The Reformed Realist Video Discussion #1

Sovereignty in Middle-earth

Author and philosopher C.S. Lewis is often considered to be the first to write a Christian fantasy story. The Chronicles of Narnia are well known, not only because of the multiple film adaptations and simple writing style being appealing to children but because of the obvious and intentional allegories. However, it could be argued that it is not the only Christian fantasy worth reading, and even fantasy can point us to greater realities already shown in Scripture. Despite the myriad of such tales now flooding the market (whose theological foundations span a number of denominations), there is another source of classic fantasy that could be argued to fall beneath the label of “Christian fantasy”, even though it was never meant to be so. J.R.R. Tolkien, who was a contemporary of C.S. Lewis and a fellow member of the literary club “The Inklings”, is internationally acclaimed for his masterpiece, The Lord of the Rings , which is the sequel to the children’s fantasy novel, The Hobbit ....

18 Months with Matthew Henry Pt.1

Regarding the works of C.S. Lewis, I once heard someone say something like, “Always read the preface.” [1] This is certainly wise advice when reading Lewis, but it should also be the case when reading any book. I am convinced I’ve missed something vital in the many times I’ve skipped the preface. Not long ago, I began the process of reading through Matthew Henry’s beloved commentary on the whole Bible in 18 months. Although I’ve consulted Henry’s tome many times before, I firmly believe this undertaking will culminate as one of the healthiest things I’ve engaged in to learn more about God’s Word. Therefore, I would like to document some of the highlights of my reading as I progress through his commentary. This post will serve as the introduction to the series. However, a question remains: what does “always reading the preface” have to do with this post? As is the case for Lewis' works, so too is it true for Henry's; always read the preface. In his commentary, Henry provides ...

Breathing the Air of Heaven: Sabbath-Keeping and the Importance of Observing the Ordinary Means of Grace in Richard Sibbes

**The following was originally published in Covenant Conversations Vol. 2, Issue No. 3 (June 2024) Philippians 3:20 - “For our citizenship is in heaven…” [1] One sobering aspect of the Christian’s life is that he is, in this life, a pilgrim. A pilgrim by definition is a wayfarer, someone journeying to another country. By implication, during his pilgrimage, he is often threatened or harassed by various enemies, trials, and defeats, but he is also a man of great longing. The greatest of his longings concerns his desire to be home: to be back in his own country, to breathe the air of his homeland. Thus, as a pilgrim, the Christian is faced with numerous difficulties along the path to his native land in heaven (cf., Hebrews 11). [2] However, the Christian is not left without hope during his journey. The promises of the gospel work to strengthen the weary traveler’s faith and hope to be with Jesus Christ. One such promise, and therefore assurance, is the reality of what the apostle P...

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