Calvin and Winthrop Between the Ages: Medievalism, Hierarchy, and Modernity (Part 1 of 4)

The following post is Part 1 of a series on Calvinism and Modernity. The first three posts will show that Calvin’s social and political philosophy is conservative by medieval standards, though there are important modifications to medieval thought. Calvin is not the first modern, a proto-modern or the foundation of modern politics, as many have …

Review of The Religious Beliefs of America’s Founders (1)

In the next few weeks or months, I plan to review the book The Religious Beliefs of America’s Founders: Reason, Revelation, and Revolution, chapter-by-chapter.[1] It is written by Gregg Frazer, a Master’s College professor of history and political science. The book has caused a stir among those who have an interest in the United States …

19 Objections and Answers on Penal Substitutionary Atonement

In an excellent blog post, Derek Rishmawy answers 19 common objections to penal substitutionary atonement. I highly recommend it. (here)

Warfield on Calvin: General and Special Revelation

In John’s recent posts (here, here, and here), I’ve expressed some concern over Richard Muller’s characterization of Calvin’s view of the relationship of special revelation (scripture) to general revelation (or natural revelation). I cited Benjamin Warfield as support. Some of my concerns, I admit, were due to a misreading of Muller, my phobia of nominalism …

Groundwork for a Reformed Theology of Public Aesthetics

The Apostle Paul said that “the whole law is fulfilled in one word: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’” (Galatians 5:14). How one goes about loving one’s neighbor is the subject of much discussion and controversy in Christianity. Among Reformed Christians, the debate on Christian public engagement between the Two-Kingdom advocates, the Kuyperians, the …

J.C. Ryle on Justification and Sanctification: A Response to Pastor Phelps

Back in December 2012, Pastor Tony Phelps briefly discussed (here) a quote by J.C. Ryle, commenting on Luke 7:35-50, that he claims supports the idea that justification has “priority…in our sanctification.” Now, I’m not sure what he means by this, but given the quote I suppose he means something like this: Sanctification is the result …

Robert Traill on Justification and Sanctification

Below is the text of Robert Traill’s (1642-1716) sermon on 1 Peter 1:1-3 as quoted by J.C. Ryle in his book Holiness. Its precision and conciseness on the relationship between justification and sanctification is remarkable. His view on sanctification as “infused holiness” and as necessary for eternal life is, to my knowledge, the classic Reformed …

Calvin’s appeal for “fraternal concord among the churches”

After concluding that the dispute between Luther and Zwingli on the doctrine of the Lord’s Supper was rooted in a mutual misunderstanding, Calvin, in his “Short Treatise on the Supper of our Lord,” calls for the churches of the Reformation to find satisfaction in their common confession: Meanwhile it should satisfy us, that there is …

Postmodern Theology and Renewal By Grace

Postmodern theology is diverse, ranging from “postliberal theology” to “deconstructive theology,” and trying to capture its fundamental tenets likely conflicts with what one even does (or can do) with such theology. But one might describe postmodern theology’s fundamental tenet as a recognition that one is ‘placed’ in an interpretive context (or community) and it is …

Two Roman Catholic claims that cannot both be true

When engaging Roman Catholic apologists one often encounters two claims: 1) Roman Catholicism is publicly verifiable, meaning that one can provide sufficient reasons for a nonbeliever to convert to Roman Catholicism (see here for a detailed discussion on this) and 2) that any conclusion concerning the type of church Christ founded that does not secure …