Reformed Forum

We turn to pages 212–213 of Vos’ book Biblical Theology: Old and New Testaments to discuss the mode of reception of the prophetic revelation. In the fourth section of his book, Vos continues to contrast the modernist conception with that of confessional orthodoxy. He stresses that revelation does not originate naturally but is in its essence, "a real communication" from God to the prophets. Our study of Vos is focused on biblical theology, or what Vos termed "the history of special revelation." A modernized conception of revelation construes history as natural and mechanical in character. History is encased in patterns of natural cause and effect. It is a closed reality. For the Kantian, the mind of man imposes rational categories onto nature. Others view the mind and discovering natural and immutable laws, which don't exhibit any variation. It is an anti-supernaturalist conception of history. For the modernist, supernatural revelation cannot exist in the sphere of natural history. Vos, however, is unwav

This week on Theology Simply Profound, Rob and Bob discuss John Bunyan's The Pilgrim's Progress. In this episode, Christian and Hopeful find themselves at first forgetting the warning of the Shepherds about their upcoming journey and end up falling into a net, but they learn from this forgetfulness. Then comes Atheist walking toward them with back toward Sion and the Enchanted ground where they feel very sleepy in faith. How do they deal with Atheist? And how do they stay awake?

Glen Clary and Camden Bucey speak about the ministry of the Holy Spirit and cessationism. We discuss how the pouring out of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost is a unique event of redemptive-history just as unrepeatable as the death and resurrection of Christ. As individuals are effectually called and united to Christ by faith, they are incorporated into the Spirit-baptized body of Christ. https://vimeo.com/345008740

The week on Theology Simply Profound, Rob and Bob continue to discuss The Pilgrim's Progress. Our discussion recounts the story of Little-faith robbed by Faintheart, Mistrust, and Guilt. There is wonderful pastoral insight here from Bunyan on the care of souls for those believers with little faith, weak faith, who struggle greatly on their pilgrimage to the Celestial City.

Jeffrey S. McDonald speaks about his book, John Gerstner and the Renewal of Presbyterian and Reformed Evangelicalism in Modern America (Wipf & Stock, 2017). It is published in the Princeton Theological Monograph Series. John Gerstner (1914–96) was a significant leader in the renewal of Presbyterian and Reformed evangelicalism in America during the second half of the twentieth century. Gerstner's work as a church historian sought to shape evangelicalism, but also northern mainline Presbyterianism. He wrote, taught, lectured, debated, and preached widely. Jeffrey S. McDonald is the pastor of Avery Presbyterian Church in Bellevue, Nebraska and an Affiliate Professor of Church History at Sioux Falls Seminary, Omaha. https://vimeo.com/343473458  

Christopher Watkin speaks about his book Thinking through Creation: Genesis 1 and 2 as Tools of Cultural Critique. Watkin looks to the early chapters of Genesis for foundational doctrines about God, the world, and ourselves. In so doing, he advocates for a robust engagement with others about contemporary culture and ideas. Dr. Watkin completed his Bachelor’s and Doctoral degrees at Cambridge University. He lectured at Cambridge for a couple of years before moving with his family to Australia, where he now works as a lecturer at Monash University in Melbourne. He is the author of a number of academic books in the area of modern European philosophy, including Difficult Atheism (2011) and French Philosophy Today (2016), both with Edinburgh University Press. Over the past few years he has written four books published by P&R Press. Three of them are in the Great Thinkers series: Jacques Derrida (2017), Michel Foucault (2018) and Gilles Deleuze (forthcoming). Links to Thinking through the Bible Main

This week on Theology Simply Profound, Rob and Bob continue to discuss The Pilgrim's Progress. We find Christian and Hopeful having found some much needed rest and refreshment in the Delectable Mountains. Afterwards, these pilgrims encounter Ignorance in a land of Conceit, Turn-away in the town of Apostasy, which Christian to recount a story of one Little-faith robbed by Faintheart, Mistrust, and Guilt.

In episode 22, your hosts Rob McKenzie and Bob Tarullo, discuss the subject of Dispensationalism. Today we begin a series of episodes on the subject of Dispensational Theology. What is Dispensationalism? How does Dispensational Theology differ from covenantal theology? Are the differences important? We’ll discuss these and other related topics in this episode of Theology Simply Profound. Theology Simply Profound is a podcast of Westminster Presbyterian Church, an Orthodox Presbyterian Church, serving the western suburbs of Chicago, where God powerfully speaks through his means of grace. Music credit: pamelayork.com. Thank you, Pamela York, for the use of your beautiful jazzy rendition of “A Mighty Fortress Is Our God.” We encourage our listeners to check out her website and consider purchasing some of her music.

We turn to pages 206–211 of Vos’ book Biblical Theology: Old and New Testaments to continue our discussion of critical theories of prophetism. Vos tackles a modernist, critical theory of the development of monotheism under the prophets. Vos wants the reader to enter into a modernist world–a critical world. In that world, there are three main things you will face: A finite and developing conception of deity A mechanical and purely natural conception of history An errant and merely human conception of the Bible These are the key features of a “critical” approach to the prophets. But, as Machen pointed out so clearly, these three conceptions represent a different religion: a fundamentally Pelagian conception of religion. Vos helps us see, by contrast, that the kingdom of God and the demand that he be worshipped exclusively is built into man as the image of God. Adam, from the start, was bound to God in a religious relation by creation that the covenant of works was to advance. Man, from the beginning, e

This week on Theology Simply Profound, Rob and Bob continue to discuss The Pilgrim's Progress. Our discussion continues with Christian and Hopeful having escaped from the suffering and persecutions found in Doubting Castle to the Delectable Mountains where the pilgrims find some much needed rest and refreshments.

