So much to talk about and so little time. First off, if you have not yet entered the draw for a free, autographed, hardcover copy of Total Truth by Nancy Pearcey, you really ought to do it. She wrote me yesterday to say that the books have been signed and sent to me. The contest will be wrapping up on the 15th of January with two prizes being awarded based on a random drawing. You can read the complete rules and smallish print here (, including how you can increase your chances of winning). I am nearly finished reading this book and I believe it will be, for many people, a life-changing (or at the least a life-altering) book. It has challenged me time and time again. And incidentally, I have arranged a great prize for the next draw, so be sure to check back after the 15th to learn about that one.
The Evangelical Outpost is having a First Quarterly Symposium with the topic being Is Americanism the Successor of Puritanism? He is accepting articles until Tuesday with three prizes being awarded. As one might expect, I have something to say about this issue and intend to write an article about it tomorrow. I think as a Canadian whose family has emigrated to the United States, I will have an interesting perspective on Americanism and anti-Americanism. I will have more to say tomorrow. For now, you can read about the symposium here.
James White has taken on postmodernism and the Emergent Church in a brief article on his site. He expresses one of the great frustrations I have with this movement. “And if you are looking for a book that provides a full, meaningful, biblically based defense of the system, don’t bother. The very idea that the Bible was intended to, or capable of, providing such a basis is one of the first casualties of postmodernism. In fact, don’t expect any debates on the subject: a debate assumes truth and error and the ability of mankind, based upon the clarity and perspecuity of God’s revelation, to come to a sound conclusion so as to say one side is right and one side is wrong. Once again, that is ‘modernism,’ and we have now gotten past believing such things. Revelation is an outmoded term: now we have ‘conversations’ and tell ‘stories.’ This is all we can really do, and all we’ve ever been able to do: previous generations were self-deluded to think they had gone past that level.” The Bible becomes narrative, rules become conversations, and Truth (with a capital “t”) goes right out the door. He suggests that he will write more when he has opportunity and I look forward to hearing more of what he will say. My friend Michael Schweppe points out that D.A. Carson has an upcoming book which will deal with the Emergent Church, and which will, I presume, be firmly but lovingly critical. I will look forward to that one.
And that is all I have to say for today. At the beginning of the year I considered doing a weekly series on the Heidelberg Catechism, but when I noticed that my friend Doug was doing one, I decided I would be lazy and learn from him instead. So if you are interested, head on over to his site and read about what the law of God requires of us.
