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Lectio Divina – A Rising Mystical Phenomenon Among Evangelicals: Five Reasons To Avoid It

2009-10-17T21:23:00.002-06:00

1. First of all, the lectio divina was spawned, nurtured, and matured in papistry.

“The practice of lectio divina was incorporated into the rules of Rome’s dark monasticism. It was systematized into four steps in the 12^th century by Guido II, a Carthusian monk, in “The Ladder of Four Rungs,” or “The Monks Ladder.” The four steps are reading, meditation, prayer, and contemplation, which are supposed to be the means by which ‘one can climb from earth to heaven’ and learn ‘heavenly secrets.’”

Dismissing the genetic fallacy by knowing Romish dogma (re: Justification by works and faith, instead of just by faith) , and understanding lectio divina based on it, we can see that it is a heresy.

2. The meditation that lectio divina advocates has little to do with Scriptural meditation. Scriptural meditation involves thinking about a passage (or passages), praying to God about it for understanding, and expecting that enlightenment by the work of the Holy Spirit so that we (and He) might apply it practically in our lives. Alternately, lectio divina involves meditating on a passage (with no regard to the content) as a device to lead us into a contemplative mood, so we can pray for an empty mind which somehow enters a numinous state with the Holy (ostensibly, God). Robert Webber, a very influential spokesman for neo-mysticism (ancient-future faith) and postmodern evangelical worship, gives a typical understanding of this meditation:

“ The goal of Lectio Divina is union with God through a meditative and contemplative praying of Scripture. … All such attempts at verbalizing the experience necessarily fail to express the reality for the simple reason that CONTEMPLATION TRANSCENDS THE THINKING AND REASONING of meditation … Contemplatio shifts praying into a new language (SILENCE). This silence does not ask us to do anything, it is a call to being. Thomas Merton says, ‘THE BEST WAY TO PRAY IS: STOP.’”

3. The technique, typically, leads the practitioner to seek revelation or experience outside of and beyond Scripture. Because the nature of lectio divina is mystical, union with the godhead is its goal. In order to achieve this union – not described or prescribed anywhere in Scripture – the contemplative must empty his mind, divorce himself from reality, and find some sort of experience which he can identify as being united (somehow) to the godhead. This extra-Scriptural experience – obtained through an altered state of consciousness, as is similarly achieved by drug usage - becomes his personal revelation from God. Madame Guyon, a 17^th century Quietist explains:

“Once you sense the Lord’s presence, the content of what you read is no longer important. The scripture has served its purpose; it has quieted your mind; it has brought you to him. … You should always remember that you are not there to gain an understanding of what you have read; rather you are reading to turn your mind from the outward things to the deep parts of your being. You are not there to learn or to read, but you are there to experience the presence of your Lord!”

Brian Flynn, a former New Ager says:

“By taking passages of Scripture, which have an intended meaning, and breaking them down into smaller, separate segments, often for the purpose of chanting over and over, the true meaning of the passages are lost. Rather a form of occult mysticism is practiced – with the hope and intention of gaining a mystical experience that God never intended when He gave the inspired words to His servants.”

4. Often, whenever Scripture is affirmed, a secondary (from Origen’s influence in the origins of lectio divina), spiritual meaning is arrived at when contemplating a particular passage. For example, Thomas Keating - a papist mystic who is becoming more and more appreciated by evangelicals through the influence of people like Richard Foster – describes the result as:

“…sitting with a sentence, phrase or even one word that emerges from the text, allowing the Spirit to expand our listening capacity and to open us to its deeper meaning; in other words, to penetrate the spiritual sense of a scripture passage.”

5. Discernment is inherently lacking in the practice of lectio divina due to its mystical nature and focus: denying rationality, dismissing the plain meaning of Scripture, altering one’s state of conscience, and trusting in the experience of the numinous. Thus, if one is not willing to test the spirits and rely on Scripture as his standard of revelational authority, he becomes open to false doctrine based on experience or – worse – (demonic) spiritual deception.

Some of the many practioners/promoters of Lectio Divina (or similar practices):

Thomas Keating

Richard J. Foster

Robert E. Webber

Madame Guyon

Luke Dysinger

Thomas Merton

Mike Pershon (Youth Specialties: Mike Yaconelli)

John Michael Talbot

Thelma Hall

Basil Pennington

Dallas Willard

Brother Lawrence

Rick Warren

*Loosely based on David Cloud’s Contemplative Mysticism: A Powerful Ecumenical Bond (Port Huron: Word of Life, 2008), pp.77-84. All quotes, as they appear in Cloud.

Keegstra, the Holocaust, Zionism, Free Speech and Christianity: Initial Observations

2009-09-19T13:49:00.002-06:00

Keegstra

The Central Alberta teacher who – in the mid ‘80s - was fired from his job, his teaching license suspended, and found guilty in Court for “promoting hatred” against an identifiable group. He was alleged to have been teaching a form of Worldwide Zionist/Jewish Conspiracy to his grades 9 and 12 Social Studies students for over a decade. The particular conspiracy theory he advocated postulated a nebulous cadre of Talmudic Jews, and their cobelligerents, who, beginning with Adam Weishaupt’s Illuminati began to, and now do, secretly rule the world and control events behind the scenes.

Keegstra based his teachings on several things: a) the Social Credit (political) ideology of C. H. Douglas, b) the preponderance of Jews in key influential industries like Entertainment and Finance, c) the sometimes anti-semitic and so-called revisionist literature available through Social Credit connections and Ron Gostick’s Canadian League of Rights, and d) his own brand of Christian theology.

Holocaust

Keegstra, on the side so-to-speak, doubted the alleged and/or mainstream version of the Holocaust and its numbers. He, like many (including me) agreed that Jews (among many other groupings) had been targeted for detention and even killed. However, he disagreed with the establishment conception of the final solution and the extraordinary numbers allegedly gassed. Subsequently, he felt (as do many others, including Jews) that the Shoah was used as a PR device to initially establish the state of Israel, then to leverage Israel’s ongoing security and sovereignty demands.

Zionism

There seems to be several factions in regards to this topic: a) the political Zionists – who have believed in the establishment of the state of Israel by any means necessary, they are usually irreligious or – at the most – nominally religious Jews; b) the religious Zionists – who are religious Jews that look to the Torah and Talmud for inspiration regarding their return to and occupation of the promised land; c) the Christian Zionists – who are usually dispensational premillennialists (mainly Evangelicals) who interpret biblical eschatological passages literally and see the state of Israel as a necessary fulfillment of prophecy and their bounden duty to support/promote; d) the so-called Israel Lobby – a political segement of (predominantly) American society which sees the (geopolitical, economic, etc.) interests of the West (specifically, in most cases – the U.S.A.) best served by a vigourous defense of a non-Arab state – Israel – in the Middle East. This lobby is, naturally, aided and abetted by the political arms of the Christian Zionists (Falwell, Robertson, etc.); e) various other minor groupings of individuals and/or organized entities who have reason to support the state of Israel at one time or another (political coalitions, economic co-operatives, etc.).

