The isle of my heart, the isle of my love
Instead of a monk’s voice shall be the lowing of cattle,
But before the world comes to an end
Iona shall flourish as before. ^[1]

“The first thing I am going to do when we get to the island is to kiss the ground.”

He was a young man in his early twenties when Joe uncovered the truth behind an ancient mountain legend. He had heard tales of mysterious rock scribblings hidden in the West Virginia foothills, but after consulting with some of the old-timers in the know, he was determined to search them out for himself. His quest ultimately took him to what the locals mistakenly called “Indian scratchings”.

Dated at more than a thousand years, the scratchings proved to be the Ten Commandments written in the ancient language of the Culdees — a people group dating back to the early days of Celtic Christianity in Scotland. The growth of Culdee Christianity can be attributed in large part as a result of the mission work of a Christian evangelist and teacher named Columba who settled the Island of Iona in 563 AD.

If the scratchings were authentic and the analysis accurate, the logical conclusion was that the same missionaries who once sent a Gospel message throughout the British Isles may have reached the North American continent over a millennium ago.

In the decades that have passed since the discovery of the Ten Commandments scratchings, young Joe has emerged as Dr. Joseph Morecraft, one of Reformed Christianity’s leading scholars of Church history. Now, after the better part of a lifetime dreaming about a visit to Iona, Joe’s dream was about to come true.

Though Iona is not technically the end of the earth, it certainly felt like it to the more than one hundred American pilgrims who came as part of the Vision Forum Ministries 2008 Faith and Freedom Tour, traveling from the United States, across the Atlantic, through England to Scotland, and on this day rose during the early hours of the morning to trek from the Northern Highlands, down through Oban, across the mossy Isle of Mull, to the Ross of Mull where they boarded a ship and sailed to what is perhaps the most important island in the history of Christendom.

It was here that Columba built a Christian religious center and missionary outpost in 563 AD from which the light of the Gospel would shine throughout the world. Here the Bible was preserved, the famous Book of Kells penned, and missionaries were trained. Here a school of theology was created, and a form of church government with plural and equal elders was established. Here missions were launched throughout Great Britain and probably to the remote parts of the world. Here church leaders would take a formal stand against what they saw as the rising tyranny of the “Bishop of Rome.” Here Christians would declare that the Bible, not foreign prelates, would dictate their worship — all of this in the late sixth, seventh, and early eighth century AD.

And all of this came to pass through the work of a dragon-confronting, former warrior-turned preacher named Columba. The great church historian, J. H. Merle D’Aubigne, explained it thus:

It was the Holy Ghost, Columba maintained, that made a servant of God. When the youth of Caledonia assembled around the elders on these savage shores, or in their humble chapel, these ministers of the Lord would say to them: “The Holy Scriptures are the only rule of faith. Throw aside all merit of works, and look for salvation to the grace of God alone. Beware of a religion which consists of outward observances: it is better to keep your heart pure before God than to abstain from meats. One alone is your head, Jesus Christ. Bishops and presbyters are equal; they should be the husbands of one wife, and have their children in subjection.” ^[2]

God used Columba’s passion to fan the flames of evangelism and Gospel reformation. Columba brought the Gospel, but he also brought the law of God which meant that once-heathen nations had to abandon pagan barbarism and embrace principles like the “Law of the Innocents” which was designed to prot ect women and children. Columba brought Christ, and with Christ came Christian culture.

For these reasons, Iona became the spiritual center of the British Isles and the final resting place of kings. In fact, more kings of diverse nations are buried on Iona — on a plot of land no more than a few acres in size — than in any other single location in the world: 48 Scottish kings, 8 Norwegian kings, 4 Irish kings, and a king of France are buried in the graveyard which was once peppered with legions of giant funeral stones bearing the images of Viking-like vessels, knights in armor, and enormous two-handed swords. Time, pilfering, and even archeological recovery efforts (especially in the last two hundred years) have modified the look of the graveyard, but it remains a location of supreme mystery and wonder.

One cannot but help to imagine traveling more than a millennium into the past and standing as an observer to the arrival of great funeral barges on the rocky shores, approaching Columba’s home with royal ceremony and procession as Kenneth I, Donald II, Malcolm I or the famed Macbeth — all kings of the Scots — were laid to rest on the sacred spot where the leaders of the known world hoped to await the Resurrection.

Disembarking the barge that dropped us on shore, we set foot on Iona. It felt like a beach landing as the door of the vessel opened up like a Higgins Craft at Normandy. But, for this arrival, there was no one to greet us but the gulls and the occasional bleating of sheep in the distance. So we journeyed up an old path to the first of the island’s ancient stone structures.

First, with cane in hand, and later pushed by a wheeled chair, Dr. Morecraft made his way, always surrounded by a regiment of young men hopeful to glean historical pearls from the lips of the great patriarch or to see him kiss his beloved Iona.

Reaching over to the first of a series of “Gilgal” stones, Dr. Joe Morecraft offered a lifetime’s worth of thanks as he knew best — he kissed it!

Iona Today

As every Scot knows, Iona is a wee island no more than three and a half miles in length and one in breadth. The sound which separates Iona from the Ross of Mull is a mile itself. A traveler to Iona in 1850 described it thus:

The greater part of the island consists of a labyrinth of craggy rocks intersected by ravines with patches of heathery pasture and boggy soil. The south and west of the coast is a bold, rugged cliff of granite, worn into innumerable fissures and caves by the incessant action of the waves of the Atlantic which scarcely ever cease to roar and dash themselves over the rocky barrier. ^[3]

Today, one hundred and twenty souls live on the island, along with quite a few sheep. You can walk toward the interior for the better part of a mile down an old path and pass the rustic habitation of a 93-year-old man who sells home-grown honey for one quid a bottle. He sells the Ionan honey using a “trust-box”, leaving it in a container where the typical landlubbers mailbox would be kept. A half a mile further, his nearest neighbor uses a similar trust-box to sell the occasional tourist samples of the famous Ionan marble, noted for its beautiful green and white patterns.

Back by the landing, at a spot called Martyrs’ Bay, there is a charming local restaurant where they serve a first rate Scotch pie, and, of course, Iron Brew, the national soft drink of Scotland. The restaurant is yards from the spot where sixty-eight Christians were murdered in 806 AD by plundering Vikings. Not far from there is an sometimes-open, inconspicuous little stone building that is home to a small, but first-rate antiquarian book shop that specializes in the Christian history of Iona and ancient paganism. (Warning: Do not enter this shop unless you are prepared to spend at least an hour or two uncovering the mysteries and glories of unusual old books.)

But apart from these few signs of the modern world, Iona feels exactly as one expects it should: quiet, forbidding, ancient, sacred, and largely un-peopled.

Ancient Iona

Before Columba, Iona was an island of pagan priests called Druids, and before the Druids — well, we just don’t know. What we do know is that Christianity probably did reach the British Isles as a whole before the end of the first century, thanks in part to the Roman Empire. By the second century, Christianity had definitely made inroads into this region, as D’Aubigne explained:

It is certain that the tidings of the Son of Man, crucified and raised again during the reign of Emperor Tiberius, later spread through these islands more rapidly than the dominion of the emperors, and that before the end of the second century, many churches worshipped Christ beyond the walls of [H]adrian. ^[4]

It was about A.D. 200 that Tertullian wrote: “Parts of Britain which were unconquerable and unapproachable by the Roman armies yielded…to Christ.” ^[5]

But if there was any Christian history to the Island of Iona before the arrival of Columba in 563, it has been lost to the ravages of time. For all intents and purposes, Ionan history begins with Columba.

But today, the original buildings of Columba are gone. The oldest structure on the island is not its most iconic feature, the Abbey built around 1200, but the older Chapel of Oran, adjacent to the graveyard of the kings.

At the Chapel of Oran, Dr. Morecraft and I speak to the group for the first time since landing at Iona. We will be joined by historian Bill Potter and later by balladeer, Charlie Zahm, who will present a concert of historical and sacred songs in the Abbey.

But there at Oran’s Chapel, the story begins to unfold: It is a tale of Picts, Vikings, Druids and Christians, and of a courageous missionary who confronted dragons in the name of the Messiah. It is the story of intense theological conflict between proto-Protestants and the leadership of the Roman Church. It is the chronicle of a remarkable group of Christians called the Culdees who will preserve the simple Gospel message for centuries in providential preparation of a great reformation of Church and state to take place a thousand years after Columba. And it is the story of how courage and Gospel hope launched a thousand ships and changed the world.

