Religion

Is Calvinism a Form of Determinism?

Posted by on March 9, 2025 at 8:46 pm

Derick Dickens is a professor, speaker, and writer in the Reformed Presbyterian tradition. He is also a Facebook “friend”, so I see his posts and have cited him at least a couple times on this blog. This week’s “article” is based on Derick’s response to someone else (probably on FB) in a discussion about Calvinist […]

My Take on the Sons of God and Nephilim in Genesis 6

Posted by on February 16, 2025 at 8:34 pm

If the topic revealed in this post’s title sounds somewhat familiar, it may be because roughly a year ago I began my “What to Make of This Weird Bible Passage?” series with the opening lines from Genesis 6. In those posts, I laid out what four of the best Study Bibles had to say about […]

YouTube Channels I Enjoy and You Might, Too: Bible & Religion

Posted by on February 2, 2025 at 8:03 pm

A few more YouTube recommendations for you… Readers may remember that last Fall I wrote two posts in which I shared YouTube channels that I enjoy watching on topics of “Science & Tech” and “Politics & Culture”. This third post rounds out the main topics covered in this blog with “Bible & Religion”. Of course, […]

The Principle of Sphere Sovereignty, Part 2 of 2

Posted by on January 19, 2025 at 6:34 pm

“Increasingly, the citizen stands denuded before the total state, stripped of the protection of mediating non-civil private institutions and even of the inherited liberties of private civil law.” — Joe Boot In last week’s Part 1, Dr. Joseph Boot commented on failed attempts at church/state/society relationships due to both faulty designs and abuses by those […]

The Principle of Sphere Sovereignty, Part 1 of 2

Posted by on January 12, 2025 at 11:57 pm

“There has clearly been a radical departure from our Christian moorings in acknowledgement and confession of the sovereignty of God in Jesus Christ for all humanity.” — Joe Boot The book: Ruler of Kings: Toward a Christian Vision of Government (2022) The author: Rev. Dr. Joseph Boot, a British-Canadian pastor, apologist, and cultural theologian I […]

Top 12+ Posts, 2023-2024

Posted by on January 5, 2025 at 7:27 pm

As I did for my first post in 2023, I have considered the AVftR posts of the previous two years and picked the top ones. Specifically, by either the importance of the subject and/or my having written (rather than cited) the bulk of the content, I thought these posts were the best ones I put […]

Noel

Posted by on December 22, 2024 at 5:55 pm

The following is a poem written by J.R.R. Tolkien in 1936 but “lost” until rediscovered in 2013: “Noel” Grim was the world and grey last night:The moon and stars were fled,The hall was dark without song or light,The fires were fallen dead.The wind in the trees was like to the sea,And over the mountains’ teethIt […]

A Blueprint for Getting More from Your Bible Reading

Posted by on November 10, 2024 at 7:13 pm

“Visit many good books, but live in the Bible.” — Charles H. Spurgeon, Christian theologian known as the ‘Prince of Preachers’ Regular reading in God’s Word is an important part of Christian life and practice (Psalm 119; John 8:31-32; 2 Tim. 3:16-17). But, to be honest, it isn’t always easy. Sometimes it’s the particular book […]

Sleepwalking Toward Tyranny

Posted by on October 27, 2024 at 7:02 pm

“Like the proverbial frog slowly boiled to death for failing to detect the rising temperature of the water, we are sleepwalking toward tyranny.” — Joe Boot, Ruler of Kings I have cited twice before from Ruler of Kings: Toward a Christian Vision of Government, written by apologist, pastor, and cultural theologian Rev. Dr. Joseph Boot. […]

Did Unbelief Prevent Jesus from Doing Miracles in Nazareth?

Posted by on October 20, 2024 at 8:08 pm

“One thing that even the son of God can’t do. Even Jesus cannot override your unbelief.” — Steven Furtick, founder & pastor of Elevation Church We’re gonna do a little Biblical exegesis and theology today, folks! Some Bible teachers, particularly among (but not limited to) charismatics, use Mark 6:5 as evidence that Jesus Christ could […]