The medievals had a slogan, “The law of praying is the law of believing.” It means, “If we can change liturgy, we can change what folk believe.” This axiom means that whoever controls the liturgy controls the future of the church, humanly . . . Continue reading →
regulative principle
Wanted: Better Tunes for the Psalms
We were having an interesting discussion about the WHI show on “happy-clappy” worship. One of the things for which I have been “banging the drum” is the need for contemporary settings of the Psalms. I love the Book of Psalms for Singing. . . . Continue reading →
If the Sacraments Are Elements of Worship Then…
In response to the post on what to do with the offering, Ruben asks, “I’m still curious — are you saying that if the Lord’s Supper is absent (more generally, if no sacraments are administered), it’s not (proper) worship?
A New RPCNA Psalter?
Bill Chellis says it’s in the works. He’s not entirely happy with it and blames those over 45 for an inordinate desire to fit into the spirit of the age. Well, just having turned 47 I would be outraged but I’m too . . . Continue reading →
Reformed Churches are Scripture-Singing Churches
If your congregation is in a confessional Reformed denomination/federation but it isn’t a Scripture-singing congregation, there’s a problem.
Why Don't We Sing the Psalms?
Bits of Calvin at Adiaphora.
It Makes Him Uncomfortable But In a Good Way
Nick has read chapter 7 of RRC on worship. His survey of the chapter made me laugh out loud—I had to think for a while about “spit the dummy”—and I wrote the chapter! Of course, the author hopes you’ll read the chapter . . . Continue reading →
More Baseball Analogies: Lent is Like Spring Training?
Darryl has discovered “PCA Conversations“
Two-Way Traffic on the Presbyterian Mainline
One of the major reasons I wrote Recovering the Reformed Confession was to call attention to a weird sort of two-way traffic. Some in the Reformed Churches in North America and apparently in Scotland seem ready to abandon the very thing that . . . Continue reading →
On P&R Churches and "Holy Days"
Andy Webb has a very helpful post on this topic. Darryl Hart asks when Presbyterians became Adventists? With the help of Leigh Eric Schmidt makes some very interesting and important points about the way commercial interests coincided with the interests of revivalist . . . Continue reading →
"Sectarians" v "Relevants" in the PCA and the Strategic Plan
“Nowhere has the disagreements between the “sectarians” and the “relevants” been more evident than in the discussions regarding the Regulative Principle of Worship, women in diaconal ministry, and the cultural mandate of the Church. The Metro New York Presbytery of the PCA, . . . Continue reading →
Deformation or Reformation?
Several people have forwarded various news stories from the UK regarding the possibility that the Free Church of Scotland may decide at GA this summer to permit the playing of musical instruments and the singing of uninspired, non-canonical songs in worship. It . . . Continue reading →
What We Can Learn From the Free Church About Conservatism and Sola Scriptura
The Free Church of Scotland, by a narrow margin, has voted to allow the introduction of musical instruments and non-inspired songs into its public worship services. As unfortunate as that decision is, if news accounts are to be believed, the grounds for . . . Continue reading →
The Scandal of Pagans Leading Worship
Collin Hansen has a fascinating series of interviews on the Gospel Coalition today asking a variety of pastors whether they allow those who make no Christian profession, who regard themselves as non-Christians, non-believers, those we used to call “heathen” or “pagans” to . . . Continue reading →
Hart: It’s Not About Style
Darryl writes: “…pipe organs are no more beautiful than guitars, and upper-, middle-, and lower-class aesthetics have no standing in “traditional” Reformed worship. The reason has everything to do with the theology of the Lord’s Day, when Christians assemble with all the . . . Continue reading →
Psalms, Hymns, And Spiritual Songs In The Septuagint
Thanks to Adam B. who posted on the Puritanboard a chart that stimulated this post. The chart has been modified slightly by numbering the Psalms to conform to the Septuagint (LXX). According to tradition, based on the letter of Aristeas, the Hebrew Scriptures . . . Continue reading →
The Real Question is Whether There is An Objective Definition of Reformed
Part of Saturday was spent trading tweets with Matthew Milliner, who teaches Art History at Wheaton College. We had a good, genial conversation from two different confessional traditions. I’m not sure but judging by his arguments I inferred that Matthew may identify . . . Continue reading →
Calvin On Lent
Then the superstitions observance of Lent had everywhere prevailed: for both the vulgar imagined that they thereby perform some excellent service to God, and pastors commended it as a holy imitation of Christ; though it is plain that Christ did not fast . . . Continue reading →
Beza: No Judaistic Ceremony Or Stupid Superstition
We say that it is a superstition to esteem one day more holy than another. or to think that to abstain from labor is something which, in itself, pleases God (Rom 14:5, 6; Col 2:16, 17). But, following what the Lord has . . . Continue reading →
Heidelcast 11b: Reforming Worship, Confession, And Marriage
Rummaging around the old hard drive I found a lost episode of the Heidelcast from December 2009. Sam wrote to ask about whether and how to approach his church about reforming their worship service. He also asked about the degree to which . . . Continue reading →