Reformed Forum
Reformed ForumReformed Forum supports the church in presenting every person mature in Christ (Colossians 1:28) by providing Reformed theological resources to pastors, scholars, and anyone who desires to grow in their understanding of Scripture and the
See more
theology that faithfully summarizes its teachings.
Older episodes
- 985Hosea 6:1–3 — Returning to the LordKnowledge is not an end in itself, it is a means to an end that we might know the new world of God. When we understand that we are citizens of the age to come, it changes everything about how we live our lives in the midst of this present evil age. Participants: Adam York, Jim Cassidy, Mark A. Winder
- 986The Faithfulness of GodThis week on Theology Simply Profound, Rob and Bob pick up their discussion of Malachi at chapter 3:7-18. Here we engage Malachi in his denunciation of those “robbing” the Lord, as well as those who are meant to find encouragement and comfort with the promise of the coming of the Lord. Participants: Rob McKenzie, Robert Tarullo
- 987History and the Life of the ChurchChristianity is based in history. Contrary to the teaching of classic liberalism, without the historical fact of Christ’s life, death, and resurrection, Christianity is nothing. Moreover, God has been working in the lives of his people from the very beginning. It is essential that the church would remember God’s dealings with the generations that have gone before in order that she would rightly press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus (Phil 3:14). Our shared memories and the lessons of the past shape our ecclesiastical context and guide our present practice. Dr. Alan Strange and Rev. Brian De Jong discuss the role of history in the life of the church. Dr. Strange is professor of church history at Mid-America Reformed Seminary in Dyer, Indiana. He is the author of The Imputation of the Active Obedience of Christ in the Westminster Standards and The Doctrine of the Spirituality of the Church in the Ecclesiology of Charles Hodge. Rev. De Jong is pastor of Grace Orthodox Presbyterian Church in Sheboygan, Wisconsin and the author of Honoring the Elderly: A Christian’s Duty to Aging Parents. Participants: Alan Strange, Brian De Jong, Camden Bucey
- 988Kuyper's Collected Works in Public Theology and Challenging the Spirit of Modernity: A Study of Groen van Prinsterer’s Unbelief and RevolutionJim 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. https://youtu.be/k1eel36uDew
- 989Christianity and Liberalism — Chapter 6This week on Theology Simply Profound, Bob reads from his 1923 edition of J. Gresham Machen’s classic work, Christianity and Liberalism, Chapter 6, Salvation. Participants: Robert Tarullo
- 990Faithful and Fruitful Ordained MinistryHealthy churches have healthy elders and deacons. When a local congregation is blessed with faithful officers the results are bountiful (Acts 6:7). William Boekestein and Steven Swets speak about ordained ministry in its manifold dimensions. Boekestein and Swets have edited, Faithful and Fruitful: Essays for Elders and Deacons (Reformed Fellowship), which provides current and future church leaders with an exciting opportunity of personal development. Like its companion (Called to Serve), this collection of essays offers biblical and practical essays written by seasoned churchmen drawing upon a wealth of leadership knowledge, experience, and wisdom. Engaging study questions for each essay can help readers make the most of the Bible’s instruction and encouragement for those tasked with the responsibility and privilege of leading Christ’s church. Participants: Camden Bucey, Jeff Waddington, Steven Swets, William Boekestein
- 991SocinianismCarl Trueman joins us to speak about Socinianism, a non-Trinitarian system of doctrine that arose out of the Radical Reformation and developed in Poland during the 16th and 17th centuries. It was named for the Italian uncle/nephew tandem of Lelio and Fausto Sozzini (Latin: Socinus). While the label is not commonly used in our current historical context, Socinianism developed into contemporary Unitarianism. The Socinian system of doctrine is summarized in The Racovian Catechism. Dr. Carl Trueman is professor of biblical and religious studies at Grove City College in Grove City, Pennsylvania and the author of numerous books, including The Creedal Imperative. Along with Aimee Byrd and Todd Pruitt, he is a contributor to the Mortification of Spin podcast. Participants: Camden Bucey, Carl Trueman, Jim Cassidy