Check back soon for part two

Posted by Doug Phillips on July 31, 2008 | Permalink

ABBOTSFORD, British Columbia (AP) - A Romanian immigrant has given birth to her 18th child in British Columbia, making her the province’s most prolific mother in 20 years.

Proud dad Alexandru Ionce said Saturday that his 44-year-old wife, Livia, gave birth on Tuesday. Their daughter Abigail weighed in at seven pounds, 12 ounces.

“We never planned how many children to have. We just let God guide our lives, you know, because we strongly believe life comes from God and that’s the reason we did not stop the life,” said Alexandru Ionce.

The couple immigrated to Canada from Romania in 1990 and now live in Abbotsford, British Columbia. Their 17 other children range in age from 20 months to 23 years old.

Ionce said he did not know if the couple would have more children. The family now has 10 girls and eight boys.

“We would have liked a boy to be even,” he said. “We thank God all of them are healthy and happy.”

Click here to read the story

Posted by Doug Phillips on July 29, 2008 | Permalink

Some of us have had to run the gauntlet for many years. What we have said has been constantly misrepresented. What we have endeavored to do has been misjudged and our motives have been misunderstood. Yet here we are, as happy as anybody out of heaven. We have not been injured by any or all the calumnies that have been heaped upon us. Our foes would have crushed us but, blessed be God, He cheered us often when we were cast down. The Lord give you, in like manner, strength of mind and courage of heart to bear the trial manfully! Then you will care no more for the laughter and the sneers of men than you do for the noise of those migratory birds high overhead, which you hear on an autumn evening as they are making their weary journey to a distant clime. Take heart, man. Fear God, and face your accusers. True courage grows strong on opposition. Never think of deserting the army of Christ. Least of all should you play the coward because the insolence of some ill-mannered bully. Let not your faith be vanquished by such scoffing.—C. H. Spurgeon

Posted by Doug Phillips on July 29, 2008 | Permalink

Dr. Joseph Morecraft — who, along with his wife Becky, was a source of great blessing to all the families who took part in the 2008 Scotland Faith and Freedom Tour — shared these poignant remarks on June 25 as he stood in front of the Martyrs’ Monument to the Scottish Covenanters, located at the northeast corner of Greyfriars’ Kirkyard in Edinburgh. There was not a dry eye in the cemetery when Dr. Morecraft concluded this powerful message. The full text of the Martyrs’ Monument is located immediately before this slightly edited transcript.

Full Text of the Martyrs’ Monument

Halt passenger, take heed what you do see, This tomb doth shew, for what some men did die, Here lies interr’d the dust of those who stood ‘Gainst perjury, resisting unto blood’, Adhering to the Covenants and laws, Establishing the same; which was the cause Their lives were sacrific’d unto the lust Of Prelatist abjur’d; Though here their dust Lies mixt with murderers and other crew, Whom Justice justly did to death pursue: But as for them no case was to be found Worthy of death but only they were found, Constant and steadfast, zealous witnessing, For the Prerogatives of CHRIST their KING, Which Truths were sealed by famous Guthrie’s head, And all along to Mr. Renwick’s blood, They did endure the wrath of enemies: Reproaches, torments, deaths and injuries, But yet they’re those who from such troubles came, And now triumph in glory with the LAMB.

From May 27th 1661 that the most noble Marquis of Argyle was beheaded to the 17th of Feb 1688 that Mr. James Renwick suffered; were one way or other Murdered and Destroyed for the same Cause about Eighteen thousand of whom were executed at Edinburgh About an hundred of Nobleman, Gentleman, Ministers and Others Noble Martyrs for JESUS CHRIST. The most of them lie here.

For a particular account of the causes and manner of their Sufferings See the Cloud of Witnesses, Crookshank’s and Defoe’s Histories

From This Moment On

Not only are you standing where the Covenanters stood, but you are looking at almost the same skyline they would have seen. You are right here in the river of history.

These Covenanters were such powerful preachers that, as they stood on the platform, ready to be beheaded or burned at the stake, they would sometimes preach long sermons from there. Eventually, the government wised up and made big brass balls and stuffed the men’s mouth with them, so that when they took them to be burnt at the stake, they couldn’t speak — because their oppressors were so afraid of the preaching of the Word of God.

Many of these Covenanters are buried in common graves here on this piece of property. As you walk around, you will see various prison cells and enclosures where they would herd the Covenanters. And there would only be room for just a few Covenanters, and there would be hundreds of them crouched side by side, sitting or kneeling — and they would do that for hours or for days. And if the guards saw anybody move because he or she got a cramp in their leg, or had to go to the bathroom, he would shoot them dead.

The Covenanters who survived were sold as slaves to the Caribbean Islands. And there was one particular shipwreck where some of them were in the bows of the ship, and the sailors escaped and nailed shut the door so that these great Covenanters could not escape.

They were Covenanters, and remember what they were Covenanters for. Up there in Greyfriars Churchyard, a document was signed in 1638 that united Scotland in the truth. It was called the National Covenant in which the people of Scotland — from the nobles down to the smallest peasant — swore before God that they would not compromise the Reformed faith — the faith of the Bible and the Reformation — no matter what.

Many of them cut their veins and signed their name in their blood on this document — the National Covenant of Scotland. And many of them, after they signed their name in blood, wrote, “til death”. That’s how serious they were. Nothing was more important to them than Christ — the King of the world, the Head of the Church, the only Redeemer of God’s elect. And they were not going to compromise one iota of His revealed truth:

“All Scripture is God-breathed; and all Scripture is profitable, that the man of God might be thoroughly equipped unto every good work.”^[1]

That’s why these men and women died. The Covenanters weren’t going to compromise this — no matter what. They were willing to shed their blood in defense of the Reformed Faith in Scotland against all who would oppose her. And that’s why many of them had to die, some in small little battles — at Bothwell Bridge and Pentland Hills — at various other places where the Covenanters were ill-clad, ill-equipped, starving, freezing to death, fighting powerful soldiers — well-trained, well-equipped soldiers — but they were willing to do it for Christ.

So walk around here; cry a little; I know I intend to.

And I address you fathers: Remember how Paul ended one of his epistles, “You can be sure that what I have been preaching is not for the praise of men, and I have been faithful, because you have seen my scars.” And Paul wasn’t speaking allegorically: He had been beaten up, scars all over his body — persecuted for Christ.

Now I ask you fathers: Do you have any scars? Do you have any scars you can show your children? Do you have any scars because you have been in this battle? Do you gather your children around you and say, “Son, I was in a great battle here for Christ — for truth. There were arguments; there was discussion; there was intimidation by the state.”

Your children love war stories. This is one of the ways we pass the faith onto our children. We not only teach them the truth, but we move them to love the truth more than we do. And so we tell them war stories of the times we’ve stood for Christ; the victories we’ve had.

One time I was in the Ukraine speaking at a Romanian Baptist Church after the fall of the Soviet Empire, and I was speaking through an interpreter. Then, afterwards, they had a big fellowship banquet, and all these little old peasants — you’ve seen them in National Geographic with the round faces and the scars — all these little men and women were gathering around drinking tea in fellowship, literally comparing scars...

“I got this ear cut off when I was faced with the KGB...”

“Yes, sir, I remember that, and that’s why I lost my left hand.”

They compared scars with each other.

And the Covenanters who died here died because they would not give up Christ; they would not give up the Reformed faith; they would not give up presbyterian, reformed government; they would not give up the freedom for which Christ died — for which they might be free.

So, I call upon you while you are here to rededicate yourself; to make this more than an historical increase of our knowledge of these martyrs. As you are here — young men, women, and girls — say, “O Lord, from this moment on — at Greyfriars — I want to be holy and only Yours, no matter what.”

And if it begins here, it can spread from our communities and then — through you and your descendants — the knowledge of the Lord will cover the earth as the waters cover the seas.

