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Camden M. Bucey

The Eternal Son

Dr. Robert Letham joins Lane Tipton and Camden Bucey to discuss Dr. Letham’s recent book The Eternal Son (P&R Publishing). Their conversation presses into a simple but urgent claim: Christology

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Vos Group #106 — Repentance

In this episode, we continue engaging Geerhardus Vos’s treatment of repentance and the righteousness of the kingdom. The discussion begins by clarifying the close relationship between faith and repentance: Both

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Highlights from 2025

As Christ the Center closes out another year of weekly theological conversation, this special episode reflects on God’s faithfulness throughout 2025 by revisiting the most-watched and most-listened-to episodes of the

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We Wish You a Merry Christmas

For our Tenth Annual Christmas Special, Rob and Bob are here to bring you Christmas cheer with our annual Christmas special silliness with a splash of seriousness. More seriously, friends,

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The Book of Daniel, Part 8

On today’s episode of Theology Simply Profound, Rob and Bob continue to walk through the Book of Daniel. We discuss Nebuchadnezzar’s golden statue found in chapter 3:1–8.
Participants:

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Ruth 2:1–13 — Why Me?

God begins to turn around Naomi’s life in Ruth 2:1-13, a picture of what he does for his church. Ruth ventures into the fields in faith and just “happens” to

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Zwingli’s View of the Lord’s Supper

In this livestream from May 9, 2025, Camden Bucey discusses various topics related to Reformed theology, including updates on the upcoming Reformed Forum Theology Conference, an overview of his new

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Larger for Life Takeover

In this conversation, Camden Bucey welcomes Matt Adams, Derrick Brite, and Stephen Spinnenweber. They reflect on their experiences at the Twin Lakes Fellowship and discuss the often-neglected Larger Catechism, its

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The Special Commission of 1925

In this episode, Danny Olinger and Camden Bucey explore a pivotal moment in the history of American Presbyterianism: the Special Commission of 1925 and its investigation into the doctrinal unrest

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Engaging with Thomas Aquinas

In this thought-provoking episode, we welcome back Dr. Leonardo De Chirico, a leading Reformed evangelical theologian and pastor in Rome, for a consideration of the legacy and ongoing influence of

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Missions and Baseball in Germany

In this episode of Reformed Forum Live, Camden Bucey speaks with Stephen Spanjer, a PCA minister serving in Neuenberg, Germany, with the Evangelical Reformed Church Westminster Confession (ERKWB). Stephen shares

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The Three-Office View

In this episode, we explore the biblical and historical foundations of Presbyterian church government through the lens of the three-office view—minister, ruling elder, and deacon. Joining us are two distinguished

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The Genevan Réveil

In this episode we welcome Dr. Jean Decorvet and Dr. Kenneth Stewart to explore The Geneva Réveil, a significant yet often overlooked nineteenth-century evangelical revival that reshaped French-speaking Protestantism and

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Pastoral Ministry & Calvin’s Latin Bible

In our weekly livestream for March 7, 2025, Camden Bucey first speaks with Jonathan Master about the upcoming Greenville Presbyterian Theological Seminary conference focused on pastoral ministry. They explore the

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Redemptive-Historical Interpretation

In this special live recording of Christ the Center, Camden Bucey, Lane Tipton, Jim Cassidy, and guest Marcus Mininger explore the vital topic of redemptive historical interpretation. Dr. Mininger is

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Reformed Forum Live (February 14, 2025)

Camden Bucey is joined by Bo Collins and Joe Cristman to discuss various topics related to their churches, upcoming events, and personal library management. They also touch on exciting developments

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Reformed Forum Live (February 7, 2025)

In this conversation, Camden Bucey, Ryan Noha, Lane Tipton, and Scott Cook discuss various themes surrounding Reformed apologetics, particularly focusing on the critique of Cornelius Van Til’s thought as presented

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The Holy Spirit

In this episode of Christ the Center, we welcome Dr. Robert Letham, Professor of Systematic and Historical Theology at Union School of Theology, to discuss his latest book, The Holy

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Highlights from 2024

This special year-end episode highlights the top 10 most-viewed episodes and webinars from 2024. We work through key moments from discussions on Reformed theology and history. These clips showcase rich

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The 2024 Christmas Extravaganza

Join us for the Reformed Forum Christmas Extravaganza 2024, a four-hour special filled with lively theological discussion, reflections on the past year, and a look ahead to what’s in store

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Listener Questions

Join Camden Bucey and Jim Cassidy in this special live-streamed episode of Christ the Center. From discussing the “first annual” Reformed Forum Christmas Extravaganza to regional meetups and exciting book

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The Reformed Church in the Philippines

In this episode, Camden Bucey connects with Jim Cassidy, pastor of South Austin OPC and president of the Reformed Forum board, to discuss global theological education and Reformed missions. Dr.

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Global Theological Education

In this episode, we approach the critical topic of Reformed global theological education and discipleship. Join us as we explore the unique challenges and incredible opportunities present in various regions

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Church Membership

In Church Membership, Jonathan Landry Cruse emphasizes the biblical and theological necessity of formal church membership. Cruse argues that church membership is not merely a social or optional commitment but

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The Auburn Affirmation at 100

In this episode, we commemorate the centennial of the Auburn Affirmation, exploring its profound impact on the Presbyterian Church (USA) and the broader Christian community. We explore the theological crossroads

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Training and Equipping Missionaries

Christ the Center is on the road as Camden Bucey speaks with two guests from the Greenville Presbyterian Theological Seminary Conference. This episode explores Reformed theology and its profound impact

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Consciences and the Reformation

In this enlightening episode, we discuss the nuances of conscience and confessional identity during the Reformation. Joined by Dr. Timothy Scheuers, we turn our attention to the transformative period of

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Town Hall Meeting (Livestreamed 2/9/24)

Camden Bucey and Ryan Noha cover a wide range of topics important to our community, including an in-depth review of the Reformed Academy’s progress, what we’ve accomplished, the lessons we’ve

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Highlights from 2023

Since 2008, we have been taking time around New Year’s Day to bring you some of the top moments from the preceding year. We have several great clips lined up

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Because It’s Christmas

For our Eighth Annual Christmas Special, Rob and Bob are here to bring you Christmas cheer with our annual Christmas silliness. This year we laugh about Christmas delicacies and the

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Robert Boyle, Christianity, and Science

In the latest episode of Christ the Center, we explore the fascinating intersection of science, faith, and philosophy through the life and contributions of Robert Boyle, the seventeenth-century chemist often

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The Roots of Reformed Moral Theology

We are pleased to welcome Dr. Bruce Baugus to our program to discuss his book, The Roots of Reformed Moral Theology, published by Reformation Heritage Books. In this comprehensive work,

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The Aaronic Blessing of Numbers 6

In this episode, we welcome back Michael Glodo, Associate Professor of Pastoral Theology at Reformed Theological Seminary in Orlando, Florida. Rev. Glodo has written The Lord Bless You and Keep

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The Living Hope Revealed in 1 Peter

Explore the profound wisdom of 1 Peter in this episode of the Christ the Center podcast. Camden Bucey is joined by Ryan Noha, Reformed Forum’s Director of Education and Advancement,

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New Courses and Upcoming Events

Ryan Noha and Camden Bucey discuss two new courses from Reformed Academy as well as the new online community and several upcoming events. Camden, Jim Cassidy, and Lane Tipton will

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John Knox and Pastoral Theology

Sean Morris joins us to speak about the pastoral theology of John Knox. Known as the thunderous voice of the Scottish Reformation, Knox is a towering figure whose impact still

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Christianity and Liberalism: Christ

On the 100th anniversary of the publication of Christianity and Liberalism, we consider J. Gresham Machen’s critique of the liberal theological perspective on Jesus Christ, contrasting it with the traditional,

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Paul the Disciple in Acts

Adam York speaks about discipleship in the book of Acts. As the church “beholds” the resurrected–ascended Christ by the proclamation of the apostolic word, it is empowered to bear witness

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Running the Race

We discuss Geerhardus Vos’s sermon on Hebrews 12:1–3, “Running the Race,” from his collection Grace and Glory: Sermons Preached at Princeton Seminary.

Chapters
00:07 Introduction 01:11 Historical Context 06:06 Doctrine and

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A History of Presbyterianism in Wisconsin

Brian DeJong explores the history of Presbyterianism in Wisconsin by focusing on several key figures in the development Presbyterian churches in the area. In 1821, the Stockbridge Mohican Indians relocated

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Highlights from 2022

Since 2008, we have been taking a beat around New Year’s Day to bring you some of the top moments from the preceding year. We have several great clips lined

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Psalm 1 — The Blessed Man

We embark on a study through a new book—Psalms. Jim Cassidy provides some important interpretive principles which he illustrates through a consideration of Psalm 1. Written for Israel, a nation

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Hosea 14 — Turn Around

Repentance today is a byword. It conjures up images of a religious fanatic standing on a street corner with a cheap megaphone that more obscures the sound than amplifies it.

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Catechetical Preaching

Drs. Alan Strange and Cornelis Venema speak about the practice of catechetical preaching from a practical as well as historical perspective. While the practice is more common within the Dutch

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Bavinck and a Christian View of Science

In 1904, the same year Herman Bavinck published Christian Worldview, Bavinck published a book titled Christelijke wetenschap (Christian Science) in which he commented on a movement to “build science . . . on

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What Is the Antithesis?

In the field of Reformed apologetics we sometimes speak about the antithesis. The antithesis is a theological principle that is meant to describe the difference between believers and unbelievers. There

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Research Methods and Tools

Dr. Benjamin Gladd shares his methods and favorite tools for facilitating research and eventual publication of his writing. Dr. Gladd is Professor of New Testament at Reformed Theological Seminary in

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Heavenly Mindedness

We discuss Geerhardus Vos’s sermon, “Heavenly Mindedness” from his collection Grace and Glory: Sermons Preached at Princeton Seminary. In this sermon, Vos directs the Christian to consider the heavenly realities,

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What Are the Main Covenants?

