Nun (ن) is the first letter of Arabic the word Nasara (نصارى or Nazarene). Since the beginning of the Islamic invasion of the Christian world in the 7th century this letter has been used by Muslims as a pejorative, a mark of shame, a scandalon Today in Syria and Iraq, a new generation of invaders use it to stigmatize and persecute the few remaining …
Christianity: A Dangerous Idea
This past November, as part of Australian TV’s “Festival of Dangerous Ideas,” an episode was broadcast from the Sydney Opera House. Peter Hitchens, the lone conservative and Christian amongst a panel and audience of “progressives,” was laughed at, mocked, and pilloried for an hour. At the end of the broadcast, the panelists were asked: “Which of the so-called dangerous ideas …
Meat and Drink
“The study of everything that stands connected with the death of Christ, whether it be in the types of the ceremonial law, the predictions of the prophets, the narratives of the gospels, the doctrines of the epistles, or the sublime vision of the Apocalypse, this is the food of the soul, the manna from heaven, the bread of life. This …
The Seven Last Words
1. Forgiveness: “Father, forgive them for they know not what they do.” Luke 23:26-35 2. Redemption: “This day you will be with me in Paradise.” Luke 23:35-43 3. Covenant: “Behold, your son; behold, your mother.” John 19:23-27 4. Substitution: “Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani.” Matthew 27:45-54 5. Suffering: “I thirst.” John 19:28 6. Triumph: “It is finished.” John 19:30 7. Resolution: …
Bonhoeffer on Death
Today I must inform you that our brothers Konrad Bojack, F.A. Preuß, UlrichNitack, and Gerhard Schulze have been killed on the eastern front. . . . Theyhave gone before us on the path that we shall all have to take at some point.In a particularly grac…
A Most Zealous and Efficient Evangelist
According to tradition, on this day in the year 432, a youngBritish monk—formerly held captive as a slave by the very people he now soughtto serve—arrived in Ireland to begin his ministry.Patrick was said to have been born at one of the littleChris…
The Wisdom of John R.W. Stott
“Every Christian should be both conservative and radical; conservative in preserving the faith and radical in applying it.””Before we can begin to see the cross as something done for us, we have to see it as something done by us.””Good conduct arises o…
Gospel Etymology
Just a little while ago a friend asked me to define “the gospel.” He was prepping for a Sunday School class and wanted a good, succinct definition that he could use.Instead of immediately thinking of the best doctrinal formulation, my mind recalled th…