Posted by Doug Phillips on July 28, 2008 | Permalink

“I would not bow my knee before that most abominable idol, for all the torments that earthly tyrants can devise, God so assisting me, as his Holy Spirit moves me to write unfeignedly. And albeit, I have, in the beginning of this battle, appeared to play the faint-hearted and feeble soldier (the cause of which I remit to God), yet my prayer is that I may be restored to the battle again. And blessed be God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, I am not left so bare without comfort, but my hope is to obtain such mercy, that if a short end shall not be made of all my miseries by final death (which to me were no small advantage), that yet, by him who never despises the poor and afflicted, I shall be so encouraged to fight, that England and Scotland shall both know that I am ready to suffer more than either poverty or exile, for the profession of that doctrine, and that heavenly religion, whereof it has pleased his merciful providence to make me, amongst others, a simple soldier and witness bearer unto men.”

Excerpted from Letter penned by John Knox to Marjory Bowes, February, 1553. Recorded in Selected Writings of John Knox (Dallas, TX: Presbyterian Heritage Publications, 1995), p. 141.

Posted by Doug Phillips on July 26, 2008 | Permalink

It was wonderful to see our young men doing this on the 2008 Scotland Faith and Freedom Tour.

Posted by Doug Phillips on July 25, 2008 | Permalink

“Dear Fruitful Vines,

One never knows in God’s mercy and kindness what a simple appeal to a Biblical passage can produce. As I was pondering my last encouragement to you all, I pondered Psalm 128. Verse 3 says, “Thy wife shall be as a fruitful vine by the sides of thine house.” I thought, “You know, instead of saying, ‘Dear pregnant moms,’ maybe, ‘Fruitful Vines,’ instead.” Now “pregnant moms” is a lovely term to me. Nevertheless, from the encouraging replies I received regarding the term Fruitful Vines, it will now be the address of choice!

This also pointed out to me again the importance of words and, especially in our society, of image. You dear sisters have to stand in the checkout lines of Wal-Mart and other stores all the time. Glaring at you are rows of magazines that virtually shout at you, “The Hollywood Harlots are the standard of beauty. You have to look like this, and display that, or you are not beautiful.”

Don’t listen to this. Reject it. Replace this lie with God’s truth.

Some of you mentioned waddling. Some of you mentioned that vines are thin. I was amused. Yet, I was also pierced to my very soul. Our society has made body-sculpting surgeons rich and constantly shoves its artificial, nip-and-tuck, silicone and Botox standard of beauty in your face. Let me tell you something: waddling, as your body bears the children God gave you, is holy. The changes, the aches, the pains, the swelling, the stretch marks, and all the rest-these are all beautiful in the eyes of the Lord and to any man who has his biblical wits about him. It is stunning beauty to see women submitting to the often painful changes that bearing the Lord’s children brings. Being fruitful and multiplying brings glory to the Lord Jesus Christ and is the holy act of bringing God’s elect into this world. Through virgin’s womb, our beloved Savior entered this world. Mary did the most holy waddling that has ever graced the planet. It was not the sultry, sensual sashay of seduction. It was the humble, load-bearing, groaning, aching waddle of the salvation of all God’s elect for all eternity.

Waddle on, groan on, swell up to the glory of the Lord Jesus Christ: you are displaying a true and holy beauty to your God and to anyone who has eyes to see.

My beloved wife used to say in her last trimester, “I feel like a beached whale.” I wish I had told her a million times and more, “But you are beautiful to me and to the Lord.” She was then and she is now the delight of my eyes. Dear Vines, there is a beauty in your fulfilling the eternal purpose of God to which all the airbrushed, surgically enhanced bodies on this planet will never compare. Your self-effacing sacrifice displays the glory of your Lord.

Waddle, swell, and groan to glory of your Savior. He knows true beauty when he sees it...”

Special thanks to Jeff Pollard for letting us publish this precious pastoral letter of encouragement to ladies, sent to the families of his congregation. Jeff is the author of Christian Modesty and the Public Undressing of America, and has been a regular teacher at Vision Forum Ministries conferences on Unity Between Church and Home sponsored by the National Center for Family Integrated Churches, where he has delivered important messages on Church Discipline, Legalism and a host of other subjects.

Posted by Doug Phillips on July 23, 2008 | Permalink

Report from the Defending the Truth Conference in Branson, Missouri

Approximately two thousand Christians came as families for an historic joint conference between Answers in Genesis, Vision Forum Ministries, and Voddie Baucham Ministries in Branson, Missouri last week. The event, which was filmed by Vision Forum Ministries, included messages on Creation, culture, Christian apologetics, and family reformation. Special music provided by Buddy Davis contributed to the joyful spirit of the event, which also included film clips provided by Answers in Genesis and Vision Forum Ministries, including several episodes of the Everyday News Network and a brief “behind the scenes” documentary look at the Jonathan Park Creation Radio Drama.

Both in the context of my work for the Institute for Creation Research as adjunct professor of apologetics, and on the home school conference trail, it has been my privilege to cross paths with Ken Ham, and sometimes serve with him as a speaker, but this was the first jointly sponsored event between Answers in Genesis and Vision Forum Ministries. In a day and age when an ungodly territoriality and other Satanically-inspired confusion deceptions are often used as wedges to prevent ministries from working with each other—thus diminishing the effective witness of the Body of Christ—it was a blessing for those in attendance to see the spirit of unity and agreement between the three speakers and their ministries. Many individuals commented that the event was the best they had ever attended, and that they particularly appreciated the way in which the speakers brought different styles of communication to present a unified and harmonious message.

Ken Ham served as MC of the event and also brought pointed, humorous and thoughtful messages on the subjects of “Genesis and the Secularization of America,” Learning How to Think Biblically,” “The Ten Most Asked Questions About Creation, Evolution and Genesis,” and “How to Reach Today’s World With the Gospel.”

My good friend Dr. Voddie Baucham brought powerful messages on the nature of the “Culture War,” on “Why Believe the Bible,” on “Life’s Ultimate Questions,” on “Biblical Manhood,” and on “The Person of Christ.” He kept the audience riveted in their seats as he exposited the Word of God and presented a practical defense of Christian orthodoxy. His personal stories and practical wisdom generated both side-splitting laughter at times and tears of compassionate understanding at other moments.

My own messages included “A Family Vision of Victory,” “Jerusalem and Athens: The Battle for Christian Culture,” “The Devolution of Law,” and “Taking Every Frame Captive.” I closed my part of the event Friday night with “The Promise: The Power and Blessings of the Fifth Commandment” in which I presented more than twenty Scriptures that address the imperative of honorable speech, conduct, and behavior within the Christian family and society as a whole. Most gratifying to me were the many testimonies I received after the message from young men and women, and even adults, who were so impacted by the Scriptures presented that they desired to change course altogether and become men and women of honor. May the Lord be praised.

It was a special blessing to share the podium over the course of the week with men who share broad agreement on fundamentals. All three speakers shared a commitment to presuppositional apologetics, the sovereignty of God, and the literal/historical/grammatical approach to Genesis.

These theological commitments, combined with a shared passion for the Christian family, served as a clarion cry by each of the speakers for believers to return to the Scripture. Many were affected by this clear and uncompromising message, and we pray that the Gospel seeds that were sown will continue to bear fruit.

Another great benefit of an event like this is that it gives ministry leaders like Voddie, Ken, and myself the important time to fellowship as friends and servants of the Lord, and our time together on this occasion was extremely fruitful, for which I thank God.

Vision Forum Ministries videotaped the event and is considering producing and releasing the messages to the general public. Stay tuned for more information when it becomes available.

Special thanks to all of our friends from around America who shared their vacation with Ken and Mally, the Phillips family, and the Baucham family. We are truly grateful to each and every one of you.

Posted by Doug Phillips on July 22, 2008 | Permalink

Dear Mr. Phillips and Family,

My husband asked me to email you to express our appreciation and the blessing that your talks were to our family. We began our marriage 16 years ago with the choices to live biblically, but we didn’t realize how “wet” we were and we are still making biblical changes to our lives. Thank you for not “tiptoeing” around the scriptural issues that are so often ignored during our day. You have challenged both of us to be more outspoken in a charitable manner to our Christian friends. You see, we do not have a community of homeschool friends that we associate with, so our homeschooling, family oriented worship and church, commitment to courship, etc. is very strange to some of them. Sometimes I long for friends whom we can be more similar to, but we realize that God has put us with these believers for a reason...We would also love to pray for any needs that Vision Forum has..Thanks again for your encouragement to our family.

Jeff and Judy C.

