Jeff Waddington reviews Jonathan Edwards and the Immediacy of God by John Carrick.

Jonathan Edwards is one of the outstanding figures in the history of the Christian church—he was, quite simply, a man of towering intellect and towering spirituality. But it has been noted, even by his friends and admirers, that his thought is also marked at times by certain idiosyncrasies which inevitably introduce certain complexities into his philosophical-theological system.

This study contends that the theme of divine immediacy is the controlling theme and the correlating principle within Edwards’s thought. It analyzes the theme of divine immediacy in the thought of Jonathan Edwards under four major heads: creation, the will, ecclesiology, and spiritual experience. Indeed, Dr. Carrick claims that the theme of the immediacy of God is the Ariadne’s thread, which runs with consistency through the multiple aspects of Edwards’s philosophical, theological, ecclesiological, experiential, and homiletical interests.

But sometimes a man’s strength is also his weakness, and it would appear that Edwards’s profound commitment to the concept and the reality of the immediacy of God entails significant problems for his entire philosophical-theological system. Edwards’s concept of divine immediacy finds its supreme expression, surely, in his doctrine of continuous creation; but is it not the case that this doctrine of continuous creation is in conflict with his determinism, that its tendency is to destroy the moral responsibility of man, and that it makes God both the author and the actor of sin? In short, is it not the case that Edwards’s Ariadne’s thread is, in fact, also his Achilles’ heel?

Chapters

00:00 Introduction
00:45 Jonathan Edwards and the Immediacy of God
04:32 Occasionalism and Continuous Creationism
10:30 The Context of Edwards’ Theology
13:52 The Ariadnes Thread of Edwards’ Thought
17:33 Conclusion

Participants: Camden Bucey, Jeff Waddington

Jeff Waddington reviews A Goodly Heritage: The Secession of 1834 by Cornelis Pronk.

In A Goodly Heritage, Cornelis Pronk surveys the history of the Secession of 1834, beginning with the events leading up to this important spiritual movement and subsequently following its long journey through the Netherlands and North America until 1892. He then focuses on a small minority that decided to continue as the original Christian Reformed Church, considering its growth and how it formulated theological positions in relation to several other Reformed denominations. Throughout, special attention is given to the doctrines of covenant, baptism, and the Holy Spirit’s ministry in applying salvation. This work not only explains the concerns of De Cock and other fathers of the Secession. It presses beyond the early years of the reform movement to present a larger picture of the developments of Secession theology and the contributions made by its main representatives.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction
00:29 Cornelis Pronk, A Goodly Heritage
01:41 The Secession of 1834
10:17 Identifying the True Church
12:33 Dutch Pietism
13:39 Dutch Settlement in Pella, Iowa
14:58 Summary and Conclusion

Participants: Camden Bucey, Jeff Waddington

Jim Cassidy discusses Therefore the Truth I Speak: Scottish Theology, 1500–1700 by Donald Macleod.

The Scottish church was forever altered by the arrival of the Reformation in the sixteenth century. Its legacy endured, and provoked a flurry of theological re–examinations which form the foundation for much of our modern understanding of Reformed Theology. In this informed and accessible historical study, Donald MacLeod, one of Scotland’s current leading theologians, looks to the past to assess the impact of prominent theologians of the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, always with an eye to demonstrating how their writings speak to contemporary challenges facing the Church today.

Participants: Camden Bucey, Jim Cassidy

Lane Tipton speaks about his new book, Foundations of Covenant Theology, available now through Reformed Forum.

Drawing from Genesis 1:1 and subsequent biblical revelation, Lane Tipton argues that before creating the visible world, the immutable triune God created a heavenly temple dwelling, filled that heavenly dwelling with the unchanging glory of his Spirit, and sanctified that heavenly dwelling as the realm of everlasting Sabbath rest.

Adam, as the created image of God and federal head of his posterity, could have advanced through perfect covenantal obedience beyond probation on the mountain of God in earthly Eden into the heavenly dwelling of God in Sabbath rest. This God-centered and heaven-focused theological backdrop enriches our understanding of the person and work of Jesus Christ, as the second and last Adam in the covenant of grace, who in his humiliation and exaltation has opened the gates of heavenly paradise for his church.

Copies are available now.

Participants: Camden Bucey, Lane G. Tipton

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 was published in 1941 by the Committee on Christian Education for the Orthodox Presbyterian Church.

