“In pastoral care, in particular, we do well to remember that we do not need to be experts in a million different fields to be faithful to our calling. We do not need to know how to handle every difficulty, hurt, or need presented to us. But we need to be faithful in this: proclaiming the news that Christ is risen.”
From Wesley Hill in his most recent article, “Pastors, You Have One Job.” I highly commend the whole thing.
The College of Bishops of the Anglican Church of North America (ACNA) released a pastoral statement on human sexuality and identity in mid-January. At the time, I thought about assessing it here, like I did with the Nashville Statement, the PCA’s report on human sexuality, and the CRC’s report on human sexuality. But the ACNA statement seemed so benign that there was not much that I thought I could say. The statement held that there is no guarantee, though there is the possibility, that Christians experiencing same-sex attraction will see an end to that attraction in this life. No comment is made on whether same-sex attraction or orientation is itself sinful or needs to be something repented. The statement even-handily evaluated the ways in which “same-sex Christian” or “gay Christian” are used, but then said, “We do not believe it wise nor commendable to adopt categorically the language of ‘gay Christian,’ or ‘same-sex attracted Christian’ as the default description for those who experience same-sex attraction…
From Lisa Deam in Christianity Today, “One of my pet peeves is receiving an email during the latter part of Lent with the sign-off ‘Happy Easter!’ or ‘Jesus is risen!’ I have to fight the temptation to reply, ‘Not just yet!’ Such proclamations, although well meaning, rush me to a destination I’m not ready to reach. Before I experience the joy of Easter morning, a lengthy journey awaits.”
Not just yet? Christ is risen. Let’s not pretend otherwise.
This is a list of my top (i.e. favorite) posts from the past year. This list is most helpful for me to look back later to see what captured my attention during 2020. This past year also represented a shift in my writing, namely that I had a number of articles published elsewhere. I include links to all of those as well.
Posts
- A Personal Journey on Intinction. In this post I reflect on the issues involved in the practice of intinction through the lens of my personal experience.
- I summarized what I believe are the distinctive characteristics of Reformed faith and practice here.
- I wrote several articles on human sexuality (two of which are included on the article section below), with two additional posts on the subject, including an assessment of transgender pronouns and Christian speech and a review of the Christian Reformed Church’s report on human sexuality.
- A subject to which I regularly return is the EPC’s version of the Westminster Confession of Faith. This year I wrote on why the additions of chapters 34 and 35 should be rejected.
- I was frustrated by the lack of good American Presbyterian family trees, so I made my own. I’m not a graphic designer, so it will need to be polished in the future, but I like it.
Articles
- Mere Orthodoxy
- Our Fathers Left Us Evangelicalism, which is quite possibly my favorite piece I have ever written.
- All Monuments Must Fall
- World Reformed Fellowship
- The Westminster Standards and the Nashville Statement (also on my blog here)
- Westminster and Gay Christianity’s Side B (also on my blog here)
- Against the Virtual Communion of a Virtual Church (also on my blog here)
- The Alliance of Confessing Evangelicals
- COVID-19 Is God’s Judgment (also on my blog here)
- Who Does Gospel Ministry?, which addresses a critical and fundamental question that is often assumed by Christians.
