Reformed Forum

Jim Cassidy previews his address at the 2018 Reformed Forum conference by speaking about Barth on the analogy of being and the analogy of faith and how his views relate to the theology of Thomas Aquinas. Jim and Camden also speak about Barth's views of natural theology and how they relate to the views of Cornelius Van Til. This is in response to recent remarks from Dr. Michael Allen on the Credo Magazine podcast (around minute 37). If you'd like to jump directly to that portion of our discussion, you can watch it on YouTube. [embed]https://youtu.be/JOzUuDDGIOU[/embed]

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

Dan Ragusa introduces us to the theological method of Petrus Van Mastricht, Dutch Reformed theologian, who maintained consistent Reformed orthodoxy against Cartesian influences. Van Mastricht wrote a polemic against Balthasar Bekker, a critic of paganism but a proponent of Cartesianism. In his polemic, Van Mastricht addresses the issue of Scriptural authority, theological method, and the proper end toward which all theologians and philosophers must be directed: worship of the one, true, and living God. Dan Ragusa is a PhD student at Westminster Theological Seminary in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. [embed]https://youtu.be/RWAcoAh9jrY[/embed] Readings Daniel Ragusa, "Beginning with Scripture, Ending with Worship: An Analysis of Petrus van Mastricht's Polemic against Balthasar Bekker" Petrus van Mastricht, Theoretical-Practical Theology Volume 1: Prolegomena Adriaan C. Neele, The Art of Living to God

Lot serves as a paradigm or picture of the salvation of sinners and judgment upon unbelievers. Sinners are not saved because they suddenly figure out God’s mercy and come running to him. They are saved because God does what they cannot do of their own accord.

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 in this wonderful letter to the church of Jesus Christ. This week's episode Theology Simply Profound, we take a look at how the Preacher to the Hebrews interprets the Old Testament.

Jeff Waddington previews his address for the 2018 Theology Conference. He speaks about Pseudo-Dionysius, a key influence upon Thomas Aquinas. Dionysius attempted to integrate neoplatonism with Christianity. The result was a Christianization of the great chain of being. Register for the upcoming conference. Reading List Daria Spezzano, The Glory of God's Grace: Deification According to St. Thomas Aquinas Dominic Legge: The Trinitarian Christology of St. Thomas Aquinas Lawrence Feingold: The Natural Desire to See God According to St. Thomas and His Interpreters Hans Boersma, Seeing God: The Beatific Vision in Christian Tradition [embed]https://youtu.be/L4sTPjFyBPU[/embed]

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 crisis regarding what constitutes “reformed” theology. The situation currently is one of chaos and confusion. Some claim that the way forward is by way of retrieving the theology of Thomas Aquinas, the angelic doctor of the Roman Catholic church, in the service of a so-called “Reformed” apologetic. The line of this argument is that if you follow the Roman Catholic theology and method of Aquinas, you will arrive at Protestant conclusions. Others enlist Aquinas in conversation with the likes of John Webster and Karl Barth, in the interest of retrieving “catholic” tradition in the development of a reformed theological identity. Still others, outside of our reformed circles, are engaged in ecumenical dialogue between Thomas and Barth (Bruce McCormack and Thomas Joseph White’s Thomas Aquinas and Karl Barth: An Unof

In Episode 57, we see that despite oncoming judgment, the passage underscores the deep relationship between God and Abraham.  It is covenantal at its core.

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 passages and concepts found so prominently in this wonderful letter to the church of Jesus Christ.

Darryl G. Hart, Distinguished Associate Professor of History at Hillsdale College, joins us to speak about his book, Still Protesting: Why the Reformation Matters (Reformation Heritage Books). This book addresses the divide between Protestants and Roman Catholics, considering some of the reasons that prompted the Reformation and the Counter-Reformation. It emerges particularly from the context of the increasing number of Protestants who convert to Roman Catholicism, and Hart's aim is to address some of the most frequent reasons given for abandoning Protestantism. [embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZG2G2j8LkdA[/embed] Links DGH at Patheos Old Life

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 book entitled, Identifying the Seed, which will be published in early September 2018. Check out the book's Facebook page to find out more with updates about its publication.

