Reformed Forum

Sandy Finlayson speaks about the life and ministry of Thomas Chalmers. Finlayson is the author of Chief Scottish Man: The Life and Ministry of Thomas Chalmers (Evangelical Press). Thomas Chalmers (1780-1847) was a significant figure in nineteenth-century Scotland. Without his vision, organizational skills, and his ability to mobilize opinion, it is unlikely that the Free Church would have come into existence. This new and updated biography—expanded significantly from Finlayson's Bitesize Biography—tells the story of visionary thinker, minister, and preacher Thomas Chalmers and the many years of struggle for the spiritual independence of the Church of Scotland. Mr. Finlayson is director of library services and professor of theological bibliography at Westminster Theological Seminary in Glenside, Pennsylvania.

In this episode, Rob and Bob begin a new series on familiar psalm that we tend to be drawn to more than others for one reason or another. We begin with one of the most well-known psalms, Psalm 23. Charles Spurgeon calls Psalm 23, "the pearl of the psalms." Why is this psalm so well loved? We discuss this and other things on today's episode.

Carlton Wynne, Lane Tipton, and Camden Bucey open Cornelius Van Til's book, The Defense of the Faith to pages 40–43, in which Van Til describes the Christian philosophy of reality. While to some degree it is necessary to use categories of God, man, and universe common to unbelievers in order to engage them apologetically and to evangelize, Christians must clearly set forth the distinctly Christian philosophy of reality. Van Til commences that work in chapter two and promptly addresses eternal unity and plurality with regard to the problem of the one and many.

Patrick O'Banion joins us to speak about Girolamo Zanchi and his book, The Spiritual Marriage between Christ and His Church and Every One of the Faithful. O'Banion translated and introduced a new edition of the book published by Reformation Heritage Books. Zanchi was an Italian Reformer, with close ties to Peter Martyr Vermigli. Developing from Girolama Zanchi's exegetical labors through Ephesians, Spiritual Marriage draws readers into the rich theological of doctrine of union with Christ. Following the lead of the apostle Paul, Zanchi demonstrates how our earthly marriages fulfill their truest purpose by drawing our attention toward the spiritual marriage between Christ and His Church. By paying attention to the Genesis account of Adam's marriage to Eve, to pertinent Old Testament laws, and to the teachings of Jesus and His apostles, we begin to understand something of that higher and heavenly union. This new translation helps us better understand the great mystery of Christ and His bride. Patrick O'Banion is International Trainer at Training Leaders International.

Jim Cassidy delivers a plenary address from the annual Reformed Forum Theology Conference, which was hosted October 8–9 at Providence OPC in Pflugerville, Texas. Cassidy investigates the ontological assumptions which led Karl Barth to reject the doctrine of the covenant of works. He considers how Barth's doctrine of God, with its actualistic ontology, is the ground for his rejection of the historic doctrine of classical federal theology. In the process of showing how his novel construction of the doctrine of God leads to his critique, Barth sets up—albeit unwittingly—how own kind of covenant of works whereby man today can ascend into "God's time for us" to gain the knowledge of God. This is Christ the Center episode 725 (https://www.reformedforum.org/ctc725)

This week on Theology Simply Profound, Rob and Bob continue a discussion of John Bunyan's, The Pilgrim's Progress, Book 2. In this episode, we find our band of pilgrims make their way through the Enchanted Grounds, meet another pil

Lane Tipton and Camden Bucey turn to pages 267–269 of Geerhardus Vos' book, Biblical Theology: Old and New Testaments, to consider the collective sin of the nation during the time of the prophets. Vos addresses several passages in this section, including Amos 5:25, Isaiah 1:10–17, and Hosea 6:6.

