Men Without Hats

Can I get away with calling the band which gave us "The Safety Dance" unknown?

Whenever I hear people dismiss Men Without Hats as a one-hit wonder, it seems to me they don't know much about the band's broader output. While their first couple albums gave us solid, danceable pop music, their third album, "Pop Goes the World," is a truly impressive accomplishment. A concept album on the wonders and perils of passing fame, its title track was simultaneously a deconstruction of rock band clichés and an earworm-catchy pop anthem. I listened to this album obsessively throughout high school, and it still holds up today.

Impress your hipster friends with your in-depth knowledge of obscure French Canadian bands. Get yourself some remainder-binned Men Without Hats albums.

A call for reflection

In a comment to my earlier post, "An unreflective call for reflection," a confused reader wrote,

May I ask for a clarification? Are you arguing in favor of chorals? That is, incense was part of the sacrificial system...so would you advocate for burning it?

confused reader...thank you for your reply

Without wishing to sound snarky (curmudgeonly, yes; snarky, no), I was arguing for care and reflection regarding liturgical questions, especially by OPC ministers. Whatever one might think of choirs, I believe the Rev. Tracey failed on this count.

To the next question, there's a world of difference between would and could. Both choirs and incense were part of the sacrificial system, which is to say they were part of Temple worship. As singing was part of Temple worship and now is incorporated into New Testament worship, we have a precedent by which one could argue for the burning of incense in the Church's worship. (I'm assuming, of course, that C. Reader's questions have an eye towards New Testament worship regulation.) I don't know whether I would make such an argument. Whether such an argument would be exegetically sound is another matter entirely. Clearly, exegesis has led us to conclude some parts of Temple worship (such as the sacrifice of animals) must be abandoned while others (such as singing) should be continued.

Again, let us reflect on such matters with care and a refusal to rely on oversimplifying formulae.

Theses on preaching: the very Word of God

My sermon on 2 Corinthians 5:20, in which I argue the thesis of the 2nd Helvetic Confession 1.4 (that the Word of God preached is the Word of God), is now available at Park Hill Presbyterian Church's SermonAudio site.

Union & double imputation

For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. (2 Corinthians 5:21)

I believe the writings of John Murray enabled me to grasp firmly the doctrine of double imputation: Christ's righteousness is accounted to us, and our sin is accounted to Christ. In the last few years, James Jordan has on any number of occasions asserted that this doctrine is not in the Westminster Standards and not required by Scripture. Whether it was originally intended to be in the Westminster Standards is open to debate, but certainly the animus imponentis of American Presbyterianism is to find it there, as is demonstrated at least as far back as A.A. Hodges' commentary on the Confession of Faith. Moreover, even if one doesn't quite find the imputation of Christ's righteousness in 2 Corinthians 5:21, it's certainly there in Romans 4:3-5. Hence, I do not understand how anyone can reject this doctrine.

At the same time, some who have made their bones in opposing the Federal Vision (in which camp is James Jordan) have also wanted to distance themselves from Calvin's emphasis on union with Christ as the font of all the benefits of redemption. Exhibit A: J.V. Fesko in the Spring 2010 issue of The Westminster Theological Journal. This, too, mystifies me, as Paul clearly tells us we are righteous not merely because of an external, forensic declaration, but because we have been united to Christ ("in him").

Recent debates in Reformed circles have caused some to lose sight of our historic points of consensus, at least as evidenced by 2 Corinthians 5:21.

Calvin's Institutes, Battles edition: pp. 340-348 (vol. 1)

In a footnote to Book 2, chapter 6, Battles argues the phrase "gospel and law" should be attached to Calvin as "this radical in Christo passage" requires us to confess that all true knowledge of God comes only through Christ. In particular, I find section 1 of this chapter an astonishingly clear and powerful articulation of the centrality of union with Christ for all knowledge and piety. Calvin's deep appropriation of Biblical paradigms (particularly from 1 Corinthians 1) here only makes me wonder all the more at the need some have felt in the recent Federal Vision controversies to distance themselves from Calvin's doctrine of union with Christ.

