1997 Issue 7
A problem arises for some and it is this: how is it possible to harmonize loving our enemies and praying the imprecatory psalms with reference to our enemies? First, we must define and identify the imprecatory psalms. They are those psalms which pray for the curse and wrath of God to fall upon His enemies. These psalms include: Psalm 58:6-10; 59:12, 13; 69:24-28; 55:15; 6:10; 83:17. Should Christians who are called to 1ove their enemies pray such psalms of imprecation? Here are some helpful comments on this issue by James E. Adams from his book WAR PSALMS OF THE PRINCE OF PEACE.
Q. Wasn't history also rewritten by the North, for popular consumption?
A. The old adage that the victors write the history books is true. The North took advantage of their victory to rewrite history from their perspective. The South's reputation was blackened and has yet to recover. We were branded as rebels and traitors. Some of the most noble men to have ever walked this earth were slandered. Alexander Stevens and Jefferson Davis are examples; Robert E. Lee's reputation has recovered, but he is one of the few. Some of the old lies about these men continue to be repeated as truth in television documentaries and in history books. Some of the important facts about these men are never mentioned.
Martin A. Foulner, "Theonomy and the Westminster Confession."
Here is the book I have longed for - the book I myself long yearned to compile. Martin Foulner provides for us a remarkable compendium of statements from the Westminster divines (and others) showing without doubt that they were theonomic in their political and social ethic. Page after page, quote after quote, the evidence mounts: Like it or not, the theologians who wrote the Westminster Standards - including WCF 19:4 - held strong convictions about the continuing applicability of Mosaic Law in the modern world. This book single-handedly stops the debate over the historical and confessional nature of theonomy. Thank you, Mr. Foulner.
When Christ made his appearance on earth, the opinions of men respecting his person and character were various. The same diversity of sentiment still prevails even among those who profess to be Christians. Some imagine that he was the most exalted character among men, but nothing more than human. Others suppose that in dignity of nature, and priority of existence, he is inconceivably superior both to men and angels, a kind of inferior Deity. Others again believe that he is independently possessed of all the essential perfections of Godhead, co-equal with the Father.
Defending the Faith: J. Gresham Machen and the Crisis of Conservative Protestantism in Modern America by D.G. Hart.
In this biography the author points out that what makes Machen interesting and deserving of more careful study was his unconventional dedication to both and old Protestant orthodoxy and a new (even 'modern') standard of religious pluralism" (p.9). The author then unfolds Machen's life for the reader. He also focuses on his scholarly writings, providing a good synapses of such works as The Origin of Paul's Religion and The Virgin Birth of Christ. The reader is made aware that scholarly Machen differed from many scholars in his day in that his presupposition was the inerrancy of Scripture. He also differed with fundamentalists in his view of the church's involvement in societal issues, eschatology and Christian liberty issues such as alcoholic beverages.
The Inter-faith Movement: The New Age Enters the Church by Herbert J. Pollitt.
Dr. Pollitt allows the reader to explore a dangerous and growing religious movement of our day - the inter-faith movement. Ignoring the plain truth of Christ's words, "No one comes to the Father except through Me" (John 14:6b), supporters of inter-faith believe and teach that God, the Being, can be reached by any number of religious pathways. This results in Christianity being pushed into the background. The author states his thesis as follows: "The purpose of this study is to demonstrate the marginalization of Christ in the emerging global religious, cultural and political consciousness of the age" (p.3).
