Reformation Day as we know it is somewhat arbitrary. There’s little about the 95 Theses is that is distinctively Protestant. There are shadows and hints here and there in the 95 Theses of what would become Luther’s mature views, but for the . . . Continue reading →
Here is the audio (at sermonaudio.com) from the Recovering the Reformation conference held over Reformation Day weekend this fall at Springs Reformed Church (RPCNA) in beautiful Colorado Springs. Once again, I’m grateful to Pastor David Reese, to Shawn Stickel and everyone there . . . Continue reading →
Wes Bredenhof is surveying Guido (Guy) de Bres’ 1555 reply to Rome, The Staff of the Christian Faith. This is an interesting document as it’s mostly a series of patristic quotations showing how the Reformation agreed with the early fathers—thereby subverting the . . . Continue reading →
A number of evangelical and socially conservative blogs and publications are marking the death (not “passing” but that’s another post) yesterday of Richard John Neuhaus at age 72. It is not remarkable that social conservatives are weeping today. After a career as . . . Continue reading →
“The natural consequence of this assent, is the LOVE of the truth thus known and acknowledged. This is the third act of faith, and of this the Apostle speaks when he says; “They received not the love of the truth that they . . . Continue reading →
Since the 1970s the Norman Shepherd and his followers have argued that faith justifies because is it not alone. They reject the notion that sanctity is nothing but the fruit of justification. The funny thing is that Zacharias Ursinus, the primary author . . . Continue reading →
Hence, also, we see the error of those who, in comparing the Law with the Gospel, represent it merely as a comparison between the merit of works, and the gratuitous imputation of righteousness. This is indeed a contrast not at all to . . . Continue reading →
Originally posted 10 Nov 2007 On the White Horse Inn for 3 November (2007) Mike Horton interviewed Roman Catholic apologist Robert Sungenis and historian Mark Noll (Is the Reformation Over?). Just a few comments about the first half of the show.
Not October 31. Thanks to Justin for this timely reminder.
The most recent WHI is (another) not-to-miss episode. Shane has conducted more NRB interviews. Some of them are what we’ve come to expect but some are surprising. You should hear them. Along the way the fellows made three terrific points. 1. The . . . Continue reading →
At Helm’s Deep.
This week’s episode of the White Horse Inn is interesting and important because it deals with two closely related problems: the finality of the Scriptures as God’s Word and the claims to ongoing revelation made by modern neo-Pentecostalists and by the Roman . . . Continue reading →
Can you say theologia gloriae? I can say, theologia crucis.
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 →
Over the years of battling the moralists (Federal Visionists, Norman Shepherd et al) I’ve not always been certain whether the moralists understand the orthodox doctrine of justification and reject it or if they think they are really teaching it. Here’s a post . . . Continue reading →
The audio from the Central Valley Conference on Reformed Theology at Zion Reformed Church in Ripon, California is online now (below). Thanks to Pastors Kevin Efflandt and Angelo Contreras and to everyone at Zion for their hard work in preparing for the . . . Continue reading →
Unlike Father Neuhaus, I guess few readers of this space will know who Henk Navis was, but he died today. Henk did not participate in any famous negotiations with anyone. He did not leave one communion for another. He wasn’t celebrated or . . . Continue reading →
The sum and whole cause of the writing of this epistle is to prove that a man is justified by faith only; which proposition whoso denieth, to him is not only this epistle and all that Paul writeth, but also the whole . . . Continue reading →
In a post on the First Things blog today, Peter Leithart declares the “End of Protestantism.” It’s not at all clear, however, that he understands what he wants to end. He begins with a sociological observation about contemporary English non-conformists and uses . . . Continue reading →
In the previous installment we considered the role of Scripture in faith. Now we turn to its object. I think they’ve largely gone away but a few years back team-building “trust exercises” were all the rage. The producers even got the Duck . . . Continue reading →