Excerpt: As I write, Ryken and his fellow administrators have been announcing several campus celebrations of their Report's spiritual accomplishments, congratulating themselves publicly and issuing invitations to join them in their joy. Recently they publicized their latest one, announcing they had issued an invitation to the Rev. Dr. Charlie Dates…

Excerpt: But let us keep in mind the point of this article. President J. Oliver Buswell Jr. had founded the Department of Anthropology at Wheaton way back in 1937 when Anthropology was the "principal science concerned with race," and this Wheaton College Statement on Race Relations produced by Wheaton's Department of Sociology and Anthropology was …

Excerpt: President Phil Ryken along with his Trustees and employees have judged President Buswell uncharitably, and this is sin. If any of us were to put ourselves in President Buswell's shoes, we would easily see ourselves doing as he did. If President Ryken and his Trustees were to put themselves in President Buswell's shoes, they would easily se…

Excerpt: The final two decades of Joe Sobran's life, Fran Griffin did us kindly by serving as Joe's publisher. Before then, for many years Joe had been published by National Review, but Buckley began pressuring Joe to shut up about Israel. * * * Support Warhorn here. Music is Rise Up, O Lord, a recording of Psalm 10 by My Soul Among Lions.…

Excerpt: This picture is dispositive evidence that President Phil Ryken and his Trustees’ denunciation of President Buswell is a lie. * * * Support Warhorn here. Music is Rise Up, O Lord, a recording of Psalm 10 by My Soul Among Lions.Bởi Tim Bayly

Excerpt: If in vitro embryos are now protected under the rule of law, in utero embryos are also protected. * * * Support Warhorn here. Music is Rise Up, O Lord, a recording of Psalm 10 by My Soul Among Lions.Bởi Tim Bayly

Excerpt: Now is the time to be wise as serpents. Many of the men who, in your hour of need, will present themselves to you as so-called "conservatives" in the PCA, yet they have managed to continue within the post-Revoice PCA without making any fuss noticeable enough to get the powers-that-be angry at them. How does that work? Hasn't your congregat…

Excerpt: Mom, you especially have been an example to me. I know I kid you frequently about your frugality; but even more frequently, I see how you are able to help us all when we have needs, because of your own selflessness. Plus, there is no mistaking who Mary Lee’s mother is. When I interview candidates for our church and talk with other pastors.…

Excerpt: Finally (and maybe the very worst thing about the Report as a report), is that G.R.A.C.E. in their Report neither recommends not brings any accountability to Tenth's pastors and elders who sinned so flagrantly against their flock. Really, it would have been better if the Report had not been written than to write it using nostrums like the …

Excerpt: It's been seven weeks since G.R.A.C.E. released their Report documenting the betrayal of the souls of Tenth Presbyterian Church by their pastors and elders. This betrayal is most visible in the G.R.A.C.E. Report, starting with the facts they record concerning Sr. Minister Phil Ryken leading his elders to cover up the homoerotic assaults ag…

Excerpt: Below is the transcript of the statement the Session of Tenth Presbyterian Church wrote and posted on Vimeo, explaining why they cancelled the congregational meeting they'd called for this past Sunday, January 7, 2024. In this article, I make some comments hoping they will be helpful to those involved in the mess, helping them to see why t…

Excerpt: The Session of Tenth Presbyterian Church (Presbyterian Church in America) has betrayed their trust to guard their sheep. For them to present themselves now as "lovers" of their sheep and the adults in the room who can be trusted—making this claim in the wake of (only) their most recent scandal of Goligher's abandonment of his call—is ludic…

Excerpt: Christian organizations and church officers often take down statements they have, at first, made publicly. Thus during conflict, they control information. For the permanent record then, this is the transcript of the statement the Session of Tenth Presbyterian Church just posted on Vimeo. Here their spokesman explains why he and his fellow …

Excerpt: Since my shepherd keeps watch over my soul as a man who will give account to the Chief Shepherd, I recommit myself to submit to him, seeking his growth and wellbeing, and thereby our flock's growth and wellbeing. To that end, I make the following resolutions: * * * Support Warhorn here. Music is Rise Up, O Lord, a recording of Psalm 10 by …

Excerpt: Since I am called by God to feed and protect His sheep, knowing well my weaknesses, fears, and temptations, I recommit myself to zeal in my pastoral duties. To that end, I make the following resolutions: * * * Support Warhorn here. Music is Rise Up, O Lord, a recording of Psalm 10 by My Soul Among Lions.…

Merry Christmas!Bởi Tim Bayly

(A modern Christmas story by Joe Bayly, printed in The Gospel Blimp (and other parables.)Bởi Tim Bayly

Excerpt: What started it all was a group of students who called themselves "the collective of BIPOC [Black, Indigenous, and People of Color] students and alumni of Wheaton College" demanding the "immediate removal of President James Oliver Buswell’s name from the college’s library." As it turned out, full submission to their demand of "immediate re…

