Church Order of Dort (1619)

The following is taken from Richard R. DeRidder, ed., The Church Orders of the Sixteenth Century Reformed Churches of the Netherlands Together with Their Social, Political, and Ecclesiastical Context. Trans. Richard R. DeRidder with the assistance of Peter H. Jonker and Rev. . . . Continue reading →

Godfrey on Waldo and the Waldensians

For a time, the movement spread widely into parts of Germany and Austria, as well as Northern Italy. Persecution by the church, however, was severe and eventually reduced the movement to a remnant in the valleys of Northern Italy. Efforts to eradicate them through the centuries failed, and only in 1870 did the Waldensians receive full civil rights in Italy. [click image for more] Continue reading →

A Useful Resource for Psalm Singing

So Psalm 58 invites us to have patience under persecution, to take comfort in the justice and judgment of God. Why? Because we know that judgement – all the curses of Psalm 58 and the rest of the Bible – was borne for us by Christ. We, too, were children of the devil, deserving of all of this curse. But now, because that curse was carried for us, we know that when that last trumpet shall sound we will in Christ be found. So we need not fear the judgment. Rather, we look forward to it, knowing that finally God will be ultimately vindicated and glorified. Continue reading →