Reformed Forum

Dr. Stephen J. Nichols speaks about the life and legacy of Dr. R. C. Sproul. Dr. Nichols has written a biography of Dr. Sproul, which has recently been published by Crossway. This biography details R. C.’s family history and early life in Pittsburgh, through his seminary education and early ministry all the way to the end of his life, reflecting on the many institutions Dr. Sproul founded and helped to shape. Dr. Stephen J. Nichols is president of Reformation Bible College, chief academic officer for Ligonier Ministries, and a Ligonier Ministries teaching fellow. He holds a Ph.D. from Westminster Theological Seminary in Philadelphia. He is host of the podcasts 5 Minutes in Church History and Open Book. He is author of more than twenty books, including Beyond the 95 Theses, a Time for Confidence, and R.C. Sproul: A Life and coeditor of Crossway’s Theologians on the Christian Life series.

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.

We turn to the third sermon in Grace and Glory, a collection of sermons Geerhardus Vos preached at the Miller Chapel of Princeton Theological Seminary. In “Seeking and Saving the Lost,” Vos preaches from Luke 19:10, wherein Jesus describes his ministry to redeem sinners and to bring them into communion with the one true and living God.

Lane Tipton is in the studio with Camden Bucey to discuss the doctrine of salvation and union with Christ from the eschatological perspective of redemption accomplished and applied. On the heels of recording a new course on the topic with Dr. Tipton, they discuss the foundational categories of _historia salutis_ and _ordo salutis_ as well as how Jesus’s resurrection was simultaneously his justification, adoption, sanctification, and glorification. They then connect the death and resurrection of Christ to the application of his work by the Holy Spirit to individual believers in history.

In Hosea 10 the prophet likens Israel to a vineyard and and garden - but not a very fruitful one. In fact, her covenants with the nations has given rise to terrible idolatry, which is spiritual adultery. She is faithless and therefore fruitless. But the judgment and curse God pronounced upon her would not finally fall upon her, but on him who is the true vine. And now as branches in that vine, we have redemption and the grace to bear good fruit. 

Drs. G. K. Beale and Benjamin Gladd speak about their book The Story Retold: A Biblical-Theological Introduction to the New Testament (IVP Academic) in which they seek to couch every major passage of Scripture within the broad history of redemption, making sense of the New Testament in light of the Old. New Testament introductions typically either emphasize the history behind the text through discussions of authorship, dating, and audience or explore the content of the text itself. This introduction is unique in that it considers the Old Testament background to the New Testament and the overarching narrative of redemption throughout all of redemptive-history. Dr. G. K. Beale is Professor of New Testament and Biblical Theology at Reformed Theological Seminary in Dallas, Texas. Dr. Benjamin L. Gladd is Associate Professor of New Testament at Reformed Theological Seminary in Jackson, Mississippi. Links G. K. Beale’s website Essential Studies in Biblical Theology series edited by Dr. Benjamin Gladd (IVP Academic) G. K. Beale, Colossians and Philemon (BECNT) G. K. Beale, The Temple and the Church’s Mission: A Biblical Theology of the Dwelling Place of God (IVP Academic) G. K. Beale and Benjamin L. Gladd, Hidden But Now Revealed: A Biblical Theology of Mystery (IVP Academic) Benjamin L. Gladd, From Adam and Israel to the Church (IVP Academic). Benjamin L. Gladd, Revealing the Mysterion: The Use of Mystery in Daniel and Second Temple Judaism with Its Bearing on First Corinthians. Beihefte zur Zeitschrift für die neutestamentliche Wissenschaft 160 (Walter de Gruyter, 2008). Benjamin L. Gladd, Handbook on the Gospels (Baker Academic).

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.

This week on Theology Simply Profound, Rob and Bob continue a discussion of John Bunyan’s, The Pilgrim’s Progress, Book 2. In this episode, we discuss how the Christiana, Mercy, and the boys make their way past the place where Christian's burden fell

We turn to pages 255–256 of Geerhardus Vos, Biblical Theology: Old and New Testaments to consider the ways in which the Old Testament prophets use anthropomorphism to describe God. The “emotional” or “affectional” dispositions of Jehovah’s nature is the next set of attributes. He says, as a guiding principle, “we are here in a sphere full of anthropomorphism” and says that “an anthropomorphism” is never without an “inner core of important truth” that “must be translated into more theological language” where we can “enrich our knowledge of God” (255). Vos makes an absolutely critical observation here that needs sustained attention to the theological issues he raises here. They are as important in our day as in Vos’ if not more so. Anthropomorphic language ascribes the qualities of the creature to God’s acts in time. But such language is never intended by Reformed theologians to be taken in a univocal way, as though God literally possesses creaturely qualities. God’s acts in time do not require him to be temporal. God acts in the contingent historical order of creation do not require him to be contingent and historical. God’s acts in relation to mutable and passible creatures do not require that he be mutable and passible like the creature. There is no point of univocity between the Creator and the creature—no mutual sharing in mutability and temporality.

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.