It is that time of year again. The time where I share with you the goals I had for the past year and whether or not I actually achieved them. I was perhaps a bit too ambitious this year. 2020 went surprisingly well for my goals, so I figured since COVID would be done by... Continue Reading →
Just War and Civil Discourse
The Psalmist lamented, "I am for peace; but when I speak, they are for war.” (Psalm 120:7). What does it look like to be for peace in a world fraying under conflicts? Churches are being torn apart and crush pastors and parishioners alike. Political disagreements, fights about masks and vaccines, as well as race, police... Continue Reading →
How to Read the Bible: Interpretation in the Reformed Tradition
We need to know what something is and what it is for before we will know what to do with it. I recently received a pair of calipers in the mail. A family member was going through some of grandpa’s old tools and sent pictures around to the family seeing if anyone wanted anything. I... Continue Reading →
What Does Geneva Have to Do with Heidelberg?: Calvin’s First Catechism and the Heidelberg Catechism
A version of this essay was originally delivered as part of The Arts and Humanities Colloquium at Hope College (Holland, MI). As the Protestant Reformation of the 16th Century began and gained momentum, many of the reformers sensed a need within the new movement: Education. While the theologians understood the new doctrines, the masses did... Continue Reading →