When I was first introduced to Reformed covenant theology, things were really confusing. I kept trying to figure out how many covenants there were and how they related to one

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The Two Ages in Scripture

Adam York joins Camden Bucey to speak about the two age construction found throughout Scripture and especially in the Pauline epistles. Scripture frequently speaks of “this age” and “the age

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A History of Presbyterian Publications

Dr. Dominic Aquila joins Camden Bucey to speak about the history of Presbyterian publications. While they focus primarily on the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, Dr. Aquila connects this storied history

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Questions and Answers

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

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Reformed Ministry in Bogotá, Colombia

Rodrigo Andrés Espinoza and Douglas Clawson speak about Reformed and Presbyterian ministry in the nation of Colombia and specifically, its capital, Bogotá. Rev. Clawson has been visiting and serving in

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Reformed Missions and Evangelism

Dr. Eric Watkins joins us to speak about missions and evangelism from a Reformed perspective. Dr. Watkins is senior pastor of Harvest Presbyterian Church (OPC) in San Marcos, California as

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Highlights from 2021

It’s that time of year again. Since 2008, we have been taking a beat around New Year’s Day to bring you some of the top moments from the preceding year.

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Supporting Diaconal Ministry

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

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The Committee of Nine and Evangelicalism

Danny Olinger and John Muether join Camden Bucey to speak about the early history of the Orthodox Presbyterian Church and the forces within the young ecclesiastical body desiring broader influence

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Listener Questions

Ryan Noha poses several questions submitted by our listeners and views. Along with Jeff Waddington and Camden Bucey, the panel discusses Thomas and Van Til on the doctrine of God,

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The Liturgy of the Apocalypse

Glen Clary discusses the worship setting of Revelation 4–5 and its significance for the church’s present and future worship. While on the isle of Patmos, John was given a vision

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The Auburn Betrayal

Camden Bucey speaks about Murray Forst Thompson’s tract, The Auburn Betrayal, which provides historical and theological context for the Auburn Affirmation, an important document in early twentieth-century American Presbyterianism. The tract

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empty tomb

Redemption Accomplished and Applied

Lane Tipton is in the studio with Camden Bucey to discuss the doctrine of salvation and union with Christ from the eschatological perspective of redemption accomplished and applied. On the

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The Diet of Worms

The main events of the Diet of Worms relating to Luther took place from 16 to 18 April 1521. This year marks the 500th anniversary of the Diet of Worms,

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Trends in Christian Education

All Christian parents are called to raise their children in the nurture and admonition of the Lord (Eph. 6:4). In Deuteronomy 6:4–9, the Lord commands his covenant people, Hear, O

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Research Tools: Zotero

Whether you are a scholar, pastor, theological student, Bible study teacher, or someone engaged in serious personal study, it is critical to document your sources. Regrettably, most people don’t do this well.

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Hands-On with Van Til’s Books

Ryan Noha brings his collection of Van Til books to the studio for show-and-tell. Join us for a surreal Reformed home shopping network experience. This was recorded in the summer

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Michel Foucault

Dr. Christopher Watkin joins us to speak about his book, Michel Foucault, published by P&R Publishing in the Great Thinkers series. Michel Foucault (1926–1984) was a French philosopher, historian of ideas,

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The Spirituality of the Church

C. N. Willborn speaks about the spirituality of the church, the doctrine which affirms that the Church is a spiritual institution with spiritual aims. It is not administered according to

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James Ussher and the Covenant of Works

Harrison Perkins discusses the theology and historical context of James Ussher with particular attention to the development of the confessional understanding of the covenant of works. Ussher was the Church of

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Covenant Theology in Hebrews

Dr. Robert Cara, Provost and Chief Academic Officer of Reformed Theological Seminary and Hugh and Sallie Reaves Professor of New Testament at RTS Charlotte, discusses the covenant theology evident in

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A History of Dispensationalism

Rev. Michael J. Glodo, Associate Professor of Pastoral Theology and Dean of the Chapel at Reformed Theological Seminary in Orlando, Florida, speaks about dispensationalism and its development in light of

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Karl Barth and Idealism

Jim Cassidy speaks about Karl Barth and his relationship with idealism. On the heels of Lane Tipton’s recent course, Introduction to the Theology and Apologetics of Cornelius Van Til, the

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The Call to Worship and Benediction

Glen Clary speaks about the biblical basis and covenantal context of the call to worship and benediction. These elements of worship are rooted in Christ’s work on behalf of his

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Covenant Theology in Hebrews

Jeremy Boothby speaks about covenant theology through the biblical-theological lens of the book of Hebrews. In so doing, he compares and contrasts 1689 Federalism and other particular baptist approaches to

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Justification in James

Biblical exegetes have long discussed the relationship of justification in James to that of Paul. On the surface, James 2:24 appears even to contradict many of the key Pauline passages

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The Covenant of Works

We discuss the doctrine of the covenant of works, including its biblical basis (Gen. 2:15–17 et al) as well as common objections to it. The Reformed tradition has spoken of

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The Theology of Benedict XVI

Dr. Gregg Allison and Dr. Carl Trueman speak about the theology of Benedict XVI, pope emeritus of the Roman Catholic Church. Allison’s article, “Faith, Hope, and Love” and Trueman’s article,

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The Kingdom of God and Noah

This week on Theology Simply Profound, Rob and Bob wanted to pick up their discussion of the Kingdom of God and the Four-fold Estate of Man with a consideration of Noah

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The Kingdom of God and Enoch

This week on Theology Simply Profound, Rob and Bob wanted to pick up their discussion of the Kingdom of God and the Four-fold Estate of Man with a consideration of

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Seeking and Saving the Lost

This week on Theology Simply Profound, Bob continues reading from the 1922 edition of Grace and Glory, a collection of sermons delivered at Princeton Theological Seminary by Geerhardus Vos. The third of

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The Kingdom of God and the Fall

This week on Theology Simply Profound, Rob and Bob continue discussing the kingdom of God as it unfolds through the four-fold estate of man: the estate of innocence, fall, redemption,

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Hungering and Thirsting After Righteousness

This week on Theology Simply Profound, Bob continues reading from the 1922 edition of Grace and Glory, a collection of sermons delivered at Princeton Theological Seminary by Geerhardus Vos. The second of

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empty tomb

Rabboni!

This week on Theology Simply Profound, Bob continues reading from the 1922 edition of Grace and Glory, a collection of sermons delivered at Princeton Theological Seminary by Geerhardus Vos. The fourth of

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J. C. Ryle on Holiness

This week on Theology Simply Profound, Rob and Bob discuss the subject of holiness with portions of J. C. Ryle’s classic book, Holiness: Its Nature, Hindrances, Difficulties, and Roots.
Participants:

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The Wonderful Tree

This week on Theology Simply Profound, Bob begins reading the 1922 edition of Grace and Glory, a collection of sermons delivered at Princeton Theological Seminary by Geerhardus Vos. The first

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A Christian View of Economics

Shawn Ritenour, Professor of Economics at Grove City College, speaks about the basics of economics and the Christian principles upon which the study must be based. Dr. Ritenour is the

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Recommended Books of 2019

At the end of the year, I find it rewarding to reflect upon the books I read that year. Whether they be old favorites or new titles, the record of

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Christmas Traditions!

Welcome to the Fourth Annual Theology Simply Profound Christmas Special where Rob and Bob discuss Christmas traditions and everything silly that popped into their vacation ready minds. Merry Christmas!
Participants:

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Karl Rahner

Jeff Waddington, Glen Clary, and Lane Tipton speak with Camden Bucey about his book, Karl Rahner, and contemporary issues regarding Rahner, modern Roman Catholicism, and contemporary theology. Arguably the

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Socinianism

Carl Trueman joins us to speak about Socinianism, a non-Trinitarian system of doctrine that arose out of the Radical Reformation and developed in Poland during the 16th and 17th centuries.

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Faithful and Fruitful Ordained Ministry

Healthy churches have healthy elders and deacons. When a local congregation is blessed with faithful officers the results are bountiful (Acts 6:7). William Boekestein and Steven Swets speak about ordained

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History and the Life of the Church

Christianity is based in history. Contrary to the teaching of classic liberalism, without the historical fact of Christ’s life, death, and resurrection, Christianity is nothing. Moreover, God has been working

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The Faithfulness of God

This week on Theology Simply Profound, Rob and Bob pick up their discussion of Malachi at chapter 3:7-18. Here we engage Malachi in his denunciation of those “robbing” the Lord, as

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Questions and Answers

Jeff Waddington, Lane Tipton, Glen Clary, Jim Cassidy, and Camden Bucey answer questions at the Reformed Forum Theology Conference held at Hope OPC in Grayslake, Illinois on October 12, 2019.

