Essays and Articles

This collection of writings by Charles Clough represent his application of the Framework to various specific subjects not covered in detail in the Framework course lessons. Other articles and writings may be found in Publications.

Sin, Deception, and the Corruption of Science: A Look at the So-Called Climate Crisis

Paper published in August 2016 by the Cornwall Alliance for the Stewardship of Creation

The paper explains how at least three powerful non-scientific influences have confused the climate change debate and thus weaken the science involved. However, this highly visible controversy provides an excellent training opportunity for Christians to “test all things, hold fast what is good” (1 Thess. 5:21). Contemporary discussion of climate change suffers from an uncritical acceptance of (1) a revived pagan notion of placing Nature ethically above Man; (2) an incestuous relationship between scientific research priorities and politically allocated funding; and (3) global socialism’s capture of climate change as the means to redistribute the world’s wealth. The last half of the paper provides an example of using the Biblical Framework as a tool to critique an ongoing socio-political dialog.

Sin, Deception, and the Corruption of Science: A Look at the So-Called Climate Crisis by Charles Clough  btn download

A Model of a Church’s Constitutional Amendment Concerning Marriage and the Wedding Service

Fellowship Chapel, Jarrettsville, Maryland

This is a model amendment to a local church’s Constitution or By-Laws to sever the link between the State government authority with its definition of marriage and the biblical authority with its definition of marriage. Here’s why Fellowship Chapel in Jarrettsville, Maryland unanimously adopted this amendment in 2016. Both state and federal governments have insisted that they have the right to redefine the noun “marriage” and thus redefine laws pertaining to marriage contracts issued by civil governments.

The unstated and largely ignored assumption underlying this action is that marriage is merely a “social construct”—something originally constructed by society and therefore re-definable whenever the dominate socio-political norms change. Once this assumption is granted, then and only then, can the notion of “equality” for all citizens whether heterosexual, homosexual, polygamist, etc., logically follow. Popular discussion, unfortunately, has erroneously made equality the central issue instead of re-definability of marriage the issue. However, if God Himself instituted marriage to express the anatomically, psychologically, and spiritually different design and purpose of man and woman, marriage is not a “social construct” and therefore as part of reality cannot be justifiably re-defined. Thus Bible-believing citizens cannot and will not agree with any definition of marriage other than that of one-man-and-one-woman. And they do so not to demean any group of citizens as they have been falsely accused by those who misconstrue the argument.

This model amendment, therefore, separates the legal action of initiating re-defined civil marriage from the Christian action of initiating un-redefined biblical marriage. This action liberates the pastor and any of his surrogates from having to act as legal agents of an over-extended state government. In the second and third paragraphs the amendment also contains an explanation (suggested by an attorney who works on church-state issues) of the harm to the church’s faith and practice if compelled to accept the state’s re-defined view of marriage concerning membership or employment.

Constitutional Amendment Concerning Marriage and the Wedding Service by Fellowship Chapel  btn download

Sanctification Under the Old Testament Theocracy

Essay written for the 2011 Chafer Theological Seminary Pastors’ Conference

To understand sanctification prior to the Church Age requires consideration of the degrees of continuity and discontinuity between the Old and New Testaments. Should we take New Testament revelation regarding sanctification and project that back into the Old Testament? Or shall we attempt to understand Old Testament sanctification on its own terms? This decision requires consideration of the dynamics of progressive revelation: is the “progress” mainly a progress in understanding God’s virtually unchanging work, or is it a sequential progress in that work itself? How one answers this question largely determines how one views Old Testament positional sanctification.

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Interpreting Texts on End-Time Geophysical Catastrophes

Essays written for the 2008 and 2009 annual Pre-Trib Rapture Study Group Conferences

PART 1. Should we interpret texts that describe cosmic geophysical catastrophes as referring to actual phenomena or as merely figurative language referencing socio-political upheavals? Or, perhaps, should we interpret them as figurative language without an actual historical referent at all but as emotionally stimulating imagery of God’s grandeur in judging mankind? All these options are currently on the table in the evangelical community. Unfortunately, one cannot delve into the relevant hermeneutical details without immediately becoming entangled in a wide web of background issues ... I attempt in this paper to explore briefly some figurative interpretation methodology used to interpret language of biblical cosmic catastrophes in cases of liberal and evangelical commentators ... Then, I attempt to provide suggestions for a biblically-based hermeneutic of the language of end-time geophysical catastrophes.

PART 2. Nearly everyone today agrees that to understand a text the interpreter must determine its cultural context. It is not agreed, however, on just how this is to be done. In this paper I will attempt to understand the cultural context of the authors who wrote of geophysical catastrophes—both judgmental and re-creative—by applying the hermeneutical suggestions described in Part 1.

Interpreting Texts on End-Time Geophysical Catastrophes by Charles A. Clough

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Theology and Apologetics

Essay written in 2002 for a chapter in Mal Couch, God Has Spoken (AMG Publishers, 2003), but severely edited beyond recognition by AMG

What is apologetics? How is it related to theology? These questions have concerned the greatest minds of the Church because apologetics is inescapable. It has been forced upon believers in every generation including ours. How should we in the twenty-first century reply to arguments against biblical faith that neighbors and fellow-workers read in prominent news magazines? How should Bible-believing students and faculty members answer hostile criticism within academic establishments that have become totally compromised by pagan ideas? How should we respond to apostles of political correctness when they accuse Christianity of inherent religious bigotry? How do Christians engage unbelief in their children, spouses, or parents? What should be our answer to Christ-denying claims by the many religions and cults? Today, more than ever, apologetics plays a vital role in Christian witness.

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