Reformed Forum

Latest Episodes:

Abraham Kuyper: Modern Calvinist, Christian Democrat Nov 01, 2013

Show notes

Dr. James Bratt speaks about Abraham Kuyper: Modern Calvinist, Christian Democrat (Eerdmans). Dr. Bratt places Kuyper in historical context and clarifies Kuyper’s thought and life for current reflection on theology and politics. Dr. Bratt teaches history at Calvin College, blogs, and has edited and authored a number of books, including Abraham Kuyper: A Centennial Reader and By the Vision of Another World: Worship in American History.

Participants: Camden Bucey, David Filson, James Bratt, Jim Cassidy

Mentioned in this episode:

Christ the Center 1000

Christ the Center 1000 Summit

Christ the Center 1000 Live in Austin, TX

Christ the Center 1000 Summit

Biblical Psychology and the New Perspective on Paul Oct 25, 2013

Show notes

Paul Maxwell joins Camden Bucey and Jonathan Brack to speak about his response to Krister Stendahl in the Spring 2013 edition of the Westminster Theological Journal. Stendahl, Swedish theologian and New Testament scholar, presented his paper “The Apostle Paul and the Introspective Conscience of the West” before the American Psychological Association in 1961. He argued that the Western understanding of Paul as concerned about clearing his conscience before God was mistaken. Proponents of the New Perspective on Paul trace their theological perspective to Stendahl’s ideas. In this episode, Maxwell defends the Protestant reading of Paul against Stendahl’s psychological concerns. In doing so, Maxwell compares Stendahl’s article with the biblical counseling movement and a Reformed approach to psychology. Paul Maxwell is a Ph.D. student in Historical and Theological Studies at Westminster Theological Seminary in Philadelphia, PA. He wrote, “Analyzing the Apostle Paul’s “Robust Conscience”: Identifying and Engaging the Psychological Concerns of Krister Stendahl’s Inceptive Article” in the Westminster Theological Journal, Vol. 75, No. 1 (Spring 2013).

Participants: Camden Bucey, Jonathan Brack, Paul Maxwell

Mentioned in this episode:

Christ the Center 1000

Christ the Center 1000 Summit

Christ the Center 1000 Live in Austin, TX

Christ the Center 1000 Summit

The History of Calvinism Oct 18, 2013

Show notes

Darryl G. Hart returns to the program to speak about the history of Calvinism from his new book, Calvinism: A History. The episode gives a taste of the book, the genesis and spread of Calvinism from Geneva, through England and the Netherlands, to the West and East sides of the world.

Participants: Camden Bucey, Darryl G. Hart, David Filson, Jim Cassidy

Crazy Busy Oct 11, 2013

Show notes

Kevin DeYoung speaks about his recent book Crazy Busy: A [Mercifully] Short Book about a [Really] Big Problem, published by Crossway Books. Pastor DeYoung diagnoses the causes of busyness, some of which are innocent, but many sinful. The book touches on practical concerns like social media and technology, but goes deeper, exposing the pride in our hearts. Kevin DeYoung is the Senior Pastor at University Reformed Church (RCA) in East Lansing, Michigan and the author of several books including Don’t Call it a Comeback: The Old Faith for a New Day and The Hole in Our Holiness: Filling the Gap Between Gospel Passion and Pursuing Godliness. He also posts regularly at his blog. DeYoung has spoken on Christ the Center several times, including episodes 206 and 211.

Participants: Camden Bucey, Jared Oliphint, Kevin DeYoung

Mentioned in this episode:

Christ the Center 1000

Christ the Center 1000 Summit

Christ the Center 1000 Live in Austin, TX

Christ the Center 1000 Summit

John Newton on Grace in Sanctification Oct 04, 2013

Show notes

Barbara Duguid speaks about John Newton’s writings on the Christian life based on her book Extravagant Grace: God’s Glory Displayed in Our Weakness. She appropriates John Newton’s wisdom to comfort and encourage Christians who feel guilt and failure in their fight against sin. Barbara Duguid is a counselor and member of Christ Presbyterian Church (ARP) in Grove City, Pennsylvania. She holds an advanced certificate in biblical counseling from the Christian Counseling and Educational Foundation in Glenside, Pennsylvania. Melissa Kruger is the author of The Envy of Eve: Finding Contentment in a Covetous World published by Christian Focus (Christ the Center 276). She is on staff in women’s ministry at Uptown Church (PCA) in Charlotte, NC, a mom to three kids and the wife of Dr. Michael Kruger, President and Professor of NT at Reformed Theological Seminary Charlotte. Nancy Guthrie is the author of The Son of David, The Promised One, and The Wisdom of God, on the topic of seeing Christ in the Old Testament.Nancy is a member of Christ Presbyterian Church in Nashville, Tennessee, and she speaks at conferences worldwide.

Participants: Barbara Duguid, Camden Bucey, Melissa Kruger, Nancy Guthrie

Mentioned in this episode:

Christ the Center 1000 Live in Austin, TX

Christ the Center 1000 Summit

Christ the Center 1000

Christ the Center 1000 Summit

Communicating Reformed Theology through Hip Hop Sep 27, 2013

Show notes

For Christ the Center’s 300th episode, we welcome hip hop artist Timothy Brindle to speak about his work in Christian hip hop and the recent musical movement as a whole. The episode explores hip hop’s stylistic capability to communicate the gospel and reformed theology and includes clips from Timothy’s recordings. Timothy is a student at Westminster Theological Seminary in Philadelphia, and his record label is Lamp Mode Recordings. Download “The Daily Gospel” by Timothy Brindle for free. The first 300 episodes of Christ the Center are available for download as a 7.3GB .zip file. We may not be able to maintain this link into perpetuity. Download the file while the link still lives.

