Issue
Choosing Grace
Vol. 21, No. 1 • Jan/Feb 2012
With this issue, Modern Reformation celebrates twenty years in print. The publication has changed considerably since its emergence as a magazine in 1992, and even more since 1986 when our editor-in-chief Michael Horton, then a student, began with a newsletter. Through the years, however, our goal has remained unchanged: we want to see the modern […]
All Articles (15)
Letter From the Editor
With this issue, Modern Reformation celebrates twenty years in print. The publication has changed considerably since its emergence as a magazine in 1992, and even more since 1986 when our editor-in-chief Michael Horton, then a student, began with a newsletter. Through the years, however, our goal has remained unchanged: we want to see the modern […]
Grace, Sin, and Will
The debate is as old as Christianity itself: what is the relationship between the fallen state of humanity in sin and the work of divine grace, or between God’s initiative and human willing in salvation? Identifying the historical theological structure of this complicated debate will bring clarity and precision to our own reflections on the […]
The Young, Restless, Reformed Movement
Ever since Jesus delivered his parable of the tax collector and the Pharisee and Paul wrote his stinging Epistle to the Galatians, the doctrine of grace has filled hearts with praise and has provoked sharp controversy. What does it mean to be saved by grace? In the history of the church, two broad traditions emerged. […]
Don’t Defend “Grace Alone” Alone
So what do Lutherans think of the “doctrines of grace”? Are they “grace alone” people? Are they predestinarian? Do they believe in teaching the whole counsel of God? Many might be surprised to discover that “grace alone” is not solely a distinctive of Reformed churches. It has been a subject of great importance in the […]
Finish Strong
Recently spotted on a teenager: a Nike T-shirt sporting the slogan, “There is no finish line.” The phrase comes from the headline off a poster seen in the background of one of Nike’s earliest “Just Do It” commercials, circa 1991. The poster itself was very popular at the time, functioning as a marketing manifesto celebrating […]
“Calvin’s Ladder: A Spiritual Theology of Ascent and Ascension” by Julie Canlis
Participation is one of the hottest buzzwords in theology today. Theologians from virtually every church tradition have begun speaking of human participation in the divine life or divine nature, and they have employed this kind of language by drawing frequently from patristic and Eastern resources. While the legal and forensic language so often employed in […]
Theology
Explore All
50 Difficult Theology Questions Answered in 50 Minutes
Pastor Adriel Sanchez joins producer Aaron Simon to answer some of the most common questions about Christianity.
What Is the Ordo Salutis? Explaining the Reformed View of Salvation
“The basis of our justification isn’t our sanctification, but Christ’s righteousness..” How are Christians saved? The Ordo Salutis, meaning “order of salvation,” describes the order by which Christians receive salvation. Pastor Adriel explains why it serves as a helpful tool in understanding the differences between Protestant and Catholic traditions.
Help! Saved but Still Sinning
Sanctification isn’t effortless. The act of dying to sin implies spiritual battle and life-long war against sin. Living unto righteousness implies costly, intensive labor that daily says “no” to sin and “yes” to Christlikeness. So what do we do when we fail yet again? How can we overcome feelings of failure, defeat, and self-loathing when we sin?
God’s Gift of Rest to You
Nobody really knows what to do with the Sabbath anymore. A frequent point of contention between Jesus and that group of ultra-religious elites was what was lawful or unlawful to do on the Sabbath. Even a quick perusal of the Gospels reveals how common this conflict was. From healing the man with a withered hand […]
