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 Ireland Archbishop of Armagh and Primate of All Ireland between 1625 and 1656. He was a prolific scholar and significant church leader.

Perkins is the author of Catholicity and the Covenant of Works: James Ussher and the Reformed Tradition (Oxford University Press). In this book, he demonstrates how Ussher used the covenant of works to inform many of the most important features of his theology. While the covenant of works is most closely identified with the Reformed tradition, Perkins makes the case that when the interconnectedness of the various doctrines is explained, there is a deep catholicity undergirding it. Ussher constructed his understanding of the covenant from traditional teachings that he appropriated from the ancient and medieval church.

Perkins is pastor of London City Presbyterian Church in London and lecturer at Edinburgh Seminary in Edinburgh, Scotland.

Participants: Camden Bucey, Glen Clary, Harrison Perkins

David Woollin of Reformation Heritage Books and Matthew Robinson of Media Gratiae discuss Puritan: All of Life to the Glory of God. Centered around a feature-length film, the full box set includes books, thirty-five Sunday school lessons, and other resources for education.

Participants: Camden Bucey, David Woollin, Jeff Waddington, Matthew Robinson

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 upon the Puritan and Reformed tradition. In speaking of predestination, we also cover related topics on Perkins’s theology such as his Christology, his understanding of the ordo salutis, and even his views on Christian forms of memory recall.

Dr. Salazar is Assistant Professor of Historical Theology for the PhD program at Puritan Reformed Theological Seminary in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Along with Dr. Joel Beeke, he has edited volume six of Perkins’s works with Reformation Heritage Books.

Participants: Camden Bucey, Greg Salazar, Jim Cassidy

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 wonderful project centered on Martin Lloyd Jones, and an upcoming project concerning the Puritans.

Participants: Matthew Robinson, Rob McKenzie

This week on Theology Simply Profound, Rob had an opportunity to sit down with the Rev. Dr. Ryan M. McGraw to talk about John Owen and his major writings. Following this interview Rob and Bob take a few minutes to talk about their appreciation of Owen. Dr. McGraw serves as Professor of Systematic Theology at Greenville Presbyterian Theological Seminary, as well as a minister in the Orthodox Presbyterian Church. He is the author of several books including The Foundation of Communion with God: The Trinitarian Piety of John Owen.

Participants: Rob McKenzie, Robert Tarullo, Ryan McGraw

In his superb book The Whole Christ, Sinclair Ferguson reminds us of an absolutely critical point of salvation:

The benefits of the gospel (justification, reconciliation, redemption, adoption) were being separated from Christ, who is himself the gospel. The benefits of the gospel are in Christ. They do not exist apart from him. They are ours only in him. They cannot be abstracted from him as if we ourselves could possess them independently of him (Ferguson, 44).

Dr. Ferguson is addressing the early 18th century’s Marrow Controversy, the theological and historical lessons of which apply directly to the Church’s present struggles over legalism, antinomianism, and gospel assurance. The thesis of the selection above may seem too basic to mention. Yet in our theologizing, we can have the tendency to drift away from the central truth that we are saved in and through the person and work of Jesus Christ. While it is imperative that we understand the precise biblical doctrine of each benefit, we must never turn our gaze away from Christ unto an abstracted doctrine. The Whole Christ is an absolute must read for visitors of this site. Buy it, read it, mark it up, meditate upon it, and share it with others.

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 English Puritanism there is a unitas and a diversitas that, when considered together, suggest a unitas in diversitate that warrants the use of the term ‘Puritanism,’ in the singular, and is preferable to more deconstructionist notions of Puritanisms, which would seem to undermine confessional sensibilities of most Puritans.” Dr. Pederson’s dissertation, Unity in Diversity: English Puritans and the Puritan Reformation, 1603–1689, will soon be published by Brill. A summary and title page are currently available from the University of Leiden, who will release the dissertation from embargo in May 2015. Dr. Pederson is managing editor of The Westminster Theological Journal, the co-editor of Meet the Puritans, and the editor of Daily Readings: The Puritans.

Participants: Camden Bucey, Jeff Waddington, Jim Cassidy, Randall Pederson

Dr. Mark Jones returns to Christ the Center to revive seventeenth-century wisdom about antinomianism from his forthcoming book Antinomianism: Reformed Theology’s Unwelcome Guest?. Antinomian thinking is rooted in a weak view of the person of Christ and leads to reducing sanctification to justification. Dr. Jones addresses Martin Luther’s relationship to antinomianism, the relationship between theology and practice, and the necessity of good works for salvation. Dr. Mark Jones is the minister of Faith Presbyterian Church, a congregation of the Presbyterian Church in America (PCA), in Vancouver, British Columbia. He is also Research Associate in the Faculty of Theology at University of the Free State, Bloemfontein, South Africa. Mark’s Ph.D. is from Leiden Universiteit (Oct. 2009) and his doctoral dissertation was entitled, “Why Heaven Kissed Earth: The Christology of the Puritan Reformed Orthodox theologian, Thomas Goodwin (1600–1680).” Dr. Jones has spoken on Christ the Center 249 and 218.

