Category: Church History

Asbury and why we don’t have to label everything immediately

I studied law at university, followed by manufacturing management and a gear shift career change into manufacturing engineering.  AS both cause and consequence of those decisions, I tend to be keen to label, define, organise. It’s how my mind is wired and so I was one of those people during COVID who got through it… Continue reading Asbury and why we don’t have to label everything immediately

Rumours of Revival

There have been some incredible reports coming from Asbury University in Kentucky of God moving in a powerful way starting at a chapel service.  These reports describe people to come, stay, come back to an extended gathering where there has been praise, prayer, Scripture reading, preaching and testimony continuing over a number of days.  Testimonies… Continue reading Rumours of Revival

The sins of the fathers – case studies in how (and how not) to do church history

I’ve seen two examples recently of people attempting to make connections between the thoughts and actions of predecessors and culture today.  Both are concerned with the influence of the reformation and its aftermath on western, especially American, Christian culture. Here’s the first example: And here’s the second: I want to suggest that one example, unsurprisingly… Continue reading The sins of the fathers – case studies in how (and how not) to do church history

Princeton, slaveowners and statues again

Once again, there’s a debate rumbling about what to do with a statue of someone from the past. Once again, the issue is that the person concerned had been a slave owner.  This time, we’re talking about John Witherspoon, the former president of Princeton. Students at Princeton have been campaigning for Witherspoon’s statue to be… Continue reading Princeton, slaveowners and statues again

For all the Saints

What is today?  For most people, it’s the day after Halloween.  That’s true whether or not you’ve enthusiastically celebrated the event, attempted to create an alternative or desperately sought to avoid it.  However, that’s quite ironic because Halloween is a contraction of “All Hallows’ Eve” or “All Saints’ Eve. We say “Happy Halloween” but not… Continue reading For all the Saints

What was the basis of the Reformation criticism of veneration of Saints?

Explaining the basis for the reformation criticism of the veneration seems at first to be a straight-forward task of finding out what the arguments were that the reformers used.  However, a number of contemporary historians have criticised the reliability of such an approach arguing that the reformers arguments alone fail to explain why change occurred… Continue reading What was the basis of the Reformation criticism of veneration of Saints?

Did the Gnostics have the truth about Jesus? 

Did the Gnostics[1] have the truth about Jesus?  Their second century opponent Irenaeus would say that they did not.[2] However over the last century a debate has opened up suggesting that the Gnostics provide a source of truth that is at least equal to the New Testament.[3] This question is of great importance when you… Continue reading Did the Gnostics have the truth about Jesus? 

Taking America Back for God (Review)

There’s been a lot of heated discussion about four authors and books over the past few weeks.  The debate follows an article by David Gushee citing them as significant authors in a recent movement that is redefining and redescribing Evangelicalism -something he talks about in terms of a deconstruction project.  These are Kristen Kobes Du… Continue reading Taking America Back for God (Review)

Happy Reformation Day

Over 500 years ago today, Martin Luther nailed his theses –  a set of 95 propositions for debate to the door of the church in Wittenberg.  This was to spark the Protestant Reformation.  The reformation is about much more than that one act of protest though. At its heart was the rediscovery of what Scripture… Continue reading Happy Reformation Day