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Keith D. Stanglin Jacob Arminius served for 15 years as Pastor at The Old Church in Amsterdam In my previous blog post , I raised the old theological and practical challenge of the assurance of salvation, an issue that was central to the Protestant reformers in general and to Jacob Arminius (1559–1609) in particular.  He identified two opposite problems related to assurance.  Previously, I discussed his treatment of the first problem—despair or hopelessness about salvation, w

Keith D. Stanglin Assurance of salvation was a central and motivating concern of the Protestant Reformation.  Martin Luther sought assurance in the sacrament of penance, but to no avail.  He found it finally in his discovery of justification by grace alone through faith alone.  This concern for assurance continued among the Reformed (Calvinists).  To pick one example among many, notice the presence of assurance in the opening Question and Answer of the Heidelberg Catechism (1

M. Todd Hall Architectural beauty: Canterbury Cathedral In a day in which everything is political , and the political is incredibly polarized, it is vital that we develop a dialogue about ultimate things that goes beyond immediate and technical application. If we are to get out of this thing alive, we need to develop a long term discussion and a shared vision of human flourishing and responsibility that truly engages thought regarding the good, the beautiful, and the true. Th