Reformed Forum

Christ the Center had the pleasure of interviewing Ted Kluck, author and athlete, about his recent publication, Why We Love the Church: In Praise of Institutions and Organized Religion, co-authored with Kevin DeYoung and published by Moody Press. We discussed the recent wave of books, blogs, articles, and interviews calling for the rejection of the institutional church in favor of an individualistic Christianity. Ted explained that while we may experience frustration with our churches from time to time, that rejecting them is no option for the Biblical Christian. The panel also conversed about the relationship of this trend to the emerging church phenomenon, a topic Ted and Kevin DeYoung touched upon in their previous book Why We Are Not Emergent. God created the church and it cannot be so easily dispensed with.

Carson, D. A. Becoming Conversant with the Emergent Church: Understanding a Movement and its Implications. Grand Rapids Mich.: Zondervan, 2005.

DeYoung, Kevin and Ted Kluck. Why We Love the Church: In Praise of Institutions and Organized Religion. Chicago IL: Moody Publishers, 2009.

———. Why We’re Not Emergent: By Two Guys Who Should Be. Chicago: Moody Publishers, 2008.

Kluck, Ted. Facing Tyson: Fifteen Fighters, Fifteen Stories. Guilford Conn.: The Lyons Press, 2006.

———. Headlocks and Dropkicks: A Butt-kicking Ride Through the World of Professional Wrestling. Santa Barbara Calif.: Praeger Publishers, 2009.

———. Paper Tiger: One Athlete’s Journey to the Underbelly of Pro Football. Guilford CT: Lyons Press, 2007.

Viola, Frank and George Barna. Pagan Christianity?: Exploring the Roots of our Church Practices. [Ill.].: Barna Books, 2008.

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Participants: Camden Bucey, Jeff Waddington, Jim Cassidy, Ted Kluck

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Mark A. Noll discusses his latest book The New Shape of World Christianity: How American Experience Reflects Global Faith. Dr. Noll is Francis A. McAnaney Professor of History at the University of Notre Dame. In addition to Dr. Noll, Christ the Center was pleased to welcome back Darryl G. Hart. Hart has written several books including A Secular Faith: Why Christianity Favors the Separation of Church and State and Deconstructing Evangelicalism: Conservative Protestantism in the Age of Billy Graham.

The main point of the book is that American Christianity is important for the world primarily because the world is coming more and more to look like America. Noll argues that the key to understanding the new shape of global Christianity lies in understanding the shifts and changes Christianity underwent when it moved from Europe to America. Noll focuses on three main factors:

Berry, Wendell. What are People For?: Essays. San Francisco: North Point Press, 1990.

Hart, D. G. Deconstructing Evangelicalism: Conservative Protestantism in the Age of Billy Graham. Grand Rapids MI: Baker Academic, 2004.

———. A Secular Faith: Why Christianity Favors the Separation of Church and State. Ivan R. Dee, Publisher, 2006.

Hart, D. G., and John R. Muether. Seeking a Better Country: 300 Years of American Presbyterianism. P & R Publishing, 2007.

Jenkins, Philip. The Next Christendom: The Coming of Global Christianity. Rev Exp. Oxford University Press, USA, 2007.

Kalu, Ogbu. African Pentecostalism: An Introduction. Oxford University Press, USA, 2008.

Noll, Mark A. A History of Christianity in the United States and Canada. Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1992.

———. America’s God: From Jonathan Edwards to Abraham Lincoln. New Ed. Oxford University Press, USA, 2005.

———. God and Race in American Politics: A Short History. Princeton, N.J.: Princeton University Press, 2008.

———. The New Shape of World Christianity: How American Experience Reflects Global Faith. Downers Grove Ill.: IVP Academic, 2009.

———. The Old Religion in a New World: The History of North American Christianity. Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 2001.

Protestantism and Politics in Korea. Univ of Washington Pr, 2009.