We continue our #VosGroup series in pages 187–190 of Vos' book Biblical Theology: Old and New Testaments to consider the word of God and prophetism. Prophetism is restricted to the word as its instrument. The prophetic ministry was a declarative, spiritual authority of one who speaks and writes in the words of Jehovah himself. There is the closest possible connection, then, between the prophetic office and the declaration of the Word of the Lord, as that Word is given by the superintending agency of the Spirit, who breathes out the prophetic Scriptures (cf. 1 Pet. 1:10–11; 2 Tim. 3:16). The effect of being restricted to the ministry of the Word of God was a heightening of the “spiritualizing” relation between Jehovah and Israel. [embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8DFJ7eccK58[/embed]

Here's the big pictures of 1 Corinthians 1 and 2, particularly focusing on the wisdom of God as the doctrinal and ethical antithesis to world, and an introduction to Paul's two-age eschatology. Articles referenced in this episode: Gaffin article Christ the Center Bill Dennison episode

As an enjoyable way to close out our series on the doctrine of the atonement, this week on Theology Simply Profound, Bob will begin reading through an article by J. I. Packer in the book, The Glory of the Atonement, entitled "The Atonement in the Life of the Christian." (Part 2 reading) Many thanks to IVP for permission to make this article available in this format. Taken from The Glory of the Atonement edited by Charles E. Hill and Frank A. James III. Copyright (c) 2004 by by Charles E. Hill and Frank A. James III. Used by permission of InterVarsity Press, P.O. Box 1400, Downers Grove, IL 60515, USA. www.ivpress.com

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 the Spirit to give people new hearts, enlightening their minds and renewing their wills. Are effectual calling and regeneration the same thing? If not, how do they relate? In this episode, we discuss the relationship between these two aspects of the ordo salutis. Westminster Confession of Faith, Chapter 10: Of Effectual Calling 1. All those whom God hath predestinated unto life, and those only, he is pleased, in his appointed and accepted time, effectually to call, by his Word and Spirit, out of that state of sin and death, in which they are by nature, to grace and salvation, by Jesus Christ; enlightening their minds spiritually and savingly to understand the things of God, taking away their heart of stone, and giving unto them a heart of flesh; renewing their wills, and, by his almighty power, determining them to that which is good, an

As an enjoyable way to close out our series on the doctrine of the atonement, this week on Theology Simply Profound, Bob will begin reading through an article by J. I. Packer in the book, The Glory of the Atonement, entitled "The Atonement in the Life of the Christian." (Part 1 reading) Many thanks to IVP for permission to make this article available in this format. Taken from The Glory of the Atonement edited by Charles E. Hill and Frank A. James III. Copyright (c) 2004 by by Charles E. Hill and Frank A. James III. Used by permission of InterVarsity Press, P.O. Box 1400, Downers Grove, IL 60515, USA. www.ivpress.com

Jim Cassidy and Camden Bucey speak about the relationship between the Old Covenant and New Covenant in the epistle to the Hebrews. Moses was a servant in God's house, but Jesus Christ is a faithful son. Christ is the mediator of a better covenant. But we should not conclude that these covenants are unrelated. Indeed, Moses was a servant in God's house, not a different house. The substance of the Old Covenant is Christ, and it was nothing less than his grace that was mediated to Old Covenant believers, though it was administered through promises, types, and sacrifices. We discuss the earthly things of Old Covenant worship and how they are shadows and copies of the heavenly reality to which Christ has brought his people.

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 to talk about his new book with Crossway, Therefore I Have Hope: 12 Truths That Comfort, Sustain, and Redeem in Tragedy. We hope you enjoy this interview on Theology Simply Profound. Cameron Cole (MA, Wake Forest University) serves as director of youth ministries at the Cathedral Church of the Advent in Birmingham, Alabama, and is the chairman of Rooted, a ministry dedicated to fostering gospel-centered student ministry.

In the battle in which we must fight, Jesus is what we need, and Jesus is all we need.

The impeccability of Christ is an important, though debated point. It involves not only the sinlessness of our savior, but whether it was possible for him to sin. As we consider the issue, we turn to F. W. Kremer’s article, “The Impeccability of the Lord Jesus Christ” published in Reformed Quarterly Review, Volume 26, April 1879. We discuss the tendency to consider Christ’s humanity independently of his divinity. It’s not merely that people recognize the natures are distinct, but that they implicitly acknowledge that his humanity can be abstracted from his divinity. In the abstract, we could acknowledge that Jesus’s human nature had the capability of sinning. For example, his body was physically capable of taking a sword and murdering someone. But we cannot consider Christ’s human nature in the abstract. He is the second person of the trinity who has assumed a true body and a reasonable soul. Sin involves a moral agent. Does the human nature of Christ constitute a full moral agent apart from the person of the