Monthly Archives: June 2011

Luther and The Small Catechism

Posted on June 28, 2011 by Uri Brito

Luther in his preface to The Small Catechism writes why it became necessary to write it: The deplorable, miserable condition which I discovered lately when I, too, was a visitor, has forced and urged me to prepare [publish] this Catechism, or … Continue reading →

Posted in Luther/Lutheranism | 1 Comment

Machen and Shepherd on James and Paul

Posted on June 24, 2011 by Uri Brito

Among the supporters of Shepherd’s view of Paul and James was one who had died in the 30’s. The honorable Presbyterian J. Gresham Machen did not distinguish between two different senses of “justify,” assigning one to James and the other … Continue reading →

Posted in Book Reviews, Shepherd Controversy | 1 Comment

N.T. Wright and Death Bed Counsel

Posted on June 24, 2011 by Uri Brito

My good friend Bill DeJong exposes a fable about N.T. Wright. I have his post in full here: Recently a friend of mine retold a story he had heard in a lecture (precise date unknown) by Don Carson in which Carson alleged … Continue reading →

Posted in N.T. Wright | 1 Comment

More Thoughts on Psalm 8:3

Posted on June 23, 2011 by Uri Brito

One of the points of Psalm 8 is that even the smallest, weak, and frail of God’s covenant is sufficient to undo the unfaithfulness and the faithless ones in Israel. Jesus picks up on the same theme in the Gospels … Continue reading →

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Pastors and Warfare

Posted on June 23, 2011 by Uri Brito

A strong exhortation from Brian Croft on the dangers of sermon preparation: Pastors, make no mistake.  That battle wages even now.  We are on the front lines of it as the enemy wants our souls and the souls of those … Continue reading →

Posted in Pastoral Meditation, Sermon Preparation | Leave a comment

Bachmann and Left Behind

Posted on June 23, 2011 by Uri Brito

With the political season officially picking up steam, the reader will probably see more political posts in the days ahead, together with posts of a theological nature also. This Rolling Stone piece on Michelle Bachmann is quite offensive at times, … Continue reading →

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Psalm 8:3 and Silencing Foes

Posted on June 22, 2011 by Uri Brito

What does Psalm 8:3 teach? Verse 3 can be divided in this manner: The infant voices (musical/war-like tools) are sufficient to 1) establish strength and 2) silence/still foe and avenger. Hence, Psalm 8 teaches that the music of God is composed … Continue reading →

Posted in Word/Sacrament | Leave a comment

The Messianic Bible

Posted on June 22, 2011 by Uri Brito

In preparation for this Sunday’s sermon on Genesis 3 I am reading James Hamilton excellent and lengthy essay The Skull Crushing Seed of the Woman. In it he observes that a proper biblical hermeneutic would mean that” from start to … Continue reading →

Posted in Theological Thoughts | Leave a comment

Shepherd and Murray

Posted on June 21, 2011 by Uri Brito

Ian Hewitson’s book is a fascinating, detailed account of the situation as it unfolded in the Shepherd trial. One footnote that appears on page 50 concerns a letter from Stanford Reid to Arthur Kuschke on July 22, 1977, where he … Continue reading →

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Exhortation: The Strong Name of the Trinity

Posted on June 18, 2011 by Uri Brito

A blessed Trinity Sunday and a Happy Father’s Day to the fathers in our congregation: Fatherhood is no easy task, especially when you view it through biblical eyes. Biblically,fatherhood is not just the task of raising children, but raising them … Continue reading →

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Communion Meditation: Those who are bread eat bread

Posted on June 18, 2011 by Uri Brito

Those who are bread, eat bread. Those who are part of this body, eat the body broken. Just as Paul sought the reconciliation of the Corinthians, we too seek continually unity in the body. There is no greater way to … Continue reading →

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Baptism Random Notes

Posted on June 18, 2011 by Uri Brito

A theology of Bridal maturation would not dichotomize, but rather strengthen the spiritual and fleshly nature of the covenant under a new creation. Also, covenant theology is also expansion theology. By making limitations to the New Creation one is decreasing … Continue reading →

