Reformed Forum

Latest Episodes:

The Text of Kuyper’s Stone Lectures on Calvinism Apr 01, 2022

Show notes

At the invitation of B. B. Warfield (and the suggestion of Geerhardus Vos), Abraham Kuyper delivered the Stone Lectures at Princeton Theological Seminary in 1898. In these lectures, he presented his vision for an international Calvinism. And while many people may be familiar with Kuyper’s famous work, few may know the complicated history of these lectures being written, translated into English, delivered in Princeton, and eventually published.

In this episode, Dr. George Harinck shares with us his thorough research as he speaks about the history of the text of Kuyper’s lectures. Dr. Harinck is the author of numerous books and articles, including the focus of this conversation, “Lost in Translation: The First Text of the Stone Lectures” in Calvinism for a Secular Age: A Twenty-First-Century Reading of Abraham Kuyper’s Stone Lectures edited by Jessica R. Joustra and Robert J. Joustra and published by IVP Academic.

Dr. Harinck is the Director of The Neo-Calvinism Research Institute and Professor of History at the Free University in Amsterdam.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction
04:28 Being Introduced to Kuyper and His Stone Lectures
07:17 Kuyper’s Legacy in the Netherlands
09:19 The Stone Lectures
14:42 Kuyper and Geerhardus Vos
17:48 Kuyper and the English Language
29:51 The Modern Text of the Stone Lectures
39:44 Calvinism for a Secular Age
47:26 Conclusion

Participants: Camden Bucey, Dan Ragusa, George Harinck

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

Christianity and Liberalism — Chapter 7 Mar 29, 2022

Show notes

This week on Theology Simply Profound, Bob reads from his 1923 edition of J. Gresham Machen’s classic work, Christianity and Liberalism, Chapter 7, The Church. (originally posted December 3, 2019)

Participants: Rob McKenzie, Robert Tarullo

Mentioned in this episode:

Christ the Center 1000

Questions and Answers Mar 25, 2022

Show notes

We turn to the mailbag today to answer questions from listeners. We discuss the “organic” unity of the Scriptures, Van Til’s understanding of the phenomenal world, why the covenant of works and the covenant of grace point to something better than Eden, and vital and formal aspects of covenant membership.

Chapters

00:00:00 Introduction
00:04:57 Update on Reformed Academy
00:15:38 The “Organic” Unity of the Scriptures
00:25:04 Van Til and the Phenomenal World
00:41:18 Covenant Advancement in the Garden
00:48:16 Vital and Formal Aspects of the Covenant
01:08:42 Conclusion

Links

Lane Tipton lesson from Union with Christ: The Benefits of His Suffering and Glory — The Gospel, the Old Testament, and the Two Estates in Romans 1:1–4

Participants: Camden Bucey, Jeff Waddington, Ryan Noha

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

Christianity and Liberalism — Chapter 6 Mar 22, 2022

Show notes

This week on Theology Simply Profound, Bob reads from his 1923 edition of J. Gresham Machen’s classic work, Christianity and Liberalism, Chapter 6, Salvation. (originally posted November 12, 2019)

Participants: Rob McKenzie, Robert Tarullo

Ruling Elders and General Assembly Mar 18, 2022

Show notes

Podcast worlds collide! Jim and Camden welcome Brad Isbell, perhaps even better known as @ChortlesWeakly, to the program to discuss ruling elders and general assemblies within Presbyterianism.

Along with @wresbyterian, Mr. Isbell hosts Presbycast, a delightful mix of high Presbyterian polity and low brow culture. Listen as we discuss the organization and operation of the PCA General Assembly, comparisons with other Presbyterian and Reformed bodies—most specifically the OPC, and what it means to take seriously the office of ruling elder.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction
05:18 Ruling Elders at the PCA General Assembly
11:09 The Presbyterian Constitutional Covenant Union
23:09 Denominational Differences
35:56 Why Ruling Elders Tend to Be More Conservative
38:10 Taking Seriously the Office of Ruling Elder
48:09 The 2022 PCA General Assembly in Birmingham
54:06 Being a Presbyterian
57:34 Conclusion

Links

More in the PCA
Todd Pruitt, “Doctrinal Latitude and the PCA” at Reformation21
J. Gresham Machen, “The Purpose of the Covenant Union,” The Presbyterian Guardian, November 18, 1935, p. 54.

