Danny Olinger, John Muether, Darryl Hart, and Camden Bucey explore the life and legacy of J. Gresham Machen, discussing Richard E. Burnett’s provocative book, Machen’s Hope: The Transformation of a Modernist in the New Princeton. Burnett seeks to reframe Machen as both modern and orthodox, portraying him as a “conservative modernist” who employed modern intellectual methods while remaining firmly committed to Reformed theology. This episode critically examines Burnett’s thesis and evaluates its contribution to understanding Machen’s theological and historical significance.

While Burnett rightly highlights Machen’s struggles in Germany and at Princeton, the panel critiques his more contemporary definition of the terms “modern” and “modernist,” noting they often diverge from Machen’s own vocabulary and theological focus. They emphasize that even the younger Machen remained theologically orthodox and discerning of heterodoxy, as seen in his critiques of figures such as his professor Wilhelm Herrmann.

Furthermore, the panel questions Burnett’s emphasis on Machen’s early crises over his later, defining contributions—such as founding Westminster Seminary and the Orthodox Presbyterian Church—arguing that this framing risks downplaying Machen’s lifelong theological battle against liberalism, which he saw as denying God’s direct intervention in history and thus undermining the gospel.

This episode sheds light on Machen’s enduring legacy and his vital contributions to Reformed orthodoxy. Overall, the panelists contend that Machen’s hope was centered on God’s supernatural action in history, a hope Machen famously summarized in his final words: “So thankful for active obedience of Christ. No hope without it.”

Links

• D. G. Hart, Defending the Faith: J. Gresham Machen and the Crisis of Conservative Protestantism in Modern America
• Ned B. Stonehouse, J. Gresham Machen: A Biographical Memoir
• The Presbyterian Conflict
• D. G. Hart and John Muether, Fighting the Good Fight: A Brief History of the Orthodox Presbyterian Church
• Richard E. Burnett, Machen’s Hope: The Transformation of a Modernist in the New Princeton
• Camden M. Bucey, “Thoughts on Machen’s Hope by Richard E. Burnett“

Watch on YouTube and Vimeo.

Chapters

• 00:00:07 Introduction
• 00:05:00 Machen’s Significance
• 00:25:13 Machen’s Family Background
• 00:41:44 Machen at Marburg
• 00:48:31 Machen, Vos, and History
• 00:54:54 Machen’s Mentors
• 01:05:28 Assessing Machen
• 01:20:53 Conclusion

Participants: Camden Bucey, Danny Olinger, Darryl G. Hart, John Muether

We welcome John Muether and Danny Olinger to discuss the seventh and final chapter of Machen’s classic book, Christianity and Liberalism. The chapter highlights the importance of the church as the most important social institution in Christianity. Machen argues that the church is not only concerned with saving individual souls but also with education and the maintenance of social life in this world. He critiques the liberal view of the church as a mere human institution and emphasizes the importance of the church as the body of Christ.

The chapter concludes by emphasizing the need for Christians to be united in the Church and the incompatibility of liberalism and Christianity on this question. Overall, the chapter provides a detailed and insightful analysis of the theological and biblical foundations of the church.

Chapters

• 00:00:07 Introduction
• 00:02:24 Upcoming Projects on Meredith G. Kline
• 00:06:36 Christianity and Liberalism: The Church
• 00:12:46 Ecclesiology and Unbelief in the Church
• 00:16:52 Is Machen Representative of Other Presbyterians?
• 00:23:20 The PCUSA Losing Its Presbyterian Identity
• 00:29:10 The Source of the “Nones”
• 00:40:08 The True Presbyterian Church of the World
• 00:47:57 Hymns in the Back of the Hymnal
• 01:07:04 Rest from Strife
• 01:09:37 Conclusion

Participants: Camden Bucey, Danny Olinger, John Muether

John R. Muether speaks about the continued relevance of Meredith G. Kline. This year marks the 100th anniversary of the birth of Meredith G. Kline. We recently hosted our annual theology conference and took the opportunity to consider his unique contributions by exploring several covenantal and eschatological themes he identified throughout the Old and New Testaments. A recording of Mr. Muether’s address was the first main session at the conference.

John R. Muether is Professor of Church History and Dean of Libraries at Reformed Theological Seminary in Orlando, Florida. He is the author or co-author of many books, including Cornelius Van Til: Reformed Apologist and Churchman and Seeking a Better Country: 300 Years of American Presbyterianism.

Chapters

• 0:00:00 Introduction
• 0:10:52 The Relevance of M. G. Kline
• 0:21:42 Kline Embracing Presbyterianism
• 0:33:29 Kline and Foreign Missions
• 0:52:00 Kline’s Criticism of Theonomy
• 0:54:05 The Teaching of Norman Shepherd
• 1:09:19 Conclusion

Participants: Camden Bucey, John Muether

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. We have a bunch of great clips lined up for you today.

Throughout 2021 we continued to develop Reformed Academy, our online learning platform. We doubled our student base from last year to more than 3,800 people in 73 countries. These brothers and sisters are taking our on-demand courses in Reformed theology, and many of their churches are using these resources in study groups and Sunday school courses.