Free Speech

During the Keegstra Trial, Douglas Christie, Keegstra’s lawyer, made this prediction:”Fear will grow and silence will grow and people will be more and more suspicious about what they say and who they say it to.” This points up one of the focuses of (and surrounding) the trial: freedom of speech. Though the Alberta government (through the Attorney General’s department) prosecuted and found Keegstra guilty of promoting hatred, many citizens (including parents of and students of Keegstra), and civil liberty, media and church groups either cautioned against prosecution or suggested the trial was a mistake (esp. against freedom of expression). A vocal lobby of free speech supporters (Keegstra, for example, supporters wore “Freedom of Speech” buttons to the trial) were heard before, throughout, and after the trial. Initially, the Crown (government) lawyer was hesitant to prosecute Keegstra due to the perceived difficulty of convicting him of ‘promoting hatred’ when a basic human right was supposed to be (even by Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms) freedom of expression. Regardless, the Crown went ahead with the support of a Canadian interpretation of this right – that it was limited by some greater societal good/peace, etc. in special circumstances, and by legal precedent (the Zundel Trial and one other). Obviously (or, maybe not), this could not have happened in the United States, due to their supposed enshrinement of an unassailable right to free speech. (However, a case in California I hear, during the same time frame and with similar grounds, was successfully prosecuted.) Freedom of speech (or, expression) may be seen to be the secular dilemma mirror of the Christian’s liberty in Christ – both being circumscribed by responsibility and consideration of their brethren.

Christianity

Christians – based on a biblical understanding - should consider Judaism just another ‘faith’ or ‘world religion.’ This is not the case. Generally. Many Christians either from the misguided 19^th Century doctrine of dispensationalism, or from a poor application of Romans 11 (and similar passages), have viewed the Jews through ‘rose-coloured glasses.’ They forget or simply ignore the fact that the Judaism of the New Testament is far removed from the holy nation or royal priesthood or chosen nation of Israelites and their peculiar cultus in the Old Testament (never mind the Talmudic transformed and Zionist informed Jewish sects which abound today). This arises from a misunderstanding of the Israel of God: God’s elect people (in Christ Jesus) from Adam to the End of Time. This was the foundation for Keegstra’s outlook on modern Jews. Obviously, he added other influences that aggravated the negative perception which informed his beliefs and teaching. But, essentially, Judaism is to Christianity just another anti-Christian religion like Hinduism, or Islam, or Buddhism, and its adherents need to be presented with the evangel just like everyone else.

We Are All Hindus Now ?!

2009-08-25T19:09:00.002-06:00

"America is not a Christian nation. We are, it is true, a nation founded by Christians, and according to a 2008 survey, 76 percent of us continue to identify as Christian (still, that's the lowest percentage in American history). Of course, we are not a Hindu—or Muslim, or Jewish, or Wiccan—nation, either. A million-plus Hindus live in the United States, a fraction of the billion who live on Earth. But recent poll data show that conceptually, at least, we are slowly becoming more like Hindus and less like traditional Christians in the ways we think about God, our selves, each other, and eternity." - See the rest of the story here [HT: Lighthouse Trails]

Fundamentalist?

2009-08-23T20:06:00.002-06:00

"It is a mistake, often made by educated persons who happen to have but little knowledge of historical theology, to suppose that Fundamentalism is a new and strange form of thought. It is nothing of the kind: it is the partial and uneducated survival of a theology which was once universally held by all Christians. How many were there, for instance, in Christian churches in the eighteenth century who doubted the infallible inspiration of all Scripture? A few, perhaps, but very few. No, the Fundamentalist may be wrong. I think that he is. But it is we who have departed from the tradition, not he, and I am sorry for the fate of anyone who tries to argue with a Fundamentalist on the basis of authority. The Bible and the corpus theologicum of the Church is [sic] on the Fundamentalist side." —Kirsopp Lake, The Religion of Yesterday and To-morrow (Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 1925), 61-62. [HT: Kevin Bauder, In The Nick of Time; emphasis mine.]

Psalms, Hymns, and Spiritual Songs

2009-08-11T23:18:00.001-06:00

This is from a discussion on a yahoo group list:

Another list member wrote:

I have not 'shouted' at you for quite a while now so thought I would chime in here though uninvited.

Hi, No problem.

I recognize with you that the Psalms we have in our Bibles is the Hebrew Psalter. With that being said and given due recognition, I call your attention to the NT passages speaking of singing (Eph 5; Col 3) and to notice they speak of the saints making use of three categories of praise; not one. Psalms, hymns and spiritual songs.

"A candid examination of the above evidence [linguistic usage by apostolic and post-apostolic writers], we believe, leads to the inevitable conclusion that the phrase 'psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs' is a rhetorical device intended as a reference to the biblical Psalms." - Michael Bushnell, Songs of Zion (Crown & Covenant, 1977). p.88 of the 3rd ed., 1999.

I submit to you, Harry, that while Psalms, as spoken of by Paul, might have been in Paul's mind fairly well limited to the book of Psalms in our OT, hymns are another matter.

"Humnos occurs some 17 times in the Septuagint [Greek trs. of OT], 13 of which are in the Psalms, six times in the titles. In 2 Samuel, 1 & 2 Chronicles and Nehemiah there are some 16 examples in which the Psalms are called 'hymns' or 'songs' and the singing of them is called 'hymning.' Philos (d.A.D.40) frequently designates certain Psalms as 'hymns.' The historian Josephus also repeatedly alludes to the Psalms as 'hymns.' According to Trench, humnos occurs nowhere in the Apostolic Fathers or Justin Martyr or the Apostolic Constitutions, and only once in tertullian (ad Uxor.II,8), perhaps because the word had by then taken on profane associations. But this consideration does not materially affect our understanding of the usage of the term during New Testament times. Generally humneo means 'to sing praise' or 'to praise in song,' but it can mean simply 'to praise' without any musical reference at all. There is, however, no clear instance of the latter usage in the New Testament (Heb.2:12 and Acts 16:25 are the only possible instances). What we see, then, in the Septuagint and in the early theological literature is a pattern of instances in which the noun humnos is used either in connection with or in reference to the inspired Psalms." - pp.85,86 ibid.

There are other praise passages in scripture that might well be called 'hymns.' Or a hymn might be a composition of any person and not taken from holy writ.

Disputed.

I further suggest that by "spiritual songs" Paul had reference to songs one would sing in the Spirit just as Paul said in I Corinthians 14 that he would sing with the Spirit and he would sing with his mind. One might also express it as "singing in tongues" (a spiritual gift).

"Odee [songs] occurs some 80 times in the Septuagint, 45 of which are in the Psalms, 36 in the Psalm titles. Josephus (Antiquities 2, 346) refers to Exodus 15 as a 'song of God.' At a later point odee came to be used only for biblical songs (apart from the Psalms) used in the liturgy, but usage in New Testament times is broader, there being no precise differentiation odee, psalmos and humnos. Philo, for example, in connection with Exodus 15 first uses the term 'sea song' and then simply humnos. As we shall see momentarily, the term odee is used quite frequently in conjunction with other musical terms to denote the biblical psalms." - ibid., p.86.

"Assuming for the moment that Paul is, in fact, speaking here of some kind of charismatic hymn singing, it ought to be clearly understood that such a situation in no way militates against exclusive psalmody. There are two very good reasons for this. In the first place, the charismatic gifts present in the Corinthian church at the time this epistle was written, passed away with the close of the New Testament canon and are not normative for today's church. If the advocates of non-canonical hymnody wish to use this passage to support their position, they are bound to produce Spirit-given, charismatic songs. But it ought to be obvious that such songs as these could never become the foundation for the Church's hymnody. Such songs may be interpreted by someone with the appropriate gifts, but their spontaneous origin and glossolalic [tongues] character prohibit their reproduction for corporate use. The singing alluded to in this passage is, in fact, not congregational singing at all. There is 'no thought here of liturgical music; it is the individual spontaneously using a special gift in the congregation.'
In the second place, it is important to note that the charismatic song interpretation of the passage places worship song in the same category as that of inspired prophecy or revelation and thus represents an implicit prohibition of uninspired worship song. [Thus, confirming exclusive psalmody!] It may be objected that the need for charismatic song in this instance implies the insufficiency of the psalter for New Testament worship. We reply that the Old Testament psalms are in a sense insufficient for the worship needs of the Church in this dispensation , but only in the sense that they require the interpretation of a completed New Testament canon to be properly understood, used, and sung. Go may well have given the Corinthians such charismatic songs to 'fill the gap' until this interpretive need was met. This was, in fact, what the charismatic gifts were all about. So the presence of charismatic singing in the early days of the Church cannot be offered as justification for composing new songs now, any more than the exercise of prophetic gifts in the same context can be seen as suggesting the need for new prophetic oracles in the present day." - ibid., pp.80,81.

