A survey of 3,000 people conducted by LifeWay Research and commissioned by Ligonier Ministries found that although Americans still overwhelmingly identify as “Christian,” startling percentages of the nation embrace ancient errors condemned by all major Christian traditions. These are not minor points . . . Continue reading →
ecumenical Christianity
Heidelcast 126: I Am That I Am (4)—The Trinity
Traditionally, at this place in theology, we should address the divine attributes in relation to the divine being/essence. Otto Weber (1902–66) challenged this approach by arguing that because Scripture reveals God first of all as Triune and his attributes in the light . . . Continue reading →
Discounted To $2.99: The Kindle Version Of Olevianus’ Exposition Of The Apostles’ Creed
It is good to see evangelicals rediscovering the Great Christian Tradition, i.e., the broad stream of ecumenical (universal) Christian truth represented by the ecumenical creeds. The confessional Reformed churches, however, have always, from the beginning of the Reformation, been aware of and . . . Continue reading →
Can Baptists Be Catholic? (Part 1)
Whether Baptists can be catholic is a serious question that requires a serious answer. Before we proceed, however, we must define our terms. What is catholicity? Our English word catholic is really a Greek word, katholikos (καθολικός), borrowed by English. What does . . . Continue reading →
Can Baptists Be Catholic? (Part 2)
When the ancient church began to use the adjective catholic (universal) to describe her theology, piety, and practice, and to distinguish herself from the Gnostic, Marcionite, and Montanist cults of the second century, the best evidence is that they did not read . . . Continue reading →
Can Baptists Be Catholic? (Part 3)
My Baptist friends give two replies to the claim that they are not truly catholic. First, they appeal to their intent to be catholic. For example, in the introduction to the Second London Confession (1689) they say: “This we did the more abundantly to manifest our consent with both in all the fundamental articles of the Christian religion, as also with many others whose orthodox Confessions have been published to the world on the behalf of the Protestant in diverse nations and cities.” Continue reading →