The use of Turretin in this article is very helpful for gaining an understanding of how the Bible talks about sin. I agree with Turretin’s conclusions and Dillon’s general summary. https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/article/sins-forefathers-accountable/

This nifty infographic seeks to give a quick rundown on entry-level Reformed soteriology. While it can be disputed whether the phrases should be “Preservation of the Saints,” “Radical Depravity”, or otherwise, the infographic is a nice resource to have. https://www.wesleyhuff.com/s/Infographics-pdf-copy-dragged-3hb2.pdf UPDATE: 20200817 If you haven’t seen Tim Challies https://visualtheology.church then head on over if you want some awesome infographics! I’ve linked a few below. These awesome posters attempt to put to pictures complex theological topics as well as wonderful reminders of who God is and what he has called us to do.

A fair summons to those in the theological disciplines to… wait for it… be more well-read! As if we didn’t have enough to read already! But I think the criticism is fair and I would wish to not be irresponsible. sigh. Time to add more books to the list. https://www.thepublicdiscourse.com/2020/07/61444/ In this 1999 article from the CATO Institute, Milton Frieman argues that businessmen tend to make poor decisions regarding their interactions with the government.

A good article on homeschooling. I recommend it! https://quillette.com/2020/05/23/the-fight-over-alternative-education/

Back in my high school days, we added a page to our school newspaper/journal/magazine for video game reviews and I was the writer. This article points out the rise of bigger new outlets beginning to cover video games; this in some ways is a surprise given how large the market is, but many people still don’t realize how big eGaming is or the like. A few years ago I listened to a YouTube channel called ExtraCreditz, which seeks to discuss how the game-making and gaming industry works, among discussing other things about video games.

A great article by Dr. Timothy Willard which seeks to argue what the church should be doing about art and the problems of contemporary art. I would hope that in good time Redemption Studio would be an aid to such a reclamation. https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/article/desecration-beauty/

While I disagree with the author’s interpretation/agreement with the book he is reviewing (and comparing to The Lord of the Rings) of who the Nephilim are and whether the sons of God are their fathers or not, and whether the sons of God are angels or not (I believe the sons of God are the sons of Seth, and thus they are marrying the daughters of Cain, and the Nephilim are not their offspring.

I have had interest in pursuing fasting as a spiritual discipline ever since reading Richard J Foster, Celebration of Discipline: The Path to Spiritual Growth , 3rd ed. (San Francisco: Harper & Row, 1988). and having met a friend of mine in the Coptic Orthodox (Oriental Orthodox) tradition. It isn’t a topic that comes up much in my theological circles; fasting is largely associated with the feast days of Anglicanism and the RCC and EO.

One group of Christians I have enjoyed learning more about and reading the works that they produced centuries ago are the Puritans. The Puritans were a prominent source for a paper I wrote on Christian leisure. They were so heavenly minded and of great earthly good, much to the opposite of the poorly stated converse. Further, I’ve found that the Puritans are oft maligned because they are oft misunderstood. They are viewed as if they had no fun, yet they were known for brewing a special beer for celebrating a minister’s ordination.

This interview with John Piper highlights an important question he has made before when it comes to questions about watching non-Christian media or media which displays sin in an approving manner: the question is not whether or not something is sinful but whether we are pursuing holiness. In the West, where our culture has become consumer-centric and consumption-heavy, Piper warns well: “Take heed that you not be consumed.” 4 Their idols are silver and gold, the work of human hands.

Seven articles from five different sites each point towards a particular recurrent theme in today’s environmental movement. The first, from Quillette, highlights the history of today’s climate extremism. Another brings in asceticism. What is so fascinating about this is how environmentalism is easily its own religion now which means that religious and moral arguments now come into play in the discussions. While battles still loom over data and research regarding our climate, conservative political voices are highlighting the spiritual aspects of the movement.

Amen! This is a great interview to read. Just as the Romanticism movement birthed out of a response to Modernism, we need to be cautious today about exalting artists above others, even in the Church. https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/article/andrew-peterson-artists-adorning-dark-book/ UPDATE: 2020-01-25 RTS invited three speakers to talk about the arts and faith. The speakers are focused on poetry. https://rts.edu/resources/2019-reforum-theology-the-arts-1/ And here’s part 2! https://rts.edu/resources/2019-reforum-theology-the-arts-2/

With so many cases having arisen out of the disastrous and faulty ruling of 2015, it is good to see religious liberty being defended on various fronts. While we as Christians don’t put our hope in political power or political victories, for our sole hope is in Jesus Christ, the matters and affairs of the state are important. The Reformers, such as Calvin and Luther, certainly understood this. The church is facing difficult things ahead in the Western world; the trials currently underway are only the beginning.

This is one of the few helpful reads I have found on the internet regarding immigration. The other was Kevin DeYoung on TGC. https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/kevin-deyoung/immigration-policy-must-be-based-on-more-than-an-appeal-to-compassion/ There is a lot to discuss here, and as DeYoung points out, we cannot use simple platitudes for making big decisions. Wisdom demands more from us. https://www.thepublicdiscourse.com/2019/09/56067/

An absolutely fascinating post! This gives a philosophical framework explaining why we do not need to fear the rise of machines. As some in our political world and scientific world warn of either the domination and conquering of machines a la Terminator or the replacement of humans and the devaluing of humans, something like the rise of AI can actually force us to have to think about what makes humans unique and special.