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A Devotional Reflection on George Herbert’s Poem, Love III
Through all the ups and downs of his own faith journey, this saving love of God has been the truest and deepest thing he has known about God, and about
The Greatest Love Story Ever Lived
As members of the church, we are part of the Body of Christ––the Bride of Christ––and that defines who we are. We are not autonomous beings. We are destined to
Where Has All the Romance Gone? And Where It Can Still Be Found
Many of us have made an idol of romance and marriage between a man and a woman, and this idolatry is not just in society as a whole. It is
Provisional Advice on the New Constitutional Amendments
The Constitution of the PCUSA changed again this year. Most changes each year hardly register with most Presbyterians; this is true of the majority of changes again this year. Some
Law and Liturgy The Place of the Ten Commandments in Reformed Worship
The Law, by which we understand here the Ten Commandments, is indispensable to Reformed worship. For God’s covenant people, it constitutes the beginning and foundation of worship. We worship God
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Church and Culture
Where Has All the Romance Gone? And Where It Can Still Be Found
Many of us have made an idol of romance and marriage between a man and a woman, and this idolatry is not just in society as a whole. It is
Provisional Advice on the New Constitutional Amendments
The Constitution of the PCUSA changed again this year. Most changes each year hardly register with most Presbyterians; this is true of the majority of changes again this year. Some
Learning to Say No For the Sake of God’s Yes
Mark’s Gospel focuses on the theme of discipleship. From the beginning to the end, it’s about what it means to be called by and to follow Jesus Christ.
Preparing to Vote on the Amendments
Those who oppose us and our convictions are not “the enemy” who attempts to take something precious away from us ––a place of and space for ministry within the PC(USA)
Shall God Alone Remain Lord of the Conscience?
For centuries, Presbyterian Churches have believed and understood that the Christian liberty which Jesus Christ purchased for us by his undeserved but willing death on the cross includes the freedom
Confessing the Faith
Freedom for the Gospel, Freedom from Worldly Ideologies: The Barmen Declaration Today
Forty years ago, in 1984‒85, I had the remarkable experience of spending a year at a Protestant seminary in East Berlin. Those were still the days of communism. The regime
A Firm Foundation
There has been and continues to be a considerable amount of talk about churches dying. And this has spawned work aimed at helping church’s die well, as well as work
For the Next Generation
Presbyterians know that whatever our doubts and fears about the Presbyterian Church (USA), we belong to God. The human institution that is the PCUSA may someday pass away, but God
The Confession that the PCUSA Needs
The writing of a new confession of faith is not undertaken lightly, for “any proposed change to the Book of Confessions should enhance the church’s understanding and declaration of who
What All Christians Should Know
Heinrich Bullinger (1504–1575) is widely known as the author of the Second Helvetic Confession (1566). But his series of fifty sermons entitled Decades (1549–1551) was as well-known and has been
Discipleship
A Devotional Reflection on George Herbert’s Poem, Love III
Through all the ups and downs of his own faith journey, this saving love of God has been the truest and deepest thing he has known about God, and about
The Greatest Love Story Ever Lived
As members of the church, we are part of the Body of Christ––the Bride of Christ––and that defines who we are. We are not autonomous beings. We are destined to
God Has Spoken
The Book that men most need to study is the book of which they know little and understand less. That book is the Bible. The Bible, it is true, occupies
Encouragement for the Journey
The work of parish ministry is one of the most daring and demanding journeys that one can take. It is not without profound meaning, but it also tests an individual
“That’s The Spirit!” Or, What Exactly Does Spiritual Formation Form?
Introduction: A Working Hypothesis “That’s the spirit!” is a common rather than a Christian idiom, something you might say in order to encourage someone to persevere in some endeavor. Generally
Israel
Exile and New Life
The topic of exile and new life intersect with several pertinent matters today. The Assyrian and Babylonian exiles (or as some historians now describe it, “forced migrations”) are the primary
A Framework, Not a Roadmap: Christians Can Foster Peace, Justice, and Freedom in the Middle East
The Bible does not supply a roadmap for Mideast policy today. But there is a framework of principles that we can draw from the biblical story: We live in
The Political Dilemmas of Arab Christianity
The Middle East’s Christian minorities have a painful political history. Not only have they suffered persecution and restrictions at the hands of Muslim majorities, but they have also sometimes made
Arguing From Evidence: Why Support Israel?
