How These Seven Developments Shaped the Modern World
What happens in 1776—this one remarkable year—is that there are seven key developments that you can see in a particularly intense form.
Articles on History
428 results found
Every Detail of Jesus’s Birth Was Part of God’s Plan
Every detail of Jesus’s birth was part of God’s plan before the foundations of the earth were set in place. So the promises and prophecies of his birth were detailed and specific.
The Story of the Monk Who Changed the World
It’s not the metal band that gives the ring its worth. The value comes from the diamond the ring holds. In the same way, it’s not the strength or size of our faith that saves us.
A Devotional on the Most Glorious of Birthdays by Charles Spurgeon
Leland Ryken, Charles H. Spurgeon
The birth of Christ should be the subject of supreme joy. We have the angelic warrant for rejoicing because Christ is born.
3 Prayers of Thanksgiving from History
Jonathan W. Arnold, Zachariah M. Carter
As we draw near to Thanksgiving, use these written prayers from the past as examples to help give you words to express your gratitude to God.
Over the centuries, theologians have articulated several different theories or models of the atonement.
Justice Denied Is Love Denied
You have heard it said that justice delayed is justice denied. But I tell you that justice denied is love denied.
A Brief History of the Doctrine of the Work of the Holy Spirit
Many people will be surprised to discover that the work of the Holy Spirit was not developed as a doctrine until after the Protestant Reformation.
What Studying Old Conflict Can Teach Us
We seem to live in a world of increasing polarization in which the members of warring tribes address each other with remarkable vitriol in the online environment.
Who Was Herman Bavinck, and Why Is He Worth Reading Today?
Herman Bavinck is someone who people have become really interested in and aware of in recent years through the translations of some of his theological works. He was a really important thinker.
Nietzsche or Christ? Who Will We Follow amid Our Political Angst?
The days of rage are back. In the face of current social and political events, resentment may not be flooding the street (at least not yet), but it is raging at the level of the heart.
Podcast: Jesus’s Birthday, the Exodus, and Other Bible Timeline Questions (Andrew Steinmann)
Andrew Steinmann discusses the timeline of the Bible, when key events actually happened, and why it all matters for our understanding of the Bible's message for us today.
What a Heated Disagreement between Two Puritans Can Teach Us Today
It takes the effort to understand and to empathize—in an age of polarization when empathy seems to be in short supply. It takes time and mutual generosity.
You’re Romantic Whether You Know It or Not
Some marks of the Romantic movement seem quite alien to us today. Others, by contrast, seem thoroughly natural to us, to the extent that we do not even notice them.
God Used This Broken Pastor—and He Can Use You Too
Part of what I try to do as I’m reading church history is to make sure that I’m keeping these people human.
Why John Owen and Richard Baxter Didn’t Like Each Other
When we see other people, we do so through a filter that operates on the basis of the only evidence we have: what we see them do and hear them say. It’s easy to get that wrong.
When the Church Got Slavery Wrong
It’s one of the great tragic notes in all of church history that when African slavery came into view and such prominence, the church did not take a clear stand against it.
Believers of every era grapple with God’s command to give up everything for his sake, even while they strive to understand the corresponding promise of greater rewards.
The Most Significant Edit to the Declaration of Independence
Franklin read Jefferson’s draft which said, “We hold these truths to be sacred and undeniable,” and he crossed out “sacred and undeniable” and replaced it with “self-evident.”
10 Prayers from History to Pray for Your Loved Ones
Jonathan W. Arnold, Zachariah M. Carter
Oh Lord, with your gracious and merciful eye, look upon the contrition of my heart. According to your certain promise, stay with me as I acknowledge you to be the maker and defender of all creation.
Is the Story of Job Historical? (Job 1)
Was there really a man named Job? Did he live in a land called Uz? Was he perfectly righteous with a perfectly blessed life? Put simply, did the author of Job create the whole drama?
Podcast: The Life and Legacy of John Owen (Lee Gatiss)
Lee Gatiss walks us through the life and times of the prolific theologian John Owen, introducing us to the man, his works, and his legacy.
Strengthen Your Prayer Life with an Assist from Past Pray-ers
Ordinarily, desire is not enough. We usually have to be shown how to do something, with plenty of examples, before we can feel capable.
James Eglinton introduces us to Herman Bavinck, explains his role in the neo-Calvinist movement in the Netherlands, and reflects on advice that Bavinck might offer us if he were alive today.
Unpacking “Separation of Church and State”
The notion of the separation of church and state is a comparatively recent phenomenon, as part of the American experiment in republican government.
4 Assumptions Made by Anyone Reciting a Creed
My conviction that creeds and confessions are a good and necessary part of healthy, biblical church life rests on a host of different arguments and convictions; but, at root, there are four basic presuppositions.
The Most Influential Event to Happen in 1776 Isn’t What You Think
In a thousand years’ time, what will people look at as the most important development in this period? And I think it's probably the economic transformation.
Why the Mission of the Church Is Spiritual and Not Political
The church is a spiritual institution, and its core of agreement builds upon truths that transcend the more ephemeral matters that concern politics.
Unpacking “Look inside Yourself”
Knowing who you are and being true to yourself has never been more important. They are seen as signs of good mental health and well-being and the keys to authentic living and true happiness.
How Consumerism Trains Us to Devalue the Past
What has consumerism got to do with rejection of the past? Consumerism is predicated on the idea that life can be fulfilling through acquiring something in the future that one does not have in the present.