Posted by Doug Phillips on July 22, 2008 | Permalink

There is an alarming rise in effeminacy amongst young men in our nation. And the increase has nothing to do with genetics. The issue is moral, cultural, and, most importantly, theological. The collective social conscience of the meaning of Christian manhood is quickly becoming the stuff of story books. The abandonment of teaching on family orthopraxy from the pulpit, and the exchange of fundamental moral issues for short-term political victories by too many Christians who are engaged in culture wars, has created an environment where there is precious little practical difference between the way the church and the world view manhood and womanhood.

The fact is that our boys are confused because their fathers are confused. The gender-blending of the last twenty-five years is reaping an alarming toll on men, and if things don’t change, the worst may be yet to come.

The answer to the problem of effeminacy in boys and leaderless men is not going into the forest and beating a drum. Nor is the answer found in psychologically driven behavior modification theory.

Christian manhood must prevail. But for it to prevail we need a generation of men and women more concerned with the biblical vision of manhood than the contemporary view presented in the government schools, on MTV, and in too many pulpits across America. And we need men and women willing to stand —sometimes alone— against the wave of androgyny and social confusion.

The good news is that feminism in women and male effeminacy are self-defeating. They cannot be sustained. They are ultimately doomed to destruction. But along the way to their own self-annihilation, they can leave a devastating toll in the lives of our sons and daughters. They can wreak havoc on an entire culture. And this is where things stand now.

History is behind Christian manhood, which is why it must be studied both theologically and historically. In this message, Why Christian Manhood Must Prevail, I explain the issue and seek to encourage fathers and mothers who aspire to raise their sons to stand against the tide of effeminacy and embrace a vision of noble manhood.

Why Christian Manhood Must Prevail is available for the rest of this month to everyone who supports the ministry of Vision Forum with a tax-deductible donation of any amount. For more information visit the Vision Forum Ministries website.

Posted by Doug Phillips on July 21, 2008 | Permalink

Posted by Doug Phillips on July 21, 2008 | Permalink

Whether it was by counsel of others, or of Queen Mary’s own desire, we know not, but the Queen spake with John Knox at Holyrood and had long reasoning with him, none being present except the Lord James Stewart, while two gentlewoman stood in the other end of the house.^[1]

The Queen accused John Knox that he had raised a part of her subjects against her mother and against herself; that he had written a book against her just authority—she meant the treatise against the Regiment of Women—which she should cause the most learned in Europe to write against; that he was the cause of great sedition and great slaughter in England; and that it was said to her, that all which he did was by necromancy.

To the which the said John answered:

“Madam, may it please Your Majesty patiently to hear my simple answers? First, if to teach the Truth of God in sincerity, if to rebuke Idolatry and to will a people to worship God according to His Word, be to raise subjects against their Princes, then can I not be excused; for it hath pleased God of His Mercy to make me one among many to disclose unto this Realm the vanity of the Papistical Religion, and the deceit, pride, and tyranny of that Roman Antichrist. But, Madam, if the true knowledge of God and His right worshipping be the chief causes, that must move men from their heart to obey their just Princes, as it is most certain they are, wherein can I be reprehended? I am surely persuaded that Your Grace has had and presently has, as unfeigned obedience of such as profess Jesus Christ within this Realm, as ever your father or other progenitors had of those that were called Bishops.

“And touching that Book which seemeth so highly to offend Your Majesty, it is most certain that I wrote it, and I am content that all the learned of the world judge of it. I hear that an Englishman hath written against it, but I have not read him. If he hath sufficiently [dis]proved my reasons, and established his contrary propositions with as evident testimonies as I have done mine, I shall not be obstinate, but shall confess my error and ignorance. But this hour I have thought, and yet think, myself alone to be more able to sustain the things affirmed in my work, than any ten in Europe shall be able to confute it.”

Queen Mary: “Yet think then that I have no just authority?”

John Knox: “Please, Your Majesty, learned men in all ages have had their judgments free. They have most commonly disagreed from the common judgment of the world. Such also have they published, both with pen and tongue, and yet, notwithstanding, they themselves have lived in common society with others, and have borne patiently with the errors and imperfections which they could not amend. Plato, the philosopher, wrote his book of The Commonwealth, in the which he damneth many that then were maintained in the world, and requireth many things to be reformed. Yet, he lived under such policies as then were universally received, without further troubling of any estate. Even so, Madam, am I content to do in unrightness of heart, and with testimony of a good conscience. I have communicated my judgment to the world. If the Realm finds no inconvenience from the government of a woman, that which they approve shall I not further disallow than within my own breast, but shall be as well content to live under Your Grace as Paul was to live under Nero. My hope is, that so long as ye defile not your hands with the blood of the Saints of God, neither I nor that book shall either hurt you or your authority. In very deed, Madam, that book was written most especially against that wicked Jezebel of England [Queen Mary Tudor].”

Queen Mary: “But ye speak of women in general?”

John Knox: “Most true, Madam. Yet it appeareth to me that wisdom should persuade Your Grace, never to raise trouble for that, which to this day hath not troubled Your Majesty, neither in person nor yet in authority. Of late years many things which before were holden stable have been called in doubt; yea, they have been plainly impugned. Yet, Madam, I am assured that neither Protestant nor Papist shall be able to prove, that any such question was at any time moved in public or in secret. Now, Madam, if I had intended to have troubled your estate, because ye are a woman, I might have chosen a time more convenient for that purpose, than I can do now, when your own presence is within the Realm.

“But now, Madam, shortly to answer to the other two accusations. I heartily praise my God through Jesus Christ, if Satan, the enemy of mankind, and the wicked of the world have no other crimes to lay to my charge, than such as the very world itself knoweth be most false and vain. In England I was resident the space of five years. The places were Berwick, where I abode two years; so long in Newcastle; and a year in London. Now, Madam, if in any of these places, during the time that I was there, any man shall be able to prove that there was either battle, sedition, or mutiny, I shall confess that I myself was the malefactor and the shedder of the blood. I shame not, Madam, to affirm, that God so blessed my weak labors, that in Berwick — where commonly before there used to be slaughter by reason of quarrels among soldiers — there was as great quietness, all the time that I remained there, as there is this day in Edinburgh. And where they slander me of magic, necromancy, or of any other art forbidden of God, I have witnesses, besides my own conscience — all congregations that ever heard me — to what I spake both against such arts and against those that use such impiety.”

Queen Mary: “But ye have taught the people to receive another religion than their Princes can allow. How can that doctrine be of God, seeing that God commandeth subjects to obey their Princes?”

John Knox: “Madam, as right religion took neither original strength nor authority from worldly princes, but from the Eternal God alone, so are not subjects bound to frame their religion according to the appetites of their princes. Princes are oft the most ignorant of all others in God’s true religion as we may read in the Histories, as well as before the death of Christ Jesus as after. If all the seed of Abraham should have been of the religion of Pharaoh, to whom they were long subjects, I pray you, Madam, what religion should there have been in the world? Or, if all men in the days of the Apostles should have been of the religion of the Roman Emperors, what religion should there have been upon the face of the earth? Daniel and his fellows were subjects to Nebuchadnezzar and unto Darius, and yet, Madam, they would not be of their religion; for the three children said, ‘We make it known unto thee, O King, they will not worship thy Gods.’ Daniel did pray publicly unto his God against the express commandment of the King. And so, Madam, ye may perceive that subjects are not bound to the religion of their princes, although they are commanded to give them obedience.”

Queen Mary: “Yea, but none of these men raised the sword against their princes.”

John Knox: “Yet, Madam, ye can not deny that they resisted, for those that obey not the commandments that are given, in some sort resist.”

Queen Mary: “But yet, they resisted not by the sword?”

John Knox: “God, Madam, had not given them the power and the means.”

Queen Mary: “Think ye that subjects, having the power, may resist their princes?”

John Knox: “If their princes exceed their bounds, Madam, no doubt they may be resisted, even by power. For there is no greater honour, nor greater obedience, to be given to kings or princes, than God hath commanded to be given unto father and mother. But the father may be stricken with a frenzy, in which he would slay his children. If the children arise, join themselves together, apprehend the father, take the sword from him, bind his hands, and keep him in prison till his frenzy be overpast — think ye, Madam, with princes that would murder the children of God that are subjects unto them. Their blind zeal is nothing but a very mad frenzy, and therefore, to take the sword from them, to bind their hands, and to cast them into prison, till they be brought to a sober mind, is no disobedience against princes, but just obedience, because it agreeth with the will of God.”