- 992Bavinck’s Christian WorldviewJames Eglinton, Nathaniel Gray Sutanto, and Cory Brock speak about Herman Bavinck’s book, Christian Worldview. Sutanto, Eglinton, and Brock together have translated and edited this work and Crossway has brought it to print for the first time in English. In the book, Herman Bavinck deals with pastoral concerns that arose within a culture that exchanged modernistic certainty for an appreciation of the unrecognizable and unknowable. Apart from the triune God revealed in Scripture, the culture was grasping for meaning. Christian Worldview marks a new phase in his theological development. He spent the 1880s and 90s in Kampen wherein his main dialogue partners were liberal Protestants or materialist atheists. In 1900, two years before Bavinck moved to the Free University in Amsterdam, Friedrich Nietzsche died and something of a cult of his ideas developed in the Netherlands. Bavinck sought to address these new theological concerns. He developed a wholistic vision of all things and a wholistic way of living. He situated science and wisdom under a broader category of “worldview.” Nathaniel Gray Sutanto is a teaching elder at Covenant City Church in Jakarta, Indonesia, and an adjunct faculty member at Westminster Theological Seminary. He is the author of God and Knowledge: Herman Bavinck’s Theological Epistemology. James Eglinton is the Meldrum Lecturer in Reformed Theology at New College, University of Edinburgh. He is the author of Trinity and Organism, Herman Bavinck on Preaching and Preachers and Bavinck: A Critical Biography (forthcoming from Baker Academic). Cory C. Brock serves as minister of young adults and college at First Presbyterian Church in Jackson, Mississippi, and is an adjunct professor of theology at Belhaven University. Participants: Camden Bucey, Cory Brock, James Eglinton, Jim Cassidy, Nathaniel Gray Sutanto
- 993Christianity and Liberalism — Chapter 7This week on Theology Simply Profound, Bob reads from his 1923 edition of J. Gresham Machen’s classic work, Christianity and Liberalism, Chapter 7, The Church. Participants: Robert Tarullo
- 994Karl RahnerJeff Waddington, Glen Clary, and Lane Tipton speak with Camden Bucey about his book, Karl Rahner, and contemporary issues regarding Rahner, modern Roman Catholicism, and contemporary theology. Arguably the most influential Catholic theologian of the twentieth century, Karl Rahner (1904–1984) developed a theology that has influenced much of post-Vatican II Catholicism and its modern inclusivist approach to missions. Despite his impact, little has been written on Rahner from a Reformed perspective. In this introduction and critique, Camden Bucey guides readers to an understanding of Rahner’s theology as a whole. Beginning with Rahner’s trinitarian theology, he moves through each of the traditional departments of theology to show how Rahner developed one basic idea from beginning to end. Rahner set out to explain how God communicates himself to humanity, whom he created specifically for the purpose of fellowship with him. Once we trace this thread, we gain a deeper understanding of his thought and its reach today. Buy the Book P&R PublishingAmazonWTS Books Endorsements for the Book “If you want to understand present-day Roman Catholicism, you must come to terms with Vatican II (1962–65). Everything that Rome now teaches and does is filtered through it. But if you want to understand Vatican II itself, you need to know about Karl Rahner. . . . Part of the confused and naive attitude of contemporary evangelicals toward Rome depends on the lack of awareness of both Vatican II and Karl Rahner. This lucid book is a helpful introduction to this seminal Roman Catholic theologian whose language contains all the key Christian words (e.g., Trinity, Christ, humanity), but whose meaning is significantly different from that of straightforward biblical teaching. It is time that Reformed theologians do their homework in grasping what is at stake with contemporary Roman Catholicism.” —Leonardo De Chirico, Pastor, Breccia di Roma; Lecturer, Historical Theology, IFED, Padova, Italy; Director, Reformanda Initiative “Roman Catholic apologists often boast about their church’s antiquity but seldom mention modern Roman Catholic theology, which often sounds as modern as liberal Protestantism. Karl Rahner, one of the most influential Roman Catholic theologians of the twentieth century, whose prominence was evident at the Second Vatican Council, is one of the best examples of Roman Catholicism’s modernity. Camden Bucey’s fair-minded and careful assessment of Rahner’s theology is valuable in itself, but doubly so for anyone wanting an introduction to modern Roman Catholicism’s own contribution to liberal Christian theology.” —D. G. Hart, Distinguished Associate Professor of History, Hillsdale College “Though Karl Rahner is among the most significant Roman Catholic theologians of the twentieth century, he is little known (and seldom read) by evangelical and Reformed theologians. Camden Bucey’s fine study offers an excellent summary of Rahner’s Trinitarian theology that promises to redress this problem. He not only provides a helpful explanation of Rahner’s well-known Trinitarian axiom (‘the “economic” Trinity is the “immanent” Trinity’), but also locates it within the broader context of Rahner’s anthropocentric theology. While Bucey critically engages Rahner’s theology from a Reformed perspective, he does so throughout in a careful, irenic, and constructive fashion.” —Cornelis P. Venema, President and Professor of Doctrinal Studies, Mid-America Reformed Seminary Participants: Camden Bucey, Glen Clary, Jeff Waddington, Lane G. Tipton