There is a widespread assumption that evangelical Protestant support for Israel is purely theological. But this assumption overlooks the many other reasons why evangelicals and other Americans feel an affinity
Stretching Scripture Too Far: Apocalyptic Prophecy as Mideast Policy Guide
Christians look to the Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments as God’s authoritative revelation of his purposes for humankind. But these sacred texts, written originally for Jewish and Christian
Reformation of the Church
Why Tradition?
People are always shouting they want to create a better future. It’s not true. The future is an apathetic void of no interest to anyone. The past is full of
Spiritual Friendship – The Evangelical Brotherhood in Colonial America
On October 22, 1746, Acting Governor John Hamilton of New Jersey granted a charter for the College of New Jersey (now Princeton University) to seven petitioners: four Presbyterian clergy: Jonathan
Humility as a Reformed Value
What does humility have to do with teaching the Bible? Much.
The Church in Exile: Recovering a Reformed View of the Displaced Community
Dr. Jennifer Powell McNutt - Theology Matters 2021 Conference
The Holy Spirit and Presbyterians
The history of Presbyterianism is more but not less than a history of the interpretation of the work of the Holy Spirit. It is a history of actions and reactions,
Scripture
Theological Implications of Inclusive Language in Biblical Translation
Since the time of the Tower of Babel problems of translation and communication have plagued individuals and nations alike.
Preaching according to the Lectio Continua: Practical Questions & Considerations
What are the advantages of the lectionary vs lectio continua based preaching?
Earl Palmer on Expository Preaching
On May 21, 2019, Theology Matters’ Managing Editor, Richard Burnett, interviewed Earl F. Palmer at University Presbyterian Church, Seattle, Washington, where he was ordained in 1956.
The Bible’s Church
Does the Bible belong to the church or does the church belong to the Bible? We tend to lose track of the profound influences that formed the world in which
The Canon of the New Testament
Even when we have come to a conclusion about the date and origin of the individual books of the New Testament, another question remains to be answered. How did the
Suffering
Two Views of Mortality
Sometimes death strikes down the living abruptly through a heart attack, a suicide, a car accident, a drowning. Loved ones can be left feeling stranded, breathless, and unprepared. In contrast,
Holy Saturday & the Hell of Coming Home: Caring for War Wounded Souls
In Packing Inferno, Iraq War veteran Tyler Boudreau describes his experience of going to war and of coming home
Finding Joy on the Journey of Grief
“No one ever told me that grief felt so much like fear. I am not afraid, but I’m experiencing the sensation of being afraid. The same fluttering in the stomach,
The Reformed Pastor Confronts the “Last Enemy”
Every aspect of pastoral ministry can and should be viewed as an occasion for theological witness and reflection. Nowhere is that more important than in the face of death with
John Calvin on Death and Grief
It is difficult for many of us to imagine John Calvin doing something so human and vulnerable as grieving. Nor is it any easier to picture him being interested in
Theology
Law and Liturgy The Place of the Ten Commandments in Reformed Worship
The Law, by which we understand here the Ten Commandments, is indispensable to Reformed worship. For God’s covenant people, it constitutes the beginning and foundation of worship. We worship God
Gender, Sex, and the Kingdom
This document, “Gender, Sex, and the Kingdom of God,” was drafted by and is reprinted with permission from the Standing Theological Committee of the ECO, A Covenant Order of Evangelical
Living East of Eden – Pastoral Reflections on How Theology Matters
“The Gates of Hell shall not prevail against the church.” We heard this theme––the theme of this conference–– brilliantly proclaimed last night in worship. And we heard the text of
The Foundation of Our Calling
Studying theology can be hard––hard on us psychologically and spiritually, personally as well as interpersonally. We can find out more about ourselves than we ever wanted to know. Yet we
Reformed Accents
The Reformed tradition and the churches that embody that tradition share in the faith of the one holy catholic apostolic church. They also share Protestant emphases on Scripture, justification, and