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theology that faithfully summarizes its teachings.
Older episodes
- 697Prison MinistryBrett Mahlen speaks about his ministry to inmates at the Stateville Correctional Center in Crest Hill, Illinois. Participants: A. Craig Troxel, Brett Mahlen, Camden Bucey, Charles Williams, Robert Tarullo
- 698Possessions – Part 2This is a continuation of our discussion on Possessions, reflecting on Acts 2, 4, and 5. Acts 2:42-47 And they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers. And awe came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were being done through the apostles. And all who believed were together and had all things in common. And they were selling their possessions and belongings and distributing the proceeds to all, as any had need. And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they received their food with glad and generous hearts, praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved. This is the beginning of the New Covenant Church. The people of God, the true Israel, were made up mostly of travelers who had come for a feast as Old Covenant Israelites and had found the Messiah and the Kingdom of God. Are the examples we are given of church life? are these examples that we should be emulating today? Should the church be structured to resemble a commune? Should Christians today be pushing for socialism? Theology Simply Profound is a podcast of Westminster Presbyterian Church, an Orthodox Presbyterian Church, serving the western suburbs of Chicago, where God powerfully speaks through his means of grace. Also, check out the work of the OPC in Chicagoland at Chicago Reformed. Music credit: pamelayork.com. Thank you, Pamela York, for the use of your beautiful jazzy rendition of “A Mighty Fortress Is Our God.” We encourage our listeners to check out her website and consider purchasing some of her music. Participants: Rob McKenzie, Robert Tarullo
- 699The Role of Ephraim in JudgesOn this episode, we open to the book of Judges with our guest, William Wood. Mr. Wood is a PhD student in Old Testament at Westminster Theological Seminary in Philadelphia, PA. He challenges the conventional wisdom that the author of Judges exhibits an anti-Ephraimite stance exclusively. Will joined us previously to speak about Ephesians 6:10–17 and a Biblical Theology of Clothing. Download the Judges and Ephraim chart mentioned in the episode. Participants: Camden Bucey, Jim Cassidy, Will Wood
- 700Vos Group #36 — The Sacrificial System of the LawWe continue our #VosGroup series by opening pages 155–157 of Vos’ book Biblical Theology: Old and New Testaments to consider the sacrificial system of the law. Vos describes two main ends of sacrifices—expiation and consecration—and how they relate to one another. God desires to establish a covenant communion bond with a holy people. This relationship is served fundamentally by consecration even before the fall into sin. Yet once sin enters the world, the Lord must deal with it. Christ does so by offering a perfect sacrifice in his own blood. This perfect sacrifice is typified in the Old Testament sacrificial system. Links Will Wood, Ephesians 6:10–17 and a Biblical Theology of Clothing Lane Tipton, The Image of God: Biblical-Theological Foundations Lane Tipton, The Archetypal Image in Colossians 1:15: Theological Implications Camden Bucey, Eschatology and the Image of the Last Adam Participants: Camden Bucey, Lane G. Tipton
- 701Replacement Theology?Acts 4:13-20 “Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were uneducated, common men, they were astonished. And they recognized that they had been with Jesus. But seeing the man who was healed standing beside them, they had nothing to say in opposition. But when they had commanded them to leave the council, they conferred with one another, saying, “What shall we do with these men? For that a notable sign has been performed through them is evident to all the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and we cannot deny it. But in order that it may spread no further among the people, let us warn them to speak no more to anyone in this name.” So they called them and charged them not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus. But Peter and John answered them “Whether it is right in the sight of God to listen to you rather than to God, you must judge, for we cannot but speak of what we have seen and heard.” The Apostles were teaching contrary to the law, at least the law as having been interpreted by the Sanhedrin. The religious leaders of the time of the Apostles saw most of them as uneducated fishermen who were starting to teach that Jesus who had been killed not only had been raised from the dead but was also the Messiah and therefore outranked the religious leaders. How should the apostles have treated the religious leaders? Should they have been obedient to their rule over them or should they have disobeyed their command in order to get their message out? Theology Simply Profound is a podcast of Westminster Presbyterian Church, an Orthodox Presbyterian Church, serving the western suburbs of Chicago, where God powerfully speaks through his means of grace. Also, check out the work of the OPC in Chicagoland at Chicago Reformed. Music credit: pamelayork.com. Thank you, Pamela York, for the use of your beautiful jazzy rendition of “A Mighty Fortress Is Our God.” We encourage our listeners to check out her website and consider purchasing some of her music. Participants: Rob McKenzie, Robert Tarullo