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The Day of His Coming

This week on Theology Simply Profound, Rob and Bob pick up their discussion of Malachi 2:17–3:6 where they discuss Malachi’s presentation of the coming of God, as well as the

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Covenant Faithfulness

This week on Theology Simply Profound, Rob and Bob discuss Malachi 2:10-16. In these verses, Malachi addresses the covenant unfaithfulness of his people as the men divorce the wives of

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The Mountain of the Lord

Mountains appear throughout the Bible as an important symbol of God meeting with man. In this episode, we trace the biblical-theological theme of mountains in an effort to understand more

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Genesis 25:1–21 — Epilogue to Abraham

In Episode 78 the panel discusses how the story of redemption shifts focus from Abraham to his descendants, and particularly to Isaac and Jacob. Employing a covenantal and redemptive-historical hermeneutic

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What the Lord Expects Us to Know

The Book of Malachi speaks to the people of God after their return from exile in Babylon. They and their leaders are being called to account for offering their worst

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Machen’s Christianity and Liberalism

Darryl G. Hart speaks about J. Gresham Machen’s classic work, Christianity and Liberalism. In becoming familiar the content and historical context of this book, people will gain an understanding not

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The Authorship of Isaiah

The New Testament cites the book of Isaiah more than any other Old Testament book. Scripture itself treats the book as a literary work by a single author. In this

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The Song of Persecution

On this episode of Theology Simply Profound, Rob talks with the Zecharias Weldeyesus and Christopher Cashen, ministers in the Orthodox Presbyterian Church serving in the Atlanta area, about suffering and

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Cain and Abel

Glen Clary leads us in a consideration of the biblical-theological themes in the Cain and Abel narrative of Genesis 4. Much more than a mere commentary on anger and murder,

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The Gospel and Self-Conception

Daniel Schrock speaks about self-conception in light of the Revoice movement and the Nashville Statement. Looking to the believers’ union with Christ in his death and resurrection, Schrock provides a

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Cessationism

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

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The Pilgrim’s Progress: Little-faith

This week on Theology Simply Profound, Rob and Bob continue to discuss The Pilgrim’s Progress. Christian recounts the story of Little-faith robbed by Faintheart, Mistrust, and Guilt. There is wonderful

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Genesis 23 — The Cave at Machpelah

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

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Sabbath Rest in Genesis 2:1–3

The sabbath principle is established in Genesis 2:1–3, immediately upon the completion of God’s work of creation. This Sabbath rest principle is a function neither of redemption nor theocracy. It

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The Pilgrim’s Progress: A New Hope

In this episode of Theology Simply Profound, Rob and Bob return to The Pilgrim’s Progress by John Bunyan. This week we discuss how Faithful’s martyrdom served as a witness to

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Divine Authority Displayed in Covenant

We gather around the table in Wimberley, Texas to discuss the authority of the self-contained Triune God of Scripture. The absolute, self-sufficient God nevertheless established a covenant with man by

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Genesis 21:1–21 — Isaac and Ishmael

In episode 65, Adam York examines Sarah’s laughter and her treatment of Hagar, gleaning from the passage important principles for interpretation. We do not approach Old Testament narratives looking a

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The Future of Everything

William Boekestein speaks about eschatology and the life of the Christian. While many limit eschatology merely to the consideration of millennial views, Rev. Boekestein calls all Christians to understand how

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Interpreting Genesis 1–3

Dr. Vern Poythress speaks about the hermeneutical issues of interpreting Genesis 1–3 and how biblical interpretation relates to contemporary scientific study. Dr. Poythress is Distinguished Professor of New Testament and

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Van Til in Colombia

Jim Cassidy speaks about his recent trip to Colombia to lecture on Van Til’s apologetic. Jim, Glen, and Camden also speak about books they are currently reading or have read.

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On Richard Dawkins

Dr. Ransom Poythress has written Richard Dawkins in P&R Publishing’s Great Thinkers series. Poythress speaks about Richard Dawkins’s system of thought. Since the early 2000s, Dawkins has been an outspoken advocate

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Dispensationalism 101

On this week’s episode of Theology Simply Profound, we republish the first episode of our series on Dispensationalism. This was originally episode 22. In this series, we discuss questions like

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The Marburg Colloquy

Carl Trueman speaks about the Marburg Colloquy, a meeting called by Philip I of Hesse to unite the Protestant states in a political alliance. To accomplish such a union, he

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Justification Accomplished and Applied

Today we provide an introduction to the doctrine of justification with a consideration of several basic categories. We begin with a confessional doctrine of justification from the Westminster Standards. We

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Highlights from 2018

As is our annual custom, we’ve selected several clips from the episodes we released over the last year. We spoke with many people and had many fascinating conversations. I hope

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A Very Dickens Christmas

For the 3rd Annual Christmas Special of Theology Simply Profound, Rob and Bob talk all things Santa. It’s a bit of a stretch I know, but Rob and Bob for

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William Perkins on Predestination

William Perkins (1558–1602), often called “the father of Puritanism,” was a master preacher and teacher of Reformed, experiential theology. Greg Salazar speaks about Perkins’s works on predestination and his influence

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Ezekiel 9–10 and the Man in Linen

Lane Keister speaks about features of Ezekiel 9–10 that help us understand the identity of the man of linen in the passage. Rev. Keister’s article, “The Man in Linen: A

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The Pilgrim’s Progress: The Difficult Path

In this week’s episode of Theology Simply Profound, the journey continues through The Pilgrim’s Progress. Rob and Bob begin to discuss Stage 3 of Christian’s journey from the Interpreter’s House

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The Liturgies of Bucer, Calvin, and Knox

Glen Clary compares and contrasts the Reformation liturgies of Martin Bucer, John Calvin, and John Knox. Studying each of these helps us to understand the significance of worship reformed according

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The Life of John Bunyan

On this week’s episode of Theology Simply Profound, Rob and Bob discuss the life of John Bunyan as we begin a new series on his book, Pilgrim’s Progress.
Participants:

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Geerhardus Vos and J. Gresham Machen

Rev. Danny E. Olinger lectures on the connection Geerhardus Vos and J. Gresham Machen. This lesson was taught at Hope Orthodox Presbyterian Church in Grayslake, Illinois as part of the

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Hebrews: The Rest of God

This week on Theology Simply Profound, Rob and Bob discuss the rest of God. Continuing in their series on Hebrews, Rob and Bob open up to Hebrews 3:7-4:13 to see

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Reading Biographies

On this week’s episode of Theology Simply Profound, we repost an old episode on Reading Biographies. In this episode, Rob, Melodie, and Bob discuss the benefits of reading biographies and

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Hebrews: Living Sacrifices

Hebrews has given us a greater understanding of the role of Christ in relation to the Old Testament. He is the ultimate king, the greater high priest, and the better

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Entering God’s Rest

Ken Golden speaks about the Lord’s Day throughout redemptive-history and what it means to seek our heavenly rest in Christ. In his book, Entering God’s Rest: The Sabbath from Genesis to

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Hebrews: The Priesthood of Christ

This week on Theology Simply Profound, Rob and Bob discuss the mysterious figure of Melchizedek found in Genesis 14 and referenced several times in the Letter to the Hebrews. In

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Hebrews: Interpreting Scripture

Rob and Bob continue our short series walking through portions of the Letter to the Hebrews interacting on occasion with dispensationalism’s understanding of various passages and concepts found so prominently

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The Deeper Protestant Conception

We discuss how a return to sola scriptura through confessional Reformed theology spares us from the errors of Roman Catholicism and modernism. Reformed covenant theology, broadly considered, is facing a

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Hebrews: Christ is King

On this week’s episode of Theology Simply Profound, Rob and Bob begin a short series walking through the Letter to the Hebrews interacting on occasion with dispensationalism’s understanding of various

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Identifying the Seed

As most of our listeners are aware, Rob has been in the process of writing a book on dispensationalism. On today’s episode of Theology Simply Profound Bob talks to Rob about his

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Effectual Calling and Regeneration

Theologians often speak of regeneration, the work of the Holy Spirit to bring someone to the new birth. But the Westminster Standards speak of effectual calling as the work of

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Therefore I Have Hope

We interrupt our regularly scheduled programming because, whilst tending to his arduous studies at Reformed Theological Seminary in Orlando, Florida, Rob had the privilege of sitting down with Cameron Cole

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Atonement through Covenant

On this episode of Theology Simply Profound, Rob and Bob continue their discussion on the doctrine of the atonement with a focus on the atonement through the covenant. Jesus says,

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Atonement and Union with Christ

John Murray writes that the nature of union with Christ is both spiritual and mystical and that it is “the central truth of the whole doctrine of salvation.” If this

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Atonement and Adoption

This week on Theology Simply Profound, Rob and Bob once again discuss the doctrine of the atonement with emphasis upon the relationship between the atonement and adoption. What does adoption

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Penal Substitutionary Atonement

On today’s episode of Theology Simply Profound, Rob and Bob continue their discussion about the doctrine of the atonement. Today we take a closer look at the concept of penal

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The Free Offer of the Gospel

In this episode, we speak about the free offer of the gospel. The real point in dispute in connection with the free offer of the gospel is whether it can properly

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The Purposes of the Lord’s Supper

The first paragraph of chapter twenty-nine in the Westminster Confession of Faith sets forth the institution of Lord’s Supper and the uses and ends for which it is designed:
Our

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Karl Marx

Bill Dennison speaks about Karl Marx, leading us through his biography, influences, and his intellectual effects upon social and political history. Dr. Dennison is Professor of Interdisciplinary Studies at Covenant

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Banner of Truth

While at the Shepherds Conference Rob was able to talk with John Rawlinson from Banner of Truth. John talks about how Banner was an influence on his life from childhood. He introduces some great

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Lamentations, Habakkuk, and Zephaniah

Camden Bucey and Jim Cassidy discuss Lamentations, Habakkuk, and Zephaniah. The overwhelming message of these books is “strength for today and bright hope for tomorrow,” as Thomas O. Chisholm wrote in

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Media Gratiae

While at the Shepherds Conference Rob was able to talk with Matthew Robinson from Media Gratiae. They were able to discuss how Media Gratiae was started as well as a

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The Life of E. J. Young

Danny Olinger speaks about the life of E. J. Young, long-time Professor of Old Testament at Westminster Theological Seminary. Davis Young has written a wonderful biography of his father, For

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Books for Women and Parents

Camden and Erica Bucey discuss several helpful books for parents as they disciple their children and women in a variety of study group settings. They offer brief notices of several

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Blessed Are the Meek

We do not often speak of meekness. We might be hard pressed even to define it. Meekness is not weakness; it’s a measured strength, a control over wrath. It is

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Highlights from 2017

For those of you who’ve been with us for some time know we like to take an hour or so at the end of the year to look back on

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Blessed Are the Poor in Spirit

Matthew 5:1–16 are known as the Beatitudes, which stems from the Latin term used in the translation of these verses. A beatitude is a declaration of blessing and a statement

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Meeting R. C. Sproul

In 2006, I had been attending a non-denominational evangelical church largely influenced by John MacArthur and the Master’s Seminary. The church placed a heavy emphasis on the inerrancy of the

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Warfield and True Church Unity