Participants: Camden Bucey, Jared Oliphint, Nick Batzig, Timothy Brindle

Mentioned in this episode:

Christ the Center 1000 Live in Austin, TX

Christ the Center 1000 Summit

Christ the Center 1000

Christ the Center 1000 Summit

Jesus on Every Page Sep 20, 2013

Show notes

David Murray speaks about seeing Christ in the Old Testament based on his book Jesus on Every Page: 10 Simple Ways to Seek and Find Christ in the Old Testament. Dr. Murray’s book is an accessible presentation of Christ-centered reading of “the Law and Prophets.” The interview explores the New Testament foundations for this approach to the Old Testament, challenges an implicitly dispensational view of the Old Testament, and responds to common challenges to this approach.

Dr. David Murray is Professor of Old Testament and Practical Theology at Puritan Reformed Theological Seminary. He is a pastor in the Free Reformed Church in Grand Rapids, MI. He also blogs at Head Heart Hand. He has previously spoken on Christ the Center regarding “Technology and the Christian Life.”

Links:

http://jesusoneverypage.com

http://www.christianitytoday.com/edstetzer/2013/june/ popularity-pitfalls-and-practice-of-christ-centered-interpr.html

Participants: Camden Bucey, David Murray, Jared Oliphint, Nick Batzig

Mentioned in this episode:

Christ the Center 1000 Live in Austin, TX

Christ the Center 1000 Summit

Christ the Center 1000

Christ the Center 1000 Summit

Gray Matters: Navigating the Space Between Legalism and Liberty Sep 13, 2013

Show notes

Brett McCracken speaks about his book Gray Matters: Navigating the Space Between Legalism and Liberty. The book and today’s discussion address how Christians should relate to culture – food, drink, music, movies.

Brett McCracken is a Los Angeles-based writer and journalist. He is the author of Hipster Christianity: When Church & Cool Collide (Baker, 2010) and has written for The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post, CNN.com, The Princeton Theological Review, Mediascape, Books & Culture, Christianity Today, Relevant, IMAGE Journal, Q Ideas, and Conversantlife.com. He speaks and lectures frequently at universities, churches, and conferences.

A graduate of Wheaton College and UCLA (M.A. in Cinema & Media Studies), Brett currently works as managing editor for Biola University’s Biola Magazine and is pursuing a Master’s in Theology at Talbot School of Theology.

Links from the episode: Brett McCracken’s blog, Related Washington Post article, Book trailer

Participants: Brett McCracken, Camden Bucey, Jared Oliphint

Mentioned in this episode:

Christ the Center 1000

Christ the Center 1000 Summit

Christ the Center 1000 Live in Austin, TX

Christ the Center 1000 Summit

Housewife Theologian Sep 06, 2013

Show notes

Aimee Byrd speaks about her new book, Housewife Theologian: How the Gospel Interrupts the Ordinary, with panel Camden Bucey, Nancy Guthrie, and Melissa Kruger. The topic of her book and of this episode’s discussion is the gospel’s particular applications to the lives of women, women’s role in the family and in the church, and the relevance of theology to mundane and ordinary parts of life. Housewife Theologian is published by P&R.

Aimee Byrd blogs at Housewife Theology. She’s also a member of Pilgrim Presbyterian Church (PCA) in Martinsburg, WV where she teaches women’s bible study. And she’s just been announced as a regular contributor to the Mortification of Spin podcast with Carl Trueman and Todd Pruitt.

Nancy Guthrie is the author of numerous books and bible study curriculum (including video series) on seeing Christ in the Old Testament. Her latest is The Son of David: Seeing Jesus in the Historical Books. Nancy has joined us for several episodes of Christ the Center (CTC183, CTC224, CTC295).

Melissa Kruger is the author of The Envy of Eve published by Christian Focus, which she spoke about on Christ the Center episode 276. She’s also on staff in women’s ministry at Uptown Church (PCA) in Charlotte, NC, a mom to three kids and wife of Dr. Michael Kruger, President and Professor of NT at Reformed Theological Seminary Charlotte.

Participants: Aimee Byrd, Camden Bucey, Melissa Kruger, Nancy Guthrie

Seeing Jesus in Old Testament History Aug 30, 2013

Show notes

This week, Nancy Guthrie speaks about seeing Jesus in the historical books of the Old Testament. Her book The Son of David, third in her series Seeing Jesus in the Old Testament, explains how each part of the story of Old Testament history – the leader Joshua, the judges of Israel, the redeemer Boaz, and Israel’s many kings – reveals and signifies the Christ who was to come.

Nancy Guthrie’s website is http://www.nancyguthrie.com/. Nancy has spoken on Christ the Center about the first two books in this series, The Promised One: Seeing Jesus in Genesis, and The Wisdom of God: Seeing Jesus in the Psalms and Wisdom Books.

Participants: Camden Bucey, Jared Oliphint, Nancy Guthrie, Nick Batzig

Mentioned in this episode:

Christ the Center 1000 Live in Austin, TX

Christ the Center 1000 Summit

Christ the Center 1000

Christ the Center 1000 Summit