Christ the Center

We speak with Daniel R. Hyde. Rev. Hyde is pastor of Oceanside URC in Oceanside, California. He has written an article examining the Synod of Dort's doctrine of the Sabbath, titled “Regulae de Observatione Sabbathi: The Synod of Dort’s (1618–19) Deliverance on the Sabbath.” Originally written for The Puritan Reformed Journal, you can now find it on pages 173–184 of The Confessional Presbyterian Journal, Issue 12 (2016). Books by Danny Hyde Welcome to a Reformed Church Why Believe in God Jesus Loves the Little Children Books on the Sabbath Non-Sabbatarian Position: Sunday by Willy Rordorf (Philadelphia, PA: The Westminster Press, 1968). This is a fantastic resource on the patristic doctrine and observance of the Lord's Day. From Sabbath to Lord's Day: A Biblical, Historical and Theological Investigation, ed. D. A. Carson (Wipf & Stock Pub, 2000). Richard Bauckham's articles in this volume are excellent. Sabbatarian Position: The Confessional Presbyterian Journal, Issue 12 (2016) Calvin and the Sabbath by Richard Gaffin (Mentor, 1998). Gaffin's positive defense of the Sabbath is superb. The True Doctrine of the Sabbath by Nicholas Bownde (Reformation Heritage, 2015).

Dispensationalism is a system of doctrine that views human history as divided into distinct eras (or dispensations). In each of these dispensations, God provides a unique test to humanity. Repeatedly, they fail these tests and receive the judgment requisi

The people of God presently live in between grace and glory. We look back upon the finished work of Jesus Christ while also looking forward to his return, our resurrection, and the consummation of the New Heavens and New Earth. Speaking of the faithful, the author of the epistle to the Hebrews writes, "These all died in faith, not having received the things promised, but having seen them and greeted them from afar, and having acknowledged that they were strangers and exiles on the earth" (Heb 11:13). While we labor in the world, we do not ultimately belong in this world. We are citizens of heaven. In this episode, we explore the biblical pilgrim motif and its application for the Christian life.

We continue our #VosGroup series by opening pages 128–131 of Vos' book Biblical Theology: Old and New Testaments to consider once again the function of the law and the Decalogue. Why was the law given? How does it function in the life of Israel, the red

Dr. Keith Stanglin joins us to speak about the theology of Jacobus Arminius. Dr. Stanglin is associate professor at Austin Graduate School of Theology. Arminius was a Dutch theologian who served as a professor of theology at the University of Leiden. Many

Today we welcome Iain H. Murray to the program to discuss his new biography, J. C. Ryle: Prepared to Stand Alone. In 1957, Rev. Murray co-founded the Banner of Truth Trust. Ryle (1816–1900) was the first Anglican bishop of Liverpool. He was an ardent de

The evangelical Internet is abuzz with discussion about ad intra relations within the Trinity. Bruce Ware and Wayne Grudem have been recognized as presenting forms of Eternal Functional Subordination (EFS) of the Son to the Father in their respective books, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit: Relationships, Roles, and Relevance (Crossway) and Systematic Theology: An Introduction to Biblical Doctrine (Zondervan). Owen Strachan and his co-author Gavin Peacock hold to what they term Eternal Relations of Authority and Submission (ERAS) in their book, The Grand Design (Crossway). In this episode, we address the current controversy by looking at the eternal relationship among the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. These three persons are one God. They are related by an irreversible taxis: the Father is unbegotten, the Son is begotten of the Father, and the Spirit proceeds from the Father and the Son. Theologians often call this the immanent or ontological Trinity. These three persons are equal in power and glory, yet their essential relationship entails no relationship of authority, subordination, or submission. Nonetheless, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit freely will to create, and eventually to redeem, a people unto himself. This free, yet still eternal agreement, is known as the pactum salutis or Covenant of Redemption. After listening to this discussion, please consider two previous episodes of Christ the Center that deal with similar issues: Christ the Center episode 245, Eternal Generation of the Son Christ the Center episode 295, The Aseity of the Son  

Dr. Alan Strange provides a window in Presbyterian history, taking us back to the nineteenth century. Charles Hodge looms large over American Presbyterianism, and his doctrine of the spirituality of the church offered an important biblical rationale for a

Dr. Brant Bosserman is an admirer of Cornelius Van Til's Trinitarian theology—so much so that he seeks to develop it further. In his book The Trinity and the Vindication of Christian Paradox, Dr. Bosserman details Van Til's view but goes further by argu

On the occasion of the 80th anniversary of the Orthodox Presbyterian Church, we reflect upon the life and ministry of the denomination's oldest minister, 103 year-old Rev. John P. Galbraith. Galbraith was a student of J. Gresham Machen's at Westminster Th