- 995The Christian’s True IdentityJonathan Landry Cruse, Pastor of Community Presbyterian Church in Kalamazoo, Michigan, speaks with Rob and Bob about his new book, The Christian’s True Identity: What It Means to Be in Christ (Reformation Heritage Books). Participants: Jonathan Landry Cruse, Rob McKenzie, Robert Tarullo
- 996Vos Group #59 — Revelation through Showing and SeeingIn this episode, we turn to pages 220–223 of Vos’s book, Biblical Theology, to discuss the reception of divine revelation through showing and seeing. The prophets were given visions and heard the Lord and angelic beings speaking to them audibly. We explore the significance of this fact with regard to our understanding of God’s progressive revelation in history. Participants: Camden Bucey, Lane G. Tipton
- 997Expectations of the MessiahWhile Rob and Bob finished up their discussion of the book of Malachi, on this week’s episode of Theology Simply Profound, they discuss some of the expectations of the coming Messiah that arose during the 400 years or so of silence from God until John the Baptist and Jesus of Nazareth enter into story of redemption. Participants: Rob McKenzie, Robert Tarullo
- 998Puritan: All of Life to the Glory of GodDavid Woollin of Reformation Heritage Books and Matthew Robinson of Media Gratiae discuss Puritan: All of Life to the Glory of God. Centered around a feature-length film, the full box set includes books, thirty-five Sunday school lessons, and other resources for education. Participants: Camden Bucey, David Woollin, Jeff Waddington, Matthew Robinson
- 999Christmas Traditions!Welcome to the Fourth Annual Theology Simply Profound Christmas Special where Rob and Bob discuss Christmas traditions and everything silly that popped into their vacation ready minds. Merry Christmas! Participants: Rob McKenzie, Robert Tarullo
- 1000Highlights from 2019Since Christ the Center began nearly twelve years ago, we have taken time to look back on the highlights of the year. Given that we now post highlights from each episode every week we have taken an analytic approach. These are this year’s top ten clips from Christ the Center as determined by YouTube views. Episode 614 — Bracy Hill, Nimrod, the Mighty HunterEpisode 600 — Glen Clary, Praying in TonguesEpisode 580 — Camden Bucey, Liberation TheologyEpisode 603 — Cornelis Venema, Karl Barth and the Doctrine of ElectionEpisode 600 — Glen Clary, What Is Cessationism?Episode 598 — Christopher Watkin, The Problem of the One and ManyEpisode 603 — Cornelis Venema, Augustine and PelagiusEpisode 578 — Carl Trueman, Luther and Zwingli at MarburgEpisode 619 — Alan Strange and Brian DeJong, The Orthodox Presbyterian Church and the United Reformed Churches in North AmericaEpisode 613 — Will Wood, Schools of Biblical Criticism Participants: Alan Strange, Bracy Hill, Brian DeJong, Camden Bucey, Carl Trueman, Christopher Watkin, Cornelis Venema, Glen Clary, Will Wood
- 1001Vos Group #60 — The Intra-Mental State of the ProphetWe turn to pages 224–229 of Vos’s book, Biblical Theology, to speak about the intra-mental state of the prophet, by which Vos means to inquire into “how the soul felt and reacted under the things shown within the vision” (p. 224). Far too much attention has been given to what is represented by the Greek term ecstasis. The term served first as a translation of the Hebrew tardemah (cf. Gen. 2:21 with Adam and Genesis 15:12 with Abram). In Adam’s case, there is no visionary state. In Abram’s case, there is such a vision (expound the theology of the theophany). But tardemah does not throw any light on Abram’s state of mind. Ecstasis, on the other hand, has a very definite conception in Greek consciousness that leads in the direction of error. That conception is that of “insanity or mania” and was applied to the oracular process—the process of receiving visions and the resultant state in which it put the seer-prophet. This led to a close association between the prophet and some feature of instability—some manic tendency that seems inherent to the process of receiving a vision. Vos points us to God’s inspired, inerrant, and infallible revelation in history, which does not bypass the human mind or allow the recipient to escape his humanity, but elevates him to greater communion with God. Participants: Camden Bucey, Lane G. Tipton