Participants: Camden Bucey

• Durham, James. Commentary on Revelation: Volume 2, Lectures on Chapters 4–11 (Reformation Heritage Books, May 2021). 504 pages. $50.00. Hardcover.
• Guinness, Os. The Magna Carta of Humanity: Sinai’s Revolutionary Faith and the Future of Freedom (IVP Academic, May 2021). 288 pages. $25.00. Hardcover with jacket.
• Lynch, Michael J. John Davenant’s Hypothetical Universalism: A Defense of Catholic and Reformed Orthodoxy (Oxford Studies in History Theology series) (Oxford University Press, June 2021). 272 pages. $99.00. Hardcover.
• Hampton, Stephen. Grace and Conformity: The Reformed Conformist Tradition and the Early Stuart Church of England (Oxford Studies in History Theology series) (Oxford University Press, June 2021). 424 pages. $99.00. Hardcover.
• Bruening, Michael W. Refusing to Kiss the Slipper: Opposition to Calvinism in the Francophone Reformation (Oxford Studies in History Theology series) (Oxford University Press, June 2021). 384 pages. $99.00. Hardcover.
• Powlison, David. The Pastor as Counselor: The Call for Soul Care (Crossway, June 2021). 80 pages. $7.99. Paperback.
• Drake, K. J. The Flesh of the Word: The extra Calvinisticum from Zwingli to Early Orthodoxy (Oxford Studies in Historical Theology series) (Oxford, June 2021). 328 pages. $99.00. Hardcover.
• Rhodes, Jonty. Man of Sorrows, King of Glory: What the Humiliation and Exaltation of Jesus Mean for Us (Crossway, June 2021). 160 pages. $17.99. Paperback.
• Mezei, Balázs M. et al. (eds.) The Oxford Handbook of Divine Revelation (Oxford University Press, June 2021). 736 pages. $145.00. Hardcover.
• Steward, Gary Lee. Justifying Revolution: The Early American Clergy and Political Resistance (Oxford University Press, June 2021). 224 pages. $74.00. Hardcover.

Participants: Camden Bucey, Ryan Noha

• DeYoung, Kevin. Men and Women in the Church: A Short, Biblical, Practical Introduction (Crossway, April 2021). 176 pages. $19.99. Paperback.
• Gronewoller, Brian. Rhetorical Economy in Augustine’s Theology (Oxford University Press, April 2021). From the Oxford Studies in Historical Theology series. 224 pages. $99.00. Hardcover.
• Tripp, Paul David. Marriage: 6 Gospel Commitments Every Couple Needs to Make (Crossway, April 2021). 384 pages. $24.99. Hardcover with jacket.
• Kruger, Michael J. Surviving Religion 101: Letters to a Christian Student on Keeping the Faith in College (Crossway, April 2021). 272 pages. $16.99. Paperback.
• Gallagher, Robert L. and Smither, Edward L. Sixteenth Century Mission: Explorations in Protestant and Roman Catholic Theology and Practice (Lexham, April 2021). From the Studies in Historical and Systematic Theology series. 504 pages. $29.99. Paperback.
• Crisler, Channing L. and Plummer, Robert L. Always Reforming: Reflections on Martin Luther and Biblical Studies (Lexham, April 2021). From the Studies in Historical and Systematic Theology series. 344 pages. $29.99. Paperback.
• Plumer et al. The Pastor, His Call, Character and Work (Banner of Truth, 2021). Written by faculty and friends of Old Princeton with an introduction by Sinclair Ferguson. 272 pages. $20.00. Hardcover.
• Jamieson, R. B. The Paradox of Sonship: Christology in the Epistle to the Hebrews (IVP Academic, May 2021). From the Studies in Christian and Doctrine Series. 240 pages. $30.00. Paperback.
• Helopoulos, Jason. The Promise: The Amazing Story of our Long-Awaited Savior (Crossway, May 2021). 64 pages. $15.99. Hardcover with jacket. Illustrated by Rommel Ruiz.
• Timmer, Daniel C. Obadiah, Jonah and Micah: An Introduction and Commentary (Tyndale Old Testament Commentaries, Vol 26) (IVP Academic, May 2021). 272 pages. $25.00. Paperback.

Participants: Camden Bucey, Ryan Noha

Camden Bucey and Lane Tipton discuss Lefferts A. Loetscher, The Broadening Church: A Study of Theological Issues in the Presbyterian Church Since 1869 (University of Pennsylvania Press, 1954). This book is indispensable as a thoughtful and well-researched rationale for the reorganization of Princeton Seminary in 1929. It is a history told from the perspective of the mediating conservatives, who viewed Machen and other fundamentalists as “extreme conservatives.”

From the Publisher:

The far-reaching social and intellectual changes in the United States since the Civil War have had a definite effect upon the religious thought of American churches. In this volume, a distinguished scholar and theologian has undertaken an inductive study of theological issues in one of the major denominations, the Presbyterian church in the United States of America. Since this church was in the thick of the social and intellectual ferment that changed the living and thinking habits of Americans, much that transpired in it finds broad parallels in other leading American churches. Thus, the story of the Presbyterian church is, in essence, a kind of theological barometer of American history. Avoiding sweeping generalizations, Lefferts A. Loetscher briefly traces the history of the Presbyterian church from its founding by New England Puritans on Long Island in the 1640s to the disruption of 1837 and the “wedding day” of Old School and New School Presbyterians in 1870, following the reunion of 1869. From this point, he examines in detail the development of the church, analyzing the controversies that occurred over the years, interpreting the various theological issues that led to disputes.

Lefferts A. Loetscher was Professor Emeritus of American Church History at Princeton University. He is the author of A Brief History of the Presbyterians.

Links

• George M. Marsden, Reforming Fundamentalism: Fuller Seminary and the New Evangelicalism
• Lane G. Tipton and Jeffrey C. Waddington, eds. Resurrection and Eschatology: Essays in Honor of Richard B. Gaffin, Jr.

Participants: Camden Bucey, Lane G. Tipton

Jim Cassidy reviews Scott Swain, The Trinity: An Introduction (Crossway)

From the Publisher

The Trinity is one of the most essential doctrines of the Christian faith.

