The Kentucky Tribune, Danville, Sep. 2, 1853, p. 2, provides a news snippet about Presbyterian of the past Stuart Robinson. "Rev. Stuart Robinson, formerly of Frankfort and now of Baltimore, has declined the honorary degree of D.D. lately conferred on him by Centre College." Unfortunately, the reason he turned down the degree is not given. The Doctor of Divinity was commonly given by educational institutions to honor ministers and professors of note, so knowing the reasoning behind his decision would be interesting. There must have been a significant issue because his action surely offended some members of the Centre community while making others plain angry. Within a few years he would be teaching at Danville Seminary which was a neighbor of Centre College. To read about Robinson see the article, "Stuart Robinson, 1814-1881". [Posted 3/21/2024]

The book reviewed in the post "A Survey of Presbyterian Mission History in Africa, Whytock, 2023" is now available in North America from the usual online general stock book vendors. The prices vary, so check around. Volume 2 is in the works and it will be released later this year.

Commenting on 1 Peter 1:2 , Edmund P. Clowney says of "May grace and peace be multiplied to you," that: "What makes a greeting a blessing? Peter gives the answer in the words that precede his blessing. It is the work of the Spirit. When a minister of God's word pronounces a blessing at the end of a worship service, it is the action of God's Spirit that gives power to his words. Grace, is a gift; God is the giver. Our words of blessing are not magic; they do not communicate grace by their own power, or because we speak them. But when they are spoken in faith to the people of God, God honours them. They are much more than wishes; more, even, than prayers. They declare God's own favour to those who are in Christ." (The Message of 1 Peter, IVP, 1988) [Posted 2/16/2024]

While writing the post, "Review, D.G. Hart, Benjamin Franklin, Cultural Protestant" I was reminded of a story I read about him when I was in the fifth grade. It was about his inventions such as bifocals, a device for retrieving books from high shelves so the need for a ladder was avoided, and his more efficient stove for heating homes that required fewer logs per day. A boy asked Ben why he invented the things he did. He answered, "Because I am lazy." He said he was too lazy to switch from distance to reading glasses; too lazy to get the ladder and climb it to retrieve a book; and too lazy to go out to the wood pile and retrieve logs. Reading Hart's biography will dispel any thought of laziness as Franklin's work ethic is clearly presented. If he had been lazy, what he might have accomplished through more industry would have been staggering. [Posted 2/20/2023]

For a fine chapter about the coming of the Son of God, see William Swan Plumer's "The Incarnation of Christ" transcribed on this site as from The Rock of Our Salvation: A Treatise Respecting the Natures, Person, Offices, Work, Sufferings, and Glory of Jesus Christ, American Tract Society, 1867. A link to a biography on this site is provided in the introduction to the chapter. [Posted 12/2/2022]

Pontius Pilate asked, "What is truth," which was a question Jesus had already answered in the High Priestly Prayer in John 17:17 saying, "Thy word is truth." Dr. Neil Shenvi is the author of Why Believe? A Reasoned Approach to Christianity published by Crossway. He was interviewed on reformation21's podcast dated September 28, 2022 and titled "Why Believe?" He said the following: "If its true it doesn't matter if you like it ... if its true, it's just true." Dr. Shenvi and the interviewers discussed the relationship of natural and special revelation in the course of their brief discussion as well as the author's experiences as a researcher at Yale and Duke apologetically confronting his academic colleagues with Christ. [posted 9/30/2022]

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