The Calvinist Chronicle

 “They got America in the name. Excellent start. Everything after that needs a very serious review.” WASHINGTON, D.C. — President Donald Trump appointed Marco Rubio to the newly created position of Chief Reformer Wednesday, directing him to investigate the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) and determine whether its theology could be restored without first creating another committee. “The name has tremendous potential,” Trump explained. “Presbyterian Church, U.S.A. You’ve got church. You’ve got America. Then you look at the liberal theology and say, ‘What happened? Who approved this?’” Rubio received a briefing folder containing the Westminster Confession, a denominational organizational chart, and a handwritten instruction reading, “FIX BEFORE REFORMATION DAY.” The president singled out the denomination’s policies permitting same-sex marriages and the ordination of people in same-gender relationships, positions the PC(USA) officially allows while preserving certain decisions for its min...

Coalition also confident He would endorse its platform, despite documented difficulties getting Him to follow anyone else’s. PORTLAND, OREGON — A coalition of progressive Christian commentators warned Monday that Jesus could be deported if He entered the United States, describing the hypothetical as “an unprecedented rejection of Christ by political authorities.” The announcement took place beneath a twelve-foot depiction of His execution. “Imagine a government arresting Jesus and treating Him like a criminal,” said coalition spokesperson Rev. Avery Framework. A nearby Sunday school teacher quietly opened her Bible to the Passion narrative. “Now imagine religious leaders cooperating with political power because He refuses to fit their expectations.” The teacher stopped turning pages. “You’re already there,” she said. Organizers acknowledged that Jesus’ previous earthly ministry had encountered difficulties but cautioned against letting the crucifixion overshadow the considerably more u...

 “Whose image is on the coin?” asks local believer, apparently expecting the answer to settle considerably more than a tax question. WASHINGTON, D.C. — Following the Treasury’s promotion of Trump dollar coins, a local Christian announced that he had finally found a practical application for Christ’s instruction to render unto Caesar what is Caesar’s: purchasing presidential currency and using it to make a barista uncomfortable. “I’ve always wanted to apply this passage,” said church member Dale Banner, holding a promotional image of the coin. “Previously, it mostly seemed to involve paying taxes, which felt insufficiently confrontational.” Banner explained that the president’s portrait gave the transaction a clear biblical framework. “Whose image and inscription is this?” he asked his pastor. “Trump’s.” “Exactly.” “What do you think that establishes?” “That I need a roll.” His pastor opened Matthew 22 and explained that Jesus’ answer concerned giving Caesar what belonged to Caesar ...

 “I’m not avoiding the text,” he explains. “I’m approaching it from a higher interpretive framework.” SUBURBAN AMERICA — A local theologian has preordered a Tesla Roadster after determining that the most efficient way to reconcile Scripture with his existing convictions is to perform an aerial somersault over every passage that threatens them. Dr. Wesley Context, whose forthcoming commentary promises to let the Bible speak for itself “within reasonable doctrinal limits,” said the purchase would significantly improve his exegetical workflow. “For years, I’ve relied on verbal gymnastics,” Context explained. “It was time to invest in the equipment.” The vehicle will reportedly feature a custom navigation system that detects approaching difficulties and announces, “In three hundred feet, consider the historical context.” If the passage remains troublesome after historical context has been considered, the system recommends a flip. “It’s especially useful when an entire paragraph keeps s...

“He clearly had inappropriate intentions,” says woman in form-fitting spandex, left holding the clothing of a man who ran away. EGYPT — Potiphar’s wife accused Joseph of ogling her sports bra and hot pants this week after repeated attempts to seduce the household administrator ended with him leaving his garment in her hand and running out of the house. According to household sources, her interest in fitness began shortly after she noticed that Joseph was handsome and well-built. Her subsequent training program consisted largely of approaching him in workout clothes and suggesting an activity unrelated to exercise. “Lie with me,” she said. Joseph refused, explaining that his master had entrusted him with the household and withheld nothing from him except his wife. “How then can I do this great wickedness and sin against God?” he asked. She clarified that the sports bra was from the premium collection. Joseph indicated that his objection was not financial. Despite her daily advances, he ...

 “Luther could not proceed with a Type Nine,” historian explains. “The Reformation required someone willing to confront the beer cellar.” WITTENBERG — Newly unearthed courtship records have reportedly revealed that Martin Luther and John Calvin screened prospective spouses using Enneagram results, insisting that suitable applicants demonstrate godliness, sound judgment, and a sufficiently high score in Type One: “The Reformer.” “The title seemed providential,” explained archival researcher Dr. Silas Footnote. “Unfortunately, they began treating every other personality type as an unreformed denomination.” Luther’s alleged screening form asked candidates whether they enjoyed correcting errors, confronting abuses, and identifying ninety-five problems with an institution before breakfast. One applicant reportedly answered that she preferred avoiding conflict. “Type Nine,” Luther wrote. “We cannot build a Reformation around hoping everyone calms down.” Luther married Katharina von Bora ...