May 2026 Ordained Servant

From the Editor. The beauties of spring should point us to transcendent realities “where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God” (Col. 3:1). In “Two Kinds of Seeing” Andy Wilson explores the difference between instrumental seeing and seeing by faith through special revelation. Since the Enlightenment, the former, especially the seeing of the image media, has taken precedence, even as special revelation has been relegated to personal feelings as if instrumental seeing is the only way of truly knowing. The beatific vision almost sounds to Protestant ears like a monastic or Roman Catholic idea. But the beauty and goodness of God in the Bible are the only location for human happiness—he is the chief end of man. Darryl Hart’s review article, “Bite-Sized Christian Nationalism,” reviews a new book on this topic, King of Kings: A Reformed Guide to Christian Government, by James Baird.

That Baird can call for a government powerful enough to promote the true religion, only five years after governments ignored civil liberties to enforce public health, is well-nigh amazing. And yet, the author does not appear to be bashful in calling upon government to implement the idea of the public good affirmed by a minority of the American people.

Mr. Baird will respond in the June-July edition. Shane Lems reviews a remarkable new book about Meredith G. Kline’s work on Revelation, Christ and His Church-Bride: Meredith G. Kline’s Biblical-Theological Reading of the Book of Revelation, by Danny E. Olinger. As a brilliant linguist, although an Old Testament professor by vocation, Kline was as capable with Koine Greek as he was with Hebrew and New Testament theology. Combine this with insightful biblical theology in the Vosian tradition and you have a treasure trove. The first half of the book is Olinger’s exposition of the sources of Kline’s theology and exegesis from Kline’s other writings, which form the basis of his commentary. Jack VanDrunen reviews Return of the God Hypothesis: Three Scientific Discoveries That Reveal the Mind Behind the Universe, by Stephen C. Meyer. As commendable as Meyer’s insistence is that the existence of God and modern science are not antithetical, VanDrunen cautions Christians about the principles of the philosophy of science employed by Meyer to prove intelligent design. He recommends Meyer’s work on the history of modern science. On this important topic, I recommend Bryan Estelle’s article “Preachers in Lab Coats and Scientists in Geneva Gowns” in the 2010 Ordained Servant Online (https://www.opc.org/os.html?article_id=223). Our poem this month is Sonnet 65 by William Shakespeare (1564–1616). Sonnets 15, 17, 18, 19, 55, 60, 63, 65, 81, and 107 each explore the ability of Shakespeare’s poetry to defy time and death. This is one of the most beautiful. It reminds us of Ecclesiastes, which deals with mortality, concluding with a poetic description of our diminishment ending in death (Eccl. 12:1–7). Like Shakespeare’s poetry, this biblical book has survived the ravages of time. But unlike the bard’s poems, Ecclesiastes points beyond the under-the-sun world to a Redeemer. Our cover this month is a picture of clouds over sun rays at Camp Shiloh in Jefferson, New Hampshire, where twelve Orthodox Presbyterian Shiloh Institutes have been held.

Blessings in the Lamb,
Gregory Edward Reynolds

FROM THE ARCHIVES “GOD, HAPPINESS”
/OS/pdf/Subject_Index.pdf

• “The Doctrine of Divine Simplicity: A Pastor’s Appreciation.” (D. Scott Meadows) 24 (2015): 15–21.
• “Psalm 1: The Pursuit of Happiness.” (Larry Wilson) 20 (2011): 76–80.
• “Secular Insight on Happiness.” (Andrew S. Wilson) 32 (2023): 146–48.
• “Two Paths to Happiness, and Why Only One Can Lead to a Happy End.” (Andrew S. Wilson) 32 (2023): 83–88.
• Review of Perpetual Euphoria, by Pascal Bruckner and Exploring Happiness, by Sissela Bok. (Gregory E. Reynolds) 20 (2011): 143–49.

Ordained Servant exists to help encourage, inform, and equip church officers for faithful, effective, and God-glorifying ministry in the visible church of the Lord Jesus Christ. Its primary audience is ministers, elders, and deacons of the Orthodox Presbyterian Church, as well as interested officers from other Presbyterian and Reformed churches. Through high-quality editorials, articles, and book reviews, we will endeavor to stimulate clear thinking and the consistent practice of historic, confessional Presbyterianism.