So, yes, the Psalms are meant to be sung. Years ago, some of us would sing many scriptures and not just the Psalms and I would many times play my guitar. It is a great way to praise the Lord and memorize scripture.

So we are not limited to using only the Hebrew songbook.

Disputed.

You might notice that the very last Psalm in that book enjoins that everything that can make a sound should praise the Lord. Why limit ourselves when God is worthy of more praise that we can give at our best and most efforts?

Why not give Him the best and most perfect praise, His Word?
Limiting ourselves, as you say, is only another way of saying: "I want to worship God according to my own will, after my own fashion, and whenever I want to."
This is 'will worship."
This is the sin which, I believe, Nadab and Abihu committed: offering strange fire to the Lord.

As far as it goes, the only mention of singing in the NT scriptures is not indicated as limited to times when the church is assesmbled as such. We should speak to one another in psalms, hymns and spiritual songs any time we have opportunity.

Think about it some more, Harry.

Yes, well, I have gone through all this, and am settled with the objective propositional truths of Scripture.
Hope this gives you a better understanding of where I am coming from.

Yours, for the Cause of God and Truth,

Witsius

The Three Covenants

2009-07-02T23:33:00.002-06:00

"First, God established a Covenant of Works with Adam as federal head of mankind. In this covenant, eternal life was acquired by perfect obedience to God's commands. After the fall God established the Covenant of Grace as 'that particular form of the administration of salvation in which God, in Christ, gives himself as Mediator to the sinner who, in the way of the covenant, becomes the possession of God.' The foundation of the Covenant of Grace is the Covenant of Redemption or the Pactum Salutis, which is 'that arrangement in God's triune being, whereby the Father ordained the Son to be Mediator and demanded the fulfillment of all righteousness, with the promise of glory; and the Son freely gave himself thereto; while the Holy Spirit took on himself, to apply the work of salvation according to the will of the Father and the Son.'" - David Kranendonk & J.J. van der Schuit (Vital Balance, FRP, 2006).

Hermeneutics 101

2009-05-19T19:34:00.002-06:00

Here are some basic points (in no particular order) to consider when interpreting Scripture:

1. Perspicuity - The Bible is simple and clear. Literate people can read and understand the Bible - esp. its general concepts and narratives. Obviously, there are some concepts that are above us (like the Trinity) which we can apprehend as comprising part of God's authoritative revelation; and there are some issues which may require research/study to discern (see, for instance, 2 Pet.3:16).

2. Analogy of Faith - Scripture interprets Scripture. Let the more clear passages interpret the less clear (esp. w/secondary doctrines).

3. Context - The word or phrase in its sentence; then in its paragraph or topical passage; then in its book (esp. audience); then in the context of the whole Bible.

4. Genre - Narrative, Poetry, History, Prophecy, Wisdom Literature, etc. Knowing which genre a passage falls into, helps us understand whether to, for instance, be aware of allegory, metaphors, literalness, typology, symbolism, etc.

5. Authorial Intent - A more difficult factor, but discoverable with the help of the other points listed here.

6. Setting - Including time, place, and audience, this consideration concentrates on the immediate intention and application of the Word.

7. Grammar - More technical, esp. for those working with the original languages. However, a simple part of grade school English regarding how sentences work, parts of speech, etc.

8. History - or Background. It helps to know a bit about the historical context of a passage (or Book), and sometimes even geography.

9. Presuppositions - Whether you actively pursue or unknowingly have, presuppositions are a significant consideration. Examine your worldview - the self-made, or learned from school, parents, peers, or catechism lens/filter through which you look at, categorize, judge, and act on the data of the world beyond your self - and you will find it affecting your interpretation of Scripture. If your worldview is deficient, correct it, make it biblical (through good shepherding, catechesis, Bible reading/study, and holy fellowship), and it will help you to understand the Bible better. Simple (basic) presuppositions like: God is the Creator, we are Creation, and all man is fallen and awaiting the wrath of a just God unless he finds a mediator (Christ) to redeem him, and God is true, etc. are fundamental concepts that inform our biblical interpretation; while systematic theology, the Creeds and Confessions form macro presuppositional grids with which we interpret Scripture.

10. Faith - This is a general category founded on the necessity of a person's faith (1 Cor.2:14, etc.). Regeneration is a prerequisite for proper biblical interpretation. The Holy Spirit must be indwelling a redeemed sinner to enable his sanctification and understanding (Eph.1:18, etc.). Then prayer is a means of Grace and a sure help in interpretation. Obedience to God, hiding His Word in our hearts, delighting in it and meditating on it are also beneficial considerations. Finally, Hearing the Word faithfully expounded is also a biblical means of Grace and sure help in interpreting Scripture.

Hope these are helpful, and that I didn't miss anything.

Young on Inspiration

2009-05-18T23:24:00.002-06:00

This is part of an ongoing discussion on a Yahoo List

After discussing the foundation for biblical inspiration using just three texts – 2 Tim.3:16; 2 Pet.1:21; and Psalm 82:6 (as from Jesus in John 10:35) – E. J. Young, in his classic defense of inspiration Thy Word is Truth, goes on to discuss the woeful attitude of Christendom to the authority of the Bible (this in 1957).

He decries the Church’s willingness to let “the rationalism of the eighteenth century, the evolutionism and ‘higher’ criticism [the origin of the mythopoetic /allegorical reading hermeneutic, among others]* of the nineteenth century, and the ‘neo-orthodoxy’ and dialectical theology of the early twentieth century” distract us from the Bible’s own testimony to divine inspiration; and, causing us to trust the wisdom of man for interpretation and understanding rather than the revelation of God. To this, we could have added: the psychologizing influence of Freud, the experience-based authority of revivalistic movements, and the post-modern abandonment of truth in the latter half or the twentieth century.

Then Young exposes the fallacy of man’s wisdom determining Scriptural truths:

“And herein lies a disturbing question which must be raised. If we are not to regard the Bible as a trustworthy witness when it tells us what kind of book it is, and if we should listen to modern scholars rather than to the Bible, how do we know that the Bible is a trustworthy witness when it speaks to us about other matters also? Let us state this question as clearly as possible. The Bible, we say, is not to be relied upon when it tells us what kind of book it is [ie: the divinely inspired revelation of God]. But if it is not to be depended upon when it speaks of itself how do we know that it is to be trusted when it speaks about anything else? If it is so unreliable that we cannot accept its witness to itself, might it not be wise to reject all that it has told us about other matters as well?”

This plays out in the allegorical debate as: if we say that parts of the Bible are untrue – merely allegorical – and that they have no bearing on our faith, how do we determine what is and isn’t allegorical?, and what is required for our faith?, never mind what the Bible says about itself (we are basically bypassing the Bible’s knowledge of itself!).

Young continues:

“We listen to the Bible when it told us of the existence of the one living and true God. The Bible, however, we now learn, is not a trustworthy character witness. It has deceived us when it told us about its own inspiration. Possibly, after all, it was also wrong when it spoke about God! Possibly God, if there be a God, is quite different from the God we have learned to know from the pages of what we in our naiveté thought was a Holy Book.”

