Heidelcast 12: Worship, Baptism, And Romanism

On Worship, Baptism, and Romanism

by Heidelcast on March 10, 2013 |

David writes with a question on worship, which we may paraphrase thus: If we can do something in worship on a Wednesday night Bible study or in personal devotions why can’t we do it in a Sunday morning service? Ken asks whether . . . Continue reading →

Sola Scriptura And Public Worship

by Heidelblog on March 23, 2013 |

We believe that those Holy Scriptures fully contain the will of God, and whatsoever man ought to believe unto salvation is sufficiently taught therein. For since the whole manner of worship which God requires of us is written in them at large, . . . Continue reading →

Of Musical Instruments, Worship, Choirs, Levites, And Blood

by Heidelblog on March 30, 2013 |

The use of instruments in worship was admittedly part of the Temple service. It had no place in the Tabernacle before David’s day, beyond the use of two silver trumpets made by Moses, in the hands of the priests. There is not . . . Continue reading →

Heidelcast 16: Being Relevant is Harder Than It Looks

An HB Classic

by Heidelcast on April 14, 2013 |

This episode of the Heidelcast, from January, 2010, takes a look at Chicago radio legend Steve Dahl’s reaction to being forced to go to church for Christmas. It’s useful to hear how silly Christians appear to unbelievers when we try to be . . . Continue reading →

On Elements and Circumstances

An HB Classic

by R. Scott Clark on May 3, 2013 |

The Reformed confessions distinguish between the elements of worship and the circumstances of worship. In Westminster Confession 21 we say, “…the acceptable way of worshiping the true God is instituted by himself, and so limited by his own revealed will, that he . . . Continue reading →

Calvin: Instruments In Public Worship Is The Restoration of Shadows

by Heidelblog on June 3, 2013 |

For even now, if believers choose to cheer themselves with musical instruments, they should, I think, make it their object not to dissever their cheerfulness from the praises of God. But when they frequent their sacred assemblies, musical instruments in celebrating the . . . Continue reading →

In Case You’ve Never Heard

by R. Scott Clark on June 12, 2013 |

One of the reasons why people resist the call to return to historic Reformed (and catholic) worship practices, e.g., singing God’s Word without musical instruments is because it is completely unfamiliar and thus seems implausible or entirely theoretical. It isn’t. Thanks to . . . Continue reading →

You Mean That There’s More Than "Shine, Jesus Shine"?

by R. Scott Clark on August 16, 2013 |

Do you realize that, for people of a certain age, let’s say those born since 1980, “Shine, Jesus Shine” (published in 1987) is now a “traditional hymn”? It’s about as “traditional” for those generations as revival songs from the early 20th century . . . Continue reading →

Tyndale’s Application of the Regulative Principle

by Heidelblog on October 9, 2013 |

Mark well how many parsonages or vicarages are there in the realm, which at the least have a plow-land a-piece. Then note the lands of bishops, abbots, priors, nuns, knights of St John’s, cathedral churches, colleges, chauntries, and free-chapels. For though the . . . Continue reading →

On The Wisdom Of Screens

by R. Scott Clark on October 23, 2013 |

Until very recently, if I mentioned screen and church in the same sentence one would have thought of a rood (Saxon for “cross”) screen, which separates the nave from the chancel. There, in the chancel, is the altar and the choir in . . . Continue reading →

Tell Me Again, Why Don’t We Sing The Psalms?

by Heidelblog on November 28, 2013 |

Only it appeared to me to be requisite to show in passing, that this book makes known to us this privilege, which is desirable above all others — that not only is there opened up to us familiar access to God, but . . . Continue reading →

Heidelcast 52: Images Of Christ Don’t Affirm His Humanity, They Deny It

by Heidelcast on November 30, 2013 |

In some Reformed quarters to it is considered clever to argue that to reject images is to deny the humanity of Christ. That Reformed writers should make such an argument would shock our Reformed forefathers, who were convinced that images of Christ . . . Continue reading →

Wisdom On Introducing Psalm Singing

by R. Scott Clark on December 14, 2013 |

1) Many people do not know you can sing the psalms (at least, other than Psalm 23, 62, and 100). “The psalter” is a foreign term, and even after people are introduced to singing psalms, they find it incredibly awkward to actually . . . Continue reading →

Calvin On Instruments In The New Covenant: Restoring Shadows

by R. Scott Clark on December 30, 2013 |

It is evident that the Psalmist here expresses the vehement and ardent affection which the faithful ought to have in praising God, when he enjoins musical instruments to be employed for this purpose. He would have nothing omitted by believers which tends . . . Continue reading →

On The Absence Of Musical Instruments From The Synagogue

by R. Scott Clark on January 23, 2014 |

Ancient Jewish cultic music was valid only in connection with the cult, and the cult was valid only at the Temple in Jerusalem. When Jerusalem fell to the Romans in 70 CE, and the Temple destroyed, the cult ceased, and with it . . . Continue reading →

What’s Wrong With This Picture?

by R. Scott Clark on March 6, 2014 |

Of Psalms, Hymns, And Spiritual Songs And The RPW

by R. Scott Clark on March 10, 2014 |

The Regulative Principle of worship is a principle based on the sufficiency of Scripture which teaches that everything we do in the worship of God must have positive warrant in His Word. Every part of worship must be expressly commanded by God . . . Continue reading →

The Reformation Of Worship In Geneva

by R. Scott Clark on March 12, 2014 |

The reformers did not hold back in their assault on the physical and sensory elements of traditional worship: all sacred objects such as crucifixes, statues of saints, and holy relics were removed from the temples.1 Most were systematically destroyed; a few were . . . Continue reading →

Second Commandment + Sola Scriptura = Christian Worship

by R. Scott Clark on May 11, 2014 |

“You shall have no other gods before me. “You shall not make for yourself a carved image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the . . . Continue reading →