Heidelcast 67: Recovering Mother Kirk

by Heidelcast on April 5, 2014

Before there was Recovering the Reformed Confession, there was Recovering Mother Kirk a seminal book for all Reformed confessionalists who are looking for a way between revivalism and fundamentalism or between QIRC and QIRE. Darryl Hart published Recovering Mother Kirk just over . . . Continue reading →

Morabito: Soft Show Trials

by R. Scott Clark on April 4, 2014

There’s a more “civilized and softer” side to the idea of show trials, which was brought to us this week by Mozilla. It means that when someone carries a belief in his heart that doesn’t meet the approval of the preachers of . . . Continue reading →

Calvin: Who Is Faithful To The Church Fathers?

by Heidelblog on April 3, 2014

Moreover, they unjustly set the ancient fathers against us (I mean the ancient writers of a better age of the church) as if in them they had supporters of their own impiety. If the contest were to be determined by patristic authority, . . . Continue reading →

Does God Change?

by R. Scott Clark on April 2, 2014

In Reformed theology, the doctrine of God is at the headwaters. What we say about God touches every locus of theology. It shapes our theology, piety, and practice. When we say that humans are created in the image of God, we cannot . . . Continue reading →

Luther’s Judgment On Images

by R. Scott Clark on April 2, 2014

With regard to Luther’s judgment on images, we are not in the dark. In his report to his confidant Nikolaus Hausmann on the situation he found in Wittenberg, he was unambiguous: “Damno imagines.” The elimination of images, however, should be brought about . . . Continue reading →

Helm Critiques Frame’s Perspectival Theism

by R. Scott Clark on April 1, 2014

In The Doctrine of God (2002) we find Frame discussing God’s relationship to time and space. (The sections are reproduced almost verbatim in Frame’s recently published doorstopper, his one volume Systematic Theology. (On God and time compare pages 557f. of The Doctrine . . . Continue reading →

Office Hours: Horton On Calvin’s Doctrine Of The Christian Life

by R. Scott Clark on March 31, 2014

John Calvin is one of the most influential writers in the Reformed tradition, so much so that Richard Muller has argued that, in the modern period, Calvin has been over emphasized to the neglect of the rest of the Reformed tradition. Nevertheless, . . . Continue reading →

Resources On The Double Procession And Filioque

by Heidelblog on March 30, 2014

Double Procession of the Holy Spirit, the doctrine of the W. Church acc. to which the Holy Spirit proceeds from the Father and the Son. Support for it is found in several NT passages, notably Jn. 16:13–15, where Christ says of the . . . Continue reading →

Heidelcast 66: Nomism And Antinomianism (8)—The Third Use Of The Law

by Heidelcast on March 29, 2014

We’re resuming the series on antinomianism and we’re talking with Nick Batzig, pastor of New Covenant Presbyterian Church (PCA) in the Savannah area. Nick blogs at Feeding On Christ. He’s also on Twitter. He recently wrote a provocative essay on the third . . . Continue reading →

Young, Restless, And New School

by R. Scott Clark on March 29, 2014

All of this is to say that the New Calvinism looks a lot like the old New School Presbyterianism with a Baptist and charismatic flair to it. Piper chose not to deal with this issue between the Old and the New just . . . Continue reading →

Was Calvin A Lutheran?

by R. Scott Clark on March 28, 2014

By this answer Christ declared that he did not deliver any other rule of life than that which had formerly been delivered in the law of the Lord. Thus he both bore testimony to the divine law, that it was a doctrine . . . Continue reading →

Did Luther And Calvin Favor Evangelical Monasticism?

by R. Scott Clark on March 27, 2014

I was clicking around the internets recently and (probably via Twitter) and found a fascinating essay by Greg Peters, Associate Professor of Torrey Honors Institute, Biola University. The burden of the essay is to introduce the reader to and to commend the . . . Continue reading →

Don’t Ignore The Conditions of Omar

by R. Scott Clark on March 27, 2014

A jihadi group occupying the Syrian town of Raqqa recently gave Christian minorities living there three choices: 1) convert to Islam, 2) remain but pay tribute and accept third-class subject status, or 3) die by the sword. According to the BBC, the . . . Continue reading →

The Most Destructive Problem At Present: Confounding Law And Gospel

by R. Scott Clark on March 26, 2014

Many are the mistakes at present about religious matters; but none are more destructive than those which concern the law and the gospel. The generality of our people confound them, and put one in the place of the other. Some suppose they . . . Continue reading →

A New Dark Age

by R. Scott Clark on March 25, 2014

Fulfilling Or Fulfilled? An Ambiguity In Belgic Confession Article 5

by R. Scott Clark on March 25, 2014

Belgic Confession Art. 5 French English Latin English car les aveugles mémes peuvent apercevoir que les choses adviennent qui y sont prédites. For the very blind are able to perceive that the things foretold in them are fulfilling. (Schaff) quum et ipsi . . . Continue reading →

Truth About Religious Liberty And Obamacare

by R. Scott Clark on March 24, 2014

Office Hours: The Role Of Prayer In The Work Of Sanctification

by R. Scott Clark on March 24, 2014

Scripture teaches us that prayer is essential for sanctification. In 1Thessalonians 5:16-17 Paul says simply, “Rejoice always, pray without ceasing” (1 Thessalonians 5:16-17, ESV). He doesn’t elaborate. He doesn’t defend his exhortation. He just says it. I take it that, for Paul, . . . Continue reading →

Westminster Confession

by R. Scott Clark on March 24, 2014

Chapter 1 Of Holy Scripture 1. Although the light of nature, and the works of creation and providence do so far manifest the goodness, wisdom, and power of God, as to leave men unexcusable; yet are they not sufficient to give that . . . Continue reading →