The Reformation was a complex event, which happened for many reasons but the triggering event on which many have focused over the centuries was Martin Luther’s Ninety-Five Theses (1517). Though provocative, the theses were not themselves all that radical. Luther’s discovery of the . . . Continue reading →
Reformation Resources
Turretin: The Reformation Was Not A Cold, Academic Debate
Until June 20, 2020: All Ligonier Teaching Series Free To Stream
Here is the Ligonier announcement: As a result of the global health crisis, churches are canceling Bible studies, small groups, and Sunday school classes. Pastors and elders around the world are thinking about new ways to bring God’s Word to their congregations. . . . Continue reading →
Was Sola Scriptura A Reformation Slogan And Doctrine?
Introduction: What Sola Scriptura Is and Is Not Recently, in a couple of places (online and in print) I have run across the claims, which, in different ways question the Reformation bona fides of the slogan and doctrine, sola scriptura. In one place an . . . Continue reading →
Schaff’s Creeds of Christendom: A Most Valuable, Free, Electronic Resource
There are other collections of ecumenical creeds. There are other collections of the Reformed confessions (e.g., Reformed Confessions in the 16th and 17th Centuries). There are other surveys (e.g. Pelikan and Hotchkiss, Credo) but there is still nothing that does just what Philip . . . Continue reading →
Just In Time For Reformation Day: The Return Of The Federal Visionists (And Their Allies)
Most of the confessional Reformed denominations took formal positions or at least received study papers rejecting the self-described Federal Vision theology a little more than twelve years ago. Because the original debate is so far in the rear view mirror, it seems . . . Continue reading →
Christian Liberty: A Product Of Sola Scriptura
October is Reformation month for confessional Protestants, i.e., those Reformed, Lutheran, and Anglican Churches that trace their roots to the Protestant Reformation. One of the basic tenets of the Reformation was sola Scriptura, according to Scripture alone. By “Scripture alone” we do . . . Continue reading →
More Conference Audio: Q and A On Reformation, Sanctification, Good Works, And More (pt 2)
Here is the third installment of the audio from the conference, So You You Say You Want A Reformation? hosted by Bethlehem Bible Church in West Boylston, MA. This is the question and answer session of the conference from Friday evening. Here . . . Continue reading →
More Conference Audio: Q and A On Reformation, Sanctification, Good Works, And More
Here is the second installment of the audio from the conference, So You You Say You Want A Reformation? hosted by Bethlehem Bible Church in West Boylston, MA. This is the question and answer session of the conference from Friday evening. Here . . . Continue reading →
Conference Audio: Law, Gospel, And Galawspel
This past Friday and Saturday I had the pleasure of speaking at the conference, So You You Say You Want A Reformation? hosted by Bethlehem Bible Church in West Boylston, MA. This is the first session of the conference from Friday evening. . . . Continue reading →
Luther On What Makes A Real Theologian
Therefore whoever knows well how to distinguish the Gospel from the Law should give thanks to God and know that he is a real theologian. I admit that in the time of temptation I myself do not know how to do this . . . Continue reading →
God Does Not Help Those Who Help Themselves Or Why The Reformation Still Matters
The Reformation Still Matters Sometimes when we talk about the Reformation we give or receive the impression that it was purely a historical event with no continuing relevance or even that Reformation is one thing and mission is another. Here is an . . . Continue reading →
What’s Wrong With A Theology Of Glory?
At the 1518 Heidelberg Disputation (academic presentation), Martin Luther (1483–1546), the father of the Protestant Reformation, as he was coming to his Protestant convictions, argued: “One is not worthy to be called a theologian who looks upon the ‘invisible things of God’ . . . Continue reading →
You Say You Want A Reformation? October 11–12, 2019 In Boston
The late Reformation era slogan semper Reformanda has been often abused. It is often taken to mean that we need to get rid of basic Reformation convictions, e.g., sola Scriptura, the doctrine that Holy Scripture is sufficient for Christian faith and practice. What it . . . Continue reading →
Audio: With Back To The Reformation Podcast On The Value Of The Reformation For Evangelicals
Recently I talked with Matthew and Onnig of the Back to the Reformation podcast about the value of the Reformation for contemporary evangelical churches, about what biblicism is (hint: it does not mean “to be biblical”), about American religious history and the . . . Continue reading →
Office Hours Season 8 Celebrated The 500th Anniversary Of The Reformation
The Protestant Reformation was one of the most important theological, social, religious, and political episodes in Western history. It is reasonable to divide all Western history in two: before the Reformation and after. Nevertheless, in our time, the Reformation is not well . . . Continue reading →
Reformation 2018: Salvation Is By Abounding Grace Alone
Protestant churches, i.e., those that still believe and confess the theology, piety, and practice recovered in the Protestant Reformation of the 16th century, celebrate Reformation Day on October 31. This is the day, in 1517, that Dr Martin Luther (1483–1546), a German . . . Continue reading →
Review: D. G. Hart, Still Protesting
After all, the lure of Romanism seems stronger than ever. For those concerned about the late-modern cultural crisis Rome seems to offer not only a stability in the midst of chaos but Romanists are now the leading edge of cultural resistance to the sexual revolution represented by Roe v Wade (and Doe v Bolton; 1973), which has resulted so far in 50–60 million abortions and counting and by Obergefell v Hodges (2015), which revolutionized the definition of marriage in the US. Romanists now dominate the U.S. Supreme Court. It seems that trend will continue. The intellectual leadership of the conservative counter culture is dominated by Romanists. The mainline Protestant institutions long ago gave up their confessional theological heritage and with it, ironically, their influence in the culture. Continue reading →
With Janet Mefferd On Sola Scriptura
As early as the late 4th century, challenged by a variety of claims of religious authority, many of whom claimed to have an unwritten secret tradition or revelation, Basil the Great (c.330–79), one of the Cappadocian Fathers, rather than standing on the . . . Continue reading →
Office Hours: What Happened To The Reformation? (Part 1)
It is October 2017. 500 years ago this month Martin Luther wrote 95 theses against the abuse of indulgences in the Western church. We have traced the Reformation to this date for a long time but as you and I have discussed . . . Continue reading →