A La Carte (February 24)

Good morning! The Lord be with you and bless you today…

The Kindle Deal collectors have a few options to look through.

Homecomings

This is such a sweet reflection on adoption.

The Arrest Of Alberta Pastor James Coates Is A Constitutional Abnormality

I was glad to see this article in Canada’s National Post. It’s written by Kristopher Kinsinger, a Christian lawyer who has a solid grasp on the constitutional issues at play. “Has it really come to this? A clergyman has been jailed because he refuses to refrain from doing what our constitution would protect in virtually any other circumstance: preaching and ministering to the full assembly of his church. It’s hard to overstate how constitutionally abnormal this situation is.”

“You Are Wrong, Brother”: On Disagreeing Better as Christians

“The Spanish Inquisition has nothing on the current Evangelical online world when it comes to heresy trials. Though, unlike the Spanish Inquisition, you expect it. There was a time where theologians emphasized that the Christian life was lived coram Deo. Now, however, the work of theology possesses the gravity of a work done coram Mob. Theologians, pastors, and laypeople alike must guard themselves ever so closely, lest any small statement they make about God be the evidence against them in the next twitter tribunal. Facebook knows no mercy.”

Everything You Need to Know About Communion with Dead Saints

I suppose the title of this one is meant to capture the eyes, but it simply and helpfully shares what the book of Hebrews teaches about the communion of the saints. “Despite the absence of her face from our assembly, she is still our sister in Christ. There are connections that even death cannot sever (Rom. 8:38). Ann has joined the church triumphant. But in a ‘mystic sweet’ way, there remains a communion between the church on earth and the church in heaven. I don’t mean we should live in denial or try to communicate with the dead. But I do mean something like what we find in Hebrews 12:22–24.”

Slavery Old and New

In this longform article at Desiring God, Thomas Kidd writes about Greco-Roman slavery. Where Christians sometimes say that it was not nearly as bad as a much later North American equivalent, he shows how it was extremely oppressive.

The Simple Gospel of Carl Henry

I enjoyed not only this anecdote from the life of Carl Henry, but also the other reflections on his life and significance.

More Blessings than We Could Count

This is from Brittany: “If we learned anything from the year 2020, it’s that the freedoms and luxuries we have are fleeting, and honestly, we’ve barely lost anything at this point. I know some will disagree and that’s totally okay. I hear people claim we’ve lost so much—that our very way of life is under attack. But when I look around I still see so much abundance. I see blessings in every blink. There is so much to be thankful for.”

Flashback: On Cracking the Code

I understand the desire for a long life, and especially for those who have no firm hope for life beyond. The grave yawns dark and cold and terrifying for those who approach it with uncertainty. But for those who approach it with confidence, we understand that, in its unique way, death is a release.