In his brilliant work, Christianity and Liberalism (1923), J. Gresham Machen called for the “liberals” (many of whom could just as aptly be called broad evangelicals) to be honest about their views and to leave the Presbyterian Church. Thirteen years later, it . . . Continue reading →
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, historical, conditional election on . . . Continue reading →
UPDATE 12 October 2009 The remarks that follow highlight areas of significant disagreement so let me preface my remarks thus: I am thankful for the good work that John Piper has done. I’m most thankful for his clear and strong stand in . . . Continue reading →
One of our graduates, a Reformed pastor and church planter in the Mediterranean region, pointed me today to a troubling blog. The Communion of Reformed Evangelical Churches (CREC) is planting congregations in Europe, exporting the FV to Europe, and attempting to recruit . . . Continue reading →
Darryl replies to his Royal Dougness on allegedly “radical” two-kingdoms ethics. I particularly like most of the comment by Father Taciturn:
In response to another post, Daniel F., one of Doug Wilson’s more ardent defenders, asked me to listen to a clip from a sermon which is supposed to demonstrate Wilson’s pristine evangelical, Protestant, Reformational orthodoxy on justification. What follows is a lightly . . . Continue reading →
That’s the conclusion of R. C. Sproul, Jr. about the self-described “Federal Vision” movement. You can read it for yourself in his column titled, “Two Birds, One Stone” in the February issue of Tabletalk magazine. The focus of the magazine is on . . . Continue reading →
Wes White is a penitent ex-federal visionary. He’s engaged in a serious struggle in his PCA presbytery with Federal Visionists and they’ve pulled out all the stops to try to shut him up by complaining in the courts of the church against . . . Continue reading →
Or you may face church discipline. You might want to keep this in mind if you’re thinking about attending or joining the Confederation of Reformed Evangelicals.
A good lot of so-called “conservative” (what are they conserving?) Reformed types have told me, “Yes, Wilson has some weird views but he’s different from the other Federal Visionists.” Really? Rhetorically perhaps, but substantially? Lane Keister, who has been sitting in with . . . Continue reading →
The various social crises facing the West are great but the Roman empire was already in crisis when God the Holy Spirit empowered Christ’s apostles to take the gospel to the ends of the earth. Rome fell. The gospel and Christ’s church continued. Another empire, Christendom, replaced the old Roman Empire but it fell too. The kingdom of God, as manifested chiefly in this world in the visible, institutional church, continued. Social crises are important but they aren’t more important than the gospel. Seeing that is a key difference between actually being Reformed and being just another social conservative with a passing interest in the Reformation (as it suits whatever social agenda is in view). Continue reading →
After much deliberation, prayer, and encourage from some friends and readers the HB is back. Thanks to a dear and loyal friend who did an amazing amount of work to make it happen. The last HB post was in May 2011. Much . . . Continue reading →
UPDATE: added to the two Heidelcast episodes audio clips from the video linked below. § These episodes grew out of the decision Desiring God Ministries to invite the de facto leader of the self-described Federal Vision movement to speak at the 2009 DGM . . . Continue reading →
Heidelcast episode #3: A Gentle Rebuke to Brother John (pt 2)
We affirm that apostasy is a terrifying reality for many baptized Christians. All who are baptized into the triune Name are united with Christ in His covenantal life, and so those who fall from that position of grace are indeed falling from . . . Continue reading →
For some time the Federal Visionists have been arguing that no one should criticize the Federal Vision until the church courts ruled on it. This is a strange argument since, on that basis Luther couldn’t have replied to Erasmus (the Augsburg wouldn’t . . . Continue reading →
The time warp continues as we flash back to 2010 when the Leithart case was first addressed by the PCA’s Standing Judicial Commission (which acts on behalf of the General Assembly). Back then the SJC erred that Leithart’s presbytery erred in not . . . Continue reading →
Jonathan Merritt published a critique of Doug Wilson this morning on his Religion News Service. For younger readers, who might not remember the Federal Vision (FV) controversy, Wilson is the leader of the de facto denominational home of the FV, the Communion of . . . Continue reading →
From the time he entered the pastoral ministry, James Arminius (c. 1559–1609) was a controversial figure but he was also a minister in good standing in the Reformed Churches. Despite the intense controversy that his views and teaching generated, views that fractured . . . Continue reading →
Heidelcasts responding to these comments: Heidelcast episode #2: A Gentle Rebuke to Brother John (pt 1) Heidelcast episode #3: A Gentle Rebuke to Brother John (pt 2)