Excerpt: GRACE is a crisis management company frequently hired by Christian churches who have attained public notoriety for various forms of abuse of women and men, girls and boys. GRACE is brought in to manage the crisis by investigating the bad actors, then make recommendations for cleaning up the church's public image. GRACE sells itself as an i…

Excerpt: What is critically important to recognize at this late date is this: the abuse of authority committed by shepherds who refuse to defend such victims from their predators is more evil than the terrible abuse of the predators themselves. Why? * * * Support Warhorn here. Music is Rise Up, O Lord, a recording of Psalm 10 by My Soul Among Lions…

Excerpt: Seventeen years before President Buswell was hired, Wheaton College had suffered a scandal that reached national proportions. This scandal started with President Charles Blanchard accepting a Black female applicant for mid-year matriculation, Winter/Spring Semester of 1909. This young woman's name was Nellie Bryant, and her application to …

Excerpt: Kevin DeYoung recently wrote a piece critical of Doug Wilson and the “mood” in Moscow, Idaho, center of Doug’s burgeoning movement. Kevin’s piece has fallen flat, leading (if Twitter responses constitute a representative sample) to more criticism of Kevin than Doug. I suspect Kevin, essentially an irenicist and a generally reasonable guy, …

Excerpt: There are a host of circumstances that may complicate the presbytery's debate and vote on the termination of a pastor's call: Does the congregation want the pastor's call terminated or not? Does the session want the pastor's call terminated or not? Does the pastor want his call terminated or not? Is there sin or violation of proper process…

Excerpt: Irony is mentioned here in connection with the explosion of our usage of "authentic" because an ironic age is an age lacking in directness, truthfulness, and courage. It winks rather than smiling. It crosses its fingers behind its back. If you catch a man lying and point it out, he responds that he was being ironic. The ironic man extends …

Excerpt: The Task Force did not review any Wheaton-related activity after the year 2,000. President Ryken and the Board directed the Task Force to review the years 1860 through 2000, but I consider the year 2000 an arbitrary cutoff date. There is no legitimate reason to exempt President Ryken or the Trustees from examination and criticism. Presiden…

Excerpt: The good scholar anticipates lines of argument contrary to his thesis, raising them himself, then responding to them in a way that defends his own conclusions. The good scholar improves his opponent’s arguments for him, demonstrating his commitment to the pursuit of truth. This is “steel-manning,” the opposite of “straw-manning.” No one fa…

Excerpt: It’s good never to respond to criticism by email or letter if you can do so in person (or, if they live at a distance from you, by a phone call). It’s also important never to respond without waiting at least a couple days to cool off and get your wife or your trusted elder’s advice. Let me reiterate this: never but never send a text, email…

Excerpt: Five centuries ago, the Protestant reformers surveyed what we today call "Christendom," and they mourned over the harassed and helpless sheep being milked by the Pope and his minions. Rome sold her spiritual wares so the Pope would have the money to continue paying those constructing St. Peter's Basilica (as well as Michelangelo painting t…

Excerpt: Wheaton's Trustees also limited their Task Force's "historical review" to Wheaton's history "with respect to race relations." Not injustice, oppression, or bloodshed. Just "race relations." This assumes a common understanding of "race," but what is the definition of this politically charged word? Cambridge Dictionary defines "race" as "the…

Excerpt: Here's a list and frequency of some of their hedge or weasel words/roots and phrases: may; "may suggest," "such documentation may have existed," "subsequent research may nuance some of the following findings," etc. would; "would be hard-pressed to prove," would be expected," would be an oversimplification," "would be natural to assume," et…

Excerpt: Back to Anthony Bradley. One year before Wheaton's trustees and president tried to appease their students by appointing their task force to denounce President Buswell, Bradley posted a series of tweets containing a number of exclamation marks. What excited him so much? Here's the first in the series, dated July 15, 2020 (over three years a…

Excerpt: The question I had to face is what part of my pride I was willing to relinquish for the sake of helping my men to humble themselves under my preaching? Helping them lower themselves to receive God's Word from this weakling's mouth? * * * Support Warhorn here. Music is Rise Up, O Lord, a recording of Psalm 10 by My Soul Among Lions.…

Excerpt: Soon after their move, believing in Christian education, Dad and Mother joined a few couples to start Delaware County Christian School in 1949. Writing the founding documents, Dad pushed through the adoption of a policy that Blacks would be free to enroll their children. Note this was back in 1949, a mere nine years after President Buswell…

Excerpt: For the testimony of J. Oliver Buswell's biological son, James Oliver Buswell III, we turn to an article he contributed to Eternity published in 1962, two years after Barnhouse's death. Why did Ryken and his trustees not present Buswell the Son's published commitments as evidence of President Buswell's theological and moral opposition to r…