Participants: Camden Bucey, David Filson, Jared Oliphint, Jim Cassidy, Mark Jones

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 Heritage Books titled A Puritan Theology: Doctrine for Life. Mark is the minister of Faith Presbyterian Church, a congregation of the Presbyterian Church in America (PCA), in Vancouver, British Columbia. He is also Research Associate in the Faculty of Theology at University of the Free State, Bloemfontein, South Africa. Mark’s Ph.D. is from Leiden Universiteit (Oct. 2009) and his doctoral dissertation was entitled, “Why Heaven Kissed Earth: The Christology of the Puritan Reformed Orthodox theologian, Thomas Goodwin (1600–1680).” Join us for a stimulating discussion regarding several features of English Puritan theology.

Participants: Camden Bucey, Jared Oliphint, Jim Cassidy, Mark Jones, Nick Batzig

In last week’s episode of the podcast “Office Hours,” Scott Clark interviews John Fesko regarding his recent book, Beyond Calvin: Union with Christ and Justification in Early Modern Reformed Theology (1517-1700). In the last 7 minutes of the interview they briefly discuss my article, “John Flavel on the Priority of Union with Christ: Further Historical Perspective on the Structure of Reformed Soteriology,” published this spring in the Westminster Theological Journal. Humorously, just after Fesko mentions the “frustrating feature” of many 17th century theologians who fail to name those they argue against in their writings, neither Scott Clark nor John Fesko mention my name, the full title of my article, or the journal in which it is published. Briefly, I would like to respond to several of the criticisms Fesko raises. Broadly, Fesko classifies my approach to Flavel as “Whig historiography,” claiming that my argument is trans-historical, using Calvin and Flavel simply to prove that my position, and those I agree with, is the correct one. He believes I disregard four centuries of doctrinal discussion and development and simply want to draw a straight line to the present day. This, however, misconstrues the thesis of my paper. My stated aim is to address challenges by Fesko in his previous articles where he claims that Dr. Richard Gaffin has a peculiar way of reading Calvin that he describes as “idiosyncratic,” questioning whether Gaffin, and others with similar views of the role of union with Christ in Reformed soteriology, can justify their claims with reference to further works in the development of Reformed theology.^[1] My argument is that John Flavel, writing in the later half of the 17th century, provides such historical evidence. I am clearly not writing to argue that Calvin and Flavel agree with me, therefore I am right. My aim is to provide historical evidence in the development of Reformed soteriology of a particular way of understanding the role of union with Christ, one that disagrees with Fesko’s own understanding of the period. I am surprised that after reading my article, Fesko can charge me with failing to discuss the historical context or other works of the time period. I believe any fair reading will demonstrate that I do. Before discussing Flavel’s own works, I address controversy in his own time concerning the doctrine of union with Christ and the response to it. I also mention a number of other works written in the same time period, including individuals such as William Ames, Joseph Hall, John Brinsley, Thomas Lye, Rowland Stedman, Edward Pearse, John Lougher, and Edward Polhill. In my reading, each of these individuals provides a similar understanding of the role of union with Christ in the structure of Reformed soteriology and in relation to justification. Though I attempt to provide a thorough analysis of Flavel, I do not disregard the context in which he’s writing, as Fesko seems to suggest. I am also disappointed that Fesko characterizes my approach to Flavel as “cherry picking,” claiming that I only give attention to an “isolated portion of Flavel’s works” and provide a “narrow reading of Flavel.” This charge is difficult to fathom. In my article I thoroughly deal with Flavel’s primary work on union with Christ, The Method of Grace, a 474 page volume, as well as numerous other works where he addresses the topic, such as The Fountain of Life, his Exposition of the (Westminster) Assembly’s Shorter Catechism, England’s Duty Under the Present Gospel Liberty, as well as several other shorter pieces found throughout the six volumes of his collected works. One work that Fesko finds important, and notes that I do not address, is Flavel’s Planēlogia.^[2] One would have a difficult time finding this work under that name, because in The Works of John Flavel it is published in volume 3 under the title The Occasions, Causes, Nature, Rise, Growth and Remedies of Mental Errors together with several appendices, postscripts and a sermon titled Gospel Unity Recommended to the Churches of Christ. All of these together were initially published as Planēlogia. Fesko describes it as a key work of Flavel’s that demonstrates my “narrow reading” is inaccurate. Fesko claims that in Planēlogia, “Flavel talks about the decree to justify the elect, and in terms of the elect’s union with Christ being based on the imputed righteousness of Christ.” If I understand him correctly, similar to his claims elsewhere, he believes that in the broader structure of Flavel’s soteriology, justification has priority because imputation is always a prior category as found in God’s eternal decree. Thus the mystical union is grounded on imputation. In turning to this work by Flavel, however, one sees that Fesko’s reading mischaracterizes what Flavel writes.