- 702Machen and the MediaDarryl G. Hart speaks about J. Gresham Machen and his use of media throughout the modernist-fundamentalist controversy. Westminster Seminary Press has recently published a series of radio addresses by Machen titled, The Person of Jesus. Hart is Distinguished Associate Professor of History at Hillsdale College in Hillsdale, Michigan. He is the author of numerous books, including Defending the Faith, Calvinism: A History, and Damning Words. Links Putting the “Protest” in Protestant Old Life Theological Society Listen to D. G. Hart’s course, “An Introduction to J. Gresham Machen“ Previous Episodes with D. G. Hart Awakening the Evangelical Mind Revivalism and Reformed Piety With Reverence and Awe Calvinism: A History The Reorganization of Princeton Seminary The Regulative Principle of Worship Machen’s Warrior Children Presbyterian and Reformed Family Trees Assessing Machen Deconstructing Evangelicalism J. Gresham Machen Participants: Camden Bucey, Darryl G. Hart
- 703How to Read Your BibleA Sermon on 1 Peter 1 verses 10-12. Participants: Rob McKenzie, Robert Tarullo
- 704Discontent in the MinistryJim Cassidy and Camden Bucey revisit Paul Woolley’s article, “Discontent!” as it pertains to the ministry of the church. Woolley presents two forms of discontent in the church that lead either to pursuing a worldly or Christ-centered agenda. While Woolley wrote in 1944, his lessons are just as applicable today. Dr. Woolley was a founding faculty member of Westminster Theological Seminary in Philadelphia and taught at the seminary from 1929 until his retirement in 1977. He also became a member of the Orthodox Presbyterian Church upon its founding in 1936. At the end of the episode, Jonathan Brack shares several fascinating stories about the early professors, such as Paul Woolley and John Murray, at Westminster Theological Seminary. Participants: Camden Bucey, Jim Cassidy, Jonathan Brack
- 705Civil DisobedienceWhat do we do when the government tells us that we must turn in people who are of a certain ethnic group so that they might be killed? Do we adhere to scripture that tells us to be obedient to the governing authorities or do we adhere to scripture that tells us that we should not murder? Are we sinning regardless or can we choose. In the 1940’s the Ten Boom family along with others help hide the Jews who were being hunted by the Nazi army for extinction. They lied, they stole and the disobeyed direct orders from their occupied government. This wasn’t just in Holland, but many German Christians also hid Jews to protect them. Were they right or was this a lack of faith? Participants: Rob McKenzie, Robert Tarullo
- 706Isaiah and God’s KingdomToday, we speak with Andrew Abernethy about his book, The Book of Isaiah and God’s Kingdom: A Thematic-Theological Approach from IVP Academic‘s New Studies in Biblical Theology series. Abernethy contends that thematic points of reference can help one to encounter Isaiah and its rich theological message. Dr. Abernethy is Assistant Professor of Old Testament at Wheaton College. He is the author of Eating in Isaiah: Approaching Food and Drink in Isaiah’s Structure and Message and coeditor of Isaiah and Imperial Context: The Book of Isaiah in Times of Empire. Rob McKenzie hosts the interview with Dr. Abernethy. And so in the episode, we also took the opportunity to speak about the latest addition to our podcast family, Theology Simply Profound, which he produces with Bob Tarullo. Rob and Camden speak about the program and how it fits within our lineup, helping us to bring Reformed theology to more people. Rob is sales representative for trade, academic, and special markets at IVP and a distance student at Reformed Theological Seminary in Orlando, Florida. Participants: Andrew Abernethy, Camden Bucey, Rob McKenzie
- 707Deacons in ActsIn the early chapters of Acts, at the beginning of the New Covenant Church there was a joyous time where everyone shared all that they had will anyone else who was in need. Just a few months later we have seen jealousy, lying, and deceit with Ananias and Sapphire. We have seen persecution escalating from the Jewish leadership and now we see factions among the people. It doesn’t take long for our sin to get in the way of God’s goodness. Was the solution to the problem with the widows the creation of a new office or was this a onetime occurrence? Are we given a pattern to follow or can culture dictate how the structure of a church is formulated. Participants: Rob McKenzie, Robert Tarullo
- 708Fulfillment in Matthew as Eschatological ReversalWe welcome Brandon Crowe back to the program to speak about the gospel of Matthew. Dr. Crowe is assistant professor of New Testament at Westminster Theological Seminary in Philadelphia. He is the author of the article, “Fulfillment in Matthew as Eschatological Reversal” in Westminster Theological Journal 75 (2013), pp. 111–127. Matthew’s use of the Old Testament has perplexed interpreters for years. It is difficult to ascertain precisely how Jesus “fulfills” the prophets in several of Matthew’s references. Dr. Crowe argues that Jesus not only fulfills the Old Testament as the new Israel and consummate Davidic king, but according to Matthew’s formulae, he does so by reversing Israel’s pattern of covenant infidelity. Other Episodes with Brandon Crowe The Last Adam: A Theology of the Obedient Life of Jesus in the Gospels The New Testament Foundations of Trinitarian Theology The Message of the General Epistles The Virgin Birth of Christ Deuteronomy and Christology in the Gospel of Matthew Participants: Brandon Crowe, Camden Bucey, Jim Cassidy