J. V. Fesko has written Reforming Apologetics: Retrieving the Classic Reformed Approach to Defending the Faith (Baker Academic, 2019). In the book, Dr. Fesko criticizes, among others, Cornelius Van Til. In this conversation, we interact with the book and compare its claims with those of Van Til. A central claim of Dr. Fesko's is that Van Til rejects "common notions." He writes: in the middle of the seventeenth century, philosophers such as John Locke (1632–1704) rejected the idea of common notions. In the twentieth century, this rejection made its way to liberal and conservative Reformed theologians alike, including Karl Barth (1886–1968) and Cornelius Van Til (1895–1987).”[1] He draws particular attention to Van Til’s discussion of authority and reason on pages 168–169 of Defense of the Faith (3rd edition).[2] On those pages, Van Til makes an important distinction: A word must now be said about the idea of ‘common notions’ referred to in the quotation given above. The present writer made a distinc

This week on Theology Simply Profound, Rob and Bob continue their discussion of Replacement Theology, which has been erroneously associated with Covenant Theology. What is the church as described in the Scriptures? When did it begin? Did the church replace Israel? Or, is it that two become one in Christ? The wall of separation has been removed? Our God is a faithful God and promise-keeping God.

Reformed Forum exists to present every person mature in Christ (Col. 1:28). We do that specifically by supporting the Church in her God-ordained task of accomplishing the Great Commission. In this episode, we discuss our mission and vision and share exciting news about the future of our ministry including Camden Bucey's transition to become our full-time Executive Director. Reformed Forum Proposal (May 2019)Download Reformed Forum is an organization committed to providing Reformed Christian theological resources to pastors, scholars, and anyone who desires to grow in their understanding of Scripture and the theology that faithfully summarizes its teachings. We are committed to the principles of the Reformation and a redemptive-historical approach to Scripture. We believe these faithfully represent the teachings of the Bible, which is our only standard for faith and practice. During the Modernist-Fundamentalist Controversy of the early twentieth century, E. J. Young wrote to J. Gresham Machen, the found

Glen Clary examines the matter and manner of Paul's preaching. There is a crucifixion proclaimed by Paul, but there is also a cruciformity in how he proclaimed it, and to his whole life and ministry.

This week on Theology Simply Profound, Rob and Bob take a step back from our discussion of The Pilgrim's Progress to talk about Replacement Theology, which has been erroneously associated with Covenant Theology.

Many different interpretations have been offered regarding the phrase "all Israel shall be saved" in Romans 11. In this episode, we speak about five different interpretations, focusing on the three that are represented in confessionally Reformed and Presbyterian Churches. Resources Cornelis P. Venema, "In This Way All Israel Will be Saved: A Study of Romans 11:26" Mid-America Journal of Theology 22 (2011) 19–40. Richard B. Gaffin, Jr., "Theonomy and Eschatology: Reflections on Postmillennialism" in Theonomy: A Reformed Critique, edited by Williams S. Barker and Robert Godfrey https://vimeo.com/335143332/9528f0de4a

In Episode 75 we see that because of our sin imputed to Christ, he stood condemned under the wrath of God. But Christ's resurrection is the Word of Grace—Christ's vindication. Christ is condemned by the cross, but vindicated by the Spirit.

This week on Theology Simply Profound, Rob and Bob continue to discuss The Pilgrim’s Progress with the Rev. Dr. Iain Wright, pastor of Covenant OPC, Orland Park, Illinois. Our discussion continues with Christian and Hopeful suffering in the dungeon of Doubting Castle at the hands of Giant Despair and finding the way of deliverance provided them.

We welcome Richard M. Gamble, Professor of History, Anna Margaret Ross Alexander Chair in History and Politics at Hillsdale College, to speak about Julia Ward Howe's poem, which came to be know as "The Battle Hymn of the Republic." Gamble is the author of A Fiery Gospel: The Battle Hymn of the Republic and the Road to Righteous War (Religion and American Public Life), which discloses the history of the hymn as well as its position within an overall intellectual history of civil religion within the United States. Other Books by Richard M. Gamble The War for Righteousness: Progressive Christianity, the Great War, and the Rise of the Messianic Nation. Wilmington, DE: ISI Books, 2003. The Great Tradition: Classic Readings on What It Means to be an Educated Human Being. Wilmington, DE: ISI Books, 2007. In Search of the City on a Hill: The Making and Unmaking of an American Myth. New York: Continuum/Bloomsbury, 2012. https://vimeo.com/335044096/347d2cf550 From the Publisher Since its composition

In Episode 74 we observe what seems to be an ordinary bartering transaction. But upon closer observation we learn three significant things: Abraham is given a downpayment on the land promise, he anticipates the resurrection, and he lives in peace with those around him.