Can you see the slippery slope that modernism places us on? This has been the tale of all who turn from Scripture’s own requirements for interpretation.

“Furthermore, what about Jesus Christ and that wondrous work of redemption He wrought for us upon the Cross of Calvary? Is it a reliable account that we have in the Bible? Has the great burden of our guilt really been removed, and are we living in a right relation with the Holy God, or have we been relying upon an account that is not trustworthy? If this Book is not reliable when it tells us what kind of a Book it is, how then can we possibly trust it when it speaks to us of other matters? If the Bible is not a trustworthy witness of its own character, we have no assurance that our Christian faith is founded upon the truth. We are left in the darkness of ignorance and despair.”

Can you see the logic? If the Bible is not a true and faithful witness of its own inspiration and authority, we are crazy to rely upon it for our knowledge of Christ Jesus, Salvation, and Truth… period!

* Someone has registered a dispute with this clause, pointing out that Augustine had used an allegorical method betimes. Here, in part, is my edited response:

True, for the allegorical part, alone, and in and of itself. As I have said elsewhere, Origen, for example (c.185-254 AD),was notorious for his allegorical mis-interpretations.

However, for the various attacks on the Bible from Higher Criticism - mythological reading, the Graf-Welhausen JEDP theory of the authorship of the Pentateuch, the literary dissection of the OT, the submission of the Genesis Creation account to Ancient Near Eastern mythologies, the two Isaiah's theory, etc. - which lead to the phenomena of modernism in American theology and the new bent for allegorical interpretations of much of the "harder to believe" or "harder to reconcile with science" portions of Holy Scripture are relevant to the new hermeneutic of which some appear to take part.
But this is not new. Theologians like Schliermacher and Barth have led Evangelicalism away from the authority and sufficiency of Scripture by their theories (eg: that the Bible contains the Word of God, rather than is the Word of God).

Origins of the Baptists, Pt.1: The Anabaptists

2009-04-29T00:21:00.001-06:00

"The great reformers - Luther, Zwingli, Calvin - had tremendous regard for the living tradition of the historic church. They moved cautiously for they had no urge to unchurch themselves. They hesitated to abandon the principle of the territorial church - parish or national. As they saw it, the existing church was indeed the true church, but it had fallen on evil days and into unworthy hands. Therefore, they sought to bring about a spiritual renewal from within. The Anabaptists, however, set out to discard the territorial church pattern with the gospel. Their objective was not to introduce something new but to restore something old. “Restitution” was their slogan, a restitution of the early church. From the Anabaptist point of view, the difference between the Reformers and themselves was the difference between reform and restitution.” – Earl D. Radmacher, The Nature of the Church (Western Baptist Press, 1972), p.55.

“The important point to emphasize is that the real issue here was not the act of baptism, but rather a bitter and irreducible struggle between two mutually exclusive concepts of the church. Zwingli was finally committed to the state church; and the continuance of the parish system and cantonal denominational division was implied. The Anabaptists, on the other hand, were out to restore apostolic Christianity. Baptism became important because it was the most obvious dividing line between the two systems, and because it afforded the authorities an excuse for suppressing the radicals by force.” – Franklin H. Littell, The Origins of Sectarian Protestantism (Macmillan, 1964), p.14.

Several Comments:

1 – The first author is a Baptist, and sympathetic with the so-called Free Church Movement, of which the Anabaptists were Reformation-era representatives. The second author was a Methodist.

2 – In most of Europe, during this era, society was “Christian.” The Church and the state had a far different relationship than what we can imagine today. Therefore, the state wielded the sword for the Church, and the Church legitimized the state. Everyone was considered a “Christian.”

2 – The magisterial Reformation, of which the “great reformers” were part and parcel of, was concerned with the reformation of the existing church. This has several implications:

a) They saw some continuity between the Church they were a part of and that which the Apostles had laid the foundation of.

b) Several aspects of the existing Church were either approved of or temporarily approved of – paedo-baptism being an example of the former, and church organization, esp. relative to secular government, being an example of the latter.

3 – The Anabaptists, not being concerned with fixing (as they saw it) the Church, were:

a) partaking of the recurrent mythology of the New Testament Church,[1]

b) radical (in that they wanted to scratch the existing Church, and start all over again),

c) basing their ecclesiology on who was “saved” (ie: only professing adult members made up the true church and must be baptized as their proof/profession of faith).

4 – Today, and indeed throughout history, the struggle to define the elect (professing, adult, baptized: Donatists, Anabaptists, etc., in this case) and return to a primitive Christianity has shaped the structure and make-up of the Church, and contributed to the proliferation of churches and denominations.

At this early stage of the Reformation (1523-25 with Grebel, et.al.), the Anabaptist was still a sect defining itself among many other sects which were also appearing. The uproar in Europe, precipitated by Luther and dependant on the new media of printing, was only exacerbated by the arrival of what is termed the Radical Reformation. It has proven useful to study the radicals as made up of three streams:

“This threefold scheme of Anabaptist, Spiritualist, and Rationalist, is now widely adopted by historians …” – Nick R. Needham, 2000 Years of Christ’s Power, Part Three: Renaissance and Reformation (Grace Publications, 2004), p.254.

God willing, we will try to examine these three arms of the Radical Reformation in the near future.

[1] More on this myth later, DV.

Pink on Mans Impotence, Pt.3: Responsibility & Opposition

2009-04-28T22:57:00.000-06:00

In which Pink discusses both the difficulty both in presentation and reception of teaching/understanding this doctrine, and mans natural vehemence to it.

Not only does the appalling ignorance of our generation cause the servant of God to labour under a heavy handicap when seeking to present the scriptural account of mans total inability for good; he is also placed at a serious disadvantage by virtue of the marked distastefulness of this truth. The subject of his moral impotence is far from being a pleasing one to the natural man. He wants to be told that all he needs to do is exert himself, that salvation within the power of his will, that he is the determiner of his own destiny. Pride, with its strong dislike of being a debtor to the sovereign grace of God, rises up against it. Self-esteem, with its rabid repugnance of anything which lays the creature in the dust, hotly resents what is so humiliating.Consequently, this truth is either openly rejected or, if seemingly received, is turned to a wrong use.

Here Pink intimates that due to both a modern deficiency in the background (mostly, Scriptural) knowledge of common Evangelicals (at least, 50 years ago, and we must readily admit that the situation has only deteriorated since then), and the sin nature of both unregenerate and professing Christians, that the doctrine of Mans Impotence is both rejected and abused.

Moreover, when it is insisted on that mans bondage to sin is both voluntary and culpable, that the guilt for his inability to turn to God or to do anything pleasing in His sight lies at his own door, that his spiritual impotence consists in nothing but the depravity of his own heart and his inveterate enmity against God, then the hatefulness of this doctrine is speedily demonstrated. While men are allowed to think that their spiritual helplessness is involuntary rather than willful, innocent rather than criminal, something to be pitied ratherthan blamed, they may receive this truth with a measure of toleration; but let them be told that they themselves have forged the shackles which hold them in captivity to sin, that God counts them responsible for the corruption of their hearts, and that their incapability of being holy constitutes the very essence of their guilt, and loud will be their outcries against such a flesh-withering truth.

When man is confronted with his sin nature, and its implications his impotence to do any good, or reach out to God Pink says his true colours begin to show: his fundamental enmity with God. The longer he labours under the delusion of self-worth, self-will, and self-action, the more obvious is his Spiritual impotence.