Sanneh, Lamin O. Disciples of All Nations: Pillars of World Christianity. 1st ed. Oxford University Press, USA, 2007.

———. Whose Religion Is Christianity?: The Gospel beyond the West. Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 2003.

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Participants: Camden Bucey, Darryl G. Hart, Mark A. Noll

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Jeff and Camden discuss new books including The Betrayal by Douglas Bond, the 1541 French edition of Calvin’s Institutes of the Christian Religion, Greg Bahnsen’s Presuppositional Apologetics: Stated and Defended, Southern Baptist Theological Seminary (1859-2009) by Gregory A. Wills and several others.

Participants: Camden Bucey, Jeff Waddington

The Christ the Center panelists revisit with Rev. Martin Downes, minister of Christ Church Deeside in north Wales, about his new book Risking the Truth: Handling Error in the Church (Christian Focus). The nature of error and heresy is delineated and the best approach to handling it pastorally in the life of the local congregation and in the larger church is discussed at length. The interview format of the book is also considered. This is an enjoyable conversation about perennial issues in the life of the church.

Allison, C. The Cruelty of Heresy: An Affirmation of Christian Orthodoxy. Harrisburg PA: Moorehouse Pub., 1994.

Charnock, Stephen. Selections from the Discourses of S. Charnock, B.D. on the existence and attributes of God. With a memoir. London, 1878.

Downes, Martin. Risking the Truth. Christian Focus, 2009.

Hall, Michael. Contextualization or Heresy in the Evangelical Megashift? Testing New Model Theology in Light of Doctrinal Criticism, 1997.

Smeaton, George. Christ’s Doctrine of the Atonement. 1st ed. Edinburgh; Carlisle Pa.: The Banner of Truth Trust, 1991.

Stott, John. The Cross of Christ. England: Inter-Varsity Press, 2006.

photo by Martin Finlayson http://www.flickr.com/photos/martin_finlayson/ / CC BY-SA 2.0

Participants: Camden Bucey, Jeff Waddington, Jim Cassidy, Martin Downes

Mentioned in this episode:

Christ the Center 1000 Live in Austin, TX

Christ the Center 1000 Summit

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The panelists of Christ the Center recently talked with Rev. Dr. Guy Richard, senior minister of First Presbyterian Church (PCA) of Gulfport, MS, about his new study, The Supremacy of God in the Theology of Samuel Rutherford, published by Paternoster/Wipf & Stock. The historical context of the rising tide of Arminianism in Scotland in the 17th century was discussed as was the substance of Rutherford’s polemics, especially his (as yet untranslated) work Examen Arminianismi. Also discussed was the relationship of this study to the Calvin vs the Calvinists debate and Rutherford’s contribution to the developing Reformed political philosophy with his Lex, Rex. The panel concluded with a discussion of the contemporary significance of Rutherford’s theology. All in all, a very rewarding conversation.

Guy Richard on “The Supremacy of God in the Theology of Samuel Rutherford” – Reformation21 Blog. http://www.reformation21.org/blog/2008/12/guy-richard-on-the-supremacy-o.php.

Owen, John. The death of death in the death of Christ : a treatise in which the whole controversy about universal redemption is fully discussed. London: Banner Of Truth Trust, 1959.

Rhetorfors, Samuel. Examen Arminianismi. Ultrajecti: Smytegelt, 1668.

Richard, Guy. “Samuel Rutherford’s supralapsarianism revealed: a key to the lapsarian position of the Westminster Confession of Faith? Scottish Journal of Theology 59, no. 1 (February 1, 2006): 27-44.

_____. The supremacy of God in the theology of Samuel Rutherford. Milton Keynes U.K.; Colorado Springs Colo.: Paternoster, 2008.

Rutherford, Samuel. A peaceable and temperate plea for Pauls presbyterie in Scotland, or, A modest and brotherly dispute of the government of the Church of Scotland wherein our discipline is demonstrated to be the true. London: Printed for Iohn Bartlet …, 1642.

