Reformed Forum

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

In episode 31, your hosts Rob and Bob, continue their discussion about Dispensationalism. In picking up our discussion of Dispensational Theology once again, we discuss “The Dispensation of Grace” a.k.a. The Church Age.

What is the Dispensation of Grace? Why is is also known as the Church Age? How does it relate to the Dispensation of Law? How does it relate to the Mosaic Covenant? Why did Jesus come into the world?

We’ll discuss these and other related questions in this episode of Theology Simply Profound.

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.

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

Van Til’s trinitarian theology is at the heart of his apologetic. Yet there are several aspects of his theology difficult to understand and others that are left undeveloped. We speak with Dr. Brant A. Bosserman about these issues. Bosserman has written The Trinity and Christian Paradox: An Interpretation and Refinement of the Theological Apologetic of Cornelius Van Til, which seeks to explain not merely why God is and must be one and many, but also why he is equally both one and three.

Participants: Brant Bosserman, Camden Bucey, Jim Cassidy

Mentioned in this episode:

Christ the Center 1000 Live in Austin, TX

Christ the Center 1000 Summit

Christ the Center 1000

Christ the Center 1000 Summit

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

Ministry in the body of Christ is trying. We face many challenges as we battle the enemy and the flesh. While some shrink before the battle, others dive in irresponsibly and flameout quickly. Camden Bucey reviews Zeal without Burnout: Seven Keys to a Life

In episode 30, your hosts Rob and Bob, along with Melodie McKenzie, discuss the Mosaic Covenant.

Who is Moses? What was his relationship to God and his people? How did God use him?Why Moses? Or better, why the Law as the Mosaic Covenant? Why is he so important in the Bible, both in the Old and New Testament? How does the Mosaic Covenant function in God’s plan for his people?

We’ll discuss these and other related questions in this episode of Theology Simply Profound.

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.

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

Mentioned in this episode:

Christ the Center 1000

Christ the Center 1000

On the occasion of the 80th anniversary of the Orthodox Presbyterian Church, we reflect upon the life and ministry of her oldest minister, 103 year-old Rev. John P. Galbraith. Galbraith was a student of J. Gresham Machen’s at Westminster Theological Seminary and present during the founding of the OPC, before it was called the OPC.

In 1948, Mr. Galbraith was called to serve as general secretary of both the OPC Committee on Home Missions and Church Extension and the OPC Committee on Foreign Missions. He served as general secretary of both committees until 1961, when he became the first full-time general secretary of the Committee on Foreign Missions. He served in that role through 1978. Mr. Galbraith gave the next thirty years of his life to what was effectively a full-time retirement, serving on many committees and ecumenical organizations.

Listen as Camden Bucey speaks with Rev. Galbraith and Rev. Danny Olinger about the life of a small, but vibrant denomination told through the ministry and experiences of one of her faithful servants.

Participants: Camden Bucey, Danny Olinger, John Galbraith

Mentioned in this episode:

Christ the Center 1000 Live in Austin, TX

Christ the Center 1000 Summit

Christ the Center 1000

Christ the Center 1000 Summit

In episode 29, your hosts Rob and Bob, pick up the discussion of Dispensationalism. In picking up our discussion of Dispensational Theology once again, we discuss the dispensation known as “The Dispensation of Law.”

What is the Dispensation of Law? How does it relate to the Dispensation of Promise and the Patriarchs? How does it relate to the Mosaic Covenant?

We’ll discuss these and other related questions in this episode of Theology Simply Profound.

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.

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

Mentioned in this episode:

Christ the Center 1000

Christ the Center 1000

We continue our #VosGroup series by opening pages 126–129 of Vos’ book Biblical Theology: Old and New Testaments to consider the function of the law. Why was the law given? How does it function in the life of Israel, the redeemed typological son? God graciously gave a typological kingdom to his people, and they were commanded to obey the Lord in order to retain this kingdom. But how are we to understand this obedience? Is it a new covenant of works? Israel were to walk in the faith of Abraham, not in the sin of Adam. The obedience they offer unto the Lord is not understood in terms of strict merit, but as Vos says, in terms of “appropriateness of expression” (p. 127).

Participants: Camden Bucey, Lane G. Tipton

Mentioned in this episode:

Christ the Center 1000

Christ the Center 1000 Summit

Christ the Center 1000 Live in Austin, TX

Christ the Center 1000 Summit