The following is preserved for historical purposes. The original post has been removed. This version is preserved at archive.org. MY EMAIL EXCHANGE WITH THE PASTOR WHO DEFENDS MY RAPIST Last September, I wrote this blog post in response to a resurgence of . . . Continue reading →
Federal Vision and New Perspectives on Paul
Should I Buy It? A Book Review
Frequently I receive the question in my inbox: “Should I buy this book?” What I would like to say is, “Yes, buy every book but don’t buy every book you buy.” I think it is a good idea to own and read . . . Continue reading →
The PCA Ad Interim Report On The Federal Vision
The PCA Ad Interim Report On The Federal Vision
The URCNA Synodical Committee Report on the Federal Vision
The URCNA Report On Justification and the Federal Vison
Cuando las Buenas Nuevas se Vuelven Malas
(publicado primero en Evangelium, Vol. 2, Número 2, Mar/Abr 2004) Traducción de Donald Herrera Teran Introducción La palabra «Evangelio» es tan familiar y se usa tan frecuentemente que es posible perder de vista su significado genuino, «buenas nuevas.» Este asunto es vital . . . Continue reading →
Baptism and the Benefits of Christ
“Baptism and the Benefits of Christ: The Double Mode of Communion” in The Confessional Presbyterian 2 (2006): 3–19.
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 →
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.
After the Federal Vision: The Return of Moralism
August, 2008 (rev 2012) Preface The Federal Vision is a self-named, proposed, radical, revision of the Reformed covenant theology, doctrine of salvation, and doctrine of the church. In place of the biblical doctrine of unconditional election, it proposes to add a second, . . . Continue reading →
Explaining the Nine Points of Synod Schereville
Preface In 2007 the Synod the United Reformed Churches in North America adopted a statement of pastoral advice concerning the self-described “Federal Vision” theology. For more on this movement see this essay. Interpreting Synod One of the main matters of business at . . . Continue reading →
Theonomy and the Federal Vision
One aspect of the self-named Federal Vision movement that is sometimes overlooked is its connection to theonomic ethics. “Federal Vision” (hereafter FV) refers to a movement with roots in the early 1970s (see below) but that developed in the 1990s. They took . . . Continue reading →
Three Ways of Relating to the One Covenant of Grace
Sometime back the question was raised: We know that there are at least two categories of people within Scripture, the elect, and the non-elect. However, it might be apparent that there is a third class of people, those who have taken the . . . Continue reading →
The Nine Points of (URCNA) Synod (Schereville) 2007 Against the Federal Vision
THE NINE POINTS OF (URCNA) SYNOD (SCHEREVILLE) 2007 Synod affirms that the Scriptures and confessions teach the doctrine of justification by grace alone, through faith alone and that nothing that is taught under the rubric of covenant theology in our churches may . . . Continue reading →
For Those Just Tuning In: What is the Federal Vision?
In talk radio the host is supposed to “re-set” the show at regular intervals. He is to remind listeners to which show they are listening and on what network or station. One reason why the host does this is because some listeners . . . Continue reading →
Presbyterians And Presbyterians Together: A Call To Charitable Theological Discourse
NOTE: This document is posted here for historical interest and research only. This document was published in April, 2006 and provoked considerable discussion in conservative Presbyterian and Reformed world in connection to the Federal Vision controversy. Since that time the original publication . . . Continue reading →
When the Good News Becomes Bad
Introduction The word “Gospel” is so familiar and frequently used that it is possible to lose sight of its genuine meaning, “good news.” This question is vital as we face a series of movements within our churches which seek to redefine the . . . Continue reading →
The Danger of a Falling Church
[Note: This essay was originally published in The Outlook 50 (July/August 2001): 21-2.]. Introduction If possible, I wish to raise an alarm without being an alarmist. The Reformed theologian, J. H. Alsted (1588-1638) said that the doctrine of justification is the article . . . Continue reading →