The eternal God existing as three distinct persons—Father, Son, and Spirit—can be difficult to comprehend. While Christians often struggle to find the right words to describe this union, the Bible gives clarity concerning the triune God’s being and activity in nature (creation), grace (redemption), and glory (reward). In this concise volume, theologian Scott Swain examines the doctrine of the Trinity, presenting its biblical foundations, systematic-theological structure, and practical relevance for the church today.

Scott R. Swain (PhD, Trinity Evangelical Divinity School) serves as president and James Woodrow Hassell Professor of Systematic Theology at Reformed Theological Seminary in Orlando, Florida. He is the author or editor of several books, including The God of the Gospel and Retrieving Eternal Generation. Scott and his wife, Leigh, reside in Orlando, Florida, with their four children. Swain is an ordained minister in the Presbyterian Church in America.

Participants: Camden Bucey, Jim Cassidy

Jim Cassidy reviews Gerald Bray, The Attributes of God: An Introduction (Crossway)

From the Publisher

How can we (created beings) know God (the Creator)?

Throughout history, the church has recognized the importance of studying and understanding God’s attributes. As the Creator of all things, God is unique and cannot be compared to any of his creatures, so to know him, believers turn to the pages of Scripture. In The Attributes of God, renowned theologian Gerald Bray leads us on an exploration of God’s being, his essential attributes, his relational attributes, and the relevance of his attributes to our thinking, lives, and worship. As we better understand God’s attributes, we will learn to delight in who God is and how he has made himself known to us in Scripture.

Gerald Bray (DLitt, University of Paris-Sorbonne) is research professor at Beeson Divinity School and director of research for the Latimer Trust. He is a prolific writer and has authored or edited numerous books, including The Doctrine of God; Biblical Interpretation; God Is Love; and God Has Spoken.

Participants: Camden Bucey, Jim Cassidy

The following books are on our radar for April 15, 2021.

• Greidanus, Sidney. Preaching Christ from Leviticus: Foundations for Expository Sermons (Eerdmans, March 2021). 344 pages. $35.00. Paperback.
• Ryken, Leland and Mathes, Glenda Faye. Recovering the Lost Art of Reading: A Quest for the Good, the True, and the Beautiful (Crossway, March 2021). 304 pages. 21.99. Paperback.
• Bredenhof, Reuben. Weak Pastor, Strong Christ: Developing a Christ-Shaped Gospel Ministry (Reformation Heritage Books, March 2021). 144 pages. $14.00. Paperback.
• Tietz, Christiane. Karl Barth: A Life of Conflict (Oxford University Press, April 2021). 448 pages. $32.95. Hardcover.
• Baucham Jr., Voddie T. Fault Lines: The Social Justice Movement and Evangelicalism’s Looming Catastrophe (Salem, April 2021). 270 pages. $24.99. Hardcover with jacket.
• Levering, Matthew & Plested, Marcus. The Oxford Handbook of the Reception of Aquinas (Oxford University Press, March 2021). 856 pages. $165.00. Hardcover.
• Nichols, Stephen J. R. C. Sproul: A Life (Crossway, March 2021). 400 pages. $34.99. Hardcover with jacket.

Participants: Camden Bucey, Ryan Noha

The following books are on our radar for April 8, 2021.

• Barrett, Matthew. Simply Trinity: The Unmanipulated Father, Son, and Spirit (Baker, March 2021). 368 pages. $24.99. Paperback. 
• Van Dam, Cornelis. In the Beginning: Listening to Genesis 1 and 2 (Reformation Heritage Books, March 2021) 384 pages. $30.00. Hardcover.
• Gribben, Crawford. Survival and Resistance in Evangelical America: Christian Reconstruction in the Pacific Northwest (Oxford University Press, March 2021). 224 pages. $29.95. Hardcover. 
• Kuhn, Chase R. and Grimmond, Paul. Theology is for Preaching: Biblical Foundations, Method and Practice (Lexham, March 2021). From the Studies in Historical and Systematic Theology series. 416 pages. $29.99. Paperback.
• Piper, John. Providence (Crossway, March 2021). 752 pages. $39.99. Hardcover. 
• Waltke, Bruce and Ivan D. De Silva. Proverbs: A Shorter Commentary (Eerdmans, March 2021). 500 pages. $38.00. Paperback. 

Participants: Camden Bucey, Ryan Noha

These are the books on our radar for April 1, 2021.

• Kuyper, Abraham. On Business and Economics (Lexham; Acton Institute, February 2021). From the Abraham Kuyper Collected Works in Public Theology series. 192 pages. $29.99. Hardcover with jacket.
• Selvaggio, Anthony T. Considering Job: Reconciling Sovereignty and Suffering (Reformation Heritage Books, February 2021). 184 pages. $14.00. Paperback.
• Carr, Simonetta. Questions Women Asked: Historical Issues, Timeless Answers (Reformation Heritage Books, February 2021). 240 pages. $18.00. Paperback.
• Balserak, John. A Companion to the Reformation in Geneva (Brill’s Companions to the Christian Tradition, Volume 96) (Brill, February 2021). 478 pages. $222.00. Hardcover.
• Sweeney, Douglas A. and Jan Stievermann (eds.) The Oxford Handbook of Jonathan Edwards (Oxford University Press, February 2021). 608 pages. $145.00. Hardcover.
• Dodson, Rhett P. With a Mighty Triumph: Christ’s Resurrection and Ours (Banner of Truth, February 2021). 159 pages. $10.00. Paperback.
• Wellum, Stephen J. The Person of Christ (Crossway, Feb 2021). Short Studies in Systematic Theology series. 208 pages. $18.99. Paperback.

