A former student of mine many years ago at Westminster Seminary California once mentioned that he was feeling concerned about his devotional life since beginning seminary—a thought many first-semester seminary students have. He said that before attending seminary, he had an active . . . Continue reading →
In this episode Dr Clark interrupts the Romans series to take calls and answer questions on whether Baptists can be Reformed, on the history of confirmation, on growing in sanctification and the filial fear of the Lord after a period of sin, . . . Continue reading →
A correspondent wrote to ask whether Christian laity should administer the sacraments? This is an ancient question, though typically we face it in a different form. In the Reformation, Calvin dealt with this question because midwives would administer baptism to infants in . . . Continue reading →
During Dr Clark’s summer trip to Nebraska the mailbag (and Heideltext inbox) filled up so what was supposed to be an episode on the Canons of Dort became a Q&A episode. Never fear. The episode for next week returns to the Canons. . . . Continue reading →
This is a question and answer episode. Scott from VA texts to ask about Amyraldianism, is it heresy and what does it have to do with the distinction between the sufficiency of the atonement and the efficiency of the atonement. Anonymous texts . . . Continue reading →
In this episode Dr Clark answers Heidelmail and Heideltexts from Chris, about how we should think about the Lutheran doctrine of salvation, is it a middle way between the Reformed and the Lutherans? By the way, the title of which he was . . . Continue reading →
Jackson writes to ask, “As it relates to continuity with the Abrahamic covenant, for example, Abraham and his children get circumcised, therfore in the new administration, Jesus and his children (spiritual) get baptized. Do you think that someone can retain their Reformed . . . Continue reading →
The final authority for Christian doctrine and the Christian life, as the Westminster Divines wrote, the Word of God in the original languages. This is why it is so important that our pastors and teachers receive a genuine education in the original languages and why we should expect them to continue learn and progress in their knowledge and use of the original languages in pastoral ministry. For centuries before the Renaissance and Reformation, most the ministers in the Western church lost the ability to read the Scriptures in the original languages. Indeed, to find an illiterate priest (one who could not read at all) was not unknown. In the Greek church, of course, they could at least read the New Testament but it was not until the Renaissance that the knowledge of Hebrew and Greek began to return more widely and to be taught again in the universities, where pastors were educated. The Reformed churches understood and appreciated the value of the knowledge of the original languages and expected the pastors to learn and use them. Continue reading →
I get this question frequently but it is not the right question. Continue reading
Preface As a young Christian, as I was beginning to study Greek and to learn the Reformed theology, piety, and practice, I could see the textual apparatus in the footnotes of my copy of the Greek New Testament but I could not . . . Continue reading →
Resources How To Subscribe To Heidelmedia Inerrancy Is The Historic Christian View Of Scripture Resources On The Inerrancy Of Scripture The HB Resource Archive Heidelmedia Archive
We are a little late with our call-in show but here it is with excellent calls from London, UK, New Jersey, Madison, IN, and St Louis among other places. As always we have great calls on a variety of topics. I must . . . Continue reading →
It is time for the monthly Heidelcast call-in show and, as always, we have thoughtful and interesting questions on how to learn church history (and what to read), whether I agree with the 1646 edition of the Westminster Confession of Faith or . . . Continue reading →
Now sanitized for your listening safety, the Heidelcast is back with episode 149 in which we take questions from Lancaster, PA, Houston, TX, Cork, Ireland, and Belfast, UK. The Heidelcast is a global podcast. As always we had some good and challenging . . . Continue reading →
A correspondent wrote to ask for help thinking through how to respond to the arrival of a large evangelistic event in his town. This is my reply slightly revised for the HB. Continue reading →
Introduction Two correspondents have written in recent days to ask about whether those who confess the Reformed confessions (e.g., the Heidelberg Catechism, the Belgic Confession, the Canons of Dort, and the Westminster Standards) and the Reformed confession, which is a broader category . . . Continue reading →
Heidelblog reader Randy writes to ask why footwashing (pedilavium) is not regarded as a sacrament. The answer is twofold: 1) from the nature of the sacraments; 2) from the nature and intent of the act of footwashing in the life of our . . . Continue reading →
The Reformed churches and Reformed theologians (i.e., those who confess and teach within the bounds of the Reformed confessions, e.g., the French Confession (1559), the Scots Confession (1560), the Belgic Confession (1561), the Heidelberg Catechism (1563), the Second Helvetic Confession (1566), the . . . Continue reading →
One of the questions submitted to the Reformation conference last fall at the Lynden URC asks “in regards to the current state of the church, what is needed in terms of a Reformation?” That’s a great question. If we are talking about . . . Continue reading →
The biblical doctrine of God’s immutability says that God is always what he is. He is never any more or any less than he is. He is not becoming. He is not changing. He is utterly reliable. He is utterly perfect. He . . . Continue reading →