Categories
Theology - General

Does the Holy Spirit pray for us?

I sometimes receive email messages which ask theological questions, and I always give them an answer. Sometimes, I pass these on by way of a blog post. Recently a short question arrived which puzzled me a bit, but it generated a profitable exchange, which might be of interest to others. The question A man called […]

Categories
Christology Soteriology

Luke 23:34 and the salvation of the unevangelized

In his book, Salvation Accomplished by the Son: The Work of Christ, Robert Peterson has given us a very fine piece of biblical theology. Because of the way the book is organized it will serve as an excellent reference work, but it is also fine devotional reading. I’ve been working my way through it slowly, […]

Categories
Liturgy

A prayer for the sick

My friend, Edward Fudge, recently shared a prayer that he has developed for use with the sick. I think that it is well done, so I am happy to share it with others who may find it helpful, either as it is or as a stimulus to their own design of a liturgy for the […]

Categories
Theology of religions

Witherington ponders hopefully what might happen at the wailing wall when Messiah returns

In a Lenten meditation, Ben Witherington posts some interesting and hope-generating thoughts, as he reflects on his experience at the wailing wall in Jerusalem, where he observed Jews, Muslims, and Christians, all praying, as best they know how, to the God of Abraham. Witherington shares with us a poem prompted by his experience at the […]

Categories
Divine Knowledge Providence Theology Proper

Can we pray for something in the past?

Picture yourself standing at the airport waiting to meet someone you love who is expected to arrive soon on an incoming plane. The arrivals monitor had been reporting that the plane was on time. But then suddenly that statement disappears and you hear an announcement that people waiting for that flight should report to the […]

Categories
Ecclesiology Roman Catholicism Spirituality Worship

The conundrum of Roman Catholicism

Reasons for encouragement about God’s work in the Roman Catholic Church I listened to an mp3 conversion of the video from the National Catholic Prayer Breakfast recently, and I enjoyed it very much. You can watch it here: This year’s guest speakers were his Eminence Cardinal Sean O’Malley of Boston and Robert P. George of […]

Categories
Divine Knowledge Providence Theology Proper

Why pray, if God’s will is going to be done whether we pray or not?: comparing Molinism and hypothetical knowledge Calvinism

Perhaps the most pressing question regarding prayer is whether it makes a difference. That is a question which synergists are particularly likely to put to monergists because, when God’s will is done in meticulous detail (not just as a general permission of libertarian freedom), it can look as though genuine petition is meaningless. In my […]

Categories
Providence Theology Proper

Did God give the Canadian women’s hockey team their gold medal in answer to prayer?

As the women’s hockey game at Sochi neared its end yesterday, one of my uncles wrote this on Facebook Oh, this is nerve wracking, it is so close. You want our girls to win so bad, can we pray for a win???? I KNOW!! I haven’t asked him what he knew about the answer to […]

Categories
Spirituality

Credo-baptists and pedo-baptists at prayer together about their baptismal covenant

I wrote Providence and Prayer because of my keen interest in the way different models of divine providence lead to different prayers of petition and thanksgiving. Last week, as I prayed the prayer appointed for the week, from The Divine Hours: Prayers for Autumn and Wintertime, it occurred to me that it is a good […]