Participants: Camden Bucey, Ryan Noha

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.

Along with many best practices, there are tested tools used by many scholars in a wide range of disciplines. One of these is Zotero. At root, Zotero is a citation manager. But it does much more than that. It is a tool that helps you collect, organize, cite, and share research.

Links

• Zotero
• Zotero connector for Google Chrome
• ZotFile: advanced PDF management
• WorldCat library catalog
• Reformed Media Review, episode 126: How to Take Smart Notes

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 of 2020 along with our course Introduction to the Theology and Apologetics of Cornelius Van Til.

Participants: Camden Bucey, Lane G. Tipton, Ryan Noha

In this review, we consider CM, Christian Meditation: What the Bible Teaches about Meditation and Spiritual Excercises by Edmund P. Clowney and published by Regent College Publishing.

Writing in 1977, Edmund P. Clowney addressed the growing popularity of transcendental meditation (TM). TM started to develop roots in America in the 1960s and took off in part due to high-profile endorsements, including one from The Beatles. You may be tempted to think this is old news and a long-passed fad, yet with the rise of meditation apps such as Headspace, Calm, or Sam Harris’s Waking Up, Clowney still has much to say for our contemporary context.

This book’s 108 pages are divided into four major sections: (1) TM Challenges the Christian Church (2) The Yoga of Discipleship (3) The Delight of Communion, and (4) The Practice of Praise.

As Clowney unpacks the details of Maharishi Mahesh Yogi’s system of TM, he pulls no punches, remarking that no Christian could partake of the initiation ceremony without violating the second commandment given that gurus are venerated and the Hindu gods are invoked (p. 8). Such candor is refreshing and timely. In our present day, people seek to approach meditation from a purely secular vantage point, which may lead many Christians to think these spiritual disciplines are neutral or at least compatible or reclaimable within a Christian worldview. But there are deeper matters at stake. This is not a mere matter of form but also one of spiritual substance.

The discipline of TM, for example, is rooted in Hindu monistic philosophy. Clowney writes,

Stages have been marked out in gaining this [transcendental] experience. First is the state of pure awareness. In this state we are no longer aware of any thing or idea but only of awareness itself. The repetition of a word or syllable aids in this, for the mantra first blocks out all other ideas and then loses all meaning or suggestive power of its own. The resulting state of mind is called transcendental consciousness. Beyond this lie cosmic consciousness, God-consciousness, and unity consciousness. These are progressive steps in a “pure” awareness that experiences identity with the cosmos and the absolute. The oneness with the absolute that the Maharishi pictures as the goal of human destiny is really the opposite of Christian fellowship with the living God. It is not the experience of knowing God but the delusion of being God.

Clowney, 9.

In other words, it is pantheistic. It is directly opposed to the wonder and joy we come to experience through covenant. It fundamentally misses what Geerhardus Vos called the deeper Protestant conception. It also presupposes that God cannot be known except through this transcendental experience via a different type of consciousness. Yet God has revealed himself to us. Even his invisible attributes, namely his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived through the things that have been made (Rom. 1:20). Clowney explains how Christian meditation is (1) rooted in God’s truth, (2) responds to the love of God, and (3) is an excercise of praise unto him.

It is critical for Christians to be self-conscious about their practices. The type of meditation described in God’s word can bring focus to our lives especially when we have become complacent, living on auto-pilot. Clowney remarks,

But too often, through lack of meditation, Christians become secularized and their capacity to see the world before the Lord shrivels. It is not a fixed stare at a stone or a tree that aids meditation. Such fixity leads to illusion not perception. But a focused seeing, a contemplative examination of both the richness and reality of one of God’s works—that is productive if done in fellowship with the Creator. If you are looking for a place to begin, try meditating on your own hand—not on one spot, but on your whole hand as God’s creation. Read Psalm 139, then look at your hand again. Write down some of your reflections. Then praise God for your hand, claim his cleansing of your hand, and seek his blessing on it (cf. Ps. 90:17). How will you use it in his service?

Clowney, 41.

When influential voices ranging from Tim Ferriss and Joe Rogan to Michael Pollan suggest or propose the use of psychedelics as a means for accessing a greater reality, Clowney reminds us that God’s word advocates for the reality of God’s presence accessible through his personal revelation. We do not need to escape ourselves, to disintegrate the ego, in order to commune with the triune God. We simply must seek him in spirit and in truth.

Clowney’s CM, Christian Meditation is a delightfully succinct yet significant book for our present moment. It is a call and encouragement for all Christians to take seriously their daily spiritual disciplines and to seek the Lord while he may be found (Isa. 55:6).

Participants: Camden Bucey

A Book on Notetaking? It’s Not What You Might Expect

Amazon showed me Sönke Ahrens’s How to Take Smart Notes: One Simple Technique to Boost Writing, Learning and Thinking – for Students, Academics and Nonfiction Book Writers about twenty times in sponsored posts before I finally broke down to see what it was all about. I decided to retrieve a sample chapter on my Kindle. I couldn’t put the book down and read it well into the night. My wife even asked me what in the world I was reading, to which I sheepishly confessed it was a book on taking notes.