How do you preach a passage as speckled and mottled as this one? We look at a text that at first glance has nothing to say about Christ and see how through the continuity of God's covenant promises we are presented with a foreshadowing of Christ plunder

Jeff Waddington reviews Jonathan Edwards and the Immediacy of God by John Carrick. Jonathan Edwards is one of the outstanding figures in the history of the Christian church—he was, quite simply, a man of towering intellect and towering spirituality. But it has been noted, even by his friends and admirers, that his thought is also marked at times by certain idiosyncrasies which inevitably introduce certain complexities into his philosophical-theological system. This study contends that the theme of divine immediacy is the controlling theme and the correlating principle within Edwards's thought. It analyzes the theme of divine immediacy in the thought of Jonathan Edwards under four major heads: creation, the will, ecclesiology, and spiritual experience. Indeed, Dr. Carrick claims that the theme of the immediacy of God is the Ariadne's thread, which runs with consistency through the multiple aspects of Edwards's philosophical, theological, ecclesiological, experiential, and homiletical interests. But sometimes a man's strength is also his weakness, and it would appear that Edwards's profound commitment to the concept and the reality of the immediacy of God entails significant problems for his entire philosophical-theological system. Edwards's concept of divine immediacy finds its supreme expression, surely, in his doctrine of continuous creation; but is it not the case that this doctrine of continuous creation is in conflict with his determinism, that its tendency is to destroy the moral responsibility of man, and that it makes God both the author and the actor of sin? In short, is it not the case that Edwards's Ariadne's thread is, in fact, also his Achilles' heel?

agged along on their way to the Celestial City, we find the pilgrims in the Delectable Mountains very much as Christian did in Book 1. We discuss their time there, who they meet, what they experience and learn.

Roman Catholicism entered the mainstream of American national life the morning following the November 8, 1960 election when John F. Kennedy won and became the president. While it may seem strange to people who did not grow up in the era, but Protestant voters were wary of a Roman Catholic potentially serving as president of the United States. Yet the Vatican may have been even more wary of "Americanism." While it did not necessarily inhibit Catholics from being Catholic it also was a form of exceptionalism that potentially risked the expansion of Christendom as understood by Catholics. In this episode, D. G. Hart explains the historical reasons why the relationship between Roman Catholicism and Americanism changed in the 1960s and how it continued to develop in subsequent decades. Darryl G. Hart is Distinguished Associate Professor of History at Hillsdale College in Hillsdale, Michigan.

This week on Theology Simply Profound, Rob and Bob continue a discussion of John Bunyan's, The Pilgrim's Progress, Book 2. In this episode, as the journey continues for Christiana, her children, and the pilgrims on their way to the Cele

Jeff Waddington reviews A Goodly Heritage: The Secession of 1834 by Cornelis Pronk. From the publisher: In A Goodly Heritage , Cornelis Pronk surveys the history of the Secession of 1834, beginning with the events leading up to this important spiritual movement and subsequently following its long journey through the Netherlands and North America until 1892. He then focuses on a small minority that decided to continue as the original Christian Reformed Church, considering its growth and how it formulated theological positions in relation to several other Reformed denominations. Throughout, special attention is given to the doctrines of covenant, baptism, and the Holy Spirit's ministry in applying salvation. This work not only explains the concerns of De Cock and other fathers of the Secession. It presses beyond the early years of the reform movement to present a larger picture of the developments of Secession theology and the contributions made by its main representatives.

Danny Olinger delivers an address at the 2021 Reformed Forum Theology Conference. The event was held October 8–9, 2021 at Providence OPC in Pflugerville, Texas. The conference theme was, "The Promise of Life: God's Plan for His People in the Covenant of Works." In contrast to Roman Catholic, modernist, and evangelical approaches, we explored a thoroughly Reformed understanding of God's relationship to Adam as he was created. We learned how Jesus Christ ultimately brings us to the glorious future which God originally offered to Adam in the garden of Eden. Danny Olinger is General Secretary for the Committee on Christian Education of the Orthodox Presbyterian Church.