- 1002Exodus 2:1–10 — The Birth, Burial, and Resurrection of a SaviorIn episode 81, Joel Fick leads us in a study of the birth of Moses. He demonstrates a model of preaching Christ not based upon merely noting a few parallels between an Old Testament character and the life of Christ, but based upon deep theological themes and direct scriptural references. Participants: Jim Cassidy, Joel Fick, Mark A. Winder
- 1003A Christian View of EconomicsShawn Ritenour, Professor of Economics at Grove City College, speaks about the basics of economics and the Christian principles upon which the study must be based. Dr. Ritenour is the author of Foundations of Economics: A Christian View (Wipf & Stock). Participants: Camden Bucey, Jeff Waddington, Shawn Ritenour
- 1004The Wonderful Works of GodCarlton Wynne and Charles Williams speak about the new edition of Herman Bavinck’s The Wonderful Works of God published by Westminster Seminary Press. The book was first published in English under the title, Our Reasonable Faith. The new edition is re-typeset and includes an introduction by Dr. Wynne, Bavinck’s original introduction translated by Nathaniel Gray Sutanto, and helpful indices collected by Charles Williams. Carlton Wynne is assistant professor of systematic theology and apologetics at Westminster Theological Seminary in Philadelphia, PA. Charles Williams is pastor of Bethel Orthodox Presbyterian Church in Wheaton, Illinois. Links The Wonderful Works of God discussion guide Participants: Camden Bucey, Carlton Wynne, Charles Williams
- 1005The Wonderful TreeThis week on Theology Simply Profound, Bob begins reading the 1922 edition of Grace and Glory, a collection of sermons delivered at Princeton Theological Seminary by Geerhardus Vos. The first of these sermons is on Hosea 14:8, “The Wonderful Tree.” Participants: Robert Tarullo
- 1006Hebrew Discourse AnalysisMatthew Patton speaks about his book, Basics of Hebrew Discourse: A Guide to Working with Hebrew Prose and Poetry (Zondervan Academic, 2019). Dr. Patton is pastor of Covenant Presbyterian Church (OPC) in Vandalia, Ohio. This book, written by Matthew H. Patton, Frederic Clarke Putnam, and Miles V. Van Pelt, is a syntax resource for intermediate Hebrew students. This Basics book introduces students to the principles and exegetical benefits of discourse analysis (text linguistics) when applied to biblical Hebrew prose and poetry. Where standard Hebrew reference grammars have traditionally worked to describe the relationship between words and phrases within discrete clauses (micro syntax), discourse analysis works to describe those relationships that exist between clauses and texts (macro syntax). This resource fills a needed gap for intermediate Hebrew students and gives them the tools to work with Hebrew syntax on the macro level. Professors and pastors working with Hebrew will also find this one-of-a-kind resource highly valuable. While students of Hebrew will certainly gain from Patton’s work, listeners will gain a deeper understanding of the Bible and tools for studying it in the English language as well. Participants: Camden Bucey, Matthew Patton
- 1007J. C. Ryle on HolinessThis week on Theology Simply Profound, Rob and Bob discuss the subject of holiness with portions of J. C. Ryle’s classic book, Holiness: Its Nature, Hindrances, Difficulties, and Roots. Participants: Rob McKenzie, Robert Tarullo
- 1008Abraham Kuyper’s Public TheologyDr. Jordan J. Ballor, senior research fellow and director of publishing for the Acton Institute, joins us to speak about Abraham Kuyper’s public theology. Dr. Ballor is a general editor of Abraham Kuyper’s Collected Works on Public Theology published by Lexham Press. Kuyper was something of a polymath/renaissance man. Along with being an influential theologian and also a journalist, he served as Prime Minister of the Netherlands between 1901 and 1905. He established the Reformed Churches in the Netherlands, which upon its foundation became the second largest Reformed denomination in the country behind the state-supported Dutch Reformed Church. Jordan J. Ballor (Dr. theol., University of Zurich; PhD, Calvin Theological Seminary) is a senior research fellow and director of publishing at the Acton Institute for the Study of Religion & Liberty. He is also a postdoctoral researcher in theology and economics at the Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam as part of the “What Good Markets Are Good For” project. Participants: Camden Bucey, Jim Cassidy, Jordan Ballor
Get the Pray app
Keep listening to Reformed Forum on your phone, and pick up where you left off.