This book is not about Reformed theology, church history, or even philosophy, but I’m confident many of you nevertheless will be intrigued. I loved this book so much that I ordered several copies to give as gifts to friends. I should say that two of the first five paperbacks I ordered were very poorly bound. These appear to be self-published through Amazon’s CreateSpace. The glue on the bindings did not hold well, and pages were falling out of the defective copies. I asked for replacement copies, and Amazon promptly sent them—even before receiving the bad copies in return. The new copies were fine. Whether or not they will hold up in the long run is an open question. To appropriate the profundity of Samuel Roy Hagar, “only time will tell if [they] stand the test of time.”

This book isn’t what you might expect. It’s not a self-help book with tips for becoming a better student, a better listener, or to improve your ability to capture thoughts for future contemplation and recall. I believe that following the model suggested in this book may in fact make you a better student and researcher. It will certainly help you to process your thoughts. But this book goes much deeper than a series of tips and tricks. It’s a proposal for a more disciplined—yet much more liberating—process of contemplation and writing.

I need to warn you now, that for some of you, what you’re going to hear next is going to send you down a deep, deep rabbit hole on the Internet, and what you find will affect many aspects of your life. Consider yourself warned.

The Heart of the Book

At the heart of Ahren’s How to Take Smart Notes is a somewhat idiosyncratic notetaking system developed by German sociologist Niklaus Luhmann. He used a system that is known as a Zettelkasten, or notes box. If you’re old enough to remember physical card catalogues, Luhmann used two of these. Ahrens proposes dividing your note-taking into three types.

• Ephemeral notes (these eventually get thrown out)
• Literature notes (write these as you read a book, but keep them separate from the next type)
• Zettel (process your literature notes and write permanent notes—one note per idea)

Once written, you must then link a note to the other notes in your existing network of note-ideas.

In my conceptualization, Luhmann’s method is a form of atomic writing. You must force yourself to formulate your thoughts and write them as if writing them for someone else. This can be difficult, and you may find much personal inertia to this approach. That’s because you think you know the subject matter better than you do. Writing is the thinking process.

By using this method, Luhmann was able to write more than 70 books and 400 scholarly articles before he died at the age of 70. That is impressive. But perhaps even more impressive than his scholarly output is the nature of his scholarship. He was able to approach subjects in fresh ways, finding surprising connections among disparate disciplines. This was due in part to the unexpected connections made within his Zettelkasten.

Digital Approaches and Applications for Pastors and Biblical Scholars

Luhmann wrote his notes on cards and filed them in a physical catalogue. There is much to be said about the benefits of handwriting and the tactile qualities of this form of note-taking, yet there are also many limitations—particularly with linking and searchability. For those who are interested in a digital approach to creating a Zettelkasten, an entire ecosystem is developing around what generally is called Personal Knowledge Management (PKM). People not only use the Zettelkasten method and its variants for academic research and writing, but also for all types of creative work, personal journaling, and even for CRM (customer/constituent relationship management).

I am currently exploring how to link my thoughts as I read and contemplate Scripture. Intelligently linking all the Scripture references in my notes and sermons may prove to be immensely useful when approaching related texts in the future.

For Further Consideration

• Sönke Ahrens’s website
• Andy Matuschak’s Evergreen Notes
• Obsidian
• Zettlr
• Roam
• Notion
• Nick Milo, Linking Your Thinking
• Bryan Jenks, Personal Knowledge Management and Zettelkasten playlist on YouTube

Participants: Camden Bucey

We briefly summarize and review Michael A. G. Haykin, “‘The Best Friend in the Worst Time’: Pandemics in Church History” The Banner of Truth Magazine, No. 689, February 2021, pp. 4–8.

We are prone to think we are the only people ever to experience something like our present pandemic. This year and last, we have heard the phrase “in these unprecedented times” so often that it has become a cliché. In five brief pages, Michael Haykin surveys the church’s experience with pandemics throughout history. Our times are not so unprecedented as we might think. Still, it is important to consider what is unique about our circumstances even while we contemplate what lessons we might learn from church history.

On Our Radar

• Crowe, Brandon D. The Path of Faith: A Biblical Theology of Covenant and Law (Essential Studies in Biblical Theology) (IVP Academic, March 2021). 208 Pages. Paperback 
• Harmon, Matthew S. The Servant of the Lord and His Servant People: Tracing a Biblical Theme through the Canon (New Studies in Biblical Theology series, edited by D. A. Carson) (IVP Academic, January 2021). 272 pages. Paperback 
• Maag, Karin. Worshiping with the Reformers (IVP Academic, February 2021). 248 pages. Paperback. 
• Carrick, John. Jonathan Edwards and the Immediacy of God (Wipf and Stock, December 2020). 174 pages. Hardcover or paperback. 
• Reeves, Michael. Rejoice and Tremble: The Surprising Good News of the Fear of the Lord (Union Series) (Crossway, January 2021). 192 pages. Hardcover with dust jacket. 
• Bullinger, Henry. The Decades of Henry Bullinger, 2 Volumes (Reformation Heritage Books, January 2021). 2055 pages. Hardcovers with dust jacket. 
• Davies, Samuel. Sermons of the Rev. Samuel Davies, 3 Volumes (Reformation Heritage Books, February 2021). 2016 pages. Hardcover with dust jacket. 
• Carr, Simonetta. Phillis Wheatley (Christian Biographies for Young Readers) (Reformation Heritage Books, January 2021). 64 pages. Hardcover. Illustrated. 

