The Vatican says “Mary is not co-redemptrix”: what does it mean?

‘The exaltation of the Virgin Mary in certain Catholic contexts re-opens the internal debate. Evangelical theologian Leonardo De Chirico in Rome analyses the ‘pendulum’ of the last three centuries and rules out a profound reform of Marianism.’

Once again: Jesus was not born in a stable!

In the runup to Christmas, Ian Paul shares his now annual post.

Schism: Painful, Necessary and Timely

Steve McAlpine looks at an issue of schism within an Australian baptist association. I think there are some important lessons here for others in similar mixed denominations to learn from what he says here.

Hosting Your Own Little Haman Party

There’s some good wisdom in this one from Tim Challies.

The Great Wizardry of Oz

‘The modern church is awash with deceitful men putting on a show while onlookers ooh and aah over them. When will professing Christians see past the duplicity and hoodwinking?’

6 Things to Do When You Don’t Feel Like Going to Church 

This one offers some counsel for when you just don’t feel like going to church.

From the archive: Forgiveness, reconciliation and why forgiving the repentant is just

‘Yesterday, I published an article about forgiveness without repentance. I asked the question whether the Bible insists that we forgive people who haven’t repented… Somebody on my Facebook asked whether it might be helpful to do a follow up post based on what forgiveness is and the difference between it and reconciliation. Given how the discussion on Twitter unfolded – broadly in agreement with the position I outlined in the earlier post, with some who vehemently disagreed – it seems like that probably was a good idea. So, here it is.’