Mondays in February

Mondays in February are being spent in ministerial studies. On February 5 I was in Westminster Baptist Church for the first Westminster Fellowship of the year. We had invited Peter Sanlon to speak on the Trinity, which he did in a very well informed and helpful way. One member of the fraternal is particularly concerned about the whole matter of the subordination of the Son which is a doctrine that is easy to mis-state. He wasn't sure even of Sanlon's own stance, though that appeared to be a little unfair. A very stimulating day. Pity there were not more of us.

Then last Monday (February 11) I was at the Seminary for our latest TSG meeting discussing Owen on Apostasy. We had elected to use the Banner paperback abridged and edited by R J K Law. You obviously lose something but it is a lot easier to read. We all agreed that Owen has done a very thorough job and has some interesting things to say on the subject. Nicely led by Brad Franklin.

Then next Monday (February 19) I am speaking at the Evangelical Library on David Brainerd. Do come and join us if you can.

Darwin's unbelief

I have been reading a biography of Darwin recently. If there is any doubt in anyone's mind as to his spiritual standing, his autobiography makes clear that by the time h wrote his famous Origin of species he was full of unbelief. He stands as a warning to all who depart from the truth. I think this passage is particularly striking:

Thus disbelief crept over me at very slow rate, but was at last complete. The rate was so slow that I felt no distress, and have never since doubted even for a single second that my conclusion was correct. I can indeed hardly see how anyone ought to wish Christianity to be true; for if so the plain language of the text seems to show that the men who do not believe, and this would include my Father, Brother and almost all of my friends, will be everlasting punished.
And this is a damnable doctrine

For the whole section see here.