However repellent this truth may be, it must not be withheld from men. The minister of Christ is not sent forth to please or entertain his congregation, but to declare the counsel of God, and not merely those parts of it which may meet with their approval and acceptance, but "all the counsel of God" (Acts 20:27). If he deliberately omits that which raises their ire, he betrays his trust. Once he starts whittling down his divinely given commission there will be no end to the process, for one class will murmur against this portion of the truth and another against that. The servant of God has nothing to do with the response which is made to his preaching; his business is to deliver the Word of God in its unadulterated purity and leave the results to the One who has called him. And he may be assured at the outset that unless many in his congregation are seriously disturbed by his message, he has failed to deliver it in its clarity.

Here, Pink reminds us that God requires that the whole counsel of Scripture including this man-belittling doctrine of impotence - must be fed to men, if a minister is to faithfully carry out his duties. We must remember that the Gospel is both offensive (to the lost) and (ultimately) a sweet savour (2Cor.2:15,16) to those who are enlightened (Eph.1:18) to their condition and rely wholly upon His Grace.

2009-01-21T13:01:00.000-07:00

Submitted with (minimal) comment or review*

Top CDs on My Play-list: 2008

· Alan Parsons Project Tales of Mystery and Imagination (1975)
· Angela Hewitt Bach: The English Suites(2003)
· Brasstronaut Old World Lies (2008)
· Buxtehude Organ Music, Vol.1: Volker Ellenberger (2001)
· Carolyn Arends Under The gaze (2004)
· Feist Let It Die (2004)
· Feist The Reminder (2007)
· Jewel Goodbye Alice in Wonderland (2006)
· Jewel This Way (2001)
· JoelJacob Wedding EP (2007)
· Neal Morse Its Not Too Late (2002)
· Sheryl Crow Detours (2008)
· Swirling Eddies the midget, the speck & the molecule (2007)

*Jewel's Goodbye Alice in Wonderland was/is my favourite, Neal Morse's came in a close second.

2008-02-26T19:30:00.000-07:00

Global Cooling!

Over the past year records (and anecdotal evidence) indicate that we have been cooling rather than warming. Everybody go out and buy a copy of State of Fear, and quit falling for the left-lib, eco-freak crowd. Here is the latest interesting article.

Top 10 New Non-Fiction: 2007

2008-02-24T22:57:00.001-07:00

1 Gary Gilley Is That You Lord?: Hearing the Voice of the Lord, A Biblical Perspective [2007]. Addresses a fundamental flaw in modern evangelicalism - knowing God's will.

2 Roger Oakland Faith Undone: the emerging church...a new reformation or an end-time deception [2007]. Were D. A. Carson fears to tread. If you thought Hank Hanegraaff's The Bible Answerman was the epitome of discernment, dig a little deeper. (A, God willing, in-depth review to follow.)

3 John MacArthur The Truth War: Fighting for Certainty in an Age of Deception [2007]. A fruit of MacArthur's exegesis of Jude. Another winner!

4 Daniel Levitin This is Your Brain on Music [2006]. A fascinating look at how our brains interpret and hear music.

5 Anthony Selvaggio, ed. The Faith Once Delivered: Essays in Honor of Dr. Wayne Spear [2007]. An excellent collection of essays purportedly themed on 'systematic theology.' Trueman's piece on James Buchanan's The Doctrine of Justification nicely provided enlightening look at the milieu of controversy in which it was birthed. Richard B. Gaffin's true colours (eg. why he would endorse Norman Shepherd's The Call of Grace) were confirmed by his The Vitality of Reformed Systematic Theology [orig.1994]

6 Humberto Fontova Exposing the Real Che Guevara [2007]. With the subtitle "and the Useful Idiots Who Idolize Him" the contents are pretty well summarized. An historical, anecdotal expose that many evangelyfish would profit from reading.

7 Mira Kamdar Planet India [2007]. If you ever wondered why service call operators have foreign accents - here is your answer (outsourcing), and more! Should be a revelation, for many, about the rise (or attempted - don't forget the persistant caste system which seems to be taking quite a while to erode) of India into first-world nation status.

8 James K. A. Smith Whos Afraid of Post Modernism?: Taking Derrida, Lyotard, and Foucault to Church [2006]. An excellent resource for deciding why one should beware of postmodernism! The author is unashamed of his role as a 'change agent' as is evident by his subtitle. He is part of the Radical Orthodoxy movement which is revealing itself to be another malicious abberation complimenting the Federal Vision heresy. (Perhaps, more on this topic at a later date.)

9 William Easterley The White Mans Burden: Why the West's Efforts to Save the Rest Have Done So Much Ill, and So Little Good [2006] A brilliant study exposing the top-down/throw-money-at-the-problem solutions of the liberal left (and entertainment media idols) and providing glimpses of alternate, practical, efficient methods of so-called third world aid.

10 Hank Hanegraaff The Apocalypse Code [2007]. A popular (in the older sense) treatment of the 'end times' in the guise of both an exegetical primer and a response to the modern evangelical preoccupation with eschatological fiction based on pre-tribulational premillennialism. While not agreeing with Hank on everything, but hoping this may prove a useful antidote, at the popular level, for the raging unbiblical scenarios painted by Hal Lindsey, Grant Jeffrey, Dave Hunt, Tim LaHaye, et.al. ad nauseam.

Honourable Mentions:

Pat Ammeter On a New Foundation [2007] (London: Bethel Baptist Church Print Ministry, 296pp.- but no longer on their website store - I have a few copies, and the author will have some also.) An original debut by an author in my own home town, who has struggled through the years with the many heretical practices which have entered the evangelical churches. Covers history, Roman Catholicism, Bible Versions, the Laughing Revival, Theophostics, and other topics. Suffers from lack of a firm editorial hand and a shallow understanding of both theology and history. May see a better day when (allegedly) republished by one of the links on my sidebar.

Darrell Bock The Missing Gospels: Unearthing the Truth Behind Alternate Christianities [2006]. A nice course on the early Church beliefs which rebutts the current and continuing liberal, antichristian views promoting gnosticism and denigrating the authority, sufficiency, and perspicuity of God's revelation: the Bible.

David Yallop The Power and the Glory: Inside the Dark Heart of John Paul II's Vatican [2007]. Another (following the best-selling In God's Name[1984]), expose of Vatican/Papist intrigue. Mostly historical, dealing with topics like the irony of the Pope's image as the man (with Ronald Reagan) who brought down the Iron Curtain.

2008-02-18T11:43:00.000-07:00

Covenant Children

Several years ago I was kindly sent a photocopy of L. B. Schenck's The Presbyterian Doctrine of Children in the Covenant. At that time it was out of print, but - seemingly - beginning to have an impact on several people in the, then, nascent Federal Vision camp. Since then P&R [2003] has repubished it - presumably, due to the rejuvenated interest in its thesis: presumptive regeneration, or, baptized children of Church members are 'saved.'

Schenck's work (with others) has had its fruit in the raging Federal Vision controversy, spawning (in my opinion) both the republication of M. F. Sadler's The Second Adam & the New Birth [Athanasius, 2004] as well as Rich Lusk's paedofaith: a primer on the mystery of infant salvation and a handbook for covenant parents [Athanasius, 2005], which treat this and related themes.

Today, a post on the Building Old School Churches blog handly deals with Schenck's thesis and presents the orthodox reformed position as outlined in the Westminster Confession of Faith.

2008-02-16T11:39:00.000-07:00

Wrighting More Wrongs?

The Anglican Bishop N.T.Wright has been dismissed by the orthodox Reformed, in the past, for his association and promulgation of the so-called New Perspective(s) on Paul, his - following - misunderstanding of Justification, his warped view of 2nd Temple Judaism (ie: covenantalism), and his ecumenical accommodations. Now (although previously nascent) we can add his unorthodox view of an intermediate state. Will this lead to an accommodation with the heretical papist concept of purgatory?

