We have now crossed the threshold. In our first module, Foundations, we established the “Why” and the “How” of Christian Stoicism. We excavated the history, justified the project theologically, and stress-tested the pagan worldview until it cracked. We concluded by watching the Apostle Paul on Mars Hill, giving us our marching orders to critical engagement. Now,… Continue reading Providence and the Dichotomy of Control
Series Introduction: Why We Need Turretin Today
If you walk into the study of a confessional Presbyterian pastor and look at the shelf behind his desk—the one reserved for the “heavy artillery”—you will almost certainly find a set of three large, green books published by P&R. They are daunting. They are dense. And for nearly three centuries, they were the standard by… Continue reading Series Introduction: Why We Need Turretin Today
A Pact of Life: On God’s Covenant with Man (WCF 7.1–7.6)
In the previous article, we faced the grim reality of the Fall. We saw humanity dead in sin, wholly defiled, and bound over to the wrath of God. If that were the end of the story, we would be without hope. But God, who is rich in mercy, did not leave us in that estate.… Continue reading A Pact of Life: On God’s Covenant with Man (WCF 7.1–7.6)
The Fountains of the Great Deep: A World Unmade by Water (Gen. 7:1–24)
Loved ones, for one hundred years, the sound of hammer on wood has echoed through a violent world. Noah, the “herald of righteousness” (2 Peter 2:5), has been building a massive vessel on dry land, a visible testament to his faith and a warning of things to come. Now, the construction is finished. The pitch… Continue reading The Fountains of the Great Deep: A World Unmade by Water (Gen. 7:1–24)
The Apostle on Mars Hill: Paul’s Critical Engagement with Stoic Thought
For the past several weeks, we have been engaged in a rigorous philosophical exercise. We have excavated the foundations of Stoicism, admired its ethical architecture, and stress-tested its worldview against the Christian doctrines of God, man, and the universe. We have argued that we should “plunder the Egyptians”—taking the gold of Stoic insight while leaving… Continue reading The Apostle on Mars Hill: Paul’s Critical Engagement with Stoic Thought
The Mid-Winter Mystery: A Chalcedonian Meditation
As a good Presbyterian who holds to the Regulative Principle of Worship, I am obligated to remind you that I have no religious reason to be writing this right now. The 25th of December is, ecclesiastically speaking, just another Thursday. We jokingly call it “Mid-Winter No Reason”—a time when the world inexplicably decides to decorate… Continue reading The Mid-Winter Mystery: A Chalcedonian Meditation
Wherein All Have Sinned: On the Fall and Original Sin (WCF 6.1–6.6)
We have stood on the mountain peaks of God’s eternal decree and witnessed the pristine beauty of creation in the Garden. But now, the narrative takes a catastrophic turn. To understand the world as we see it today—broken, violent, and groaning—and to understand our own hearts, we must descend into the valley of the shadow… Continue reading Wherein All Have Sinned: On the Fall and Original Sin (WCF 6.1–6.6)
The Unmaking of the Cosmos: The Flood as De-Creation and Pattern of Final Judgment
Loved ones, in our previous study of Noah, we touched upon a terrifying concept: de-creation. We noted that the Flood was not merely a severe weather event, but a cosmic reversal—a deliberate undoing of the order God established in Genesis 1. To fully grasp the magnitude of what happened in the days of Noah, and to… Continue reading The Unmaking of the Cosmos: The Flood as De-Creation and Pattern of Final Judgment
A Righteous Man in His Generation: Noah, the Ark, and the Coming Storm (Gen. 6:9–22)
Loved ones, the previous passage left us staring into the abyss. We saw a world where the godly line of Seth had compromised with the worldly line of Cain, resulting in a culture so morally bankrupt that God grieved over the creation of man. The verdict was total: “every intention of the thoughts of his… Continue reading A Righteous Man in His Generation: Noah, the Ark, and the Coming Storm (Gen. 6:9–22)
Duty Without a Lawgiver
In the lexicon of modern Western culture, few words have fallen as far or as fast as the word Duty. We live in the age of “rights,” “passions,” and “self-actualization.” To speak of duty—of an obligation that binds us regardless of our feelings or desires—is to speak a foreign tongue. We are told to “follow our… Continue reading Duty Without a Lawgiver