Mike Wittmer

Category: Christian Worldview

  • the Achilles heel of inclusivism

    The Evangelical Theological Society’s national conference focused this year on the issue of how salvation comes through Christ. The majority of the society seems to be exclusivists, though there is an increasing and sizeable group that argues for some variety of inclusivism (that it is possible to be saved by Jesus without knowing that he…

  • De gemeene gratie

    If you can’t read the title above, you’re in luck. Abraham Kuyper’s seminal work on common grace is now being translated into English, with the first book being launched tomorrow at Calvin Seminary at 10:00 A.M. If you live near Grand Rapids and the roads improve, consider coming by (Calvin is 5 minutes from the mall, so…

  • intellectual mecca

    Calvin College has posted an interesting interview with Alvin Plantinga about his return to Grand Rapids. In the last couple of years, Plantinga, Nicholas Wolterstorff, and George Marsden have all retired back to their homes in GR. Do you know what this means? In 15-20 years the greatest liberal arts education in the world will be found in…

  • pluralism

    It’s been awhile since I’ve floated one of these Our Daily Journey devotionals. I’m trying to talk about pluralism in a positive, non-combative way. As always, any suggestions are appreciated. read > Isaiah 43:1-13 “I, yes I, am the LORD, and there is no other Savior” (v. 11).          My friend was telling me about…

  • intergenerational warfare

    I don’t agree with everything in this Washington Post essay, but it aptly depicts the frustration of young people with their parents’ generation. Others reported last week that the median net worth of retirees is $173,000, while people in their twenties have only about $3,000 to their name. It’s unlikely that these underemployed young people…

  • exclusivism

    Our shrinking global village is often cited as a major reason for the rise of universalism, pluralism, and inclusivism in the evangelical church. Technology and transportation have made us more aware of other people and other religions, and so we’re less inclined to think that believing in Jesus is the only way to salvation. This argument sounds plausible,…

  • replacement is not resurrection

    I haven’t yet dug into What is the Mission of the Church?, the new book by Kevin DeYoung and Greg Gilbert. It looks promising, and I plan to read it carefully soon. I did read their section on the continuity and discontinuity of the new earth (p. 213-19), and thought I could make a few…

  • forgive me

    My classes have been interacting with Chris Brauns’ careful and thorough guide, Unpacking Forgiveness. Forgiveness is a rabbit hole topic, for sometimes the more you think about it the more confusing it gets. Must the person repent before you can forgive them? What if their repentance is not sincere? If you suspect they aren’t sincere,…

  • internet monopoly

    I heard rumors of this during the summer when Christ Alone encountered problems on amazon.com. The site refuses to stock books that don’t offer sufficient margins, which is why many books are not available for two to three weeks. Today’s New York Times explains that Amazon is attempting to cut out publishers and agents and publish the books that…

  • what is your passion?

    Here is my latest effort for Our Daily Journey (constructive feedback is always appreciated). I hope the opening paragraph doesn’t sound too critical. I’m just being honest, and I put myself in the same boat. When asked what my seminary students are passionate about, I immediately ticked off a few issues of social justice—the plight…