The beatific vision (1 John 3:2) is the consummation of God's relationship with his people. While Christians of all traditions acknowledge this blessed future to some degree, there are significant differences as to how it all works out. The Reformed tradition has understood this future and its genesis in terms of a covenantal relationship between God and Adam. If you have listened much to our podcasts or courses at Reformed Forum, you likely have heard us discuss "the deeper Protestant conception." This is a phrase first used by Geerhardus Vos in his Reformed Dogmatics. It involves the notion that man originally was created good yet with an eschatological purpose. Even before the fall into sin, Adam was intended to advance to a higher, more glorious, eschatological life with God in heavenly places. Elsewhere, this is captured in the phrase, "eschatology precedes soteriology." Yet developments in Roman Catholic theology throughout the end of the nineteenth century and into the twentieth century gave rise to a movement that also advocates for eschatology preceding soteriology and a dismantling of the traditional dualistic separation of nature and grace. In this address, Camden Bucey traces the historical developments of Roman Catholic theology in the twentieth century. In so doing, we may deepen our understanding of the already deeper Protestant conception while improving our ability to represent the diversity of Catholic thought leading up to and following the Second Vatican Council. This address was delivered at our 2021 Theology Conference held at Providence OPC in Pflugerville, Texas.

In this episode, several OPC missionaries discuss theological education in foreign mission fields. Douglas Clawson is associate general secretary for the OPC's Committee on Foreign Missions. Charles Jackson serves as a missionary in Uganda, and Mike serves in East Asia. Each of these ministers speaks about their experience in training officers for the building up of indigenous churches, sharing the joys, struggles, and present needs in various fields.

Progress, Book 2. In this episode, we discuss what the Pilgrims' learn about Mr. Not-Right as well as some more about Mr. Feeble-mind. What a great character Mr. Feeble-mind is for us to learn from. All of this on their way to Vanity Fair where the

Dr. Benjamin L. Gladd, Associate Professor of New Testament at Reformed Theological Seminary in Jackson, Mississippi, speaks about his new Handbook on the Gospels. This book is part of a series edited by Dr. Gladd and published by Baker Academic, which covers the entirety of the New Testament in three volumes. Neither becoming preoccupied with the minutiae of the text nor losing sight of the big picture, Gladd's handbook address the content of the gospels thoroughly yet in an accessible and compelling manner.

another giant, Giant Slay-good. What's better than eating and drinking with good discussion and then off to slay wickedness! And, congratulations to Mercy and Matthew, Phoebe and James, now married after a month of hospitality from Gaius.

Lane Tipton and Camden Bucey turn to pages 264–266 of Geerhardus Vos' book, Biblical Theology: Old and New Testaments, to consider the collective sin of the nation during the time of the prophets. Vos speaks particularly of the prophet Amos, and his indictment of false worship practices among the people.

This week on Theology Simply Profound, Rob and Bob continue a discussion of John Bunyan's, The Pilgrim's Progress, Book 2. In this episode, we discuss the Pilgrims' another story from old Mr. Honest about Mr. Self-will, who believed "

David Nakhla speaks about the work of deacons and how the Orthodox Presbyterian Church is working to assist the diaconate in its labors for Christ's church. Mr. Nakhla is the administrator for the OPC's Committee on Diaconal Ministries and the Short-Term Missions and Disaster Response Coordinator.

Hosea prophesied that God would call his son out of Egypt. Of course, that was long after the Exodus. But here in Chapter 11 the Exodus serves as a motif for God's redeeming grace. It recalled the Exodus as a foreshadow of Israel's restoration from exile. Unfortunately, the restoration fell short of the great expectation Israel had for the fulfillment of God's promises to the patriarchs. The day when God called his Son out of Egypt would ultimately arrive in Christ, the true Son and faithful Israel of God. He was called out of Egypt after he fled there to escape Herod's deadly grasp. And so we, in our union with Christ, are sons of the living God who have been redeemed and called out of the Kingdom of Darkness into the Kingdom of his Son.

Ryan Noha and Camden Bucey discuss Reformed Academy and the newest course to launch on the platform, titled Union with Christ: The Benefits of His Suffering and Glory. This latest course is taught by Lane Tipton, and we include the tenth and final lecture toward the end of this episode.

The apostle Paul uses the metaphor of a building to describe the people of God. What is the significance of this metaphor, and what are the implications of that, particularly for ministers of the word? We also discuss how to choose a pericope and how much exegetical detail is appropriate in a sermon.