Awaiting the fall-out as others begin reviewing his latest HarperOne effort Suprised By Hope .
See this World Net Daily article here , and Midwest Christian Outreach commentary here .

I, especially appreciate the words of the Publisher's Weekly review qouted on Amazon:

No one can doubt his erudition or the greatness of the churchmanship of the Anglican Bishop of Durham. One wonders, however, at the regular citation of his own previous work. And no other scholar can get away so cleanly with continuing to propagate the "hellenization thesis," by which the early church is eventually polluted by contaminating Greek philosophical influence.

There, Schlissel, et.al. are put to rest regarding the overblown "hellenization thesis!"

2007 Top Ten Fiction

2008-02-15T15:16:00.000-07:00

This year I read just under 30 fiction books – most of them (25) either mystery or suspense. The top one was a – surprisingly, for me, considering my poor attitude towards Canadian writing – Canadian mystery. Here they are in order:

By The Time You Read This [2007] by Giles Blunt. A dark mystery set in western Ontario that deals with depression and suicide and the results of sinful psychoanalysis.
Death in a Strange Country [1993] by Donna Leon. The second in the subtly humourous Venice detective series.
Death at La Fenice [1992] by Donna Leon. The debut of Commisario Guido Brunetti of the Venetian Police.
Gospel Truths [1992] by J. G. Sandom. A laid-back, intelligent precursor (by 11 years) to Brown’s The Da Vinci Code.
Grave Secrets [2002] by Kathy Reichs. Another instalment in the original Bones series (prior to TV), set in Guatemala.
The Venetian Affair [1963] by Helen MacInnes. (Can you tell I was in Venice last year?) Another – tighter, than some of hers – mystery by an old master.
The Righteous Men [2006] by Sam Bourne (British journalist Jonathan Freedland). If you recall the Lubavitchers(?) and their messianic Rabbi Schneersom(?), this will be of great interest.
Next [2006] by Michael Crichton. Bioengineering and bioethical messes abound in this chaotic pseudo-thriller. Unfortunate that the expected non-fictional version of State of Fear didn’t come out (I believe there is a DVD though).
The Alexandria Link [2006] by Steve Berry. An improvement over his recent efforts, though ultimately forgettable.
The Bourne Ultimatum [1990] by Robert Ludlum. The much more accessible (than the previous) third instalment in the Jason Bourne saga – bearing only superficial resemblance in the recent cinematic effort.

Also-rans:

Two Clive Cussler’s: Night Probe! [1981] and Black Wind [2004] (the second with son Dirk, which I couldn’t bother to finish). Bruce Metzger’s The Book of Fate [2007] was highly objectionable (foul) and not very well written. S. L. Linnea’s Chasing Eden [2007] was different: a gate to Eden is found by an heir to gatekeepers during the Iraq war. A Sequel came out late last year called Beyond Eden [2007].

Jim Hougan’s The Magdalen Cypher [2000] was another Holy Blood, Holy Grail inspired tale about a bloodline of megalomaniacs. Gregg Loomis began a series with a Da Vinci-esque Langford Reilly investigating ancient secrets in The Pegasus Secret [2005] and the following The Julian Secret [2006], without appearing to be so historically offensive as Dan Brown. Eric van Lustbader (a perennial best-seller) put’s in his The Da Vinci Code imitation in a readable thriller based in (you guessed it!) Venice with the usual accompanying secret societies (religious orders) in The Teatament [2006]. Canadian Jack Whyte’s Templar trio debut volume Knights of the Black and the White [2006] was a monumental (753pp.) waste of verbiage that went through all the usual clichés and added deviant sex (for no sane literary reason) to the mix. D. L. Wilson’s debut Unholy Grail [2007] involved Jesuits, a “holy” bloodline and a “secret gospel;’ but, I seriously would have to reread the book to remember the plot and details. David Gibbin’s debut, Atlantis [2006], with a Dirk Pitt imitation lead was just to unbelievable and I stopped about 100pp into it. I cannot understand how the author was awarded a contract for two more titles (at least): the recent Crusader’s Gold [2006], and the forthcoming The Last Gospel [2008], featuring hero/archaeologist Jack Howard. Best-seller David L. Robbin’s also turned in a lousy performance with the disappointing The Assassin’s Gallery [2006], almost silly enough to be a made-for-tv movie. And the worst and last was te accomplished (c.20 titles) author, Mark Morris’ horrible post-apocalytic tale The Deluge [2007].

I guess it is less fiction, and more non-fiction for 2008!

The Strasbourg Connection

2008-01-19T23:22:00.000-07:00

Further to the last post:

Apparently, Martin Bucer & friends may well have been some of those continental reformed which McNeill refers to as having developed these exercise/fellowships.

...a year later [1547], small groups had arisen in the parishes of St. Thomas and Young St. Peter, consisting of church members who discussed their faith with one another and taught, admonished, and comforted one another. They also submitted to a voluntary church discipline and spoke of themselves as a christliche Gemeinschaft, a Christian fellowship.

And Bucer's motive for creating these groups:

It was not enough for the civil authorities to enforce morality on the entire population under threat of punishment. Convinced Christians had to begin setting up their own autonomous congregational structures as well, including a system of voluntary church discipline. The fact that this had not happened yet constituted in Bucer's opinion 'the worst flaw and defect ' of the Strasbourg church. Because of this, pastoral care - which in Bucer's opinion also represented an effort to educate the entire people - was prevented from 'bringing all the baptized, young as well as old, to true communion with, and obedience to Jesus Christ.'

- p.213 Martin Bucer: A Reformer and His Times by Martin Greschat.

This had to do with the previous post, but I have since lost the train of thought, so I post it just for posterity.

Exercises & Class Meetings

2007-02-07T15:46:00.000-07:00

Following up on Pastor Lewis' post.

"Once a week in every town 'that excercise that St. Paul calleth prophesying' is to be held. The reference is to 1 Corinthians 14:29-31,'Let two or three prophets speak...for you can all prophesy.' The Reformers here urge the importance of the 'exercise' for the Church of God in Scotland, though with certain cautions against doctrinal error, over-curiosity, and the use of invective in the free discussion:

For thereby shall the Church have judgement and knowledge of the graces, gifts and utterances of every man within their own body; the simple and such as have somewhat profited shall be encouraged daily to study and proceed in knowledge ...and every man shall have liberty to utter and declare his mind and knowledge to the comfort and edification of the Church.

Such was the 'group method' in Scotland four centuries ago, following models in the Reformed Churches abroad. But since business had to be done for the Churches participating, the exercises naturally tended to assume administrative duties and ruling athourity in these parishes. This was soon to lead to the formation of presbyteries, with specified districts and powers." - McNeill The History and Character of Calvinism, p.301.

Upon reading this, several years ago, I thought it would be a great idea to renew these 'meetings' - with some modifications. These 'exercise' meetings were recommended in what was known as The Book of Discipline, a document of "explicit directions for the conduct of the congregations, including preaching, catechetical instruction, examination for admission to the (quarterly) celebration of the Lord's Supper, prayer, and teaching in the home," drawn up prior to (but not state sanctioned) the First Scottish Confession of 1560. Obviously, as Pastor Lewis explains, this fell out of popular use; probably due to both the inherent provisional nature of revival praxis and the eventual establishment of institutions and institutional processes which gradually assumed responsibility for these matters.