Participants: Camden Bucey

Camden Bucey reviews Stewards of Eden: What Scripture Says About the Environment and Why It Matters (IVP Academic, 2020) by Dr. Sandra L. Richter, the Robert H. Gundry Chair of Biblical Studies at Westmont College. In this book, Dr. Richter addresses humanity’s role as stewards of creation—those entrusted to care for that which God has placed in their charge. In exploring this theme, Richter addresses issues such as the ethics of sustainable agriculture, the consumer’s role within the supply chain, and even mining practices and pollution in light of Scriptural examples and biblical-theological themes.

Richter speaks about the old covenant people of God and their relationship to the land as renters or lessees rather than landlords. She addressees the land grant aspects of their covenant relationship to Yahweh in Deuteronomy. She then moves to a discussion of their tithing and offering practices, developing their responsibilities and dependence upon the Lord. The Sabbath rest required in and of the land is also an indication of practices that encourage sustainable agriculture (Exod. 23:10–12; Lev. 25:4–7). This may add dimension to the Lord’s statement to the people that by abiding by these laws, they shall prolong their days in the land (Deut. 5:33; 30:18; 32:47). This statement may refer to the Lord’s allowance for them to remain. In other words, by obeying the Lord, he would not exile them. Even though that may be the primary dimension, perhaps there is a secondary dimension referring to the viability of the land itself. If these laws have practical application for sustainable agriculture, then the people may not be “exiled” because they destroyed the fruitfulness of the land (p. 24).

Chapter three is titled “The Domestic Creatures Entrusted to Adam.” The author enters into a discussion of the Sabbath and its role in organizing and in a sense, restricting, man’s task. The Sabbath prevents man from becoming totally absorbed in the task of subduing creation (p. 30). This is placed within a larger discussion of the supply chain and the ethical responsibilities of producers and consumers within that economy. Old Testament law established and required a close connection between the Israelites and their livestock for example, particularly when it came to slaughter. They were allowed to slaughter the animals they raised, but according to Leviticus 17, they were required to consider the animal’s life and bring the animal before a priest first. In support of this point, the author references Jacob Milgrom, who commented that the method of slaughter in ancient Israel ensured the animal would be rendered unconscious and die a swift, humane death. Animal death always confronted the Israelites, but they were never to take it lightly. Most people today never give a thought to the lives and deaths of their food. I would venture to say that many young people might not even know their food was alive in the first place.

Richter then turns to the wild animals that God has entrusted to Adam. Responsibilities include the protection of habitat for species. She points to Deut. 22:6–7 as warrant for protecting native species. It demonstrates the principle of preserving the means of life and thereby upholding sustainability. Even during wartime, the Israelites were to consider the long-term effects of their treatment of creation. For example, Deut. 20:19 does not permit the Israelites to cut down the trees of a city or region they are besieging. They were permitted to each of the trees but not to cut them down. Many of the fruit-bearing trees of the region (e.g. olive, date) take as many as twenty years to reach full production. Destroying the trees in warfare would have implications for generations to come. One thing I greatly appreciated is the author’s skill in studying biblical examples such as these while prompting further thought for our contemporary context.

Overall, this is an important contribution to the theological communities served by publishers such as IVP Academic. Readers who prefer books that connect the dots on practical matters will appreciate the many case studies and examples the author provides throughout its pages. Some readers may experience a knee-jerk reaction to various portions of the book. Perhaps that reveals a greater issue: that we may be taking our cues on creational stewardship from the talking points and news cycles of our political parties and media outlets of choice rather than from Scripture. Whether or not you agree with the author’s conclusions on specific matters, you may be provoked to think more deeply about your principia and why you hold your specific views on these issues, if you hold any at all.

Participants: Camden Bucey

Danny Olinger and Camden Bucey discuss Graham Greene’s novel, The Power and the Glory, which raises many questions about the nature of faith, ordination, and the sacraments through the lens of Roman Catholic theology. Greene said, “The aim of the book was to oppose the power of the sacraments and the indestructibility of the Church on the one hand with, on the other, the merely temporal power of an essentially Communist state” (Godman, 88). John Updike called this novel, “Graham Greene’s masterpiece.”

Danny Olinger is General Secretary for the Committee on Christian Education of the Orthodox Presbyterian Church.

Links

• Christ the Center episode 644, Catholic Theology and the Novels of Graham Greene
• Christ the Center episode 560 with Lawrence Feingold, The Beatific Vision and the Eucharist in the Theology of Thomas Aquinas.

Participants: Camden Bucey, Danny Olinger

Jim Cassidy discusses two recent publications from Lexham Press. In Challenging the Spirit of Modernity: A Study of Groen van Prinsterer’s Unbelief and Revolution, Harry Van Dyke places Groen van Prinsterer’s foundational work into historical context. Van Prinsterer addressed the inherent tension between the church and secular society, and Van Dyke demonstrates how this work still speaks into the fractured relationship between religion and society. Abraham Kuyper’s Collected Works in Public Theology was created in partnership with the Abraham Kuyper Translation Society and the Acton Institute. It marks a historic moment in Kuyper studies.

Participants: Camden Bucey, Jim Cassidy

Ryan Noha speaks about several rare books that have been added to our online store.

Participants: Camden Bucey, Ryan Noha

Participants: Camden Bucey, David Woollin, Glen Clary, Jeff Waddington, Jim Cassidy

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 new books with authors such as Calvin, Ian Hamilton, Puritan paperbacks and Sinclair Ferguson’s new book, Some Pastors and Teachers.

