade was a noble work. Yet in Britain it was not the church as an institution that abolished slavery, but Christians in public office who had been formed by the church's ministry. When William Wilberforce came to John Newton for advice on whether he should enter the ministry, Newton encouraged his friend to pursue politics instead. It was as a member of parliament that Wilberforce loved and served his neighbor, benefiting from the ordinary means of grace that Newton ministered to him. The church preaches God's transcendent law and gospel, and her children pursue their cultural mandate in their secular vocations. One wonders what might have happened if, instead of dividing over national policy, Protestant churches in the antebellum American North and South practiced church discipline against slave-holders. After all, according to numerous accounts, South African apartheid in our own time came crashing down when the Dutch Reformed Church confessed that its religious justification of the system was "heresy." Disciplined by its sister Reformed churches around the world, the church did what only the church could do, and the result was that the system lost its moral legitimacy."

Read the rest of the essay here: Transforming Culture with a Messiah Complex - 9Marks

Bitter Fruit of the Sexual Revolution

It's hard to know where to begin when commenting on this headline...

1 in 4 Teen Girls Has Sexual Disease

Part of me is sad and heartbroken, part of me is outraged, and part of me is angry. I'm saddened and grieved by teens who are sexually active -- their youth and innocence is gone. Without knowing it they've entered the big leagues with major consequences to their actions. Those who have contracted an STD are damaged goods -- who would want to be with them? Will they ever marry? Will they be able to have children?

I'm also outraged by societal norms: Where are the parents of these young women? Who are their role models? Who is teaching them right from wrong? Where is the church?

I'm also angry about the standard answers to the issue -- mandatory vaccinations for all young women to prevent HPV, more sex education in school, hand out more condoms, etc. This quote from the story speaks volumes, "...some doctors also are reluctant to discuss STDs with teen patients or offer screening because of confidentiality concerns, knowing parents would have to be told of the results. "

What's particularly grievous about this report is what segments of the population are most affected: black teen-age girls. Here's another quote from the story, "—nearly half the blacks studied had at least one STD. That rate compared with 20 percent among both whites and Mexican-American teens, the study from the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found."

Again, I don't know what to say. Lord, have mercy.

Os Guinness' critique of Frank Schaeffer's "Crazy for God"

One of the most influential people in the last 50 years was the late theologian/philosopher Dr. Francis Schaeffer. His five volume set of books occupies a prominent place on my bookshelves. Time and again I go back to his works for perspective on culture, philosophy, theology, and the essence of the Christian faith.

Schaeffer's rise to prominence occurred in the late 60s and 70s -- years when I was still growing into the person that I now am. I don't think I heard about him until I was in college and even then people referred to him in hushed tones -- "he's so heavy and hard to understand." Others were dismissive saying that his methodology in apologetics was like "carpet-bombing the enemy." Read him for yourself and come to your own conclusions.

During the fall of 2007 his son Frank Schaeffer released a book entitled Crazy for God. It is a memoir of his parent's life and work founding L'Abri (French for The Shelter) and their attempt to speak to the student unrest of their day. One might expect a glowing work from the son of such prominent people but no, Frank Schaeffer airs their dirty laundry for the world to see (including some of his own). So much for the commandment to honor one's parents.

I have only read excerpts of "Crazy for God" and frankly, I was shocked. There are others who are in a much better position than I to comment on Frank's book. Os Guinness was a personal friend of Francis and Edith Schaeffer living with them for a number of years. He was also a close friend of Frank's as well. He has written a thoughtful response to "Crazy for God" posted at Christianity Today (see the link below). One hopes that Frank will read the review and take to heart these words from Proverbs 27:6 "Faithful are the wounds of a friend; profuse are the kisses of an enemy."

Fathers and Sons - Books & Culture

Two Kingdom Theory - Dr. David VanDrunen

For those of you grappling with the Christian's role in the world and especially with regard to culture, you owe it to yourself to listen to Dr. David VanDrunen. The occasion for this address was his installation as the Robert Strimple Chair of Systematic Theology and Christian Ethics at Westminister Theological Seminary in Escondido, California.

Having been exposed to Abraham Kuyper's view of Christians and the culture but not thoroughly convinced, this is an area of additional study for me. I would suspect that the Two-Kingdom Theory would also have bearing on one's millenial views (another area of study for me).

Click on the link below and you will see an official announcement of his installation along with photos. In the upper right you will find a link to the message itself.

Westminster Seminary California newsevents