Participants: Brad Isbell, Camden Bucey, 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

Christianity and Liberalism – Chapter 5 Mar 15, 2022

Show notes

This week on Theology Simply Profound, Bob reads from his 1923 edition of J. Gresham Machen’s classic work, Christianity and Liberalism, Chapter 5, Christ. (originally posted October 29, 2019)

Participants: Rob McKenzie, Robert Tarullo

Mentioned in this episode:

Christ the Center 1000

Machen and the Era of Tragedy Mar 11, 2022

Show notes

In 1992, Charles G. Dennison published three articles in the Mid-America Journal of Theology. These were based upon a series he delivered at Mid-America Reformed Seminary. Dennison identifies three eras between 1936 and 1962—tragedy, hope, and ambivalence. The era of tragedy is focused on the figure of J. Gresham Machen. Cornelius Van Til and Ned B. Stonehouse represent the eras of hope and ambivalence, respectively.

In this episode, Danny Olinger and Camden Bucey discuss this first article in the series while considering broader questions about the identity of the Orthodox Presbyterian Church and its relation to other Reformed and Presbyterian churches and evangelicalism. Rev. Olinger serves as General Secretary of the Committee on Christian Education for the OPC.

Chapters

0:00 Introduction
5:40 Ned Stonehouse
11:37 Machen and the Church’s Identity
30:16 The OPC and the CRC
37:51 Divisions among Fundamentalists
45:01 Ecumenical Relations with the CRC
56:25 The Church as a Pilgrim People
1:00:40 Machen, Culture, and the Church
1:15:52 Conclusion

Participants: Camden Bucey, Danny Olinger

Vos Group #74 — Social Sin Mar 04, 2022

Show notes

Lane Tipton and Camden Bucey turn to pages 269–286 of Geerhardus Vos’ book, Biblical Theology: Old and New Testaments, to consider social sin in the time of the prophets.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction
05:41 Join Our Private Chat Server
10:07 The Corruption of Ritual Worship
11:53 Social Sin
20:34 The Problem of the City
25:54 Social Justice and Humanitarianism
33:48 Social Sin and Theonomy
41:47 Transformation through the New Covenant
50:27 The Old and New Covenants
55:48 Conclusion

Participants: Camden Bucey, Lane G. Tipton

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

Catechesis, Education, and the Church Feb 25, 2022

Show notes

Jim Cassidy and Camden Bucey speak about Jim’s latest course, The Westminster Shorter Catechism (Questions 39–107), which is available for free through Reformed Academy.

In speaking about the new series, Jim and Camden also share several encouraging updates about Reformed Forum as well as their thoughts about parachurch ministries, denominational seminaries, and the future of ministerial training.

Chapters

00:00:00 Introduction
00:01:50 New Course on the Westminster Shorter Catechism
00:09:15 Updates about Reformed Forum
00:16:36 Parachurch Ministries and Presbyterian History
00:29:59 Denominational Seminaries
00:40:24 Ministerial Training Models
00:54:55 Catechism Lesson: The Seventh Commandment
01:05:01 Conclusion

Participants: Camden Bucey, 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

Christianity and Liberalism – Chapter 4 Feb 22, 2022

Show notes

This week on Theology Simply Profound, Bob reads from J. Gresham Machen’s 1923 classic work, Christianity and Liberalism, Chapter 4, The Bible. (originally posted October 8, 2019)

Participants: Rob McKenzie, Robert Tarullo

Mentioned in this episode:

Christ the Center 1000