In the liner notes to Bitches Brew, Ralph J. Gleason wrote

What is so incredible about what Miles does is whoever comes after him, whenever, wherever, they have to take him into consideration. They have to pass him to get in front. He laid it out there and you can't avoid it.

Too many, of whatever theological tradition, try to avoid John Calvin. Avoid Miles Davis, and you avoid jazz. Avoid John Calvin, and you avoid any kind of serious reflection on the Bible and Christ.

Calvin's Institutes, Battles edition: pp. 239-340 (vol. 1)

In Book 2, chapters 1-5 of the Institutes, Calvin clearly sets forth the doctrine of total depravity from Scripture, explains the bondage of the will to sin, and handily answers every objection one might raise against these doctrines. If anyone thinks man in his natural state has a perfectly free will, he or she should turn here to learn why the Reformed are persuaded otherwise.

Of course, that raises the question as to whether such a person wishes to learn, and hence risk being persuaded.

Summer is here: mmmbop!

To celebrate the solstice, I downloaded one of the all-time great contributions to the bubblegum-pop canon: Hanson's "Mmmbop." A work of lyrical genius married to an insanely catchy hook achievable only by early adolescents, it centers around the Sinatra-esque refrain "Mmmbop, diddy-bop-doo-wop."

Aah, summer is at hand. Diddy-bop-doo-wop, indeed.

Too Reformed to be Evangelical, updated

First, I should note these lectures are divided over 2 mp3 files; you can find the second here.

Second, I had a chance to finish listening to the whole session while driving to and from Calhan (east of Colorado Springs) yesterday. Peter Leithart's lecture adds liturgy to the ecclesiastical perspective, and he contributes some interesting comments in the panel discussion. I was especially intrigued by his suggestion that the Church's present-day condition may mirror the historical patterns of the Israel-Judah divide as described in 1-2 Kings. I've tended to look at the Restoration era, as described by Isaiah and Ezra-Nehemiah, but this also strikes me as a fruitful area for reflection.

In said panel discussion, Darryl Hart helpfully reminded us that the Psalms must always be sung with an eschatological orientation. At the same time, Michael Horton unfortunately suggested that some of the Psalms should not be sung by the Church today, betraying a Klinean practical dispensationalism found in too many Westminster California graduates (and now, distressingly, professors).

Too Reformed to be Evangelical

Wordmp3.com is offering, FOR FREE!!!!, a set of three lectures and panel discussion by D.G. Hart, Michael Horton, and Peter Leithart on the uneasy relationship between the Reformed and evangelical traditions, recorded at the 2009 meeting of the Evangelical Theological Society. I find them thoughtful, and the focus on ecclesiology provides a helpful introduction to the fundamental divide between American Christianity's emphasis on "what works" and the more historic practice of the Christian faith which centers on the ordinary means of grace.

A.A. Hodge on perseverance

In his commentary on the Westminster Confession of Faith chapter 17 (or as he calls it, "chapter XVII"), A.A. Hodge provides these helpful clarifications to the doctrine of the perseverance of the saints:

1) ...the true doctrine is not that salvation is certain if we have once believed, but that perseverance in holiness is certain if we have truly believed.
2) The certainty... of an individual's salvation is known to him only through the fact of his perseverance in holiness.
3) This doctrine teaches, not that persistent effort on our part is not necessary in order to secure perseverance in grace to the end, but that in this effort we are certain of success; for it is God that worketh in us both to will and to do of his good pleasure.

[Emphases original; the Presbyterian Curmudgeon prefers tasteful understatement.]

Sacramental Realism

Addressing theologian Douglas Farrow, Peter Leithart handily dismantles frequent Roman Catholic cavils against Prostestant sacramental theology, demonstrating that we do indeed have a sacramental practice.

And in just three paragraphs, too.

Not so helpful

For if we are beside ourselves, it is for God; if we are in our right mind, it is for you.

Ralph Martin (Word Biblical Commentary, p. 126) begins his comments on 2 Corinthians 5:13 by writing "The total understanding of this passage may be beyond our grasp." One appreciates the honesty, but I was hoping for a bit more.