A similar thing happened with the Wesleyan class meetings of the Methodist part in the Evangelical Awakening.
Having friends who are Nazarenes, I obtained several reference items relating to Methodism, the Holiness Movement, and Nazarene church history and distinctives. Amongst this material was D. Michael Henderson's John Wesley's Class Meeting: A Model for Making Disciples. Wesley, two centuries after the Scots, adapted the then current Religious Society model to his own class meeting in The Holy Club.

In the spiritual exercises of the Holy Club, John Wesley's instructional technique was taking shape. Much like the Religious Societies' program, biblical principles were discussed and their implications examined in the context of a small supportive group. But Wesley added a new dimension. Rather than allow the process to end with cognitive acquisition, he demanded practical performance. Once the personal implications of a concept under study were clear, the Holy Club members mapped a strategy for a real-life experiment. As their practice of it progressed, they evaluated theirperfomance and reinforced successful execution of it. Not content to be "hearers only," they determined to be "doers of the Word." - Henderson, pp. 43-4.

Here we can see the similarities with the Scottish exercises and the beginnings of the famous method which Finney, et.al. transformed and reapplied as a formula to various aspects of both conversion and discipleship. After the various influences - from Catholic mysticism to Moravian - and experiments in structure, Wesley's class meeting became part of an system of interlocking groups which Henderson explains as:

i) The Society - The Cognitive Mode

ii) Class Meeting - The Behavioural Mode

iii) Band - The Affective Mode

iv) Select Society - The Training Mode

v) Penitent Bands - The Rehabilitative Mode

All, apparently, being rungs on the ladder to perfection. Obviously, the more structured version of the initial fellowships.

We could probably extract a lot of profitable ideas from both these models, and - avoiding the obvious pitfalls - engage in some sanctifying, edifying, and God-Glorifying activites in the format of men's fellowships or societies.

Siouxlands Presbytery on FV/NPP

2007-01-28T21:24:00.000-07:00

Good News! from a higher PCA assemby:

Fathers, Brothers, and Sisters, it gives me great pleasure to announce
to you a victory for the cause of truth in the PCA. Included here is a
link to my blog, on which I have posted the Siouxlands Presbytery Study
Committee Report, which was approved at our recent meeting (yesterday).
The Federal Vision was definitively excluded from the bounds of
orthodoxy, as was the New Perspective on Paul.

Siouxlands Presbytery Study Committee Report

Rev. Lane Keister
PCA North Dakota
http://greenbaggins.wordpress.com

The Year's Best Non-Fiction: 2006 (Recently Published)

2007-01-14T19:35:00.000-07:00

This year due to the fact that there are 23 titles contending for the top ten spots, I am judiciously dividing them into two categories. The Top Ten will be titles either published in 2006 or available then (ie: published in late or any of 2005), thus they will be the top ten recently published titles (that I have read, and in my opinion). The Honourable Mentions will consist of older titles, even though they may, indeed, deserve to be in the overall top ten category.

Top Ten:

1. The Federal Vision and Covenant Theology: A Comparative Analysis by Guy Prentiss Waters (P&R, 2006). A must-read follow-up to 2004's Justification and the New Perspectives on Paul.
2. Danger In the Camp: An Analysis and Refutation of the Heresies of the Federal Vision by John Otis (Triumphant Publications, 2006). Another excellent, orthodox evaluation of the Federal Vision kudzu. Comes with a cd with bibliographic material and bonus items.
3. Full Gospel, Fractured Minds: A Call to use Gods Gift of the Intellect by Rick M. Nañez (Zondervan, 2006). A surprisingly candid admission/survey (by one within the camp) of one of the serious flaws in Pentecostalism/charismania. See my mini-review here.
4. Christian Zionism:Road-map to Armageddon? by Stephen Sizer (IVP, 2005). Though I have read much of his work, in nascent form on the internet years ago, this was a welcome companion to last year's On the Road to Armageddon: How Evangelicals Became Israel's Best Friend by Timothy Weber.
5. True to His Ways: Purity and Safety in Christian Spiritual Practice by R. Davis (Baruch House/AMC ,2006). A moving examination of the occult influences and practices in charismania (Toronto Blessing, Vineyard, et.al.) by one now settled in a Free Presbyterian fellowship.
6. An Emergent Theology for Emerging Churches by Ray S. Anderson (IVP, 2006). An embarrassing theological ediface/defense for the emergent movement. Worth reading for those who want to see what makes emergent tick. For critiques, see last years Becoming Conversant with the Emerging Church: Understanding a Movement and Its Implications by D. A. Carson, and numerous internet articles/reviews.
7. Reel Spirituality: Theology and Film in Dialogue, rev.ed. by Robert K. Johnston (Baker Academic, 2006). The original was published in 2000, and I did not know of it until this past year. If you read and loved Ken Myer's All God's Children and Blue Suede Shoes: Christians and Popular Culture, a popular text for courses on Christianity and culture, you will now be able to read the articulate, opposite view. Worthy for getting an understanding of such.
8. Meet the Puritans, With a Guide to Modern Reprints by Joel Beeke and Randall Pederson (Reformation Heritage Books, 2006). An updated and expanded version of Robert Martin's A Guide to the Puritans (though, not in the same format). Massive! 900+ pages, with illustrations(!), and up to date information on the Puritans in print.
9. The Gospel Code by Ben Witherington III (IVP, 2005). Only due to its publishing date. The Bock title, below, was the best response to the Da Vinci Code craze.
10. The Beliefnet Guide to Gnosticism and Other Vanished Christianities by Richard Valantasis (Three Leaves Press/Doubleday, 2006). A brief, yet comprehensive, survey of the varieties of non- and pseudo-Christian Gnostic and other spiritualities, which existed in the early days of the Church.

The Year's Best Non-Fiction: 2006 (Honourable Mentions)

2007-01-12T21:13:00.000-07:00

1. Breaking the Da Vinci Code: Answers to the Questions Everyone's Asking by Darrell Bock (2004). A suprising: best of the DVC debunkers.
2. Covenant Theology: The Key of Theology in Reformed Thought and Tradition by Peter Golding (Mentor, 2004). A nice, concise, overview both historical and theological of Covenant Theology. A recommended primer (but, for first year, post-secondary).
3. The Rise of Evangelicalism: The Age of Edwards, Whitefield, and the Wesleys by Mark Noll (IVP, 2004). The first in a projected five volume series dealing with the history of Evnagelicalism (to date, only vols.1 and 3 are in print). Although many would conclude that Noll has gone over to the dark side (ie: his defection to Notre Dame and his irenic Is the Reformation Over?: An Evangelical Assessment of Contemporary Roman Catholicism with Carolyn Nystrom), he shows his historical prowess in this and other histories.
4. The Lord's Day by Joseph Pipa (Christian Focus, 1997). I needed to see the arguments for Lord's Day observance this year. This was beautifully written and argued!
5. A History of the Arab Peoples by Albert Hourani (MJF Books, 1991). Another brick in the edifice of my ongoing attempt to understand Islam and History in general.
6. War Against the Idols: The Reformation of Worship from Erasmus to Calvin by Carlos M. Eire (Cambridge University Press, 1986). Part of a recent study I am doing on images. Excellent!
7. The Gnostic Gospels by Elaine Pagels (Vintage, 1979). Had this laying around for over 10 years, and finally got to it during the DVC craze. Excellent seminal work for understanding modern spirituality and the neo-gnostic movement (in the churches, as well). Easily refutable by minimally learnèd individuals.
8. The Ecumenical Mirage by C. Stanley Lowell (Baker Book House, 1967). Impressive, scholarly earlier examination of ecumensim by a Methodist. Grist for another hobbyhorse of mine.
9. This is Music: A Guide to the Pleasures of Listening by David Randolph (McGraw-Hill,1964). Excellent intro to classical music. His intriguing thesis is that music is music (sensual/emotive); and it does not tell stories. The 90+ author still occasionally conducts, and his book was still in print as late as 1997.
10. Twelve Discourses Upon the Law and the Gospel [1836] by William Romaine(Old Paths/Gospel Press, nd). A clear delineation betwixt the two, with a Preface worth the price of the book alone! Should be in this year's top five!
11. Human Nature in its Fourfold State [1712] by Thomas Boston (Banner of Truth Trust, 2002). What can I say? A Classic! To be read in conjunction with Pink's The Total Depravity of Man.
12. The Covenant of Life Opened [1654] by Samuel Rutherford (Puritan Publications, 2005). These last two I have been reading/comparing in tandem (yet unfinished), in a continuing exploration of historical Covenant Theology. Though initially this volume appeared to be the more promising of the two minimal translation for ease of modern reading, newly typeset I have been disappointed, so far, with Dr. C. Matthew McMahons editing (ie: it is harder to follow than Ball's, below).
13. A Treatise of the Covenant of Grace (Facsimile Reprint from the 1645 edition) by John Ball (Peter & Rachel Reynolds, 2006). Despite the trepidation when I began reading this ancient text - I foresaw trouble with the print quality (facsimile), esp. w/side column references, and f/s-type archaisms, etc. I found it, actually, quite easier to read and understand than the McMahon edition of Rutherford (#12, above). Not only that, but I appreciated the original language as, I am sure, most more scholarly (than me) types will. (It seems odd that a 1645 printing would read better than a modernized 1654.)