_____. Letters of Samuel Rutherford: a selection. London: Banner of Truth Trust, 1973.

_____. Lex, Rex: the law and the prince. London: printed for John Field, 1644.

Samuel Rutherford for the 21st Century – Reformation21 http://www.reformation21.org/articles/samuel-rutherford-for-the-21st-century.php.

Samuel Rutherford for the 21st Century Part II – Reformation21 http://www.reformation21.org/articles/samuel-rutherford-for-the-21st-century-part-ii.php.

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Participants: Camden Bucey, Guy Richard, Jeff Waddington, Nick Batzig

Thabiti Anyabwile, Senior Pastor of First Baptist Church of Grand Cayman joins the panel to discuss Lemuel Haynes and black theology. Anyabwile has edited May We Meet in the Heavenly World, a book of Haynes writings which includes a helpful biography. Haynes (1753-1833) was an influential African-American pastor during the American Revolution. He was a devoted Calvinist who argued against slavery through the lens of God’s providence. Haynes was a well-known preacher and writer during his lifetime, but unfortunately, many have forgotten him in recent years. Join us for an interesting discussion of the life and thought of Lemuel Haynes.

Anyabwile, Thabiti. The Decline of African American Theology: From Biblical Faith to Cultural Captivity. Downers Grove Ill.: IVP Academic, 2007.

—. The Faithful Preacher: Recapturing the Vision of Three Pioneering African-American Pastors. Wheaton, Ill.: Crossway Books, 2006.

Haynes, Lemuel. Black Preacher to White America: The Collected Writings of Lemuel Haynes, 1774-1833. Brooklyn N.Y.: Carlson Pub., 1990.

—. May We Meet in the Heavenly World: The Piety of Lemuel Haynes. Grand Rapids Mich.: Reformation Heritage Books, 2009.

Saillant, John,. Black Puritan, Black Republican the Life and Thought of Lemuel Haynes, 1753-1833. Oxford; New York: Oxford University Press, 2003.

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Participants: Camden Bucey, Jeff Waddington, Josh Walker, Nick Batzig, Thabiti Anyabwile

Mentioned in this episode:

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Divergent approaches to foreign missions have been employed for centuries. Disagreements over various approaches have been at the heart of many historic events in modern church history. Indeed, one such disagreement was critical to the founding of the Orthodox Presbyterian Church. Christ the Center was pleased to welcome Mark Bube and Doug Clawson, General Secretary and Associate General Secretary, respectively, of the Committee on Foreign Missions for the OPC. Mark and Doug detail the OPC’s specific views regarding foreign missions. They touch upon the reformed standards, catechesis and, most notably, the importance of church government and special office. Join us for a stimulating discussion that will stimulate you to think critically about the work of the Great Commission regardless of denominational affiliation.

Piper, John. Let the Nations Be Glad! 2nd Edition. 2nd ed. Baker Academic, 2003.

Young, John. Missions: The Biblical Motive and Aim. Pittsburgh PA: Crown & Covenant Publications, 2007.

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Participants: Camden Bucey, Doug Clawson, Jeff Waddington, Mark Bube

Mentioned in this episode:

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Christ the Center 1000 Live in Austin, TX

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Derek Thomas joins Josh Walker and Nick Batzig to discuss the regulative principle of worship. Derek Thomas is the John E. Richards Professor of Systematic and Practical Theology at Reformed Theological Seminary, Jackson, Mississippi. He is also the minister of teaching at First Presbyterian Church in Jackson, Mississippi.
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Participants: Derek Thomas, Josh Walker, Nick Batzig

Mentioned in this episode:

Christ the Center 1000 Live in Austin, TX

Christ the Center 1000 Summit

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Miles Van Pelt, Associate Professor of Old Testament and Academic Dean at Reformed Theological Seminary in Jackson, MS speaks about the importance of the original languages for biblical study. Miles has helped produce several popular books and resources for original language study including Basics of Biblical Hebrew and Vocabulary Guide to Biblical Hebrew. Dr. Van Pelt encourages pastors and scholars to a renewed sense of the importance and efficacy of biblical study in Greek and Hebrew.

photo by nyello8

Machen, J. New Testament Greek for Beginners. 2nd ed. Upper Saddle River N.J.: Pearson/Prentice Hall, 2004.