Jeff Stivason joins us to speak about his article, “Benjamin B. Warfield and True Church Unity,” published in the Westminster Theological Journal 79 (2017): 327–43. He argues that Warfield developed

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The Ordo Salutis and the Westminster Standards

Each presbytery meeting, we usually have the opportunity to examine candidates for licensure and ordination.As you’d expect, these exams cover important topics pertaining to the doctrine of Scripture, theology proper,

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Navigating the Christian Sabbath Day

As a pastor of a church that confesses a Reformed and Presbyterian view of the fourth commandment, I often encounter questions as to how to observe it. The fourth commandment—to

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The Image of God: Then and Now

Camden Bucey and Jeff Waddington discuss the image of God and whether man retains the image after the fall into sin. Man was made in the image of God, yet

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The Prophet Hosea

Jim Cassidy speaks about the book of Hosea, exploring the theological themes of covenant and judgment in light of God’s love, faithfulness, and mercy expressed toward faithless sinners.
Participants:

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Live Q&A Session

We took to Facebook to broadcast a live Q&A session. With questions submitted through email and the live comment thread, we covered Lord’s Day observance, fasting and gluttony, and membership

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Episode 500: Doctrine for Life

We celebrate five-hundred episodes of Christ the Center with an open discussion on worship, the regulative principle, and the apologetic impetus. Join us for a conversation that ties together many

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The Role of Ephraim in Judges

On this episode, we open to the book of Judges with our guest, William Wood. Mr. Wood is a PhD student in Old Testament at Westminster Theological Seminary in Philadelphia,

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The Life and Theology of Augustine

Charles Williams speaks about the life and theology of one of Christianity’s greatest figures, Augustine. Mr. Williams is Associate Pastor at Bethel OPC in Wheaton, Illinois. WTSBooks.com has generously offered

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Reformed Spirituality

Christ the Center hits the road for a series of episodes at Bethel OPC in Wheaton, Illinois. In our first of the series, A. Craig Troxel speaks about Reformed spirituality. Dr.

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Highlights from 2016

As we head into our tenth year of Christ the Center, we look back at some of our favorite guests and moments from 2016.
Episodes

425 — David VanDrunen, God’s

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Worship and the Birth of Christ, Part 2

In the second part of this special two-part episode, we discuss the observation of Christmas. This subject is perennially debated in the Reformed community. In this segment of our conversation,

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Worship and the Birth of Christ, Part 1

In this special two-part episode, we discuss the observation of Christmas. This subject is perennially debated in the Reformed community. Listen as we discuss the historical, theological, and the practical

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The Second Commandment and Images in Worship

Several traditions within the Christian church have understood the second commandment differently. Some have understood it is a prohibition against statues. Others understand the commandment to prohibit images of God in worship.

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Catechetical Preaching

Many churches may be familiar with lectio continua preaching in the form of the weekly practice of preaching consecutive passages through a book of Scripture. Catechetical preaching uses a catechism to organize

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Genesis 10 — The Table of Nations

In this episode we discuss the canonical, biblical theological, and historical significance of the genealogy of Genesis 10. We also discuss the challenges and problems of how to preach genealogical

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Edward Hicks, Peaceable Kingdom

Enjoying the New Creation

Introduction
Isaiah 65:17ff is a wonderful picture of the future restoration of God’s people. It’s a passage that demonstrates the greatness of the blessings that come to God’s people from

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Dispensationalism

Dispensationalism is a system of doctrine that views human history as divided into distinct eras (or dispensations). In each of these dispensations, God provides a unique test to humanity. Repeatedly,

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Pilgrims in a Foreign Land

The people of God presently live in between grace and glory. We look back upon the finished work of Jesus Christ while also looking forward to his return, our resurrection,

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Bosserman, The Trinity and Christian Paradox

The Trinity and Christian Paradox

Van Til’s trinitarian theology is at the heart of his apologetic. Yet there are several aspects of his theology difficult to understand and others that are left undeveloped. We speak with

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Christopher Ash, Zeal without Burnout

Zeal without Burnout

Ministry in the body of Christ is trying. We face many challenges as we battle the enemy and the flesh. While some shrink before the battle, others dive in irresponsibly

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Seeing Christ in All of Scripture

Today we welcome Vern Poythress and Iain Duguid to speak about Reformed hermeneutics and the tradition of biblical interpretation at Westminster Theological Seminary. Along with G. K. Beale and Richard

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Creation and Covenant

Lane Tipton and Camden Bucey speak about creation and covenant from 30,000+ feet (literally) on their way to our Austin Theology Conference at Providence OPC in Pflugerville, Texas, April 30,

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Nature and the Means of Grace

Lane Tipton, Glen Clary, Jim Cassidy, and Camden Bucey speak about nature-grace dualism and the means of grace. This was a live panel discussion held during our Austin Theology Conference

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Dispensationalism — Part 1

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

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Owen on Limited Atonement

If Christ hath merited grace and glory for all those for whom he died, if he died for all, how comes it to pass that these things are not communicated

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Cliffside Restaurant in Frankfort

Outreach and the Local Church

There are different ways to define “outreach.” At times, it is closely identified with the act of planting churches and evangelizing. Other times, it’s more closely identified with advertising and

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Jacques Derrida

Derrida’s Theology

French intellectual Jacques Derrida (1930–2004) was one of the most important contributors to the post-modern philosophical movement. He was also one of the most notoriously difficult philosophers to understand. In this

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Jacques Derrida

Derrida’s Ethics

French intellectual Jacques Derrida (1930–2004) was one of the most important contributors to the post-modern philosophical movement. He was also one of the most notoriously difficult philosophers to understand. In this

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Jacques Derrida

Derrida’s Metaphysic

French intellectual Jacques Derrida (1930–2004) was one of the most important contributors to the post-modern philosophical movement. He was also one of the most notoriously difficult philosophers to understand. In

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Vern Poythress, The Miracles of Jesus

The Miracles of Jesus

Jesus’ miracles are windows into God’s grand story of redemption. They confirm God’s message and demonstrate his power in the world and purpose in redemption. In this episode, Dr. Vern

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Donald S. Whitney, Family Worship

Family Worship

Donald S. Whitney joins us to speak about Family Worship (Crossway). Many Reformed believers will be aware of the important spiritual practice of family worship. This practical guide will greatly assist families develop and maintain

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David VanDrunen, God's Glory Alone

Soli Deo Gloria: God’s Glory Alone

The five solas are slogans that summarize the core teachings of the Reformation. Sola gratia, sola fide, solus Christus, and sola Scriptura are beloved Protestant distinctives. Yet people either forget about the fifth

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Christology and Hebrews

Dr. Lane G. Tipton teaches the adult Sunday school class at Hope OPC in Grayslake, Illinois, considering Christology from the early chapters of the epistle to the Hebrews.
Participants:

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Vos on Merit and the Mosaic Covenant

It is plain, then, that law-keeping did not figure at that juncture as the meritorious ground of life-inheritance. The latter is based on grace alone, no less emphatically than Paul

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Revivalism and Reformed Piety

Today we speak with D. G. Hart, Glen Clary, and John Terpstra about the relationship between revivalism and Reformed piety. Looking at the history of revival and its influence on

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God’s Maximal Truth

May the day come, and come soon, when American fundamentalists will stop being content with the minimum of God’s truth and start proclaiming the maximum.
—Ned B. Stonehouse, “Stars

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Issues in Biblical Theology

In this episode, we survey several biblical texts and explore the biblical theological features that unfold throughout God’s Word. We consider a biblical theology of the darkness upon Christ’s crucifixion,

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The Church in the Old Testament

Jonathan Brack explains a Reformed ecclesiology which spans Old and New Testaments. He touches upon covenant theology, polity, and other foundational issues as he speaks about important books on ecclesiology.

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A Sermon Is Not a Listicle

You’ve seen them. They’ve taken over your Facebook timelines and Twitter feeds. They get forwarded to you on chat or through email. They’re called “listicles.” The unfortunately-named listicle is at

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Listener Questions

Reformed Forum turns to the mailbag, answering several of the questions we’ve received over the last few months. In this episode, we get into covenant apologetics, biblical theology, baptism, different

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Bavinck on the Image of God

In our treatment of the doctrine of the image of God, then, we must highlight, in accordance with Scripture and the Reformed confession, the idea that a human being does

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The Unassumed Is the Unhealed

Rev. Dr. Kevin Chiarot introduces and offers a critical look into the influential Christology of T. F. Torrance, who among other things taught that the Son of God assumed a

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Podcast Recommendations

Reformed Media Review turn their attention beyond our typical discussions about theological books to speak about podcasts. Reformed Forum has been producing podcasts since 2008. But we’re not merely producers, we love to

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Taking the Psalter in Portions

I regularly preach lectio continua. When we start a new series at my church, we open to verse one of that book and work through it week by week, passage by

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How to Podcast

Over the years we have received many questions pertaining to different aspects of recording and publishing digital audio. In this episode, Camden Bucey shares practical lessons and many of the

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Jesus Christ as Apologist

Brian DeJong takes us to Jesus Christ as Lord as well as the preeminent practitioner of apologetics. Listen to this important conversation on an underdeveloped topic. Rev. De Jong is pastor of

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Muller on Natural Theology

The development, in rationalist systems of the eighteenth century, of a truly foundational natural theology represents a basic alteration of perspective and a loss, not an outgrowth or further refinement,

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Talking with Catholics about the Gospel

More than seventy-eight million Catholics live in the United States, representing one of the country’s largest demographics. How then can evangelical and Reformed Christians be better equipped to speak about

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The Order of Worship

Glen Clary walks us through a Reformed order of worship, explaining the Biblical precedent and rationale for elements such as the call to worship, invocation, different types of prayer, and

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The Message of Leviticus

Leviticus is a book about death, which may be why many people neglect to read it regularly. Yet the book teaches many important lessons about God’s holiness and the punishment for

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Edwards on the Christian Life

Christ the Center is pleased to welcome Dr. Dane Ortlund to speak about Jonathan Edwards’s views of the Christian life. Ortlund is Senior Vice President of Bible Publishing at Crossway and the author of

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God without Passions

In this episode, we speak with Samuel Renihan about the doctrine of divine impassibility. Rev. Renihan is the pastor of Trinity Reformed Baptist Church in La Mirada, California and the

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A Theological Tree of Life

. . . all eschatological interpretation of history, when united to a strong religious mentality cannot but produce the finest practical theological fruitage. To take God as source and end

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Which Comes First, the Intellect or the Will?

