The doctrine of unconditional election and conditional reprobation has often met with resistance in the church. The early post-apostolic church spoke of the elect and of God’s election and found opposition to it. Augustine rather innocently wrote, “Command what you will, give . . . Continue reading →
Recently on Twitter, Tim Keller wrote, The gospel is neither religion nor irreligion it is something else altogether. Religion makes law and moral obedience a means of salvation, while irreligion makes the individual a law to self. The gospel is that Jesus . . . Continue reading →
We would expect those outside the Augustinian mainstream of the Western church to object to the teaching of doctrine of predestination (i.e., the doctrines of election and reprobation) since they reject the doctrines. The reader might be surprised, however, to learn that . . . Continue reading →
Outside the church, i.e., outside the visible, organized Christ-confessing covenant community, where the gospel is preached purely, the sacraments of Holy Baptism and the Lord’s Supper are administered purely, and where church discipline is used, the church often looks very different than . . . Continue reading →
In the ancient Christian world there was always some concern about being right with God. The second-century fathers discussed it even though there does not seem to have been controversy over the doctrine. One of the earliest post-apostolic documents, 1 Clement takes . . . Continue reading →
The Remonstrants were convinced that the Protestant doctrine of salvation by grace alone (sola gratia), through faith alone (sola fide) did not and could not produce sufficient sanctification (holiness) and obedience. Thus, without admitting to it, they turned the covenant of grace . . . Continue reading →
James Anderson is among many calling attention to the case of a teacher who has been fired by the West Point, Virginia school board for refusing to submit to their demand that he refer to students who belong biologically to one sex . . . Continue reading →
For good reason the name of J0hannes Cocceius (1603–69) appears regularly in surveys of the history of Reformed theology. His covenant theology, The Doctrine of the Covenant and Testaments of God is one of the most important texts in the history of . . . Continue reading →
Romans is one of the greatest resources available to the Christian faith and life. Written in the mid-to late AD 50s to the congregation in Rome, Paul sent this pastoral letter to make clear the gospel, that salvation is from the Lord, . . . Continue reading →
One of the most remarkable developments in late modern evangelical theology was the rise of the so-called doctrine of “Open Theism.” This doctrine holds that the future is genuinely unknown to God. It is “open” to him and he to it. According . . . Continue reading →
Christmas, the Advent season in the church calendar, is a part of the culture. Christmas advertisements seem almost to run year round now. It is the one time when it almost seems acceptable (again) to be a Christian. Between the commercial and cultural pressure on one side and the religious impulse on the other, the press to observe Christmas or the Advent season of the church calendar is great. Yet, there are good reasons why members, elders, and laity ought to think critically about Christmas, advent, and the church calendar generally. Continue reading →
John Millbank is a theologian and the leader of an influential school of thought known as Radical Orthodoxy. Radical Orthodoxy: A New Theology was published 20 years ago by Millbank, Catherine Pickstock, and Graham Ward. According to R. R. Reno, the Radical . . . Continue reading →
The Remonstrants were dissatisfied with the basic insights of the Reformation and thus of the Reformed faith. They did not agree with the Protestant articulation of the gospel, that Christ came for his elect, to be their obedient, righteous substitute, to die . . . Continue reading →
Mike Brown has been called by the Escondido United Reformed Church to be their missionary to Italy. For more information see Reformation Italy.
If you want to build an audience, talk relationships. It really works. Spiritual gurus have built their empires addressing the subject. After all, who doesn’t need help to improve their marriage? Talking relationship is the most relevant subject anyone could address. I . . . Continue reading →
The theme for the annual faculty conference is Remembering the Canons of Dort. The conference is scheduled for January 18–19, 2019 on the campus of Westminster Seminary California. Until December 1, 2018, the registration fee is $50.00 After the December 1, it . . . Continue reading →
Paul Koch is 1991 graduate of the University of Nebraska–Lincoln, where he served as Strength and Conditioning Specialist for the Husker Power and Performance Team from 1987–96. He was part of the strength team that helped to produce national championship football teams . . . Continue reading →
Here
The Synod of Dort gathered for several reasons but among them two were chief: to defend basic Augustinian anti-Pelagian theology and preserve the Protestant Reformation doctrines of salvation by grace alone (sola gratia), through faith alone (sola fide). They Reformed churches from . . . Continue reading →
Romans is one of the greatest resources available to the Christian faith and life. Written in the mid-to late AD 50s to the congregation in Rome, Paul sent this pastoral letter to make clear the gospel, that salvation is from the Lord, . . . Continue reading →
