Two somewhat related thoughts… First, recasting Hitler as some misunderstood, persecuted, well-intentioned leader is false. It’s historical revisionism, and no doubt part of a broader effort to corrupt the way people think about evil, power, and history. You don’t have to buy into every prevailing narrative about the twentieth century to recognize that. A society that loses the ability to clearly identify genuine evil is a society that becomes vulnerable to it. Second, so much (which is different from saying all) of what has been going on in the online Reformed world over the last few years is a strange mix of proxy wars, bitterness from soured relationships, and influencers fighting one another over what they treat as a zero-sum audience. It’s a mess. The more things moved in that direction, the more I moved away from it. And I have no intention of getting pulled back into it. Even posting this will bring out the “name names” and “declare your allegiance” crowd. You get it from both sides. Disavow this guy or declare your loyalty to me. If you don’t publicly denounce someone, you’re secretly with him. If you don’t publicly pledge your allegiance to another person, you’re not a real friend. Oh well.

Another great study report idea. I already have a short list of committee members in mind!

A study report on parenting would be infinitely more edifying and needed than anything currently done.

“Further, I put down that repentance is a turning from sin to God, so that I may exclude many false turnings. The first [is] when man turns from God to sin; as when a Protestant becomes a papist, Arian, or Familist.” —William Perkins, An Exhortation to Repentance

"It is the undoubted character of every good Christian that to him to live is Christ. The glory of Christ ought to be the end of our life, the grace of Christ the principle of our life, and the word of Christ the rule of it. The Christian life is derived from Christ, and directed to him. He is the principle, rule, and end of it." -Matthew Henry, Commentary on Philippians

Gluttony is a problem in the church worthy of further study and attention.

If you discovered a lump, persistent pain, or troubling symptoms, you would seek help. You would make appointments. Ask questions. Follow instructions. Yet men give more attention to a sore knee than to a sinful conscience. They know their souls are cold. They know their prayers are lifeless. They know sin & the world have overrun them. If this is you, play the man and seek out a soul physician at once!

"Imagine a set of chaste matrons, anciently mothers in this metropolis, who lived and died in sacred obscurity, were seldom found from their own houses, but placed their humble glory in shining there, particularly in breeding their children to everything prudent and praiseworthy; imagine them for a little to return to life, and to observe unknown the manners of the present age. When, amongst other things, they saw the daughters of many a citizen, glittering in gorgeous apparel not paid for, rolling their eyes on every side through a large assembly, studying by every childish art to draw the notice of the men, contending with one another who should be most the objects of attention, catching with a kind of triumph each transient glance, nor showing the smallest uneasiness even to be stared at by the most licentious eye, or to be blown upon by the most corrupted breath of every vile betrayer—I pursue the description no further—what would our venerable spectators think of their posterity! What grief would fill their hearts on the occasion! But how great would be their astonishment and horror, when informed that numbers of those young persons, whose behavior was so unbecoming, had not been taught by their mothers, their grandmothers, or any other friend in the world, one solid lesson of wisdom or frugality, of female decorum, or amiable reserve!"

Maybe something like this, but I’m NOT a church council: “[rejecting] any theological or political teaching that claims, implies, or promotes the inherent superiority or inferiority of any people, nation, race, or ethnic group, as though empirical moral differences between peoples were grounded in differing human nature; while also recognizing that peoples and cultures may be genuinely shaped, elevated, or corrupted over time by religion, custom, law, and the presence or absence of the gospel.”

On the spirituality of the church.

For ministers and elders worried about angry young men under thier purview I’d suggest it would be a worthwhile endeavor to purchase them this book and go through together. berithpress.com/bookstore/p/… It’s content has far more value than the $9 price tag. @BerithPress

I NEEEEEED 🤓🥺

.@ZacharyGarris on the true views of the 1788 American Revisers of the WCF.

.@irishpresby on Christian politics & the spirituality of the church.

.@PerfInjust on the method of Christian politics.

Behold, the Fool! "The fool says in his heart, 'There is no God.' They are corrupt, they do abominable deeds" (Ps 14:1).

Among Christians, an argument ought to be proven or refuted according to its internal logical strength or weakness (its essence), not the particularities of the person who is delivering the argument (an accident). Prove all things (1 Thess. 5:21).

"Immanuel [Tremellius] was born in Ferrara, having a Jew to his Father, who so educated him, that he was very skillful in the Hebrew tongue. He was converted by Peter Martyr, and went with him to Lucca, where he taught Hebrew. From thence he went with him to Strasbourg, and from thence into England under King Edward VI, after whose death he returned into Germany. He was called to Heidelberg under Frederick III, Elector Palatine, where he was Professor of the Hebrew tongue, and translated the Syriac Testament into Latin. There also he set upon the translation of the Bible out of Hebrew, and associated to himself in that work Fr. Junius, who after the death of Tremellius, perused the whole work, and by adding many things, rather made it larger than better, in some men's judgement. In his old age he left Heidelberg, and by the Duke of Bouillon was called to be Hebrew Professor in his new University of Sedan, where he died, Anno Christi 1580, [aged 70]. He wrote a Chaldee and Syriac Grammar; he published the New Testament in Latin and Syriac; an exposition upon the Prophet Hosea. Together with Junius he translated the Hebrew Bible, adding short annotations. And lastly Bucer's Lectures upon the Epistle to the Ephesians.” Samuel Clarke (1654)

“Immutable characteristics” is one of those phrases people think they immediately understand, but it does not obviously mean anything at all. What is the actual definition? It will prove to be an unfortunate phrase, and that has already been the case in some applications. “Without distinction”? No. You will have to go back and define your terms at the end of the day. But I would be surprised if many didn’t already get that requirement. We always make distinctions.