Jeff Waddington compares Alvin Plantinga and Jonathan Edwards on the perennial anthropological question regarding the relationship between the intellect and the will. In 2000, distinguished Christian philosopher Alvin Plantinga offered

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Disciplines of the Christian Mind

Jeff Waddington, Jim Cassidy, and Camden Bucey discuss the importance of intellectual discipline for cultivating the life of the Christian mind. In addition to speaking generally about persistent study, the

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God and Necessity

Jared Oliphint and Nathan Shannon discuss Brian Leftow’s God and Necessity (Oxford University Press). In this volume, Leftow seeks to offer a metaphysic of modality. This leads him into a discussion

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The Theology of Wolfhart Pannenberg

Carlton Wynne leads us into the world of modern theology by introducing the theology of Wolfhart Pannenberg. Pannenberg (1928–2014) was a leading systematic theologian who introduced an innovative relationship between eschatology and

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The Hard Problem of Consciousness

Consciousness and personality are perennial topics of conversation among philosophers. But that doesn’t mean they’re topics only for the academy. These subjects touch each of us deeply, because they are at the very

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The Confessional Presbyterian Journal, Volume 10

It’s that time of year again—the time when the latest issue of The Confessional Presbyterian Journal is published. We discuss the new issue and celebrate the journal’s continued focus on historic confessional presbyterianism. This

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Planting Reformed Churches

Today we speak with John Shaw, the General Secretary for Home Missions and Church Extension in the Orthodox Presbyterian Church. This interview took place in the wake of the OPC’s

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Highlights from 2014

We close our year with a look at some of our best clips from 2014. Listen to the full episodes of the clips we’ve chosen to include by using the following links:

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The Book of Hebrews

The Christ the Center panel discusses the book of Hebrews, the brief letter of exhortation. The participants look at the main argument of the letter, the superiority of Christ and

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Video Update for 2014-11-26

In this quick video update, we speak about short form serial content and how it fits in with our plans for developing educational resources on Reformed theology.

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[Review] Logos Bible Software 6

Jared Oliphint and Camden Bucey explore the latest version of Logos Bible Software discussing new features and personal use cases. Here are just a few of the new features:

The

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Evidences and Presuppositional Apologetics

Is it appropriate to use apologetic evidences with a presuppositional or covenantal approach to defending the Christian faith? Absolutely! All facts exist within God’s world and if understood rightly can

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Divine Meaning and the Human Author

Biblical hermeneutics is the science of interpreting Scripture. But Scripture, unlike any other written document, is a product of divine and human authorship. It is rightly said that God is

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The Aseity of the Son

Dr. K. Scott Oliphint examines the Reformed tradition’s understanding of the Son as a se. In his assessment, much of the tradition relies upon unsatisfactory formulations offered by Thomas Aquinas. Oliphint encourages

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Creative Commons, some rights reserved https://www.flickr.com/photos/upnorthmemories/4136214856/

The Practice of Ecclesiology

Several contributors are on location in Green Lake, Wisconsin as we discuss the practice of ecclesiology. Although ecclesiology is one of the traditional loci of systematic theology, it is often under-studied and

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We Reached Our Fundraising Goal!

Thanks to everyone who helped make our conference fundraising campaign a success. We were able to raise $7,905—beating our $7,500 target. This means that our inaugural theology conference is all-systems

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The Puritan Family Resemblance

Dr. Randall J. Pederson offers a helpful method for resolving the perennial challenge of defining Puritanism. Pederson suggests that Wittgenstein’s concept of familienähnlichkeit (family resemblance) provides a perspective “that within seventeenth-century

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State of the Forum, March 27, 2014

Camden Bucey and Jared Oliphint discuss the possibility of a Reformed Forum conference, October 10–11, 2014 in Grayslake, IL. As it stands, the conference would be titled The Sons of God and

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The Old and New Calvinisms

Reformed Forum founders Camden Bucey, Jim Cassidy, and Jeff Waddington speak about the Old and New Calvinisms. As the speaker for the annual Gaffin lecture, John Piper recently spoke at

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Warfield on the Mode of Inspiration

Jeffrey A. Stivason speaks about B.B. Warfield’s doctrine of inspiration. In his doctoral dissertation, From Inscrutability to Concursus: Benjamin B. Warfield’s Theological Construction of Inspiration’s Mode from 1880 to 1915.Pastor Stivason

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Charles Hodge on Antinomianism

It’s always important for us to read from the great theological minds of the past. Here, Charles Hodge addresses antinomianism:
Antinomianism has never had any hold in the churches of

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Highlights from 2013

We begin the New Year with a look at some of our best clips from 2013. Listen to the full episodes of the clips we’ve chosen to include by using

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Thoroughbred Believers

Horses can teach you a great deal about life. Such is the take-home from my conversation this morning over breakfast. I sat next to John, a retired horse trainer, at

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The Graced Subject

It is increasingly common to speak about grace as a subject. “Grace” is said to do amazing things in your life. It can forgive. It can make you obey. In

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The Apostolic Fathers

Kyle Padden and Paul Maxwell join Jonathan Brack and Charles Williams to discuss the importance and value of reading the Apostolic Fathers. Particular attention is given to the letters of

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Genesis 3:9-12 – Adam on Trial

In this episode we discuss Genesis 3:9-12, and consider God’s pursuit of rebellious Adam. On the one hand, God clearly calls Adam into account for his sin, but on the

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Pseudonymity and Inerrancy

In her commentary on 1 Peter, Karen Jobes addresses the issue of 1 Peter’s supposed pseudonymity. Several critics argue that, even though 1 Peter claims to be written by the

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Jesus on Every Page

Biblical theology has been a hot topic for the last five or ten years. I, for one, am glad for the interest in studying God’s unfolding plan throughout Scripture. But

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Early Heresies: Adoptionism

In the sixth episode of Faith of our Fathers, Jonathan Brack and Charles Williams discuss two of the earliest heresies in church history: Ebionism and Adoptionism. The Ebionites regarded Jesus

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The Nature and Use of Apologetic Evidences

Reformed theologians have approached the discipline of apologetics from several different vantage points. Proponents of presuppositional, classical, and evidential approaches differ with one another on several important apologetic questions. One

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Typology and Jehoiachin

We welcome Matthew Patton to the program to speak about the nature and use of typology using Jehoiachin as an extended example. Mr. Patton is Visiting Assistant Professor of Old

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The Polemical Theology of the Old Testament

Scholars disagree on the relationship between portions of the Old Testament and similar ancient Near Eastern accounts. Many believe Moses simply plagiarized material from existing literature. In this episode, we

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Approaches to Christology

Christology is at the heart of the gospel for it is the study of the God-man, the savior of sinners. In this episode, Jim Cassidy and Camden Bucey speak about several

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Aspects of Presbyterian Government

For this in-house episode, we speak about different aspects of presbyterian government. While church polity may seem like a tedious and perhaps arbitrary task, Scripture lays out a structure for

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Family-Integrated Churches

On this episode, we welcome Dr. Sam Waldron to speak about the family-integrated church movement, which seeks to recover a biblical understanding of the family, especially in its relationship to

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Simplicity in Preaching

In his 1853 address to the Society of Alumni of Union Theological Seminary in Virginia, R. L. Dabney advocated for simplicity in pulpit style. Dabney calls preachers to what I would call “immediacy.”

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Insider Movements

We welcome David Garner and Phil DeHart to speak about Insider Movements, which are increasingly popular approaches to missions predicated on controversial theological and hermeneutic foundations. Insider Movements have gained

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Mobility through a Marketed Ministry

In his classic essay, “The D-Min-ization of the Ministry,” David Wells describes the ministerial professionalization that occurred over the last several decades. Because of the lack of respect and influence

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Help Spread Reformed Theology

I believe strongly in making theological discussion and content freely available, and I want as many people as possible to learn about the great truths of the Christian faith. I’m

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Canine Piety

William Laud was the Archbishop of Canterbury from 1633-1645. He became obsessed with the liturgy, and his heavy-handed high church policies were seen as persecution by many Protestants. In his

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English Puritan Theology

Christ the Center is pleased to welcome Rev. Dr. Mark Jones to the program to speak about puritan theology. With Joel Beeke, Mark has co-authored an exciting new book from Reformed

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Dynamics of Church Planting

Church planting is one way the Lord expands his kingdom on earth. Christ called his disciples to go forth and make disciples of men, baptizing them in the name of

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John Flavel and Union with Christ

Rev. William R. Edwards speaks about John Flavel and union with Christ. Edwards has written an article titled “John Flavel on the Priority of Union with Christ: Further Historical Perspective

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The Eternal Generation of the Son

On this episode, we discuss the eternal generation of the Son of God within the context of Trinitarian theology and church history. The subject of the Son’s relationship to the

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God Glorified in Man’s Dependence

Originally preached in Northampton in the fall of 1730, and later preached at Boston for the Harvard convocation week Thursday lecture on 8 July 1731, God Glorified in Man’s Dependence

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Preaching and Sermon Preparation

We take a break from our regular format to enjoy a relaxed open forum. Nonetheless, the panel quickly focuses on the subject of preaching and sermon preparation. We ask questions

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Divine Impassibility

The Christ the Center panel meets with Rev. Dr. James Dolezal to discuss the much maligned doctrine of divine impassibility. Beginning with a look at Westminster Confession of Faith 2.1, that “There

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The Regulative Principle of Worship

Dr. Darryl G. Hart speaks about a key feature to Reformed worship, the regulative principle. Generally speaking, the principle seeks to allow worship to be governed strictly by the Word

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Did God Really Say?

