Recently in Wages of Spin

While for me, J I Packer and Dr Lloyd-Jones are the most important British evangelicals of the last hundred years, there is no doubt that, in terms of world impact, it is John Stott who looms largest for the current generation. His life shaped so much of modern world evangelicalism: the Lausanne movement; the current interest in social justice; and the understanding of the church's mission as involving both word and action as non-negotiable partners. For good or for ill, he is a key figure. continue

It is surely beyond dispute that, for good or ill, Martyn Lloyd-Jones is the pivotal figure in British evangelicalism in the twentieth century. Americans may plump for John Stott or Jim Packer; but the latter would not have been the man he was without the Doctor; and in British circles Stott was a sufficiently ambiguous figure to attenuate his influence. From British evangelicalism's varied institutions - Tyndale House, the Banner of Truth Trust, UCCF, the BEC, the FIEC, London Bible College, London Theological Seminary - to its renewed emphasis on the centrality of prophetic, doctrinal preaching, to the acrimonious split between Anglicans and non-conformists, the Doctor was a central factor in them all. continue

Readers of this column will know the various chips I have on my shoulders. At least I hope they do. I try to wear my chips with a certain amount of unapologetic panache, after all. One of them is disco music. Another is the middle-aged pastor with the soul patch. And one of the more serious is my conviction that the savvy use of modern media has created a situation whereby the great pastoral role models of today actually bear little resemblance to the experience of most pastors and are often, in fact, biblically deficient. continue

Christmas is not what it used to be. At least that is the impression I have after reminiscing for a few moments with the Ghost of Christmas Past. The food is just as good, I admit; and the drink, of course, is vastly superior. But the music has clearly gone into decline. No doubt this year Justin Bieber or Lady Gaga will inflict some synthetic tripe upon the world in a last minute attempt to lower the average quality of the overall cultural contribution of 2011. continue

The recent book, Four Views on the Spectrum of Evangelicalism has been stirring up some interest on the web. While I have not yet had the chance to read the whole thing, one aspect does strike me as of potentially particular interest to the Ref21 constituency: R. Albert Mohler's use of the term `confessional evangelicalism.' continue

One of the amusing things I have noticed in the last twelve months or so has been a shift in the rhetoric used by members of the older generation (40 plus) surrounding what twenty- and thirty-somethings will believe.  Five years... continue

Most Christians, if they have heard of Desiderius Erasmus at all, know of him as the man who helped put the Greek New Testament into the hands of churchmen in the sixteenth century and thus paved the way for the... continue

In his memoirs, Hans Küng describes giving a lecture at the time of Vatican II at which the church historians present sniggered. While he saw the Council as this great opportunity for real change, he considered the church historians' reaction... continue

Basic Advice on How to Interpret Luther Before addressing a particular element of Rob Bell's new book, I want to make sure that anyone reading this understands exactly what I am and am not doing. First, to avoid the usual indignant reactions... continue

Why I Believe in the One Great HeresyIn the evangelical churches of today, there are numerous great heresies which one holds at one's social and cultural peril.  If you do not agree with the ordination of women, you are likely... continue