Category Archives: Ecclesiology

Can Presbyterians Revive?

Here’s a follow-up from the previous post. Again, from This Day in Presbyterian History, the editor opens with skepticism: I came across the following account of a series of revivals that took place in North Carolina in 1802. Presbyterians don’t … Continue reading

Posted in Charles Finney, Ecclesiology, History, Links, Quotes, Reformed piety, Revivalism | 4 Comments

The Second Awakening Looks at the First

Thanks to This Day in Presbyterian History, here are some excerpts from an article in The Charleston Observer, dated 14 Apr 1838: 11. No heavier curse can fall upon a community, than a spurious revival. Stupidity is dreadful; but it … Continue reading

Posted in Ecclesiology, evangelicals, Protestant preaching, Quotes, Reformed piety, Revivalism, Second Great Awakening | 11 Comments

Is He Talking to Us?

Amidst the screeching across the P&R internets in the wake of the nuclear bomb that was dropped yesterday, Carl Trueman stands out as a thoughtful, and even useful voice. Jason Stellman was a man with a high ecclesiology; and high … Continue reading

Posted in Applied Christianity, Calvinism, Carl Trueman, Church and State, Ecclesiology, Gospel, High church calvinism, Protestant preaching, Protestantism/Catholicism, Quotes, The gospel, The Protestant Reformation, Two-kingdoms, W2K, Westminster Seminary | 110 Comments

Trinity Hymnal, T. David Gordon Edition

Coming up in just three weeks, not only is T. David Gordon speaking to my kids’ schools Parent Academy, on the following evening (Sat Apr 14) he will address Hoagies & Stogies, on the topic of his recent book, Why … Continue reading

Posted in Applied Christianity, Christian life, Ecclesiology, Links, Plugs, Reformed piety, Resources, Review, T. David Gordon, Worship | 1 Comment

Water is Thicker than Blood

Heard an intriguing quote from an unlikely source during my commute .mp3 listening. The discussion started in relationship to how “Christmas” seems to get earlier and earlier every year, no longer held back by the buffer of Thanksgiving. I bet … Continue reading

Posted in Baptism, Christian life, Church and State, Church relations, Civil religion, Ecclesiology, Guess the Good Guy, Protestant slogans, Quotes, Spirituality of the Church, Two-kingdoms, Who Said That | 20 Comments

Keep On Keepin’ On

We’ve had a renaming discussion before, but this hilarious cartoon (HT NWBingham) reminded me I’ve wanted to kick off another: I sent this cartoon to my pastor, and he replied that he has actually encountered this inside-out view of preaching. … Continue reading

Posted in Compare and Confess, Ecclesiology, History, Humor, Protestant preaching, Protestant slogans, Reformed Confessionalism, Reformed piety, Some fun, The Protestant Reformation, Worship | 9 Comments

Presbyterian Sociology, Part II

[HT inscrutable Being] I know everybody’s first thought upon seeing a blog post titled Presbyterian Sociology, Part I was, “wait, you mean there’s gonna be another one?” Well, the unbearable wait is finally over. In case you don’t have $159.97 … Continue reading

Posted in Calvinism, Compare and Confess, DG Hart, Ecclesiology, High church calvinism, Quotes, Reformed piety, Review, Southern Baptist Convention, Worship | 9 Comments

Who (just now) Said That?

  It is easy to miss the radical nature of Christian membership, particularly if we approach it from a modern, individualistic point of view. Membership is here reduced to one’s voluntary and occasional participation in a group (as when I … Continue reading

Posted in Ecclesiology, Friday fun, Quotes, Who Said That | 12 Comments

Here’s to You, Mr. Robinson

In the current debates over confessionalism and pietism, Edwards gets a few wraps on the knuckles, but John Williamson Nevin is mainly cautioned against. One can’t help but get the feeling it is because the Federal Visionaries, who can be … Continue reading

Posted in Confessionalism, Covenant Theology, Ecclesiology, High church calvinism, Quotes, Stuart Robinson | 3 Comments

Two Great Tastes that DO Go Great Together

The latest from OHS Horton is a must-read. Is he rebuking the Outhouse in the following concluding points? 1) Regardless of the historical accuracy of our definitions, what we call “pietism” today is different from the piety exhibited in the … Continue reading

Posted in Calvinism, Christian life, Compare and Confess, Confessionalism, Confessions, Ecclesiology, High church calvinism, History, Horton, Introversion, Mike Horton, Nevin, Pietism, Quotes, Reformed Confessionalism, Reformed piety, Revivalism | 94 Comments

Two Great Tastes That Could Go Great Together

  It isn’t altogether surprising that Kevin DeYoung has concluded that confessionalism and pietism need each other.  One could see that coming from two or more posts away. It rather appeals to the democratic-egalitarian-American way of doing not only culture … Continue reading

Posted in Confessionalism, Ecclesiology, High church calvinism, Reformed Confessionalism, Reformed piety, Revivalism, under-confessionalism | 18 Comments

Sola Lutherianus

From an article by Pastor Bryan “Theological Bull Rider” Wolfmueller of Table Talk radio entitled “Lutheran Exceptionalism“: Here is a simple question: What do Lutherans believe and confess that no one else does? Lutherans have a unique history, unique texts, … Continue reading

Posted in Baptism, Calvin, Calvinism, Compare and Confess, Confessionalism, Confessions, Ecclesiology, Gospel, Lutheranism, Protestant preaching, Protestantism/Catholicism, Quotes, Reformation Day, Reformed Confessionalism, Revivalism, The Lord's Supper | 18 Comments

What is Confessionalism?

From a recent Office Hours , OHS DGH defines what he means by the term “confessionalism”: Well, first, it’s an odd word to use, “confessional”, because it suggests that it’s just about the confession or creeds, and Reformed creeds and … Continue reading

Posted in Confessionalism, Ecclesiology, High church calvinism, Quotes, Reformed Confessionalism, Reformed piety, Worship | 11 Comments

Sola Ecclesia?

Not the Roman Catholic kind, which is set over against sola scriptura, but rather the paleo-Protestant kind that flows from sola scriptura. Or the kind that is also at loggerheads with a neo-Calvinism that, despite its noble intentions to give … Continue reading

Posted in David VanDrunen, Ecclesiology, Quotes, Two-kingdoms | 3 Comments

Two Great Tastes That Could Go Great Together

During this year’s PCA General Assembly Tim Keller (and Ligon Duncan) held a seminar on why he thinks the denomination should strive to stay together and resist any tendency to split apart. He invoked Marsden’s classic typology of American Reformed and … Continue reading

Posted in Ecclesiology, High church calvinism, Nevin, Reformed Confessionalism, Reformed piety | 45 Comments