David B. Garner, Associate Professor of Systematic Theology at Westminster Theological Seminary, visits the studio to speak about the doctrine of Scripture. Dr. Garner has edited an excellent collection of

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Law and Gospel

Errors abound when readers of Scripture confuse law and gospel. Dr. Lane G. Tipton describes the uses of the law and the wonderful news that Jesus Christ has accomplished salvation

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Counseling, Medication, and Common Grace

The relationship of Christianity to various forms of counseling has been a turbulent subject in recent decades. With the advancement of medicinal science and the proliferation of different disease and

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The Word of God and Inerrancy

Gabe Fluhrer joins the panel to speak about inerrancy. The subject continues to be an issue of perennial importance. Gabe has edited a wonderful book on the subject with contributions

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Christ in the Old Testament

On this episode we welcome Nancy Guthrie back to the program to speak about Christ in the Old Testament. Nancy has written the latest in her series on the subject

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The Law and Redemptive-History

Notwithstanding the diversity of opinion and debate that has surfaced throughout the last century and a half surrounding the nature of the Mosaic Covenant and the Law of God, Reformed theologians have

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Apologetics and Counseling

Following Christ the Center episode 205, we kept the recording running and spoke with Dr. K. Scott Oliphint about counseling, apologetics, and the doctrine of God. Throughout the discussion, Dr.

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The Historical Adam

Rick Phillips joins Nick Batzig and Kenneth Kang-Hui to speak about the historical Adam. The teaching that Adam was a historical figure, the federal head of all those who descend

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Justification and Union with Christ

Today we welcome Dr. Michael S. Horton and Dr. Lane G. Tipton to the program to discuss justification and its relation to union with Christ. Dr. Horton is Professor of Systematic Theology

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Sanctification

Rick Phillips and Kevin DeYoung join a panel to address the doctrine of sanctification. This is an important conversation that addresses the work of the Holy Spirit in applying the

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Suffering and the Christian Life

In this episode we speak with Dr. J. Ligon Duncan about suffering and the Christian life. Rev. Dr. Duncan is Senior Minister of First Presbyterian Church in Jackson, MS and

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Holiness and the Christian Life

Kevin DeYoung speaks about holiness and sanctification in this episode of Christ the Center. Given the recent discussions of the role of sanctification in soteriology and the age-old errors of

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The King James Bible

Dr. Carl Trueman, Professor of Historical Theology and Church History at Westminster Theological Seminary, describes the historical context leading up to the creation of the King James Bible. This year

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Union with Christ and Glorification

Rev. James Cassidy, Pastor of Calvary OPC, preaches on glorification in this special presentation from Alive with Christ: Saving Union with Christ. This series of addresses comes from the Fall Seminar on

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Union with Christ

We celebrate the 200th episode of Christ the Center together with our guest (and studio host!), Dr. Lane G. Tipton. Dr. Tipton is the Charles Krahe Professor of Biblical and Systematic

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Our Great God

In this episode, we speak about the doctrine of God and its implications for other doctrines and all areas of life with Kevin DeYoung. DeYoung is the Senior Pastor at University

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Theologizing in a Connected Culture

Jared Oliphint and Camden Bucey speak about a number of topics in today’s open discussion, but the discussion gravitated toward theologizing in today’s connected culture. With the proliferation of social

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The Significance of the Resurrection

People often speak of the “cross” synecdochally, that is, referring to the entire work of redemption accomplished by Christ. While this is perfectly acceptable, repeated use of this construction can under-emphasize the

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Issues in Systematic Theology

Jeff Waddington and Camden Bucey speak about various contemporary issues in systematic theology. The conversation centers mainly on union with Christ and the salvific benefits that flow from that union.

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Preaching the Fullness of Christ

The relationship of justification and sanctification has returned to the forefront of several Twitter and blog circles. William B. Evans rekindled the discussion with a response to Tullian Tchividjian’s formulation of

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An Introduction to Universals

Philosophy for Theologians opens up the subject of universals by discussing the basic approaches to reality found in thinkers such as Plato and Aristotle. After laying an introductory foundation, the

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The Hypostatic Union

Camden Bucey and Jeff Waddington discuss the Council of Chalcedon and its key contribution to orthodox theology – a formulation of the hypostatic union.
Participants: ,

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Transformationalism and Christian Higher Education

Dr. William Dennison discusses transformational eschatology and Christian higher education. Dr. Dennison’s has written two articles that become the subject of discussion. In The Christian Academy: Antithesis, Common Grace, and Plato’s

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Turretin and Right Reason

Jeff Waddington and Camden Bucey speak about Francis Turretin and his insights into the much debated topic of right reason. Theologians have debated the effects of sin upon the mind.

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The Ethics of Bankruptcy

Dr. David Skeel, professor of corporate law at UPenn, discusses Christians in legal studies in addition to the ethics of bankruptcy. David Skeel is the S. Samuel Arsht Professor of

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The Relationship of Philosophy to Theology

For Reformed theologians it can be rather difficult to articulate the relationship between philosophy and theology. Is philosophy simply theology asking different questions? Is it a distinct discipline that can

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The Clark/Van Til Controversy

K. Scott Oliphint explores the issue of divine and human knowledge as it relates to the Clark/Van Til controversy. Dr. Oliphint is Professor of Systematic Theology and Apologetics at Westminster

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Are All Van Tilians Equal?

In this brief episode, Camden Bucey discusses the Van Tilian interpretive tradition. Cornelius Van Til was an influential figure in the development of a distinctively Reformed apologetic. Camden Bucey discusses

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Highlights from 2010

Today we finish our third full year of Christ the Center episodes. And to date we’ve been able to bring you a new episode every Friday since we began three

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Contemporary Issues in Ecclesiology

Jeff Waddington, Nick Batzig, and Camden Bucey engage in an open conversation about current issues in the life and understanding of the church. The discussion addresses multi-site churches, the culture

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Amillennialism

Christ the Center is pleased to welcome Kim Riddlebarger to the program to discuss amillennialism. Dr. Riddlebarger is senior pastor of Christ Reformed Church in Anaheim, California (www.christreformed.org), visiting

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Machen and Bultmann at Marburg

Bill Dennison discusses the possibility of a personal acquaintance between J. Gresham Machen and Rudolf Bultmann. Both men are key figures in opposing wings of Protestantism. Machen being the figurehead

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Christianity and Politics

Dr. Carl Trueman, Vice President for Academic Affairs at Westminster Theological Seminary, and Dr. Peter A. Lillback, President of Westminster, discuss the proper relationship of Christianity to the political sphere.

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Modern Roman Catholicism

Christ the Center discusses the developments in Roman Catholic theology that came with Vatican II. In this episode, we welcome an able panel including Nathan Shannon, who wrote a ThM

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Van Til, Barth and Liberalism

Jim Cassidy and Camden Bucey open the subject of Van Til’s criticisms of Karl Barth. Van Til was one of Barth’s earliest English-writing critics, and his criticisms are found in

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Natural Theology

The idea of natural theology has been much debated. One’s understanding regarding the project of natural theology will inevitably impact substantially one’s apologetic methodology and epistemology. K. Scott Oliphint and

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Thomas’ Second Way

Bob LaRocca leads a discuss on Thomas Aquinas’ Second Way. The Second Way is an argument for the existence of God from efficient causes. The flow of the argument is

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The Theology of B.B. Warfield

Fred Zaspel is the author of the soon to be released volume on the theology of B.B. Warfield, published by Crossway titled The Theology of B.B. Warfield: A Systematic Summary.

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PhD Studies

PhD students Gabe Fluhrer (MDiv, Greenville Presbyterian Theological Seminary), Carlton Wynne (MDiv RTS, Charlotte) and Nate Shannon (ThM, Westminster Theological Seminary) share what led them to PhD studies, how their

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New Media and the Technological Frontier

The Church stands at the beginning of a new technological frontier. Along with great opportunities come new challenges. Today the panel discusses mobile applications, intellectual property, and exciting news regarding

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The Atonement

Gabe Fluhrer on the lasting importance of Christ’s act of penal substitutionary atonement. Gabe has recently edited Atonement, a collection of writings and sermons from J.I. Packer, Sinclair Ferguson, and

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The Westminster Assembly

The Christ the Center panel was joined by Dr. Chad Van Dixhoorn, associate pastor of Grace OPC in Vienna, VA and senior research fellow at Wolfson College, University of Cambridge,

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The Preaching of the Scriptures

The Christ the Center panel, ably augmented by Glen Clary, pastor of Immanuel Orthodox Presbyterian Church of West Collingswood, NJ, had the privilege of sitting down and chatting with Dr.

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Quine’s Two Dogmas of Empiricism

Willard Van Orman Quine (June 25, 1908 – December 25, 2000) (known to intimates as “Van”) was an American philosopher and logician in the analytic tradition. From 1930 until his death 70 years

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Reformation Art

Andrew Moody visits the Reformed Media Review to discuss Reformation Art, a website he runs that gives people access to a variety of reformed artwork. Andrew is a minister in

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Logical Positivism

Logical positivism is a combination of empiricism and mathematical and logico-linguistic constructs and deductions in epistemology. The crew provides a brief overview of the view and major players. They then

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Das Machen des Van Til

Or roughly, “The Making of Van Til.” Camden Bucey builds a case that Machen is the principal historical reason for Cornelius Van Til becoming the influential reformed apologist he became.

