Church History/Christian History

George Herbert – Pastor and Poet

SI Filings

“The gospel shines brightly through many of Herbert’s poems. We found a clear example of this in ‘The Collar.’” - Ref21

Discussion

Why Did John Calvin Write the “Institutes of Christian Religion”?

SI Filings

“Calvin wrote his work to train readers in godliness, not to define Christianity as one religion by articulating a set of ethical and theological beliefs. For this reason, titling the book, Institution of Christian Religion conveys better the idea of Christian worship or godliness that Calvin intended to communicate through the title.” - Wyatt Graham

Discussion

The Reformation at 500: The Papal Bull (Part 2)

Paul J. Scharf

Read Part 1.

“Since God has given us the papacy,” Pope Leo X stated dramatically, “let us enjoy it.”

There was one man standing in the way of such enjoyment, however. Leo had little regard for the priest in Wittenberg, Dr. Martin Luther, who he referred to as “a drunken German.”

“He will feel different when he is sober,” concluded the pope.

His ability to underestimate Luther could not have been more profound.

Discussion

The Reformation at 500: The Papal Bull (Part 1)

Paul J. Scharf

In September of 2017, my wife Lynnette and I were privileged to visit the land of Germany and tour the sites of the Reformation in celebration of its 500th anniversary.

The trip was memorable—even life-changing—for a number of reasons.

First of all, the trip was given to us by our friends at Grace Bible Church, in Portage, Wis., where I had served as interim pastor for nearly two years. Suffice it to say that we will never forget all that that congregation did for us.

Discussion

Tim Miller reviews Thomas Kidd's “Who Is an Evangelical?”

SI Filings

“Kidd has shown that the term evangelical has lost much of its doctrinal meaning….And though he does not make this explicit, I think he has shown that the movement has done its best when it has focused on doing what it has been called to do (evangelize, emphasize personal lives of holiness) rather than when it has sought political power.” - Tim Miller

Discussion

3 Models of Heaven in the Early Church

Michael Vlach

Lately, I have been reading a book called A History of Heaven by Colleen McDannell and Bernhard Lang. I am fascinated with their 22-page chapter, “Irenaeus and Augustine on our Heavenly Bodies.”

Discussion

What Did DC Churches Do When the Spanish Flu Struck Again?

SI Filings

“A very different response is found in Rev. Francis J. Grimke…. Grimke acknowledged that there was some ‘considerable grumbling’ regarding the closing of churches. But he also offers a defense: ‘The fact that the churches were places of religious gathering, and the others not, would not affect in the least the health question involved.

Discussion

Justification and Martin Luther

SI Filings

“He believed the Church when it taught that a believing sinner received the grace of justification through the sacraments as he did his part to cooperate and become righteous. And this is what kept tripping Luther up – his part was never good enough.” - Ref 21

Discussion