Old and New Calvinism at ETS
Christian History and Thought Since 1700: Old and New Calvinism in Conversation Confessional Calvinism: Embracive of Evangelicalism? Outline Ligon Duncan Today’s session has evolved into something of a conversation in a fish bowl, as various kinds of Calvinists talk about what they think about various other kinds of Calvinists and about the larger evangelical world, and do so much to the amusement of non-Calvinist evangelical onlookers. Though our panel will invite a non-Calvinist voice into the discussion, the papers come from three sorts of Calvinists. The first, a confessional Calvinist skeptical of the new Calvinism and of evangelicalism. The second, from me, a confessional Calvinist appreciative of the new Calvinism and who views confessional Calvinism as a happy and important part…
This next installment of “What our Gathered Worship Should Look Like” has been helped by the internet storm caused by Victoria Osteen (wife of Joel Osteen of “Your Best Life Now” and prosperity gospel fame) because of comments she made in a recent service at Lakewood Church in Houston, TX. In exhorting the audience to participate, she laid out a case for why they ought to be motivated to do so. In sum, she said, affirmatively: “You’re not doing it for God, you are doing it for yourself, really.” Here is…
I want to make a case for you (especially pastors) to approach your planning of public worship, with a view to being “historic.” Let me explain. Using a word like historic in connection with worship can immediately raise defenses and lead to misunderstandings. When some folks hear “historic” they think: “Oh no, you want a boring formal service with no new songs” or “you are trying to impose extra-biblical standards on our public worship.” Indeed, a word like “historic” may have (and…
Every Christian ought to want to know more of the Father’s great love for us and our Savior’s dying work for us in the atonement. The cross is at the heart of the Gospel, the heart of the Christian faith and the heart of the Christian life. The…
The good folks at Ligonier Ministries asked Dr. Guy Prentiss Waters, James M. Baird Professor of New Testament at RTS Jackson to give a short, popular, biblical, helpful response to the questions “Was Adam a Historical Person?” and…
Worship is not evangelism, but our worship services should always have the free offer of the Gospel in mind, and if we are God-centered and Bible-directed we will be evangelistic. Those who most believe in the sovereignty of God, and most long for…
The “Preacher” of Ecclesiastes has a relentless message (he doesn’t wait long to tell you, just look at the second verse of the book). The message is this: all our efforts to find happiness apart from God are useless. This life, apart from…
There is a trend today in some evangelical Christian circles to deny that the New Testament has a category for gathered, public worship like the Old Testament did. The arguments vary. Some point to the lack of Old Testament liturgical language in…
Sinners (and that’s what we are) are incapable of approaching a Holy God directly. We need a mediator, a stand-between, a reconciler, an advocate who will represent us before God, and take our place, and bear our sin, and render us acceptable to…