https://cne.news/article/4772-seven-books-to-sharpen-your-christian-worldview
The article's set-up leads me to believe that once again the evocation of 'worldview' is not in the sense of a comprehensive and coherent system of thought but rather the rubber-stamping of an agenda. As such, it is in keeping with its frequent use within American Evangelicalism.
I was looking at the website of one of Scott Brown's upcoming conferences on Christian Entrepreneurship. It was the usual fare from these Agrarian-Dominionist Theonomic types. I've seen it all before. I decided to look up the background and credentials on the speakers and I noticed one has the last name of Botkin which is well known in those circles. The Botkin girls in particular have generated a great deal of attention.
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/jan/24/trump-pete-hegseth-extremism
Hegseth first appeared on my radar under the first Trump administration as one of the voices defending American war crimes. The post-9/11 world has been a veritable golden age for US Special Forces and the growing lack of restraint coupled with psychopathic behaviour has led to some serious concern within the Pentagon. It's something I wrote about in 2020:
https://pilgrimunderground.blogspot.com/2020/01/trump-1079-military-schisms-legality-of.html
It has been disconcerting to listen to Chris Arnzen interview German Theonomist pastor Tobias Riemenschneider on various subjects, but in particular in connection to German history and politics.
https://danhult.com/2024/09/19/as-for-me-and-my-house-americas-household-idols/
A great deal could be said about the arguments put forward by Hult. Not a few would take issue with his prioritisation of family over Church but for me the most glaring problems are found elsewhere.
And it should be noted that he's right regarding the fact that idolatry is often equated with adultery and/or fornication. This is why I think it unfortunate that many of the newer translations choose terms like 'sexual immorality' in the book of Revelation as opposed to the more flexible term of 'fornication'. I think often what's being condemned is idolatry as opposed to specific sexual activities. This does not make light of the latter but rather many openly engaged in idolatry/adultery/fornication can render these passages as non-applicable because they see them as only referring to forbidden sexual activity.
This brings us to Hult's rendering of household gods which represents a departure from Scriptural thinking or rather a sleight-of-hand exchange - moving from Bible to Right-wing politics without missing a beat.
https://reformedforum.org/podcasts/ctc877/
I've been listening to Christ the Center since about 2009. An interesting podcast most of the time, this episode was an exception. After realizing the guest was a law professor at Liberty University, I almost turned it off. I struggle to take anyone associated with Liberty seriously, but I decided to give it a listen.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?app=desktop&v=1ckd_Jx_obk
https://clearlyreformed.org/on-culture-war-doug-wilson-and-the-moscow-mood/
It's been a year since Doug Wilson released his 2023 No Quarter November/Thanksgiving video. I saw it at the time and followed some of the responses to it. I thought DeYoung's comments were fairly astute but missing one important element regarding the 'mood' - Donald Trump.
https://www.sermonaudio.com/search.asp?seriesonly=true&sourceid=trcnw&keyword=Blue+State+Conference
I tried to get through some of these but found it unbearable. Oh, the sorrows and woe for those who live in states controlled by Democrats. If we could all just move to Texas and Florida then all would be well.
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/empires-foreign-and-domestic/id1677193347?i=100063749953
Since the American Reformer keeps popping up on Reformed websites like The Aquila Report, I have (out of curiosity) been listening to some of the podcasts. They have proven as disappointing as the writings.
https://kuyperian.com/episode-101-r-c-sproul-and-his-legacy/
I recently stumbled across this podcast. Brito is known to me through his CREC connections and I noticed Federal Vision sat like an ignored elephant in the room during his interview with Pickowicz.
https://julieroys.com/calvinist-activist-warns-white-nationalism-invading-reformed-churches/
I was encouraged to discover there are some who are concerned
over what is happening within the Church – and in this case the Reformed
sphere. And it's not just White Nationalism but a growing militancy that should
be sending up red flags. Gun culture is incompatible with New Testament
Christianity but what's been developing in recent years is far beyond the pale.
I post this with a few comments just to call attention to the
kind of Two Kingdom Theology which needs to be rejected and opposed. It caught
my eye because the author (Tom Hervey) was critical of Larry Ball, a Theonomist
writer I have countered on many an occasion. Happy to see someone answering him,
I was nevertheless mostly disappointed in Hervey's response.
https://theaquilareport.com/wokism-and-silent-preachers-a-redux-of-hitlers-germany/
The fool speaks again. We have certainly wasted some ink
responding to the likes of retired PCA minister Larry Ball, but given that his
material is published at The Aquila Report it's evident that someone finds it
to be noteworthy and intelligent. It's hard to imagine someone might find it
edifying but given that there are still people walking around with Newsmax and
Trump hats on – anything is possible.
A recent conversation led me to revisit the Austin Bombings
back in 2018. In some respects I'm surprised there hasn't been more of this
sort of thing – more Christian Terrorism as it were.
There are many people of similar mindset and developing in
the same matrix of ideas. Some can't deal with all the implications and
pressures and become radicalized.
When it comes to ethics, the ministry of Scott Brown rests on
a foundation of sand – a denial of Scriptural Sufficiency. When Brown and
company talk about finances, patriotism, history, ethics, and certainly their
concepts of manhood and the like, the Scriptures play little part in their
thinking.
A friend and I frequently exchange notes regarding the text
of the New Testament and some of the controversies surrounding it. We're both
committed to the now minority position regarding the so-called Byzantine Text
and the Textus Receptus and we both reject the Critical Text which has been
widely embraced even by many who would otherwise claim to be conservatives
and/or Confessionalists.
I wish to extend a 'thank you' to Terry Mattingly for
publishing this. I don't always agree with him but I appreciate his
thoughtfulness and in this case he's one of the few voices that's pleading for
a bit of reflection – perhaps before some very terrible lines are crossed.
https://www.newgenevaacademy.com/master-of-divinity-in-worship-and-liturgy.html
Like so many other ministries, Come Over and Help is experiencing what I can only call a downgrade. There are many little things I've noticed over recent years but a couple of glaring examples has driven me to go public in my condemnation and I can no longer recommend them as a ministry to support.
With regard to the events of January 6, I have read and heard nothing but attempts by Christians to distance themselves from these events and place the blame on others.
