Heidelcast 52: Images Of Christ Don’t Affirm His Humanity, They Deny It

Heidelcast

on November 30, 2013 | 29 Comments

In some Reformed quarters to it is considered clever to argue that to reject images is to deny the humanity of Christ. That Reformed writers should make such an argument would shock our Reformed forefathers, who were convinced that images of Christ . . . Continue reading →

Tell Me Again, Why Don’t We Sing The Psalms?

Heidelblog

on November 28, 2013 | 3 Comments

Only it appeared to me to be requisite to show in passing, that this book makes known to us this privilege, which is desirable above all others — that not only is there opened up to us familiar access to God, but . . . Continue reading →

The Synagogue As Pattern For Early Christian Worship

Heidelblog

on October 28, 2013 | 6 Comments

When comparing the worship of the early church with that of the synagogue, we labour under this disadvantage, that, if the primitive church had any liturgy, it has not been handed down to us; still, as far as we can ascertain anything . . . Continue reading →

Monuments Of Idolatry

Heidelblog

on October 22, 2013

There was also presented to the Assembly, a new Paraphrase of the Psalms in English meter, which was well liked of and commended by some of the members of the Assembly; But because we conceived that the Psalm Book in all the . . . Continue reading →

Standard Reformed Polemics Against The Use Of Musical Instruments In Worship

Heidelblog

on October 20, 2013 | 6 Comments

But all light into, all perceptions of, this glory, all experience of its power, were, amongst the most, lost in the world. I intend, in all these instances, the time of the Papal apostasy. Those who had the conduct of religion could . . . Continue reading →

The Psalms Are Transcultural

R. Scott Clark

on October 19, 2013

(HT: Leon Brown)

Renewed And Improved: Gillespie Against The Normative Principle Of Worship

R. Scott Clark

on October 15, 2013 | 4 Comments

When I first came into contact with the Reformed faith about 33 years ago, there were two things that Reformed folk had to believe: divine sovereignty and the inerrancy of Scripture. It’s not that we actively disbelieved the other elements of the . . . Continue reading →

Tyndale’s Application of the Regulative Principle

Heidelblog

on October 9, 2013 | 3 Comments

Mark well how many parsonages or vicarages are there in the realm, which at the least have a plow-land a-piece. Then note the lands of bishops, abbots, priors, nuns, knights of St John’s, cathedral churches, colleges, chauntries, and free-chapels. For though the . . . Continue reading →

Heidelcast 41: Reformation Worship Conference

Heidelcast

on September 26, 2013

David Hall and the good folks at Midway Presbyterian Church (PCA) in Powder Springs, GA are hosting the fifth annual Reformation Worship Conference next month (Oct 17-20, 2013). David joined me by phone this afternoon to talk about the conference and about . . . Continue reading →

Does The Bible Command It?

Heidelblog

on September 26, 2013 | 7 Comments

In other words, when we are considering the content and conduct of our worship, the biggest question is not “Does the Bible forbid it?” but “Does the Bible command it?” That makes things much simpler because any list of what God forbids . . . Continue reading →

Psalm 23 As You’ve Never Heard It Before

God's Word Transcends Cultural Boundaries

R. Scott Clark

on September 12, 2013 | 9 Comments

You Mean That There’s More Than "Shine, Jesus Shine"?

R. Scott Clark

on August 16, 2013 | 21 Comments

Do you realize that, for people of a certain age, let’s say those born since 1980, “Shine, Jesus Shine” (published in 1987) is now a “traditional hymn”? It’s about as “traditional” for those generations as revival songs from the early 20th century . . . Continue reading →

We Neglected The Reformers On Worship

Heidelblog

on August 4, 2013 | 2 Comments

Although I had been raised in Methodist and Presbyterian churches and attended Westminster Theological Seminary in Philadelphia, was ordained in the Orthodox Presbyterian Church, served pastorates in that church and in the PCA, I nevertheless found myself at different times in my . . . Continue reading →

In Case You’ve Never Heard

R. Scott Clark

on June 12, 2013 | 12 Comments

One of the reasons why people resist the call to return to historic Reformed (and catholic) worship practices, e.g., singing God’s Word without musical instruments is because it is completely unfamiliar and thus seems implausible or entirely theoretical. It isn’t. Thanks to . . . Continue reading →

Is The Organ God’s Gift To Worship?

R. Scott Clark

on June 4, 2013 | 40 Comments

I’m a big fan of Booker T. Jones (of Booker T and the MGs). What follows, however, isn’t about taste. It’s about principle. So, I was just minding my own business, checking out the usual Monday morning morning flood of social-media, and . . . Continue reading →

Calvin: Instruments In Public Worship Is The Restoration of Shadows

Heidelblog

on June 3, 2013 | 1 Comment

For even now, if believers choose to cheer themselves with musical instruments, they should, I think, make it their object not to dissever their cheerfulness from the praises of God. But when they frequent their sacred assemblies, musical instruments in celebrating the . . . Continue reading →

Reformed Churches Of Nassau (1578): No Organs In Church

Heidelblog

on May 15, 2013

Latin songs, as well as organs (first introduced into the churches by Pope Vitellianus about 665) are for the most part abolished in the churches of this land. Not that the use of the Latin language or of music is rejected of . . . Continue reading →

Clarkson: Public Worship To Be Preferred Before Private

Heidelblog

on May 14, 2013 | 10 Comments

“The Lord loveth the gates of Zion more than all the dwellings of Jacob.”—Ps 87:2 THAT we may apprehend the meaning of these words, and so thereupon raise some edifying observation, we must inquire into the reason why the Lord is said . . . Continue reading →

New Reformed Congregation in the Dallas Metro

R. Scott Clark

on May 9, 2013 | 8 Comments

Via Exclusive Psalmody comes the announcement that the RPCNA is planting a new congregation in the Dallas metro. The RPs are an American Presbyterian denomination with roots in the Scottish Presbyterian tradition. Sometimes known as “Covenanters” because of their connections to the . . . Continue reading →

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Reforming Worship