We are committed to having each of our courses translated and subtitled in languages where we have established relationships with Reformed missionaries and indigenous churches.

Over the last two years, we have had many wonderful opportunities but not enough people and time in the day to complete many of these projects. We have grown significantly in terms of our reach, but we need to mature in terms of our ministry’s staff and infrastructure.

Please consider supporting us prayerfully and financially in these efforts. Visit https://www.reformedforum.org/donate

Top Clips from 2021

1. Episode 689 with Christopher Watkin — Foucault on Sexuality and Identity
2. Episode 689 with Christopher Watkin — Foucault on Power
3. Episode 695 with Bruce Pass — Bavinck and Supralapsarianism
4. Episode 706 with Jim Cassidy — Comparing PCA and OPC General Assemblies
5. Episode 687 with Benjamin Gladd — Israel and Dispensationalism
6. Episode 712 — Van Til Group #5 with Lane Tipton and Carlton Wynne — Natural Theology, Experience, and Reason
7. Episode 699 with G.K. Beale and Benjamin Gladd — Inaugurated Eschatology
8. Episode 713 with Danny Olinger and John Muether — Premillennialism among Presbyterian Fundamentalists
9. Episode 709 — Listener Questions with Ryan Noha and Jeff Waddington — Thomas, Van Til, and Classical Theism
10. Episode 696 with Crawford Gribben — Christian Reconstruction and the Religious Right
11. Reformed Forum Hot Ones

Episode Chapters

• 00:00:00 Introduction
• 00:01:13 2021 in Review
• 00:10:19 Foucault on Sexuality and Identity
• 00:16:18 Foucault on Power
• 00:20:32 Bavinck and Supralapsarianism
• 00:23:55 Comparing PCA and OPC General Assemblies
• 00:28:45 Israel and Dispensationalism
• 00:31:35 Natural Theology, Experience, and Reason
• 00:36:16 Inaugurated Eschatology
• 00:44:14 Premillennialism among Presbyterian Fundamentalists
• 00:49:54 Thomas, Van Til, and Classical Theism
• 00:55:09 Christian Reconstruction and the Religious Right
• 00:59:56 Reformed Theology Meets Spicy Wings
• 01:06:14 Looking Ahead to 2022

Participants: Benjamin Gladd, Bruce Pass, Camden Bucey, Carlton Wynne, Christopher Watkin, Crawford Gribben, Danny Olinger, Greg Beale, Jeff Waddington, John Muether, Lane G. Tipton, Ryan Noha

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 throughout the culture.

J. Gresham Machen gathered a broad coalition of “fundamentalists” in leading a charge against modernism at Princeton Theological Seminary and then throughout the Presbyterian Church (USA). After many within this coalition were pushed out or left to form what would become the Orthodox Presbyterian Church, different agendas arose. A significant event—involving what would come to be known as the Committee of Nine—at the 1941 and 1942 General Assemblies would set the tone for the future of the young church.

For further study:

• Hakkenberg, Michael A. “The Battle over the Ordination of Gordon H. Clark.” In Pressing toward the Mark: Essays Commemorating Fifty Years of the Orthodox Presbyterian Church, edited by Charles G. Dennison and Richard C. Gamble, 329–50. Philadelphia: Committee for the Historian of the Orthodox Presbyterian Church, 1986.
• Woolley, Paul. “Discontent!” The Presbyterian Guardian 13, no. 14 (July 25, 1944): 213–14.
• Minutes from the ninth General Assembly of the OPC (the reports of the committee begin on p. 28)

Participants: Camden Bucey, Danny Olinger, John Muether

Caroline Weerstra speaks with Christ the Center about the Peniel Bible Conference, based on her article “The Early History of Peniel Bible Conference, Part 1: Zeal Without Knowledge (1933-1938).” The camp was associated with Calvary Orthodox Presbyterian Church in Schenectady, New York, Mrs. Weerstra’s home church. Though associated with a reformed church, the camp was very similar to the Wesleyan and holiness movements in theology and practice. Listen to understand how this camp became associated with the OPC and how Calvary Church finally remained in the OPC. Mrs. Weerstra is a mother of three, a blogger, and the author of several catechism workbooks for children. Her article “The Early History of Peniel Bible Conference, Part 1: Zeal Without Knowledge (1933-1938)” appeared in Vol. 75 No. 2 of the Westminster Theological Journal.

Participants: Camden Bucey, Caroline Weerstra, Jeff Waddington, John Muether

In this episode, Jim Cassidy and Mark Winder catch up with John Muether to talk about his forthcoming book on the life of B.B. Warfield, the great old Princeton theologian. We cover various topics including the lion of Princeton’s take on evolution, his care for his wife, his doctrine of Scripture, and his position on the Confession of 1902. We wrap up with drawing practical lessons from his life we can apply today.

Participants: Camden Bucey, Jim Cassidy, John Muether, Mark A. Winder

Panel

• John Muether
• Jim Cassidy
• Jeff Waddington
• Nick Batzig
• Camden Bucey

Bibliography

Participants: Camden Bucey, Jeff Waddington, Jim Cassidy, John Muether, Nick Batzig