^[3] For those who have The Works of John Flavel at hand, the specific reference I believe Fesko points to is found in volume 3 on page 559. Here Flavel criticizes the Antinomian assertion of eternal justification. He allows that justification may be considered from the vantage point of God’s eternal decree but emphasizes its execution in time. As he discusses its execution in time, Flavel distinguishes between “its impetration by Christ” (or redemption’s accomplishment in Christ’s work) and “its application to us.” Flavel then describes the relationship between effectual calling and justification, and writes, “When an elect sinner is united to Christ by faith, and so passeth from death to life, from a state of condemnation into a state of absolution and favour; this is our actual justification.”^[4] He goes on to say, “As soon as we are received into communion with Christ, and his righteousness is imputed by God . . . immediately we pass from a state of death and condemnation to a state of life and justification.”^[5] It is clear that while allowing for an eternal vantage point, for Flavel actual imputation and justification follow union with Christ, in contrast to Fesko’s claims. If there is any doubt, later in the same work Flavel states, “the righteousness of Christ is by God imputed to believers, by virtue of their union with Christ.”^[6] In this work, Flavel simply does not characterize union with Christ and imputation in the way that Fesko claims. The elect’s union with Christ is not based on the imputed righteousness of Christ. Flavel clearly states the opposite, that union with Christ is the basis for the imputation of Christ’s righteousness in the application of redemption. In fact, if one reads the entirety of Planēlogia, in several places Flavel characterizes union with Christ, communion with Christ, and the various benefits in the way that I describe in my article.^[7] It’s difficult to conceive how Fesko can charge me with “cherry picking” when he mentions this one work and then, it seems to me, mischaracterizes its content. It’s one thing to be accused of a historiographical fallacy, of which I don’t think I’m guilty. It’s an even more basic matter to correctly read an historical text. Fesko’s criticism further illustrates a point I make in my article as I assess the value of Flavel for the current debate.^[8] It appears to me that Fesko’s formulation continues to confuse broader soteriological categories, which Flavel maintains distinct. At times, I believe, Fesko confuses the categories of redemption accomplished with redemption applied as he talks about the relationship between justification and sanctification in union with Christ.^[9] Here he appears to confuse the eternal decree, which indeed includes imputation, with its actual application in time, and the relationship it sustains to other elements in the framework of soteriology. In other words, noting that the imputation of Christ’s righteousness is an aspect of the eternal decree within the pactum salutis, as Fesko does, in no way gives it priority in the actual application of redemption. The purview of my article, and I believe the weight of Flavel’s discussion, is the application of redemption which begins with union with Christ, then communion in all of his privileges, justification and sanctification together included.

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 on the Structure of Reformed Soteriology” in Volume 74 (2012) of the Westminster Theological Journal. In the article, Edwards demonstrates several interesting 17th c. formulations of the doctrine of union with Christ. In doing so, Edwards brings his findings into present discussion on the subject. Rev. Edwards graduated from Westminster Theological Seminary in 1999 and went into Reformed University Fellowship where he became the campus minister of University of Georgia. Rev. Edwards is church planter at Mercy Presbyterian Church (PCA) in Forest, Virginia, which is just outside of Lynchburg.

Links

• The Method of Grace, John Flavel free from Google Books
• The Works of John Flavel
• William R. Edwards – “John Flavel on the Priority of Union with Christ”

Participants: Camden Bucey, Jared Oliphint, William R. Edwards

The Rev. Dr. Robert McKelvey unfolds the theology of one of John Bunyan’s classic allegories, The Holy War. Rev. McKelvey is Pastor of Westminster Orthodox Presbyterian Church in Windber, PA and has written a book on Bunyan titled Histories That Mansoul and Her Wars Anatomize: The Drama of Redemption in John Bunyan’s Holy War. In unpacking Bunyan’s allegory, McKelvey describes the Lord’s glorious plan of redemption and consummation that unfolds in Scripture.

