John Owen (1616–83) was one of the most important and influential Reformed theologians of the 17th century. His books were widely read in his own life and he has continued to influence Reformed theology and piety since. Owen’s theology is not light . . . Continue reading →
Academic Stuff
Hill: Who Chose the Gospels?
There aren’t many authors about whom one can say this but here goes: Anything Chuck Hill writes is worth reading. Okay, I’m a friend and a fan but I’m the latter because Chuck is such an outstanding scholar and writer. In an . . . Continue reading →
Parrot AND Poet
You may be aware of Dorothy Sayers’ wonderful talk (later turned into an essay), “The Lost Tools of Learning.” In that essay she summarizes the medieval Christian understanding of the stages of childhood development. She argues that, according to the medievals, we . . . Continue reading →
Was Barth Reformed?
Among the Followers of Karl Barth (d. 1968), both evangelical and mainline (and especially among evangelicals in the mainline) it is sometimes assumed that Barth’s theology was and is the true modern manifestation of Calvin’s theology and to the degree Calvin’s theology . . . Continue reading →
The Catholicity of the Reformed Faith and Its Evangelical Counterparts
Recently Mark Driscoll and Gerry Brashears published a survey of basic Christian teaching. Martin Downes has been helpfully evaluating their account of the doctrine of Christ. It is interesting to see the way two ostensibly “Reformed” writers handle a matter of catholic . . . Continue reading →
Roman Catholic Scholar Converts to Evangelical Faith
Re-posted from c. 2007 Dateline Paris, 1534. © Paris News Service By Guy LaFontaine Jean Calvin, 25, of Noyon, a leading scholar of the classics and law student in the University of Paris, has reportedly converted to the evangelical cause. A classicist . . . Continue reading →
Office Hours: Martin Klauber on Protestant Orthodoxy in the Classical Period
There aren’t many scholars who know in detail what happened to Protestant theology after the “high orthodox” period in the mid-late 17th century (think Francis Turretin). Marty Klauber is one of those fellows and we sat down to talk last spring when . . . Continue reading →
We Expect the AAUP to Speak Up
An adjunct prof at the University of Illinois has been fired for offending a student (engaging in “hate speech”). What was that “hate speech”? He dared to contrast a natural-law approach to homosexuality with other approaches (HT: AR). RELATED POSTS Natural Law, . . . Continue reading →
The Glory of Rome
The election of Pope Paul III in 1534 signaled the beginning of the counter-Reformation; that is Rome’s response to Luther, Calvin and their followers. One way Paul III hoped to counter the teachings of the reformation was to complete the construction of . . . Continue reading →
Polanus 400
Amandus Polanus wrote one of the more significant Reformed theologies of the first half of the 17th century. It’s a remarkable work. Andrew Myers has a nice post introducing Polanus.
The Old Harmony is New Again
Philip Benedict concedes that the Harmony was a more hopeful than a realistic expression of Protestant unity. But he adds that it was “one example of the conviction of many Reformed that the bonds of brotherhood ought to encompass the Lutheran churches . . . Continue reading →
The Real Catholic Church in Italy
Calvin On Osiander
One of the more bizarre claims made about Andreas Osiander is that, for Calvin ” he was the only consistent Lutheran.” One would hardly reach this conclusion from reading what Calvin actually wrote about Osiander!
Nobody Expects the Italian Reformation (link corrected)
But it happened, briefly and the good news here is that it’s back. Andrea Ferrari is a pastor of the Reformed Congregation in Milan, Italy. He’s also an author who has written (in English!) on one of the more significant Italian Reformed . . . Continue reading →
List of SBL Abbreviations for Biblical Books
If this makes sense to you you’ll understand. If it doesn’t don’t worry about it:
(Updated) Which Church History Survey Should I Read? (UPDATED)
I get this question frequently but the question usually rests on a premise I don’t share and so I don’t give the answer that most of my correspondents are expecting. The question usually assumes that there are a few good surveys of . . . Continue reading →
A Reformed Appropriation and Adaptation of Aristotle in Mid-16th Century
Paul Helm surveys Peter Martyr Vermigli’s commentary on Aristotle.
A Westminster Divine on the Threefold Distinction in the Law
“First, concerning the law of God, you know there are some of them: 1. Ceremonial, which consisted in Rights, and Ordinances, and Shadows, typifying Jesus Christ in his sufferings, unto which there was a full period put by the death of Christ. . . . Continue reading →
Eamon Duffy on the Origins of the Papacy
Eamon Duffy is Professor of the History of Christianity, and Fellow and Director of Studies, Magdalene College, University of Cambridge. He is author of several significant works of church history including The Stripping of the Altars: Traditional Religion in England 1400–1570 (New . . . Continue reading →
John Owen on Constantinianism, Baptismal Regeneration, And Apostasy
From this influx, it is not surprising that the doctrines of faith and, most especially, that of the new birth became so rapidly corrupted in the churches. With separation from the world spurned, there is no wonder that the sanctity and glory . . . Continue reading →