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René Descartes

René Descartes (31 March 1596 – 11 February 1650), was a French philosopher, mathematician, and physicist. He has been dubbed the “Father of Modern Philosophy,” and much of subsequent Western philosophy is a response

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Kingship and First Samuel

John Woodhouse speaks about the important theme of kingship in the books of Samuel. Rev. Dr. Woodhouse is Principal at Moore Theological College in Sydney, Australia and has written the

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The Fight Against Tyranny

Darryl G. Hart continues his teaching series on J. Gresham Machen with a look at Machen’s views about politics and the relation between the church and state. This lesson was

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The Sweet 16

2010 Christ the Center Madness continues and we unveil the Sweet 16. Several surprises have made it into the third round and we’re expecting a number of close battles over

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The Historical Adam

The Christ the Center panel got together recently and discussed whether Adam was a real historical person and whether it matters for our understanding of Scripture and theology as a

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Christ the Center 2010 March Madness

Is your NCAA bracket shot because of Kansas, Temple and Villanova? Never fear – turn your attention to the official Christ the Center 2010 Championship Tournament. In the next few

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Perspectives on Pentecost

Christ the Center revisited with Dr. Richard B. Gaffin, professor of biblical and systematic theology, emeritus, at Westminster Theological Seminary in Philadelphia, about the significance of Pentecost for redemptive history

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Living Together and Marriage

Patti Neighmond of NPR reports that more couples live together before marriage than ever before. The figures show how far our culture has changed in just one generation. But interestingly,

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Theological Prayer

The panel discusses the relationship of theology to prayer by focusing on Colossians. Jim, Nick, and Camden explore Paul’s letter to the church at Colossae and think about the relationship

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Thoughts on American Presbyterianism

Darryl G. Hart shares a few thoughts on American Presbyterianism including the modernist-fundamentalist debates of the early 20th century and the historical developments of women in office.
Participants:

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Feeding Your Family

I’m actually speaking of literal food this time. Inka Leoni at My Modern Metropolis has written a post which includes some very interesting photos of what families throughout the world

Read More »

Effective Abstinence Education

Robert Rector comments on a new report demonstrating the success of abstinence education programs in the face of the failures of so called “safe-sex” and comprehensive sex-ed programs. What is

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Shepherding Ministry

The Christ the Center panel had the privilege of talking with Dr. Tim Witmer, professor of practical theology, coordinator of the PT department, and supervisor of the mentored ministry program

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Trends in Media Use

The Kaiser Family Foundation has released their study of the use of media among 8 to 18 year olds. The figures are simply astounding. Just to highlight a few of

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Avatar

The Reformed Media Review crew discusses Avatar, the much anticipated movie from James Cameron. Not only a visually stunning and action-packed film, Avatar makes several important statements and invokes many

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New Books and Thoughts on Brit Hume

Jeff Waddington and Camden Bucey discuss several new and forthcoming books and interact with Brit Hume’s recent comments. Recently on FoxNews, Hume offered Tiger Woods advice in the form of

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Help with the Best of 2009 Show

Just as at the end of last year, I’ll be putting together a “Best of 2009” show as the first Christ the Center episode of 2010. I’ll be sorting through

Read More »

Support Reformed Forum this Christmas

As you work through your shopping list and purchase gifts for your loved ones this Christmas season, please consider supporting Reformed Forum. The Reformed Forum makes all of its content

Read More »

Educating Your Children About Sex

Speaking to your children about sex certainly isn’t on your list of most anticipated things to do. But certainly it’s something that should not be avoided. This was the subject

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Bioethics

The Christ the Center panel had the privilege of conversing with Dr. David VanDrunen, the Robert B. Strimple professor of systematic theology and ethics at Westminster Seminary in California, about

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Christian Essentialism

K. Scott Oliphint returns to Christ the Center to discuss God’s attributes. Understanding God as He is related to creation is no doubt a complicated task. Traditionally, theologians have spoken

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Credo-Baptism During the Reformation

When approaching the question of credo-baptism during the Reformation, James Dolezal argues for viewing three distinct categories: Anabaptists, general baptists, and particular baptists. The theological differences between these groups are

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Luther and Media

Given that Reformation Day is near, we thought it would be time to focus our attention on the monk with the mallet. Carl Trueman, Vice President for Academic Affairs and

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Church Membership

The Christ the Center panel met with Dr. Guy Waters, associate professor of NT at RTS/Jackson, about the importance of membership in a local congregation. The biblical basis for church

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Restoration Prophecy in Ezra-Nehemiah

The Christ the Center corporal’s guard spoke with Matthew Patton, PhD student in biblical studies at Wheaton College Graduate School in Wheaton, IL about his paper “Searching for a Truly

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Reformed Media Review #14

Jeff Waddington and Camden Bucey play clips of Keith Olberman, R.C. Sproul and The Onion. The clips provide fodder for a discussion that touches on Christianity and politics, presuppositional apologetics,

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Reformed Forum is Back

As many of you already know we experienced an extended outage over the weekend. Actually, it was more like a mandatory jubilee period. We had issues with the storage on

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The Theology of Samuel Rutherford

The panelists of Christ the Center recently talked with Rev. Dr. Guy Richard, senior minister of First Presbyterian Church (PCA) of Gulfport, MS, about his new study, The Supremacy of

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Foreign Missions and Special Office

Divergent approaches to foreign missions have been employed for centuries. Disagreements over various approaches have been at the heart of many historic events in modern church history. Indeed, one such

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The Regulative Principle of Worship

Derek Thomas joins Josh Walker and Nick Batzig to discuss the regulative principle of worship. Derek Thomas is the John E. Richards Professor of Systematic and Practical Theology at Reformed

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The Rule of Love

The Christ the Center panel had the pleasure of revisiting Rev. Dr. John Fesko, now the academic dean and associate professor of systematic theology at Westminster Seminary California, abut his

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Thomas Aquinas

Christ the Center discusses some aspects of the life and thought of Medieval theologian Thomas Aquinas. Specifically Thomas’ doctrine of God and the nature/grace distinction come in for consideration. Especially

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Children at the Lord’s Table?

Some reformed church members may find it difficult to know whether they should allow their children to partake of the Lord’s supper. Reformed churches vary on this important doctrinal issue. Christ

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The Importance of Catechesis

Several years before arriving at reformed convictions, I thought catechetical instruction was some peculiar phenomenon that only Roman Catholics and Lutherans did. It seemed to me like a strange pseudo-brainwashing

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Natural Law

Jeff, Nick and Camden discuss new books from Steve Nichols, Eric Brandt and J. Todd Billings and get into a discussion of natural law. View the wiki entry for this

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The Doctrine of Simplicity

James Dolezal, Jeff Waddington and Camden Bucey recorded a recent discussion over breakfast on the doctrine of simplicity. The audio quality is not good as it was recorded on a

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Reformed Forum Wiki

We would like to begin offering transcripts of our podcast episodes, but unfortunately, transcripts are cost-prohibitive at this point. We hope to be able to begin offering transcripts of at

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The Eschatology of Adoption

Christ the Center had the honor to interview the newest faculty member of Westminster Theological Seminary in Philadelphia, Rev. Dr. David Garner, who also serves as the institution’s vice president

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Reformed Media Review #6

On this episode Jeff and Camden touch on John Selderhuis’ John Calvin: A Pilgrim’s Life and T. David Gordon’s Why Johnny Can’t Preach along with several other new and forthcoming

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Reformed Media Review #5

The panel discusses Douglas Kelly’s Systematic Theology: Grounded in Holy Scripture and Understood in the Light of the Church , Soul searching: The Religious and Spiritual Lives of

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The Reformed Forum Into 2009

We had a great 2008 here at the Reformed Forum. We started out as Castle Church and eventually shifted over to the less confusing “Reformed Forum.” We produced 50 episodes

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Highlights from 2008

On this episode of Christ the Center we brought together a collection of highlights from 2008. We started Christ the Center in January of 2008 and haven’t missed a week

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The Reformed Media Review #1

The Reformed Media Review is now your place for current discussion of reformed media online. We’ve split our current book discussion out to its own show so we can get

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Confession Chapter 28: Of Baptism

1. Baptism is a sacrament of the new testament, ordained by Jesus Christ, not only for the solemn admission of the party baptized into the visible church; but also, to

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Larger Catechism: Questions 161-170

Q. 161. How do the sacraments become effectual means of salvation? A. The sacraments become effectual means of salvation, not by any power in themselves, or any virtue derived from

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Larger Catechism: Questions 141-150

Q. 141. What are the duties required in the eighth commandment? A. The duties required in the eighth commandment are, truth, faithfulness, and justice in contracts and commerce between man

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Confession Chapter 11: Of Justification

1. Those whom God effectually calleth, he also freely justifieth: not by infusing righteousness into them, but by pardoning their sins, and by accounting and accepting their persons as righteous;

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Shorter Catechism: Questions 81-90

Q. 81. What is forbidden in the tenth commandment? A. The tenth commandment forbiddeth all discontentment with our own estate, envying or grieving at the good of our neighbor, and

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Cornelius Van Til

Cornelius Van Til (1895-1987) developed a unique approach to apologetics which stemmed from a solid foundation in reformed theology and a background in Idealist philosophy. His method has been called

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Shorter Catechism: Questions 71-80

Q. 71. What is required in the seventh commandment? A. The seventh commandment requireth the preservation of our own and our neighbor’s chastity, in heart, speech and behavior. Q. 72.

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Larger Catechism: Questions 71-80

Q. 71. How is justification an act of God’s free grace? A. Although Christ, by his obedience and death, did make a proper, real, and full satisfaction to God’s justice

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Confession Chapter 9: Of Free Will

1. God hath endued the will of man with that natural liberty, that it is neither forced, nor, by any absolute necessity of nature, determined to good, or evil. 2.

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Shorter Catechism: Questions 61-70

Q. 61. What is forbidden in the fourth commandment? A. The fourth commandment forbiddeth the omission or careless performance of the duties required, and the profaning the day by idleness,

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Shorter Catechism: Questions 51-60

Q. 51. What is forbidden in the second commandment? A. The second commandment forbiddeth the worshiping of God by images, or any other way not appointed in his word. Q.

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Larger Catechism: Questions 51-60

Q. 51. What was the estate of Christ’s exaltation? A. The estate of Christ’s exaltation comprehendeth his resurrection, ascension, sitting at the right hand of the Father, and his coming

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Shorter Catechism: Questions 41-50

Q. 41. Where is the moral law summarily comprehended? A. The moral law is summarily comprehended in the ten commandments. Q. 42. What is the sum of the ten commandments?