Posted in Random Thoughts, Theological Thoughts, Word/Sacrament | Leave a comment

New Calvinist on the Block

Posted on June 18, 2011 by Uri Brito

My old friend Dee Dee Warren has endured a great deal of struggles in the last few years, yet she continues to persevere. She has been one of the leading defenders of Preterism (Orthodox Preterism). Her website came to my … Continue reading →

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Trust and Obey: The Norman Shepherd Controversy

Posted on June 9, 2011 by Uri Brito

I have begun reading through Ian Hewitson’s Trust and Obey, which is a full treatment of the Norman Shepherd controversy at Westminster Theological Seminary. The point of the book is that WTS “did not have the necessary grounds on which … Continue reading →

Posted in Book Reviews | 2 Comments

Talking to Babies and Infant Baptism

Posted on June 8, 2011 by Uri Brito

Leithart writes: If the child cannot understand what a parent is saying, is it rational for the parent to speak to him or her? Baptist parents as well as others speak to their infants, and do not expect the child … Continue reading →

Posted in Infant Baptism/Biblical and Early Church Practices | 1 Comment

Calvin and 6 Day Creation

Posted on June 8, 2011 by Uri Brito

Elijah Tuuri–son of CREC pastor Dennis Tuuri– has some thoughts on the importance and necessity of holding a 6 day creation. He observes: I believe that Jordan, Doug Wilson in his writings, Calvin, and the CREC memorial are correct. Once … Continue reading →

Posted in Creation/Evolution/Intelligent Design | 1 Comment

Book Review: Lent

Posted on June 7, 2011 by Uri Brito

The Lenten Season is now behind us, but just this morning I finished a book I started in the beginning of Lent. The book is conspicuously titled Lent (Free PDF of Book). The book published in 1902 is composed of 30 … Continue reading →

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Wedding Homily for Julian and Leah

Posted on June 6, 2011 by Uri Brito

Many people are afraid to begin. In part, this is because of the uncertainty of the new; but there is also a deeper reason for this fear. Beginnings, in our experience, always tear.  Redemptive history testifies to this truth: In … Continue reading →

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Exhortation: Redemptive Chronology

Posted on June 4, 2011 by Uri Brito

Grace, Mercy, and Peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Today marks in our calendar the end of the Easter Season. The calendar of the Church is chronological precisely because redemption is chronological: first, the … Continue reading →

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Basis of our Eschatological Certainty

Posted on June 2, 2011 by Uri Brito

The authority and power Jesus receives at the Right Hand of the Father is the certainty we have that all the nations of the earth will conquered by the power of the gospel; that our evangelism is not in vain. … Continue reading →

Posted in Ascension | Leave a comment

Vacation and Worship

Posted on June 2, 2011 by Uri Brito

As summer heats upon us, many of us will be vacationing all over the country. As a pastor, I am constantly troubled by how many people treat vacation as not only a break from work, but also a break from … Continue reading →

Posted in Children and Worship, Christendom | 1 Comment

Download E-Books for $2.99 or less from Amazon’s Sunshine Deal

Posted on June 2, 2011 by Uri Brito

I have downloaded six. Go ahead and enjoy this great deal until the 15th of June.

Posted in Google/Blogs/Tech NEWS | Leave a comment

The Duty of Worship

Posted on June 1, 2011 by Uri Brito

The Psalmist says that from Zion He sends forth the mighty scepter.[1] The culmination of the gospel is the worship in Zion. Zion is the Church. If the rod of Christ’s strength comes out of Zion, then Zion, the Church, … Continue reading →

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And Speaking of Joy…

Posted on June 1, 2011 by Uri Brito
Posted in Uncategorized | Leave a comment

Schmemann, Liturgy, and Joy

Posted on June 1, 2011 by Uri Brito

Alexander Schmemann devotes a section in his splendid For the Life of the World to the subject of joy. For the Christian,  joy is a way of life. In fact, Schemann writes: Of all accusations against Christians, the most terrible one … Continue reading →

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