1. Prolegomena Covenant theology structures all of Biblical revelation. The form of the covenants revealed in Scripture was borrowed from and is accommodated to the ancient near eastern world and must be understood in that context. Covenant is the most coherent explanation . . . Continue reading →
2012 Archive
More Resources on the Federal Vision
Rick Phillips (PCA/Alliance of Confessing Evangelicals) on the FV. David VanDrunen (WSC) on Norm Shepherd. My theses on covenant theology (touching both NPP and FV) The history of covenant theology. Lectures from the January 2006 conference on the sacraments are available from . . . Continue reading →
The Federal Vision and the Reformed Hermeneutic
One of the most frequent claims made in defense of the self-described Federal Vision (hereafter FV) is the claim that they are “only following the Bible.” A corollary of that is the claim that Reformed confessionalists “have already decided in advance what . . . Continue reading →
Hermeneutics and the Creation Wars
You have heard by now of the worship wars, i.e., the contest between the competing claims about how we ought to worship. There is another battle stirring in our churches, over the proper interpretation of Genesis 1. One of the most frequently . . . Continue reading →
Muether on Van Til: A Review
John Muether, Cornelius Van Til: Reformed Apologist and Churchman (Phillipsburg: P&R Publishing, 2008). Audio Interview with John Muether It is hard to overstate the influence of Cornelius Van Til on confessional and conservative Reformed theology since the early 20th century. I’ll use . . . Continue reading →
Recursos Reformados
Sola Fide Es El Instrumento Para La Justificación Y La Salvación Presbiteriano Reformado La Necessidad de Reforma la Iglesia Literatura Reformada Fundacion Editorial de Literatura Reformada (includes Calvin’s Institutes, the Three Forms of Unity and other resources. Recursos de Mateo Leighton Confraternidad . . . Continue reading →
Calvin and Trent on the Causes of Justification
CALVIN AND TRENT ON THE CAUSES OF JUSTIFICATION Causes Trent Calvin Final The glory of God and and Jesus Christ eternal life The glory of divine justice and goodness Efficient The mercy of God The mercy of God Meritorious Merits of Christ’s . . . Continue reading →
Bibliography on Roman Catholicism
Select Annotated Bibliography of Modern Literature (updated February 2013) Note: Some of the literature included here is academic and some of it is popular, controversial, and apologetic in nature. Inclusion of a volume in this bibliography does not consistitute an endorsement. Armstrong, . . . Continue reading →
The Heidelberg Liturgy (1563)
Greeting (1 Tim 1:2) Psalm (95) Pastoral Confession Heavenly Father, eternal and merciful God; we acknowledge and confess before your divine Majesty that we are poor miserable sinners, conceived and born in sin and corruption, prone to all evil, and unfit for . . . Continue reading →
The Strasbourg Liturgy (1545)
Invocation Our help is in the name of the LORD, who made heaven and earth. Amen. (Ps. 124:8) Public Confession of Sins My brethren, let each of you present himself before the face of the Lord, and confess his faults and sins, . . . Continue reading →
Bucer’s Strasbourg Liturgy (1539)
Public Confession of Sins Make confession to God the Lord, and let everyone acknowledge with me his sin and iniquity: Almighty, eternal God and Father, we confess and acknowledge unto You that we were conceived in unrighteousness and are full of sin . . . Continue reading →
Why Pastors Need a Seminary Education
The More Things Change Over the years many things have changed at Westminster Seminary California (WSC). In the most important ways, however, the seminary has not changed. We still believe the Bible to be the inspired, infallible, inerrant Word of God. We . . . Continue reading →
Ventilator Blues
Most folk probably associate the Rolling Stones more with “Sympathy for the Devil,” than with historic Christianity, and few of us would expect to learn any theology from them but I noticed recently that in “Ventilator Blues” Mick and the lads hit . . . Continue reading →
The Synod of Dort on Sabbath Observance
Session 164, May 17 PM Trans. R. Scott Clark Rules on the observation of the Sabbath, or the Lord’s Day, with the agreement of the brothers from Zeeland the following concepts were explained and approved by Doctor Professors of Divinity. I.In the . . . Continue reading →
Warfield’s Brief and Untechnical Statement of the Reformed Faith
By B. B. Warfield 1. I believe that God, since the creation of His world, has plainly revealed through the things He has made His eternal power and divine nature, and the requirements of His law, so that there is no excuse . . . Continue reading →
Report of the URCNA Synodical Study Committee on the Federal Vision and Justification
This report was written for Synod London (Ontario, Canada) 2010. The PDF is here.
On the Noun “Homosexual” in 1Corinthians 6:9 and 1Timothy 1:10
[Note: Below are some notes I compiled as part of a broader discussion about how Christians ought to think about homosexuality. The argument was made that the Bible does not really speak clearly to the question of homosexual behavior. In response I . . . Continue reading →
The Two Witnesses and Lampstands in Revelation 11
Bill asks, [C]ould you give me a quick answer to who the two witnesses are in Rev 11:3, and the identity of the two olive trees and two lampstands in verse 4? Dear Bill, I understand the Revelation to have been given . . . Continue reading →
Sympathy for Angus
First published 29 November 2012. Update below. By now you’ve probably heard or read about the comments by Angus T. Jones. If not, you can see them here. Through a couple of videos Jones tells the story of how he got into television . . . Continue reading →