At these words, the Queen stood as it were amazed, more than the quarter of an hour. Her countenance altered, so that Lord James began to entreat her and to demand, “What hath offended you, Madam?”

At length she said to John Knox: “Well then, I perceive that my subjects shall obey you, and not me. They shall do what they list, and not what I command; and so I must be subject to them, and not they to me.”

John Knox: “God forbid that ever I take upon me to command any to obey me, or to set subjects at liberty to do what pleaseth them! My travail is that both princes and subjects obey God. Think not, Madam, that wrong is done you, when you are willed to be subject to God. It is He that subjects peoples under princes, and causes obedience to be given unto them. Yea, God craves of Kings that they be foster-fathers to His Church, and commands Queens to be nurses to His people. This subjection, Madam, unto God, and unto His troubled Church, is the greatest dignity that flesh can get upon the face of the earth; for it shall carry them to everlasting glory.”

Queen Mary: “Yea, but ye are not the Kirk that I will nourish. I will defend the Kirk of Rome; for it is, I think, the true Kirk of God.”

John Knox: “Your will, Madam, is no reason; neither doth your thought make that Roman harlot to be the true and immaculate spouse of Jesus Christ. Wonder not, Madam, that I call Rome an harlot; for that Church is altogether polluted with all kind of spiritual fornication, as well in doctrine as in manners. Yea, Madam, I offer myself to prove, that the Church of the Jews which crucified Christ Jesus, was not so far degenerate from the ordinances which God gave by Moses and Aaron unto His people, when they manifestly denied the Son of God, as the Church of Rome is declined, and more than five hundred years hath declined, from the purity of that religion which the Apostles taught and planted.”

Queen Mary: “My conscience is not so.”

John Knox: “Conscience, Madam, requireth knowledge; and I fear that right knowledge, ye have none.”

Queen Mary: “But I hath both heard and read.”

John Knox: “So, Madam, did the Jews who crucified Christ Jesus read both the Law and the Prophets, and heard the same interpreted after this manner. Have ye heard any teach, but such as the Pope and Cardinals have allowed? Ye may be assured that such will speak nothing to offend their own estate.”

Queen Mary: “Ye interpret the Scriptures in one manner, and they in another. Whom shall I believe? Who shall be judge?”

John Knox: “You shall believe God, that plainly speaketh in His Word; and further than the Word teacheth you, ye shall believe neither the one nor the other. The Word of God is plain in itself. If there appear any obscurity in one place, the Holy Ghost, who is never contrarious to Himself, explaineth the same more clearly in other places; so that there can remain no doubt, but unto such as obstinately will remain ignorant.

“Take one of the chief points, Madam, which this day is in controversy betwixt the Papists and us. The Papists have boldly affirmed that the Mass is the ordinance of God, and the institution of Jesus Christ, and a sacrifice for the sin of the quick and the dead. We deny both the one and the other. We affirm that the Mass, as it is now used, is nothing but the invention of man, and, therefore, is an abomination before God, and no sacrifice that ever the Lord commanded. Now, Madam, who shall judge betwixt us two thus contending? It is no reason that either of the parties be further believed, than they are able to prove their affirmatives by the plain words of the Book of God, and we shall give then the plea granted. What our Master Jesus Christ did, we know that by His Evangelists; what the priest doeth at his Mass, the world seeth. Now, doth not the Word of God plainly assure us, that Christ Jesus neither said Mass, nor yet commanded Mass to be said, at His Last Supper, seeing that no such thing as their Mass is made mention of within the whole Scriptures?”

Queen Mary: “You are [too hard] for me, but if they were here whom I have heard, they would answer you.”

John Knox: “Madam, would to God that the learnedest Papist in Europe, and he that ye would best believe, were present with Your Grace to sustain the argument; and that ye would patiently abide to hear the matter reasoned to the end! Then, I doubt not, Madam, by ye should hear the vanity of the Papistical Religion, and how small ground is hath within the Word of God.”

Queen Mary: “Well, ye may perchance get that sooner than ye believe.”

John Knox: “Assuredly, if ever I get that in my life, I get it sooner than I believe. The ignorant Papists can not patiently reason, and the learned and crafty Papist will never come in your audience, Madam, to have the ground of their religion searched out. They know that they are never able to sustain an argument, except fire and sword and their own law be judges.”

Queen Mary: “So say you; but I can[not] believe that.”

John Knox: “It hath been so to this day. How oft have the Papists in this and other Realms been required to come to conference, and yet could it never be obtained, unless themselves were admitted as Judges. Therefore, Madam, I must say again that they dare never dispute, but when they themselves are both judge and party. Whensoever ye shall let me see the contrary, I shall grant myself to have deceived in that point.”

With this, the Queen was called upon to dinner...

Posted by Doug Phillips on July 19, 2008 | Permalink

Posted by Doug Phillips on July 18, 2008 | Permalink

We praise the Lord for the hundreds of families joining us in Branson this week for an historic conference on practical Christian apologetics with Answers in Genesis and Ken Ham, Vision Forum Ministries, and my dear friend, Dr. Voddie Baucham. Reports to follow.

The event began on Tuesday night with opening messages from Ken Ham and myself. First, Buddy Davis delighted the audience with Scripture story songs for the whole family. Ken presented a masterful defense of the basic issues pertaining to defending the historical, literal understanding of Genesis and its practical relevancy for all of life. My talk was entitled “A Family Vision of Victory,” and outlined the necessity of returning to a biblical model for family life, of the importance of recapturing biblical manhood and womanhood, of the wisdom of training sons and daughters to be a prepared for a life of courageous spiritual combat for Christ in the 21st century, and of the call for a multi-generational vision.

Posted by Doug Phillips on July 17, 2008 | Permalink

“Behold our trouble and apparent destruction, and stay the sword of thy vengeance before it devours us...Let not thy enemies rejoice at our destruction, but look now to the honour of thy own name, O Lord; and let thy gospel be preached with boldness in this realm. If thy justice must perish, then punish our bodies with the rod of thy mercy. But, O Lord, let us never revolt, nor turn back to idolatry again. Mitigate the hearts of those who persecute us; and let us not faint under the cross of our Saviour, but assist us with the Holy Ghost, even to the end.”

Excerpted from Knox’s “Public Confession following the Death of Edward VI, 1553.” Recorded in Selected Writings of John Knox (Dallas, TX: Presbyterian Heritage Publications, 1995), p. 100.

Posted by Doug Phillips on July 17, 2008 | Permalink

The Patty Family

The Fox Family

The Allen girls

Blair Brown and Liberty Phillips

The Daming Family

Our young men testing their combat readiness

Dr. Hammer with his two treasures

Posted by Doug Phillips on July 16, 2008 | Permalink

We sang at Bannockburn and Stirling. We sang at Culloden. We sang in the moors and the glens, on the steam trains, in castles and churches, on boats and by the beautiful lochs of Scotland. We sang hymns and psalms. We sang war songs, love songs, whaling songs, sea chanties, and songs of bravery, nobility, and valor. We did all of this because of the blessing of being accompanied by Charlie Zahm, America’s premiere balladeer of Celtic, Scottish, and Maritime music.

And it was glorious!

Here is a note we received today from one of our Faith and Freedom Tour families:

Our family was so blessed by the Scotland tour. Once in a lifetime!!

Our experience, as I know it was for everyone, was so enhanced by the singing of Charlie Zahm. We’ve ordered EVERY :-) CD he offers!!

Today (just picked up our mail) our home all day has been filled with his music and song.

It has been such a blessing to recall his songs, music, and our Scotland adventure. It’s sorta like we’ve extended our trip a while longer. We’d often stop whatever we were doing and just stand, reflect, recall, and praise God for what we experienced in Scotland.

Thanks you Charlie — for taking a “Once in a Lifetime” experience and making it “Once in an Eternity!”.

God Bless Charlie Zahm.

