There are those, who one suspects, have spent little time investigating the actual differences between the Reformed Churches and their Remonstrant critics, who have attempted to position themselves between the Reformed and the Remonstrants. Some of these call themselves “tweeners.” There are . . . Continue reading →
In their second head of doctrine, the Remonstrants confessed, in 1610: ART. II. That, agreeably thereto, Jesus Christ, the Savior of the world, died for all men and for every man, so that he has obtained for them all, by his death . . . Continue reading →
In the debate between the Remonstrants (Arminians) and the Reformed, who is it who limits the value and extent of the atonement? According to the critics of Reformed theology, it is ostensibly the Reformed who limit the value of the atonement. After . . . Continue reading →
According to its critics, including the Remonstrants, the great fault of the Reformed doctrine of the atonement is that it is too exclusive. That, however, is not how the Reformed Churches presented their understanding of Scripture. Their opening note under the Second . . . Continue reading →
It is a remarkable thing that, outside of Reformed circles, it seems to be widely assumed that the attraction of the doctrine of predestination is that it is reasonable. This is nothing but an assumption. The Reformed churches do not confess the . . . Continue reading →
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 →
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 →
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 →
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 →
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 →
In an introductory essay on the life and work of Charles Grandison Finney (1792–1875), the writer contrasts his approach to evangelism with that of the Calvinists in the same period. The essay is attributed to the editors of Christian History magazine. They . . . Continue reading →
Recently I received an email at The Heidelblog from Katie with the following question: I’m getting a lot of stick from my guy friends. They say that I should always submit to their lead and that this is biblical. I tell them that . . . Continue reading →
A complex question came over the electronic transom this morning. It has at least two parts: (1) Is persistent sin (e.g., sexual sin or desire) our identity, who we are; (2) Does the Lord want us to offer this sin to him? . . . Continue reading →
Eight years ago my colleague at Abounding Grace Radio, Chris Gordon, wrote some important essays calling attention to the parallels between contemporary Federal Vision movement and the Arminian movement at the Synod of Dort. He was quite right to do so. Following . . . Continue reading →
I love my church. I mean LOVE. My family are members of a small, sweet, in many ways unremarkable Presbyterian church somewhere in Chicagoland. And yet every week on our way home, we marvel at just how remarkable our church actually is. . . . Continue reading →
The margins of a screen or a piece of notebook paper are the spaces between the very edge and the area where we are allowed to write. There are also social and cultural margins. Some institutions in society are right in the . . . Continue reading →
What if I told you that one of the most important events in the history of Reformed theology and in the Reformed churches almost did not happen, that, indeed, theologically indifferent politicians and well connected critics of the Reformed confession almost persuaded . . . Continue reading →
There are problems with the traditional model for preparing pastors but some of the proposed alternatives are worse. One of those is “Distributed Education” model. The traditional model is that you have 20 professors on campus and all the students have to . . . Continue reading →