- 709Qualifications for DeaconsPaul gave Timothy specific instructions to ordain elders and deacons as the leaders of the churches that they were planting. The Deacons who we were first introduced in Acts 6 were to be dignified, honest, and faithful, not addicted to much wine, convinced of their faith and doctrine, mature in life and faith. They are to be the husband of one wife managing their household well. All that just so they can sweep the floor after a Sunday lunch. What are all of the responsibilities of deacons? Are they to be listened to or just the guys that take the offering every Sunday? Are they to be respected in the office or is it just a stepping stone to eldership? Participants: Melodie McKenzie, Rob McKenzie, Robert Tarullo
- 710Dutch Neo-Calvinism and the Roots for TransformationIn June 2011, we spoke with Bill Dennison, Professor of Interdisciplinary Studies at Covenant College, about Transformationalism and Christian Higher Education. In that episode, we touched upon his article, “Dutch Neo-Calvinism and the Roots for Transformation: An Introductory Essay” from the Journal of the Evangelical Theological Society 42/2 (June 1999). We only had a few minutes to discuss the article in episode 180, and so today, we pick up where we left off. Dennison contends that while Dutch neo-Calvinism sought to transform culture in response to the threat of the Enlightenment, they stood upon a foundation of Enlightenment principles to do it. Many of the themes discussed in this episode were developed and applied in our twelve-part series on Christ and Culture, in which Dennison debated Darryl Hart, Nelson Kloosterman, and Doug Wilson. Previous Episodes with Bill Dennison In Defense of the Eschaton Transformationalism and Christian Higher Education Machen and Bultmann at Marburg Paul’s Two-Age Construction and Apologetics Participants: Bill Dennison, Camden Bucey, Glen Clary, Jim Cassidy
- 711Stephen and SermonsToday, Rob and Bob with Melodie McKenzie, discuss Stephen’s speech in Acts 7, which leads us into the muddy of waters of sermons, some questions about preaching, and some thoughts on listening to sermons. Thanks for listening. Enjoy. Participants: Melodie McKenzie, Rob McKenzie, Robert Tarullo
- 712Peter Martyr Vermigli and John Henry Newman on JustificationChris Castaldo compares the respective doctrines of justification of the Reformer Peter Martyr Vermigli and the Roman Catholic John Henry Cardinal Newman. Castaldo is the author of Justified in Christ: The Doctrines of Peter Martyr Vermigli and John Henry Newman and Their Ecumenical Implications. In the book, he compares the doctrines of the Reformed convert from Catholicism (Vermigli) and the Catholic convert from Anglicanism (Newman), drawing conclusions that prove insightful both for ecumenical dialogue and pastoral ministry. Rev. Dr. Castaldo serves as Lead Pastor of New Covenant Church in Naperville, Illinois. You can visit him online at chriscastaldo.com. Books by Chris Castaldo Holy Ground: Walking with Jesus as a Former Catholic Talking with Catholics about the Gospel The Unfinished Reformation: What Unites and Divides Catholics and Protestants after 500 Years (co-authored with Gregg Allison) Previous Episodes with Chris Castaldo Speaking with Catholics about the Gospel The Unfinished Reformation Participants: Camden Bucey, Chris Castaldo, Jim Cassidy
- 713ScatteredReflecting on Acts 8:1–3, Rob and Bob discuss the scattering of the church after the death of Stephen. Participants: Rob McKenzie, Robert Tarullo
- 714Vos Group #37 — Offerings, Gifts, and SacrificesWe continue our #VosGroup series by opening pages 157–159 of Vos’ book Biblical Theology: Old and New Testaments to consider offerings, gifts, and sacrifices within the Mosaic economy. Participants: Camden Bucey, Lane G. Tipton
- 715Philip in Acts 8Today, Rob and Bob discuss Acts 8 and the progress of the gospel into Samaria through Philip. Participants: Rob McKenzie, Robert Tarullo
- 716The Meaning of TraditionCamden Bucey reviews Yves Congar's The Meaning of Tradition.
- 717Episode 500: Doctrine for LifeWe celebrate five-hundred episodes of Christ the Center with an open discussion on worship, the regulative principle, and the apologetic impetus. Join us for a conversation that ties together many of our favorite themes from the past nine+ years. Links Redeemer Presbyterian ballet offertory Carl Trueman, “The Church of England’s Nietzschean Proposal“ Participants: Camden Bucey, Glen Clary, Jeff Waddington, Jim Cassidy
- 718SaulAmong other things, Rob and Bob discuss Saul in Acts 9, trying to understand better his meeting with the exalted Lord Jesus Christ and his reception by Ananias and by other believers in Acts 9. Participants: Rob McKenzie, Robert Tarullo
- 719Live Q&A SessionWe took to Facebook to broadcast a live Q&A session. With questions submitted through email and the live comment thread, we covered Lord’s Day observance, fasting and gluttony, and membership in the New Covenant. Participants: Camden Bucey, Glen Clary, Jeff Waddington
- 720Young, Restless, and ReformedRob and Bob discuss the basic history and shape of the Young, Restless, and Reformed movement of the past decade or so, depending on who you ask. And, somehow, we have this discussion in the context of Paul’s early ministry! Participants: Rob McKenzie, Robert Tarullo
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