Reformed Forum

Lane Tipton, Ryan Noha, Rob McKenzie, and Camden Bucey pull up to a table for the first podcast recording at the new Reformed Forum headquarters in Libertyville, Illinois. We discuss the new facility, the new course we recording in our Fellowship in Reformed Apologetics, and the current interest in natural theology.

In this episode, Rob and Bob continue a series on familiar psalms that we tend to be drawn to more than others for one reason or another. Psalm 2 is one such psalm.

Lane Tipton speaks about his new course on Van Til's doctrine of revelation, which is the third course in our Fellowship in Reformed Apologetics. In this course, Dr. Tipton covers: The implications of the self-contained and immutable Trinity for a doctrine of revelation in the work of creation and in the special act of providence in covenantal condescension. The distinctive character of natural revelation and the natural knowledge of God in Reformed theology, set in comparison and contrast to the views of Thomas Aquinas and Karl Barth. The relation between natural and supernatural, or general and special revelation, giving special attention to Van Til's key essay, "Nature and Scripture." The Vosian doctrine of eschatology as it bears upon the distinction and the relation of God's revelation in nature and God's revelation in covenant (and in Scripture). The course gives sustained attention to a close reading of central primary sources in Van Til's corpus that bear on his doctrine of the revelation of the self-contained Trinity in nature and in covenant. Before sharing one of the lectures from the course, Lane and Camden compare and contrast Cornelius Van Til's theology with that of Thomas Aquinas on the natural knowledge of God as well as man's religious fellowship with God.

This week on Theology Simply Profound, Rob and Bob discuss the church, worship, and preaching in a post-covid society. Has the pandemic changed the fundamental nature of society such that church leaders should rethink worship and preaching?

At the invitation of B. B. Warfield (and the suggestion of Geerhardus Vos), Abraham Kuyper delivered the Stone Lectures at Princeton Theological Seminary in 1898. In these lectures, he presented his vision for an international Calvinism. And while many people may be familiar with Kuyper's famous work, few may know the complicated history of these lectures being written, translated into English, delivered in Princeton, and eventually published. In this episode, Dr. George Harinck shares with us his thorough research as he speaks about the history of the text of Kuyper's lectures. Dr. Harinck is the author of numerous books and articles, including the focus of this conversation, "Lost in Translation: The First Text of the Stone Lectures" in Calvinism for a Secular Age: A Twenty-First-Century Reading of Abraham Kuyper's Stone Lectures edited by Jessica R. Joustra and Robert J. Joustra and published by IVP Academic. Dr. Harinck is the Director of The Neo-Calvinism Research Institute and Professor of History at the Free University in Amsterdam.

This 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. (originally posted December 3, 2019)

We turn to the mailbag today to answer questions from listeners. We discuss the "organic" unity of the Scriptures, Van Til's understanding of the phenomenal world, why the covenant of works and the covenant of grace point to something better than Eden, and vital and formal aspects of covenant membership. Register for free on-demand video courses through Reformed Academy (https://www.reformedforum.org/academy).

This week on Theology Simply Profound, Bob reads from his 1923 edition of J. Gresham Machen's classic work, Christianity and Liberalism, Chapter 6, Salvation. (originally posted November 12, 2019)

Podcast worlds collide! Today we welcome Brad Isbell, perhaps even better known as Chortles Weakly, to the program to discuss ruling elders and general assemblies within Presbyterianism. Along with @wresbyterian, Brad hosts Presbycast, a delightful mix of high Presbyterian polity and low brow culture. Listen as we discuss the organization and operation of the PCA General Assembly, comparisons with other Presbyterian and Reformed bodies—most specifically the OPC, and what it means to take seriously the office of ruling elder. Links More in the PCA Todd Pruitt, "Doctrinal Latitude and the PCA" at Reformation21 J. Gresham Machen, "The Purpose of the Covenant Union," The Presbyterian Guardian, November 18, 1935, p. 54.

This week on Theology Simply Profound, Bob reads from his 1923 edition of J. Gresham Machen's classic work, Christianity and Liberalism, Chapter 5, Christ. (originally posted October 29, 2019)