Participants: Camden Bucey, Jim Cassidy, Robert J. McKelvey

It is a common feature of American evangelicalism for people to share a personal testimony of the Lord’s work in one’s life. Often, this is presented in a standardized form of personal narration of religious experience—more or less in the form of a dramatic punctiliar experience of regeneration. Reading Sydney E. Ahlstrom’s classic A Religious History of the American People, I was interested to see how New England Puritanism incorporated this type of testimony into its membership requirements.

The one crucial characteristic of “classic” New England Puritan thought that is not revealed by the famous Salem events was the conviction that particular churches should be formed only by men and women who could give credible evidence that they had inwardly experienced God’s effectual call. On this point they had not arrived at consensus by 1630, though years of private introspection and collective searching of hearts led in that direction. By 1635, however, with John Cotton probably leading the way, the leaders of the Bay Colony reached this significant corporate decision. They made a narration of the experience of regenerating grace a requirement of adult church membership. Seen in full perspective, this was a radical demand. For the first time in Christendom, a state church with vigorous conceptions of enforced uniformity in belief and practice was requiring an internal, experiential test of church membership. Many future problems of the New England churches stemmed from this decision. It would appear, moreover, that its influence beyond New England was proportionate to its revolutionary character. (p. 146)

Rev. Dr. Mark Jones joins us to speak about diversity and debates within Puritanism. A healthy view of polemics has fallen on hard times, and Dr. Jones reminds us of several fruitful discussions over several issues related to the covenants. Our conversation focuses on the book Drawn into Controversie: Reformed Theological Diversity and Debates Within Seventeenth Century British Puritanism (Vandenhoeck and Ruprecht, 2011), which Mark co-edited with Michael Haykin. Mark is the minister of Faith Presbyterian Church, a congregation of the Presbyterian Church in America (PCA), in Vancouver, British Columbia. He is also Research Associate in the Faculty of Theology at University of the Free State, Bloemfontein, South Africa. Mark’s Ph.D. is from Leiden Universiteit (Oct. 2009) and his doctoral dissertation was entitled, “Why Heaven Kissed Earth: The Christology of the Puritan Reformed Orthodox theologian, Thomas Goodwin (1600–1680).”

Links

• New Covenant Presbyterian Church in Richmond Hill, GA
• Drawn into Controversie: Reformed Theological Diversity and Debates Within Seventeenth Century British Puritanism on Google Books.
• Reformation Heritage Books

Participants: Camden Bucey, Mark Jones, Nick Batzig

Dr. Barry Horner joins the program to discuss John Bunyan’s classic The Pilgrim’s Progress. Horner has thought deeply on the subject and has written a book of his own titled The Pilgrim’s Progress: Themes and Issues. His Doctor of Ministry degree from Westminster Seminary in California focused on the biblical/theological content of The Pilgrim’s Progress as well as its validity as an appropriate means for the communication of the Word of God. Dr. Horner teaches The Pilgrim’s Progress in church, seminar, and camp settings, and pastors Christ’s New Covenant Church, Tucson, Arizona.

Links

• Bunyan Ministries
• Dr. Derek Thomas Lecture Series on the Pilgrim’s Progress
• The Bolton Conference

Participants: Barry Horner, Camden Bucey, Nate Shannon

Christ the Center is pleased to welcome Dr. Joel Beeke to discuss Meet the Puritans, which he wrote with Randall J. Pederson. This volume is a wonderful collection of short biographies as well as a guide to modern reprints of many Puritan theologians. Dr. Beeke serves as President and Professor of Systematic Theology, Church History, and Homiletics at Puritan Reformed Theological Seminary and brings a wealth of knowledge to this episode.

Participants: Camden Bucey, Jim Cassidy, Joel Beeke, Nick Batzig

Bibliography

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Participants: Camden Bucey, Joseph A. Pipa, Jr., Nick Batzig

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Participants: Camden Bucey, Guy Richard, Jeff Waddington, Nick Batzig

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Participants: Camden Bucey, Jeff Waddington, Josh Walker, Nick Batzig, Thabiti Anyabwile

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• James T. O’Brien
• Nick Batzig
• Jeff Waddington
• Camden Bucey

Participants: Camden Bucey, James T. O'Brien, Jeff Waddington, Nick Batzig

Panel

• Dr. Phil Ryken
• Nick Batzig
• Jim Cassidy
• Camden Bucey

Bibliography

Participants: Camden Bucey, Jim Cassidy, Nick Batzig, Phil Ryken