Pratico, Gary and Miles Van Pelt. Basics of Biblical Hebrew Grammar: Workbook. Grand Rapids MI: Zondervan, 2001.

Van Pelt, Miles. Charts of Biblical Hebrew. Grand Rapids Mich.: Zondervan, 2007.

———. Graded Reader of Biblical Hebrew: A Guide to Reading the Hebrew Bible. Grand Rapids Mich.: Zondervan, 2006.

———. The Vocabulary Guide to Biblical Hebrew. Grand Rapids Mich.: Zondervan, 2003.

Weingreen, J. A Practical Grammar for Classical Hebrew. Oxford: The Clarendon Press, 1939.

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Participants: Camden Bucey, Jeff Waddington, Josh Walker, Miles Van Pelt, Nick Batzig

Mentioned in this episode:

Christ the Center 1000

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Christ the Center 1000 Live in Austin, TX

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We discuss several new and forthcoming books and comment on two audio clips. The first comes from the Franklin Institute in Philadelphia, PA and touches on Galileo’s relationship to the church. The second responds to a review of Stephen J. Nichols’ book Martin Luther: A Guided Tour of His Life and Thought.

Ash, Christopher. The Priority of Preaching. Christian Focus, 2009.

Battles, Ford. New light on Calvin’s Institutes a supplement to the McNeill-Battles translation. Hartford Conn.: Hartford Seminary Press, 1966.

Bird, Michael. Are you the One who is to come? : the historical Jesus and the messianic question. Grand Rapids Mich.: Baker Academic, 2009.

———. Introducing Paul : the man, his mission and his message. Downers Grove Ill.: IVP Academic, 2008.

Campbell, Iain. Heroes & heretics : pivotal moments in 20 centuries of the church. Fearn Ross-shire Scotland: Christian Focus, 2004.

Chapell, Bryan. Christ-centered worship : letting the Gospel shape our practice. Grand Rapids MI: Baker Academic, 2009.

Dawn, Marva. In the beginning, GOD : creation, culture, and the spiritual life. Downers Grove Ill.: IVP Books, 2009.

Duncan, Ligon. The Westminster Confession in the 21st Century-Volume 3. Mentor, 2009.

Fee, Gordon. The First and Second Letters to the Thessalonians. Grand Rapids Mich.: William B. Eerdmans Pub. Co., 2009.

Hahn, Scott. Kinship by Covenant: A Canonical Approach to the Fulfillment of God’s Saving Promises. Yale University Press, 2009.

Horton, Michael. The Gospel-driven Life Being Good News People in a Bad News World. Baker Pub Group, 2009.

Jesus and the Gospels An Introduction and Survey. Inter Varsity Pr, 2009.

Kuhn, Thomas S. The Structure of Scientific Revolutions. 3rd ed. University of Chicago Press, 1996.

Kulikovsky, Andrew. Creation, Fall, Restoration: A Biblical Theology of Creation. Mentor, 2009.

Lane, A. A reader’s guide to Calvin’s Institutes. Grand Rapids Mich.: Baker Academic, 2009.

Noll, Mark. The New Shape of World Christianity: How American Experience Reflects Global Faith. Downers Grove Ill.: IVP Academic, 2009.

The Christian Faith A Systematic Theology for Pilgrims on the Way. Zondervan.

The Five Points of Calvinism A Study Guide. Baker Pub Group.

Vos, Geerhardus. The self-disclosure of Jesus the modern debate about the Messianic consciousness. [New ed.]. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1954.

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Participants: Camden Bucey, Jeff Waddington, Josh Walker