Participants: John Rawlinson, Rob McKenzie

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

Ryan Noha speaks about several rare books that have been added to our online store.

Participants: Camden Bucey, Ryan Noha

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 recent books.

• Chap Bettis, The Disciple-Making Parent (Diamond Hill Publishing)
• Jason Helopolous, Let the Children Worship (Christian Focus)
• Keri Folmar, The Doctrine of Scripture for Every Woman [The Good Portion Series] (Christian Focus)
• Melissa Kruger, Walking with God in the Season of Motherhood (WaterBrook Press)
• Nancy Guthrie, The Promised One [Seeing Jesus in the Old Testament] (Crossway)
• Knowing the Bible Series (Crossway)
• Jen Wilkin, The Sermon on the Mount (LifeWay Press)

Participants: Camden Bucey, Erica Bucey

Camden Bucey and Ryan Noha serve brief notice on several new books from P&R Publishing and a worthwhile biography.

• Martin Greschat (Stephen E. Buckwalter, trans.), Martin Bucer: A Reformed and His Times
• Luder G. Whitlock, Jr., Divided We Fall: Overcoming a History of Christian Disunity
• Sean Perron and Spencer Harmon, Letters to a Romantic on Dating
• Sean Perron and Spencer Harmon, Letters to a Romantic on Engagement
• Christopher Watkin, Thinking through Creation: Genesis 1 and 2 as Tools of Cultural Critique
• Bill Davis, Departing in Peace: Biblical Decision-Making at the End of Life

Participants: Camden Bucey, Ryan Noha

Ryan Noha speaks about several rare books that have been added to our online store.

Participants: Camden Bucey, Ryan Noha

Ryan Noha speaks about many excellent used books we have recently added to our online store. Among them are first editions of Machen’s Christianity and Liberalism and The Virgin Birth of Christ.

Participants: Camden Bucey, Ryan Noha

Our resident book hound, Ryan Noha, speaks about several rare books to be added to the Reformed Forum online store.

Select Titles:

• Richard B. Gaffin, Jr., Resurrection and Redemption: A Study in Paul’s Soteriology (signed by the author)
• John Murray, Divorce (first edition, 1953)
• Cornelius Van Til, The Defense of the Faith (first edition, 1955)
• Geerhardus Vos, The Mosaic Origin of the Pentateuchal Code (first edition, 1886)

Participants: Camden Bucey, Ryan Noha

Camden Bucey reviews Yves Congar’s The Meaning of Tradition.

Participants: Camden Bucey

Jared Oliphint and Camden Bucey speak about a newly published set of the Bible designed to enhance readability. The ESV Reader’s Bible, six-volume set. For a limited time, you can save 50% by purchasing the set at WTSBooks.com. Introducing the ‘ESV Reader’s Bible, Six-Volume Set’ from Crossway on Vimeo.

Links

• Publisher’s page
• ESV Reader’s Bible (a similar, yet single volume edition)
• Tony Reinke, “A Short History of Bible Clutter“

Participants: Camden Bucey, Jared Oliphint

We speak about two biblical theological titles from InterVarsity Press including John Goldingay’s Biblical Theology: The God of the Christian Scriptures and Unceasing Kindness: A Biblical Theology of Ruth by Peter Lau and Gregory Goswell.

A Special Offer from IVP

Through the end of October 2016, visit ivpress.com and use the code 40556 for 40% off and $2 flat rate shipping on any volume in the Reformation Commentary on Scripture series. The commentary on Romans 9–16 edited by Philip Krey and Peter Krey is forthcoming.

The Reformation Commentary on Scripture (RCS) gives you access to a wealth of Reformation-era commentary on Scripture that is largely unknown and for the most part unavailable in English. While the giants of the era, such as Luther and Calvin, will be presented, you will also be introduced to a host of figures with whom you might be unfamiliar, yet who contributed to the Reformation in important ways. In doing so, the RCS demonstrates both the unity and diversity of thought that characterized this vital period in the history of the Church.

Participants: Camden Bucey, Rob McKenzie, Robert Tarullo

We introduce two new books from InterVarsity Press: Created and Creating: A Biblical Theology of Culture by William Edgar and Contours of the Kuyperian Tradition: A Systematic Introduction by Craig Bartholomew.

A Special Offer from IVP

Through the end of October 2016, visit ivpress.com and use the code 40556 for 40% off on volumes in the Reformation Commentary on Scripture series. If you call IVP at (800) 843-9487, you can also receive $2 flat rate shipping. The commentary on Romans 9–16 edited by Philip Krey and Peter Krey is forthcoming.

The Reformation Commentary on Scripture (RCS) gives you access to a wealth of Reformation-era commentary on Scripture that is largely unknown and for the most part unavailable in English. While the giants of the era, such as Luther and Calvin, will be presented, you will also be introduced to a host of figures with whom you might be unfamiliar, yet who contributed to the Reformation in important ways. In doing so, the RCS demonstrates both the unity and diversity of thought that characterized this vital period in the history of the Church.

Participants: Camden Bucey, Rob McKenzie, Robert Tarullo

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 and flameout quickly. Camden Bucey reviews Zeal without Burnout: Seven Keys to a Lifelong Ministry of Sustainable Sacrifice (The Good Book Company) by Christopher Ash, which is a wonderfully encouraging and thoughtful book describing a godly approach to a lifetime of Christian sacrifice.