Excerpt: This Report has no credibility and should have been repudiated by the Trustees. The fact that it was embraced and spread far and wide reflects very poorly on these women and men. As the Task Force admits in their Report, the evidence they have based their denunciation on is scarce and their generalizations and conclusions unsupported. They…

Excerpt: In certain theological circles, we place great emphasis on the importance of “artistic excellence” for God. But artistic excellence in our worship without faithful devotion to God means very little. There are many trained singers who get paid to stand in gorgeous cathedrals and sing beautiful songs written about the one true God. But when …

Excerpt: President Ryken and the Wheaton Trustees delegated the prosecutorial task to their Task Force of fifteen members and three research assistants, for a total of eighteen. Of those eighteen, ten are paid employees working at Wheaton and directly under Phil Ryken’s authority. Of the remaining eight, three are students at Wheaton and directly u…

Excerpt: Who, specifically, was “perpetuating racism” at Wheaton? J. Oliver Buswell, Jr. Wheaton’s library is named “Buswell Library,” and thus the headline, “Historical Race Review announces library name change.” From the task force document: The Trustees will instruct the administration to remove President James Oliver Buswell, Jr’s name from the…

Excerpt: Driving out to the address, I noted the stark white farmhouse surrounded by stark white outbuildings. What struck me was the yard displayed no concessions to any human weakness for beauty. Unlike most farmhouses of the area, this one was not prettied up with shrubs or flowers. Instead, it sat alone in all its stateliness. Parking outside t…

Excerpt: It’s always volatile to discuss sinful motives in condemning sinful actions, but how could a pastor place himself in any greater danger of causing resentment and conflict than speaking of the reasons a mother pays another woman to nurse her child? The pastor of any modern reformed congregation will do well to avoid even the slightest state…

Excerpt: So the point is, start a Christian school; and then, don’t get wrapped around the axle if it goes bust. The doctrine of Original Sin needs to make a comeback in the Reformed church today—especially in our aspirations concerning the education of our children. * * * Music is Rise Up, O Lord, a recording of Psalm 10 by My Soul Among Lions. Su…

Excerpt: This is what I mean by pastors apologizing for God’s Word and truth. To proclaim “God hath said” followed by “I wish God hadn’t said” undercuts God’s authority and Words. Yet this is the habit of even the most conservative pastors today. They do it unconsciously, I think, but they do it relentlessly. Usually it is not as direct as what my …

Excerpt: In the gatherings of our Lord’s flock, God’s truth must always possess the seat of honor. Without it the church dies. But the church has often betrayed the preeminence in worship of the proclamation of God’s truth, and has often trimmed it. Concerning the preeminence of the preaching of God’s Word in the gathering of the church corporately…

Excerpt: Pastor Keller claims “nothing is more subversive and prophetic” than proclaiming Jesus as “the truth.” How subversive and prophetic would it be to proclaim God’s hatred for the bloodshed of innocents? Keep in mind Manhattan leads the nation in this slaughter of our Lord’s little ones: 41% of all New York City pregnancies end in abortion…. …

Excerpt: Fr. Bill again: Starting with egalitarianism, the founders of CBMW sought to distance themselves from egalitarianism only by the absolute minimal amount, a minimal distance which they could (supposedly) defend by reference to a handful of verses in the New Testament. And: What will “follow” complementarianism? The only valid possibility is…

Excerpt: How do we evaluate the sincerity of our prayers? Is sincerity just a feeling we have while we pray? And does God simply assess that feeling by gazing into our hearts and judging our prayers accordingly? What criteria does He use for gauging whether or not our hearts are in our prayers? Scripture has a prominent answer to this question, and…

Excerpt: This is my account of one mother in Israel, and no one reading this will wonder at my public confession that I was strengthened in my work and ministry by Sharon Dykstra. Is it too much to ask that pastors in other conservative reformed and presbyterian denominations will be as faithful as this dear woman? Must she suffer male intimidation…

Excerpt: Here’s an excerpt from the fifth volume of Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn’s magnum opus, a lengthy history of the Russian Revolution titled The Red Wheel. Note the revolutionaries’ utter disdain for the peasants, and thus the soldiers they were depending upon to keep fighting in their defense during World War I. Then too, remember Stalin’s slaught…

Excerpt: The Gospel Blimp continued to resonate, though. It sold and sold and sold. Eventually another publisher even deigned to republish it. Soon it was even being made into a movie, with Shorty Yeaworth, best known today for his cult classic The Blob, directing... * * * Intro and outro music is Rise Up, O Lord, a recording of Psalm 10 by My Soul…

Excerpt: I must confess that my heart was filled with reverence and awe as I walked into that stunning cathedral. It made me want to be a part of whatever goes on there. I wanted to stay for hours and gape at the galaxy of artistic detail that enveloped me as I sat in the beautiful oak pews. But there was one catch: the entire sanctuary was filled …