Posted by Doug Phillips on July 15, 2008 | Permalink

The 2008 Scotland Faith and Freedom Tour in Front of John Knox’s St Giles Church

“[S]ometimes God defers or prolongs to grant our petitions, for the exercise and trial of our faith, and not that he sleeps or is absent from us at any time, but that with more gladness we might receive that which, with long expectation, we have [awaited]; that thereby we, assured of his eternal providence (so far as the infirmity of our corrupt and most weak nature will permit), doubt not but that his merciful hand shall relieve us in most urgent necessity and extreme tribulation.”[i]

[i] Excerpted from “A Treatise on Prayer, or, A Confession, and Declaration of Prayers added Thereto, by John Knox, Minister of Christ’s Most Holy Evangel, Upon the Death of that Most Virtuous and Most Famous King, Edward VI, 1553.” Recorded in Selected Writings of John Knox (Dallas, TX: Presbyterian Heritage Publications, 1995), p. 73.

Posted by Doug Phillips on July 15, 2008 | Permalink

Posted by Doug Phillips on July 15, 2008 | Permalink

Posted by Doug Phillips on July 15, 2008 | Permalink

“Ceres Highland Games One of Best Ever”

THIS year’s Ceres Highland Games has been hailed as one of the most successful in its recent history, with a huge crowd and a line-up of competitors from as far afield as Canada.

In the absence of chieftain Sir Menzies Campbell, who was unable to attend due to illness, president Grant Robertson took on a dual role this year, donning the red Robertson tartan to open the day’s proceedings.

Held in its traditional venue of Bow Butts, in the heart of the village, the event attracted a large turnout of spectators that included more than 100 Americans, who were taking in a trip to Ceres Games as part of a bus tour of Scotland.

As well as offering spectacular entertainment, the event also has great historical significance as it is the oldest free games in Scotland, having been established in 1314 in honour of the local men who fought at Bannockburn.

With the exception of the war years, it’s been held every year since. This year’s games had all the traditional ingredients, including Highland dancing, piping, cycling and athletics, with the City of St Andrews Pipe Band helping to create its unique atmosphere.

As always, the heavy events proved particularly popular, with competitors arriving from all over Scotland and the north of England and even from Canada.

The US contingent were so impressed that they even tried their hand at throwing the famous Ceres Stane once the serious competition had ended.

Mr Robertson said: “Games day was a great success, with the largest crowd for many a year.

“My thanks must go to the hard-working games committee as well as the girls of the village who sold programmes and collected donations.

“Not only is Ceres home to the oldest Highland games, but it’s also been described as the prettiest village in Scotland, so we have much to be proud of.”

Posted by Doug Phillips on July 15, 2008 | Permalink

At the site of the great victory of Robert the Bruce, my son Joshua Phillips presented some helpful insights into the literature of Bannockburn, specifically, G.A. Henty’s In Freedom’s Cause. Joshua has read and enjoyed more than 90 books by G.A. Henty, and many dozens of books by R.M. Ballantyne. He currently serves as a guest host with Adam McManus on San Antonio’s AM 630 KSLR. Don’t forget to visit his website www.ballantynethebrave.com for continuing Scotland updates, video clips contests, and more.

Posted by Doug Phillips on July 15, 2008 | Permalink

Fair fa’ your honest, sonsie face,
Great chieftain o’ the puddin-race!
Aboon them a’ ye tak your place,
Painch, tripe, or thairm:
Weel are ye wordy o’ a grace
As lang’s my arm.

One month and eight meals of haggis later, and I think I am officially done eating the Scottish national dish...at least until the next Faith and Freedom Scotland Tour. But in honor of our host country we determined to go out in true Scottish style with a traditional Robert Burns “Address to the Haggis,” performed by our own Faith and Freedom Tour guide, and Scotland’s native son, Colin Gunn.

Scotland’s most beloved poet, Robert Burns, forever sealed haggis as the national dish of Scotland when he penned his famous “Address to the Haggis,” an address which has developed into a celebration ritual for Scots for close to two centuries now. Though the motivation behind the poem is not known for certain, many believe that its tone, timing, and distinctively anti-French sentiments point to an effort by Burns to distinguish his perception of the foppery of the French (who were going through their bloody Revolution), on the one hand, with the manliness of the Scots (on the other). More importantly, Burns was presenting haggis (in a lighthearted way) as uniquely Scottish, a symbol of a nation with a history of hearty and courageous men.

And everyone had to eat some haggis—including my own beloved bride, and reluctant haggis eater—Beall.

For those of you who may have missed my blog post on haggis, here is a review of the recipe: “Take the liver, lungs & heart of a sheep and boil them. Mince the meats and mix with chopped onions, toasted oatmeal, salt, pepper, and spices. Take one properly cleaned sheep’s stomach. Stuff the cleaned stomach with the prepared contents. Sew up the stomach (leaving enough room for expansion to avoid a large messy explosion) and boil. Serve and eat.”

Triumph Perseverance Bradrick gets his introduction into Scottish manhood with a healthy bite of haggis.

Below is a portion of Burns’s “Address to a Haggis” translated into modern English.

Is there that over his French Ragout
Or olio that would sicken a pig
Or fricassee would make her vomit
With perfect disgust
Looks down with a sneering scornful opinion
On such a dinner

Poor devil, see him over his trash
As week as a withered rush (reed)
His spindle-shank a good whiplash
His clenched fist.the size of a nut.
Through a bloody flood and battle field to dash
Oh how unfit

But take note of the strong haggis fed Scot
The trembling earth resounds his tread

Clasped in his large fist a blade
He’ll make it whistle
And legs and arms and heads he will cut off
Like the tops of thistles

You powers who make mankind your care
And dish them out their meals
Old Scotland wants no watery food
That splashes in dishes
But if you wish her grateful prayer
Give her a haggis!

Posted by Doug Phillips on July 14, 2008 | Permalink

Earlier this year we began asking the question: Where can we find a Scot with a heart for family reformation, and with a love of history, who would be willing to travel with Vision Forum Ministries, serving as a local host of the 2008 Scotland Faith and Freedom Tour? Then we remembered that last year’s Grand Prize Jubilee winner for the San Antonio Independent Christian Film Festival was not only a Scot, but a man who seemed to fit much of the bill. After all, his outstanding award-winning film The Monstrous Regiment of Women, detailing the evils of feminism and the abortion industry, got its title from a book written by Scotland’s great Reformation hero, John Knox. What we did not know was whether or not Colin would be open to romping about for two weeks in Scotland with us.

But Colin graciously agreed...and the rest was history.

None of us fully realized the scope and depth of Gospel giftings possessed by this filmmaking father of six children. Colin (who is a professional architect) brought wonderful messages on the theology of Scottish architecture. Fittingly, he preached from within John Knox’s St. Giles Church, and in many other historic locations. He helped us navigate through the customs, language, and diet of a foreign culture.

But more than anything else, Colin demonstrated the type of humility, passion for the Lord Jesus Christ, and love of his native land, which one rarely sees these days. Most memorable was the Sunday that Colin opened his heart and shared his own spiritual journey and salvation story. There was not a dry eye in the room.

Of Colin, one team member wrote:

“Our Scotland Faith and Freedom Tour would have been bereft of one its most special elements had Colin Gunn not joined us on our historic journey. A native Scotsman, Colin served as a great host of his homeland. His penetrating analysis of Scottish architecture, his thorough grasp of the Scottish character (both past and present), and his working knowledge of the key people and places that have made Scotland what it is added much color and insight to our tour. More important than this, though, was Colin’s spirit: With a heart beaming with God’s grace, Colin shared his faith with joy, humility, and ease. His heart burst with gratitude to God for drawing him to the hardy faith of the Scottish Reformers. A true evangel for Christ, Colin’s passionate testimony and sweet countenance profoundly blessed us all.”

The Gunn Family at Dalserf Church, Scotland.

Colin en route to the Island of Iona.

Posted by Doug Phillips on July 14, 2008 | Permalink

“Spare no arrows,” was the motto which Knox wore on his standard; the authority of Scripture, and the force of reasoning, grave reproof, and pointed irony, were in their turn employed by him. In the course of this defense, he did not restrain those sallies of raillery, which the fooleries of the popish superstition irresistibly provoke, even from those who are deeply impressed with its pernicious tendency.

Thomas M’Crie, Life of John Knox (Philadelphia: Presbyterian Board of Education, 1905), pp. 64-65.

Posted by Doug Phillips on July 14, 2008 | Permalink

Hamilton, Scotland is land rich in Covenanter history. In Hamilton, some of the first Covenanter congregations were established. In the late 17th century, during “the killing times,” Hamilton was also the location of some of the bloodiest persecution of the faithful Covenanting Presbyterians by Anglicans and representatives of the crown of England. Dalserf is one of the small parish communities that make up Hamilton. Here in 1560 a covenanter church was established on ancient grounds where Pictish Christians or Vikings may have met more than a half a millenia before hand.