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Larger Catechism: Questions 41-50

Q. 41. Why was our mediator called Jesus? A. Our mediator was called Jesus, because he saveth his people from their sins. Q. 42. Why was our mediator called Christ?

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Shorter Catechism: Questions 31-40

Q. 31. What is effectual calling? A. Effectual calling is the work of God’s Spirit, whereby, convincing us of our sin and misery, enlightening our minds in the knowledge of

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Confession Chapter 5: Of Providence

1. God the great Creator of all things doth uphold, direct, dispose, and govern all creatures, actions, and things, from the greatest even to the least, by his most wise

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Larger Catechism: Questions 21-30

Q. 21. Did man continue in that estate wherein God at first created him? A. Our first parents being left to the freedom of their own will, through the temptation

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Confession Chapter 4: Of Creation

1. It pleased God the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, for the manifestation of the glory of his eternal power, wisdom, and goodness, in the beginning, to create, or make

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Shorter Catechism: Questions 11-20

Q. 11. What are God’s works of providence? A. God’s works of providence are his most holy, wise and powerful preserving and governing all his creatures, and all their actions.

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Christ the Center

Christ the Center: Doctrine for Life is an audio program centered on Christian reformed theology. In each episode a group of informed panelists discusses important issues and stimulate listeners to

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What Is the Antithesis?

In the field of Reformed apologetics we sometimes speak about the antithesis. The antithesis is a theological principle that is meant to describe the difference between believers and unbelievers. There

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What Are the Main Covenants?

When I was first introduced to Reformed covenant theology, things were really confusing. I kept trying to figure out how many covenants there were and how they related to one

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Recommended Books of 2019

At the end of the year, I find it rewarding to reflect upon the books I read that year. Whether they be old favorites or new titles, the record of

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Blessed Are the Meek

We do not often speak of meekness. We might be hard pressed even to define it. Meekness is not weakness; it’s a measured strength, a control over wrath. It is

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Blessed Are the Poor in Spirit

Matthew 5:1–16 are known as the Beatitudes, which stems from the Latin term used in the translation of these verses. A beatitude is a declaration of blessing and a statement

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Meeting R. C. Sproul

In 2006, I had been attending a non-denominational evangelical church largely influenced by John MacArthur and the Master’s Seminary. The church placed a heavy emphasis on the inerrancy of the

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The Ordo Salutis and the Westminster Standards

Each presbytery meeting, we usually have the opportunity to examine candidates for licensure and ordination.As you’d expect, these exams cover important topics pertaining to the doctrine of Scripture, theology proper,

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Navigating the Christian Sabbath Day

As a pastor of a church that confesses a Reformed and Presbyterian view of the fourth commandment, I often encounter questions as to how to observe it. The fourth commandment—to

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Edward Hicks, Peaceable Kingdom

Enjoying the New Creation

Introduction
Isaiah 65:17ff is a wonderful picture of the future restoration of God’s people. It’s a passage that demonstrates the greatness of the blessings that come to God’s people from

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Owen on Limited Atonement

If Christ hath merited grace and glory for all those for whom he died, if he died for all, how comes it to pass that these things are not communicated

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Vos on Merit and the Mosaic Covenant

It is plain, then, that law-keeping did not figure at that juncture as the meritorious ground of life-inheritance. The latter is based on grace alone, no less emphatically than Paul

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God’s Maximal Truth

May the day come, and come soon, when American fundamentalists will stop being content with the minimum of God’s truth and start proclaiming the maximum.
—Ned B. Stonehouse, “Stars

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A Sermon Is Not a Listicle

You’ve seen them. They’ve taken over your Facebook timelines and Twitter feeds. They get forwarded to you on chat or through email. They’re called “listicles.” The unfortunately-named listicle is at

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Bavinck on the Image of God

In our treatment of the doctrine of the image of God, then, we must highlight, in accordance with Scripture and the Reformed confession, the idea that a human being does

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Taking the Psalter in Portions

I regularly preach lectio continua. When we start a new series at my church, we open to verse one of that book and work through it week by week, passage by

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Muller on Natural Theology

The development, in rationalist systems of the eighteenth century, of a truly foundational natural theology represents a basic alteration of perspective and a loss, not an outgrowth or further refinement,

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A Theological Tree of Life

. . . all eschatological interpretation of history, when united to a strong religious mentality cannot but produce the finest practical theological fruitage. To take God as source and end

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The Hard Problem of Consciousness

Consciousness and personality are perennial topics of conversation among philosophers. But that doesn’t mean they’re topics only for the academy. These subjects touch each of us deeply, because they are at the very

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Video Update for 2014-11-26

In this quick video update, we speak about short form serial content and how it fits in with our plans for developing educational resources on Reformed theology.

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Evidences and Presuppositional Apologetics

Is it appropriate to use apologetic evidences with a presuppositional or covenantal approach to defending the Christian faith? Absolutely! All facts exist within God’s world and if understood rightly can

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Divine Meaning and the Human Author

Biblical hermeneutics is the science of interpreting Scripture. But Scripture, unlike any other written document, is a product of divine and human authorship. It is rightly said that God is

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We Reached Our Fundraising Goal!

Thanks to everyone who helped make our conference fundraising campaign a success. We were able to raise $7,905—beating our $7,500 target. This means that our inaugural theology conference is all-systems

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Charles Hodge on Antinomianism

It’s always important for us to read from the great theological minds of the past. Here, Charles Hodge addresses antinomianism:
Antinomianism has never had any hold in the churches of

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Thoroughbred Believers

Horses can teach you a great deal about life. Such is the take-home from my conversation this morning over breakfast. I sat next to John, a retired horse trainer, at

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The Graced Subject

It is increasingly common to speak about grace as a subject. “Grace” is said to do amazing things in your life. It can forgive. It can make you obey. In

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Pseudonymity and Inerrancy

In her commentary on 1 Peter, Karen Jobes addresses the issue of 1 Peter’s supposed pseudonymity. Several critics argue that, even though 1 Peter claims to be written by the

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Jesus on Every Page

Biblical theology has been a hot topic for the last five or ten years. I, for one, am glad for the interest in studying God’s unfolding plan throughout Scripture. But

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Simplicity in Preaching

In his 1853 address to the Society of Alumni of Union Theological Seminary in Virginia, R. L. Dabney advocated for simplicity in pulpit style. Dabney calls preachers to what I would call “immediacy.”

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Mobility through a Marketed Ministry

In his classic essay, “The D-Min-ization of the Ministry,” David Wells describes the ministerial professionalization that occurred over the last several decades. Because of the lack of respect and influence

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Help Spread Reformed Theology

I believe strongly in making theological discussion and content freely available, and I want as many people as possible to learn about the great truths of the Christian faith. I’m

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Canine Piety

William Laud was the Archbishop of Canterbury from 1633-1645. He became obsessed with the liturgy, and his heavy-handed high church policies were seen as persecution by many Protestants. In his

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Law and Gospel

Errors abound when readers of Scripture confuse law and gospel. Dr. Lane G. Tipton describes the uses of the law and the wonderful news that Jesus Christ has accomplished salvation

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Counseling, Medication, and Common Grace

The relationship of Christianity to various forms of counseling has been a turbulent subject in recent decades. With the advancement of medicinal science and the proliferation of different disease and

Read More »

Christ the Center 2010 March Madness

Is your NCAA bracket shot because of Kansas, Temple and Villanova? Never fear – turn your attention to the official Christ the Center 2010 Championship Tournament. In the next few

Read More »

Living Together and Marriage

Patti Neighmond of NPR reports that more couples live together before marriage than ever before. The figures show how far our culture has changed in just one generation. But interestingly,

Read More »

Feeding Your Family

I’m actually speaking of literal food this time. Inka Leoni at My Modern Metropolis has written a post which includes some very interesting photos of what families throughout the world

Read More »

Effective Abstinence Education

Robert Rector comments on a new report demonstrating the success of abstinence education programs in the face of the failures of so called “safe-sex” and comprehensive sex-ed programs. What is

Read More »

Trends in Media Use

The Kaiser Family Foundation has released their study of the use of media among 8 to 18 year olds. The figures are simply astounding. Just to highlight a few of

Read More »

Help with the Best of 2009 Show

Just as at the end of last year, I’ll be putting together a “Best of 2009” show as the first Christ the Center episode of 2010. I’ll be sorting through

Read More »

Support Reformed Forum this Christmas

As you work through your shopping list and purchase gifts for your loved ones this Christmas season, please consider supporting Reformed Forum. The Reformed Forum makes all of its content

Read More »

Educating Your Children About Sex

Speaking to your children about sex certainly isn’t on your list of most anticipated things to do. But certainly it’s something that should not be avoided. This was the subject

Read More »

Reformed Forum is Back

As many of you already know we experienced an extended outage over the weekend. Actually, it was more like a mandatory jubilee period. We had issues with the storage on

Read More »

Children at the Lord’s Table?

Some reformed church members may find it difficult to know whether they should allow their children to partake of the Lord’s supper. Reformed churches vary on this important doctrinal issue. Christ

Read More »

The Importance of Catechesis

Several years before arriving at reformed convictions, I thought catechetical instruction was some peculiar phenomenon that only Roman Catholics and Lutherans did. It seemed to me like a strange pseudo-brainwashing

Read More »

Reformed Forum Wiki

We would like to begin offering transcripts of our podcast episodes, but unfortunately, transcripts are cost-prohibitive at this point. We hope to be able to begin offering transcripts of at

Read More »

The Reformed Forum Into 2009

We had a great 2008 here at the Reformed Forum. We started out as Castle Church and eventually shifted over to the less confusing “Reformed Forum.” We produced 50 episodes

Read More »

Shorter Catechism: Questions 11-20

Q. 11. What are God’s works of providence? A. God’s works of providence are his most holy, wise and powerful preserving and governing all his creatures, and all their actions.

Read More »

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