Participants: Camden Bucey

A. G. Sertillanges’s The Intellectual Life: Its Spirit, Conditions, Methods is a brilliant work on the life of the mind. Balancing definition, practical tips, and warnings against pitfalls, Sertillanges sets a course for the Christian scholar. This book is an enduring work perhaps even more important in today’s world of digital distractions than when it originated in 1920.

Participants: Camden Bucey

Jim Cassidy provides notices of several significant recent books.

• Christopher Holmes, The Holy Spirit
• Thomas Schreiner, Faith Alone: The Doctrine of Justification
• David VanDrunen, God’s Glory Alone
• Oliver Crisp and Fred Sanders, eds., Locating Atonement: Explorations in Constructive Dogmatics
• Andrew Purves, Exploring Christology and Atonement: Conversations with John McLeod Campbell, H. R. Mackintosh, and T. F. Torrance
• Yaroslav Viazovski, Image and Hope: John Calvin and Karl Barth on Body, Soul, and Life Everlasting

Links

• David VanDrunen on Christ the Center, episode 425

Participants: Camden Bucey, Jim Cassidy

Jared Oliphint speaks about Crossway’s new ESV journaling bible, interleaved edition, which includes entire blank pages in between the pages of Scripture. This is a perfect edition for writing notes, reflections, and prayers in conjunction with your Bible reading. Download an excerpt of this edition.

Participants: Camden Bucey, Jared Oliphint

Camden Bucey and Erica Bucey discuss The Ology: Ancient Truths Ever New, an illustrated systematic theology for children. Written by experienced children’s author Marty Machowski, The Ology is an excellent resource for families. The book is targeted toward 6–12 year olds and includes Scripture memory passages and study questions. The examples and analogies, along with thoughtful illustrations, make complex theological concepts accessible to even very young children. This book will help children understand more about God and how they relate to God, while always pointing them to Scripture.

Participants: Camden Bucey, Erica Bucey

Darryl Hart reviews Awakening the Evangelical Mind: An Intellectual History of the Neo-Evangelical Movement written by Owen Strachan and published by Zondervan. Hart is Visiting Professor of History at Hillsdale College and is the author of many books on church history.

Participants: Camden Bucey, Darryl G. Hart

Camden Bucey and Jonathan Brack discuss Douglas Wilson’s book, Writers to Read: Nine Names That Belong on Your Bookshelf (Crossway), a helpful volume to introduce readers to several key writers of the 20th century. From the publisher:

In Writers to Read, Doug Wilson—someone who’s spent a lifetime writing, reading, and teaching others to do the same—introduces us to nine of his favorite authors from the last 150 years, exploring their interesting lives, key works, and enduring legacies. In doing so, Wilson opens our eyes to literary mentors who not only teach us what good writing looks like, but also help us become better readers in the process.

Participants: Camden Bucey, Jared Oliphint, Jonathan Brack

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 listen to podcasts ourselves. We look at our podcast clients and speak about some of our favorite programs, including 99% Invisible and Radiolab. While many of our favorites are not theological in nature, they often discuss matters of interest to Reformed theologians. Listen to our fun conversation, and be sure to tell us your favorite podcasts by commenting.

Participants: Camden Bucey, Jared Oliphint, Jonathan Brack

Erica Bucey reviews God Made All of Me: A Book to Help Children Protect Their Bodies written by Justin Holcomb and Lindsey Holcomb and illustrated by Trish Mahoney. This book helps families to speak about sensitive issues related to bodies as a defense against sexual abuse.

Participants: Camden Bucey, Erica Bucey

Erica Bucey reviews The Biggest Story: How the Snake Crusher Brings Us Back to the Garden written by Kevin DeYoung and illustrated by Don Clark. This book is unique in that it is an illustrated biblical theology for children.

Participants: Camden Bucey, Erica Bucey

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 of necessity and possibility, truth making, God’s nature, and divine simplicity. It’s a wide-ranging title, but one that offers many important themes for consideration. Dr. Shannon has written a review of the book that will appear soon in the Westminster Theological Journal.

Participants: Jared Oliphint, Nate Shannon

• Vos’s Reformed Dogmatics
• Finding God in Solitude by Donald Whitney
• Jonathan Edwards and the Psalms: A Redemptive-Historical Vision of Scripture by David Barshinger
• Jonathan Edwards and the Life of God by R. Ross Hastings
• A Treatise on True Theology by Franciscus Junius
• The Trinity and the Vindication of Christian Paradox: An Interpretation and Refinement of the Theological Apologetic of Cornelius Van Til by B.A. Bosserman

Participants: Camden Bucey, Jeff Waddington

Jared Oliphint reviews Beyond the Control of God? Six Views on the Problem of God and Abstract Objects, edited by Paul Gould.

Participants: Camden Bucey, Jared Oliphint

Jim Cassidy reviews Two Views on the Doctrine of the Trinity (Zondervan) Stephen Holmes, Paul Molnar, Thomas McCall, and Paul Fiddes.

Participants: Camden Bucey, Jim Cassidy

Jim Cassidy reviews Biblical Theology: The Common Grace Covenants by Jeffrey Niehaus (Weaver Book Company).

Participants: Camden Bucey, Jim Cassidy