A Viking marker, perhaps a thousand years old.

The grave stones reveal the common last names one finds in the small communities in the outskirts of Scotland where generations of families over the course of many centuries have lived and worshiped together.

Dalserf Church is one of the last remaining Covenanter churches standing that made it through the “killing times.” Fifty two members of this congregation are recorded as having become victims of the brutal persecution.

In the churchyard there are several graves of notable characters including Covenanter heroes, William Hamilton and John MacMillan, the “Covenanter of Covenanters” and first minister of the Reformed Presbyterian Church. Inexplicably, the graveyard also includes the remains of “The Persecuting Raploch,” one of the most notorious murderers of the Covenanters in this area. For more than three hundred years certain visitors and church members would honor the memory of this evil man by providing a “Scotch Baptism” when passing by his gravestone (i.e. they would spit on it).

Posted by Doug Phillips on July 12, 2008 | Permalink

“Long have we thirsted, dear brethren, to have notified unto the world the sum of that doctrine which we profess, and for the which we have sustained infamy and danger. But such has been the rage of Satan against us, and against Christ Jesus’ eternal verity lately born amongst us, that to this day no time has been granted unto us to clear our consciences, as most gladly we would have done. For how we have been tossed a whole year past, the most part of Europe (as we suppose) does understand. But seeing that of the infinite goodness of our God (who never suffers his afflicted utterly to be confounded), above expectation, we have obtained some rest and liberty, we could not but set forth this brief and plain confession of such doctrine as is proponed unto us, and as we believe and profess; partly for satisfaction of our brethren, whose hearts, we doubt not, have been and yet are wounded by the despiteful railing of such as yet have not learned to speak well; and partly for stopping of the mouths of impudent blasphemers, who boldly damn that which they have neither heard, nor yet understand . . .

[I]f any man will note in this our confession any article or sentence repugning to God’s holy word, that it would please him of his gentleness, and for Christian charity’s sake, to admonish us of the same in writing; and we, of our honour and fidelity, do promise unto him satisfaction from the mouth of God (that is, from his holy scriptures), or else reformation of that which he shall prove to be amiss. For God we take to record in our consciences, that from our hearts we abhor all sects of heresy, and all teachers of erroneous doctrine; and that, with all humility, we embrace the purity of Christ’s evangel, which is the only food of our souls; and therefore so precious unto us, that we are determined to suffer the extremity of worldly danger, rather than that we will suffer ourselves to be defrauded of the same... “

The Scottish Confession of Faith, 1560, Magdalen Chapel

Posted by Doug Phillips on July 12, 2008 | Permalink

In the same year the Geneva Bible was published, John Knox — having just returned to Scotland from his season with John Calvin in Geneva — led a committee in drafting The Scottish Confession of Faith of 1560. About a half a dozen learned men of God, each with the first name of John, met in Magdalen Chapel in Edinburgh, Scotland for the historic act. This document would strongly influence the Westminster Confession of Faith and later the London Baptist Confession of Faith.

As my associate Wesley Strackbein has observed, the preface drips with at least four obvious virtues:

1) An earnest desire to define and declare the truth — both to refute the gainsayers and to educate the unlearned in the doctrines of the faith;
2) A deep gratitude to God’s goodness for allowing them this opportunity;
3) A humble spirit that champions God’s Word as preeminent over their Confession (open for correction to their document, wherever warranted by Scripture); and
4) A bold determination to stand by the truth they have articulated — even unto death.

Posted by Doug Phillips on July 12, 2008 | Permalink

Throughout the Scotland Faith and Freedom Tour, Scott Brown, director of the National Center for Family Integrated Churches, has been my boon companion and a constant source of rich spiritual insight and historical interpretation. One of my favorite memories of Scott during the trip was our morning at Dalserf, a church founded in 1560 by the Scottish Covenanters. By day Scott travelled with us to the ancient sites of our Reformation fathers. By night he spent hours absorbed in their writings. On this morning he approached me with brilliant insights on many of the most important practical parallels of the ancient battle for reforming the church by returning to the sufficiency of Scripture and removing the inventions of men from worship, and the present battle. Make sure to read through Scott’s continuing commentary on the trip at www.scottbrownonline.com. Above, Scott is pictured at Dalserf with his grandson, Triumph Perseverance Bradrick.

Posted by Doug Phillips on July 12, 2008 | Permalink

I don’t know the exact number, but I believe that the 2008 Scotland Faith and Freedom Tour is the eighth Faith and Freedom Tour that Vision Forum Ministries had the honor of enjoying with Hannah, Rebecca and Sarah, the wonderful Zes girls. Those who have attended the Vision Forum Father and Daughter Retreats may remember the Zes girls for their inspiring messages to the girls of their generation. The journey to Scotland was a special answer to prayer for the three girls who spent many months serving as editors for the important book about Christian covenants and civilization entitled, In the Name of God Amen. This beautifully illustrated, thoroughly researched and well-documented book should be required reading for anyone who wishes to properly prepare for the 500th anniversary of the birth of John Calvin to occur next year.

The Zes family at Castle Uruquart, by Loch Ness in Scotland.

Posted by Doug Phillips on July 12, 2008 | Permalink

One of the great traditions of the Vision Forum Faith and Freedom Tours are our marches, charges and battle reinactments which are tremendous fun, and highly anticipated. Most importantly, they provide great memories which connect every member of the Faith and Freedom team with the lessons of history, and the battlefields and locations we visit.

Highland clansmen assemble on the fields of Culloden.

Posted by Doug Phillips on July 12, 2008 | Permalink

There are few tourists on the ancient fields of Runnymede, and none other than ourselves near the Jamestown Magna Charta Tree, a landmark of liberty planted with soil from America’s birthplace. But for those of us remaining from the 2008 Faith and Freedom Tour, this tree is more than just a little taste of home, it’s a link to biblical principles of liberty articulated on this field and carried to the shores of America four hundred and one years ago. Vision Forum celebrated this event in Jamestown last year with the Jamestown Quadricentennial, a grand celebration which ended on the anniversary of the signing of the Magna Charta, June 15, 1215. (Last year, participants in the Jamestown 400: Our National Treasure Hunt, will remember being directed by super code-maker/breaker Jack Bradford to the Magna Charta Tree in Jamestown.)

Posted by Doug Phillips on July 10, 2008 | Permalink

The Martyrs’ Monument dedicated to the memory of Latimer, Ridley, and Cranmer, the three Reformers who died for the Gospel.

Broad Street in Oxford, where Bloody Mary burned alive Latimer, Ridley, and Cranmer for their commitment to Holy Scripture and the Gospel. The cross in the ground marks the spot where they were burned alive. Millions walk over the cross each year, unaware of what it symbolizes.

A look into the yard of one of Oxford’s many colleges.

A beautiful Venetian bridge.

Bob and Justice sitting in front of the Church where Bloody Mary tried and convicted the Martyrs of Oxford.

Posted by Doug Phillips on July 10, 2008 | Permalink

A report from Stonehenge to follow.

Posted by Doug Phillips on July 8, 2008 | Permalink

The Radcliffe Camera of Oxford University, England.

Posted by Doug Phillips on July 8, 2008 | Permalink

Posted by Doug Phillips on July 8, 2008 | Permalink

Once again, Doug Phillips has been my boon companion and an esteemed fellow-worker in the quarries of the past. Never have we had more stories to dig and fashion than here in Scotland. Nowhere on Earth have the bones of the earth been more exposed.

Think of the places we have been and the sites we have seen.

What do they all have in common? Stones.

We are fond of talking about stones of remembrance, but who has more of them than Scotland? We see them in the cemeteries and churches: St. Giles, the Canongate, Greyfriars, Dalserf, the Old Parish Church of Hamilton, St. Andrews, the burial grounds of Iona, the Kirk at Kilmartin and the cairns and monoliths of the fields.

We see them in the castles: Edinburgh, Stirling, Bothwell, St. Andrews, and Urquhart, as well as the 595 we did not visit. We viewed the stone markers commemorating the great battles of Scottish history at Stirling Bridge, Bannockburn, Bothwell, and Culloden.

All of those places give me a sense of permanence—even the ruins. But the reality is, they are only symbols now, left by the men of the past, all of whom have perished—every single one of them. And what have we historians found in the quarries of the past regarding these dead men? I think that once again we see the truth of I Corinthians 3:11—“there is no other foundation that man can lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ.” That is, that there are still only two types of people in history, those whose foundation is Christ and those whose foundation is something or someone else.

We are not here primarily for sentimental reasons, though I am very sentimental about this history. We are not here for patriotic reasons, though we may well be patriotic about all this. If we study this history for its own sake we become nothing but antiquarians and in the end, find that our past was irrelevant.

No, we are here because the past has meaning. It is the story of God’s Providence, of how He has ordered the lives of men through time for His own Glory. It is the goal and hope of we who possess Christ, the Eternal Cornerstone, to make the stones of the cities and fields of Scotland live again in order to learn the lessons God would have for our generation; not just for our generation, but to pass the stories and the messages on to the succeeding generations.

If we don’t, who will?

The lives of the Covenanters here in Scotland tell us to stand fast in the faith, regardless of the cost. Christ was their cornerstone and we see the results. I close with the words of James Guthrie, my own kinsman of 13 generations past, one of the martyrs hanged in Edinburgh for his faithfulness to Jesus Christ. When asked by a friend to “jouk” (duck, i.e., compromise) just a little to save his life, he replied:

“There’s nae joukin in the cause of Christ.”

Bill Potter July 4th, 2008—Edinburgh

Posted by Doug Phillips on July 7, 2008 | Permalink

On this day, 701 years ago, Edward I (Longshanks) died en route to engage Robert the Bruce in battle.

Posted by Doug Phillips on July 7, 2008 | Permalink

Posted by Doug Phillips on July 7, 2008 | Permalink

How fitting and appropriate that Senator Jesse Helms, a great defender of liberty, would be ushered into eternity on July Fourth, America’s Independence Day. There was a season in the history of this nation when the cause of constitutionalism, anti-communism, and limited government in the United States Senate were exclusively associated with Jesse Helms. It was my pleasure to be with Senator Helms on numerous occasions throughout my childhood and early years, and I greatly appreciated his friendship and support of my father. He will be missed.

Posted by Doug Phillips on July 7, 2008 | Permalink

Posted by Doug Phillips on July 7, 2008 | Permalink

Posted by Doug Phillips on July 6, 2008 | Permalink

Click on the image.

Posted by Doug Phillips on July 5, 2008 | Permalink

Including John Knox, David Livingstone, and Robert Burns.

Posted by Doug Phillips on July 5, 2008 | Permalink

Posted by Doug Phillips on July 5, 2008 | Permalink

Posted by Doug Phillips on July 4, 2008 | Permalink

Posted by Doug Phillips on July 4, 2008 | Permalink

Posted by Doug Phillips on July 4, 2008 | Permalink

Posted by Doug Phillips on July 4, 2008 | Permalink

Posted by Doug Phillips on July 4, 2008 | Permalink

Posted by Doug Phillips on July 3, 2008 | Permalink

Posted by Doug Phillips on July 3, 2008 | Permalink

Posted by Doug Phillips on July 1, 2008 | Permalink

Posted by Doug Phillips on July 1, 2008 | Permalink

Posted by Doug Phillips on July 1, 2008 | Permalink

Posted by Doug Phillips on July 1, 2008 | Permalink

Posted by Doug Phillips on July 1, 2008 | Permalink

Posted by Doug Phillips on July 1, 2008 | Permalink

There are three great battles in Scottish history: Stirling, Bannockburn, and Culloden. Each battle helped to define and determine for centuries the future of freedom in Scotland. Behind each battle were important theological issues and controversies directly related to the spiritual vision of the Scots at that time. The 2008 Vision Forum Ministries Faith and Freedom Tour visited the sites of all three battles. At each location, Bill Potter gave the military overview of the battle, Joe Morecraft and I offered theological and historical commentary, and Charlie Zahm provided rousing ballads about the men behind the engagements, and the battles they fought.

Posted by Doug Phillips on July 1, 2008 | Permalink

Posted by Doug Phillips on July 1, 2008 | Permalink

O flower of Scotland
When will we see
Your like again
That fought and died for
Your wee bit hill and glen
And stood against him
Proud Edward’s army
And sent him homeward
Tae think again

Posted by Doug Phillips on July 1, 2008 | Permalink

“For, as long as but a hundred of us remain alive, never will we on any conditions be brought under English rule. It is in truth not for glory, nor riches, nor honours that we are fighting, but for freedom — for that alone, which no honest man gives up but with life itself.” The Declaration of Arborath

The decisive victory by Robert the Bruce at Bannockburn did not end aggression from the English against the Scots, but it did much to secure freedom for Scotland. In the years that followed Scots would draft a declaration which many believe to contain elements which were precursors to our own Declaration of Independence. In fact, since 1998 the United States Senate has claimed that our Declaration is based upon the “inspirational document” of Arboroth, and April 6, is celebrated annually as a day of significance to Americans of Scottish descent. At Bannockburn, I delivered a message about the Declaration of Arborath. Key elements of the document are included below with my own headlines.

The History of the Scots Summarized

”...we know and from the chronicles and books of the ancients we find that among other famous nations our own, the Scots, has been graced with widespread renown. They journeyed from Greater Scythia by way of the Tyrrhenian Sea and the Pillars of Hercules, and dwelt for a long course of time in Spain among the most savage tribes, but nowhere could they be subdued by any race, however barbarous. Thence they came, twelve hundred years after the people of Israel crossed the Red Sea, to their home in the west where they still live today. The Britons they first drove out, the Picts they utterly destroyed, and, even though very often assailed by the Norwegians, the Danes and the English, they took possession of that home with many victories and untold efforts; and, as the historians of old time bear witness, they have held it free of all bondage ever since. In their kingdom there have reigned one hundred and thirteen kings of their own royal stock, the line unbroken a single foreigner...”

The Historical Argument of Apostolic Stewardship

”...The high qualities and deserts of these people, were they not otherwise manifest, gain glory enough from this: that the King of kings and Lord of lords, our Lord Jesus Christ, after His Passion and Resurrection, called them, even though settled in the uttermost parts of the earth, almost the first to His most holy faith. Nor would He have them confirmed in that faith by merely anyone but by the first of His Apostles — by calling, though second or third in rank — the most gentle Saint Andrew, the Blessed Peter’s brother, and desired him to keep them under his protection as their patron forever...”

The List of Grievances and Appeal Against Tyranny

”...Thus our nation under their protection did indeed live in freedom and peace up to the time when that mighty prince the King of the English, Edward, the father of the one who reigns today, when our kingdom had no head and our people harboured no malice or treachery and were then unused to wars or invasions, came in the guise of a friend and ally to harass them as an enemy. The deeds of cruelty, massacre, violence, pillage, arson, imprisoning prelates, burning down monasteries, robbing and killing monks and nuns, and yet other outrages without number which he committed against our people, sparing neither age nor sex, religion nor rank, no one could describe nor fully imagine unless he had seen them with his own eyes...”

Thanksgiving for Robert the Bruce, a Providential Leader Likened to Judas Maccabeus and Joshua

”...But from these countless evils we have been set free, by the help of Him Who though He afflicts yet heals and restores, by our most tireless Prince, King and Lord, the Lord Robert. He, that his people and his heritage might be delivered out of the hands of our enemies, met toil and fatigue, hunger and peril, like another Macabaeus or Joshua and bore them cheerfully. Him, too, divine providence, his right of succession according to or laws and customs which we shall maintain to the death, and the due consent and assent of us all have made our Prince and King. To him, as to the man by whom salvation has been wrought unto our people, we are bound both by law and by his merits that our freedom may be still maintained, and by him, come what may, we mean to stand...”

Apologetic From the Purity of the Commitment to Liberty

”...Yet if he should give up what he has begun, and agree to make us or our kingdom subject to the King of England or the English, we should exert ourselves at once to drive him out as our enemy and a subverter of his own rights and ours, and make some other man who was well able to defend us our King; for, as long as but a hundred of us remain alive, never will we on any conditions be brought under English rule. It is in truth not for glory, nor riches, nor honours that we are fighting, but for freedom — for that alone, which no honest man gives up but with life itself...”

Posted by Doug Phillips on July 1, 2008 | Permalink

Posted by Doug Phillips on July 1, 2008 | Permalink