The Years Best Fiction: 2006

2007-01-11T00:38:00.000-07:00

State of Fear [2004] Michael Crichton delivers once again in a surprisingly politically incorrect story about eco-terrorism (though, perhaps not surprising, when one considers his penchant for detailing bad science/scientists). The current eco-freak bugaboo - global warming gets a proper dressing down. I can hardly wait (Yes, I can!) for Next [2006], a twist on his Jurassic Park [1980] gengineering concept: cross-species breeding!! (Note: Crichton is supposed to be releasing the non-fiction States of Fear: Science or Politics? [2007], which hopefully will deal forthrightly with not only the myths of environmentalists but also the deceitful politics behind them.)

Medusa [1988] Medusa was a welcome return to Hammond Innes [1913-98]. A, sometimes idyllic, adventure which probably had more urgency during the final stages of the Cold War, but was still both entertaining and informative regarding international affairs riding on seemingly provincial politics. I had read Innes' The Trojan Horse[1940] several years ago and was impressed with the taut underground chase of the novel. My appetite for Innes whetted, I then tried Golden Soak [1973], and could barely get through the first chapters of the boring and to that point plotless novel set in the the northwestern Australian desert. I suppose I was anticipating something more like Quigley Down Under ;-)

Vixen 03 [1978] I returned to Clive Cussler this year accidentally skipping Raise the Titanic! [1976] enjoying a tale of a long-sunken plane with biological weapons as cargo. I will probably get to a few more this year. I hear his first with son Dirk, Black Wind [2004] is supposed to be quite good.

Fatal Voyage [2001] Kathy Reichs, a forensic anthropologist, has embarked on a sideline career writing mystery novels about one Dr. Temperance Brennan (a character based largely on herself), who solves forensic mysteries in the environs of Montreal, Quebec and Charlotte, North Carolina. She also, coincidentally, has inspired and contributed to the TV drama Bones which, despite using the same character, is remarkably different from her books. Despite the appeal of the ensemble cast of the television series - albeit, the title character is drawn amusingly Vulcan-like - and the belief factor is limited, the novels prove (in spite of gratuitous sex and language) to be much more informative and, overall, better written. I have, as usual, begun her opus in chronological order, and thus have read the first four Deja Dead [1997], Deadly Decisions [1999], and Death du Jour [2000] this past year. The last, Fatal Voyage, about a plane crash, a biker, and a remarkable secret society, has proven to be the best so far.

The Romanov Prophecy [2004] Steve Berry is making a name for himself in the growing field of histrico-religious fiction. Regrettably, his books appear to be devolving (stylistically and idealogically). Having read all but his debut, The Amber Room [2003], as I have a silly idea that I should read the non-fiction The Amber Room [2005] by Catherine Scott-Clark & Adrian Levy, first. But, based on the qualitative trajectory of his novels after Romanov, there is The Third Secret [2005], a story which tries to sell the idea that the 3^rd secret of Fatima would lead to the ordination of women in the Roman Catholic Church; and The Templar Treasure [2006] which tried to sell the idea that the treasure was the remains of Jesus Christ I would be inclined to presume that The Amber Room, his first, was probably his best!!

The Da Vinci Code [2003] Well, due to my apologetical research on Dan Brown's The Da Vinci Code (DVC) - see some of its fruit here, I thought it might be advisable to have read the novel. Before the brouhaha, I had read 90% of Angels and Demons [2001] because of its Illuminati subject matter, but found it kept on going after it should have ended. DVC, likewise has a weak ending but, nevertheless, reads like the modern movie-script novel. Entertaining, fast-paced, and very, very bad history. Brown has spawned a plethora of imitators (see Steve Berry and Kathleen McGowan for example); but, allegedly, got his own inspiration from Lewis Perdue's The Da Vinci Legacy [1983], besides the admitted and obvious Holy Blood, Holy Grail [1982] by Baigent, Leigh, & Lincoln. (Funny, I read Perdue's, and cant recall a thing about it. Perhaps DVC overswept it as literature? Nah!)

My first Charles Dickens, David Copperfield [1850], may have made the list...but I havent quite slogged through it yet. Also, in a category of wasted reads, Philip Kerr's A Five Year Plan [1997]. I dont know what I expected I think I read all of his A Philosophical Investigation [1992] but I was disappointed with the unbelievable plot and gratuitous sex and language.

Note: the lack of a Top 10 is an indication of both the small amount of fiction read and the general quality of that which was read.

So, not that much as far as so-called good literature is concerned in 2006.

Triune Faith

2006-10-29T14:10:00.000-07:00

Considering the classical definition of faith (notitia, assensus, and fiducia) in the light of both Gordon Clark's formulation (n, a, f as a subset of a), and John Ball's answer to Why does the Covenant of Works not require faith but obedience?, several points come to mind:

a) Adam had both knowledge and agreement concerning the facts of His creation.
b) Adam was expected (via a pointed lesson) to show his trust by obeying.
c) Prior to his fall, Adam was trusting (dependent on) God.
d) The cause of his (our) Fall was his turning away (rebelling) from God, and trusting in himself.

So, despite Clark's seeming semantics, I believe that (along with orthodoxy) notitia and assensus must be conjoined with fiducia in order for saving faith to exist. Adam didn't lose (a); he apostatized by redirecting his trust. Thus, we too must have all three components of faith. God tried his creation, whether they would freely trust Him (live and move, and have their being - mental, physical, and spiritual). Man, though created righteous, was not infallible, was not perfect; in short, was not God! Thank God for the Covenant of Redemption, wherein a people where chosen. Unless the Holy Spirit regenerate the elect, we would not be able to enjoy the triune faith (in our triune God). Let the Bride of Christ thankfully rejoice in the quikening and sustaining power of the Holy Spirit working in them to do His pleasure. Let us cry out Lord, I believe; help thou my unbelief!

See: John Ball - A Treatise of the Covenant of Grace [1645], p. 12.
Gordon H. Clark - Today's Evangelism: Counterfeit or Genuine?, Chapter 6: Faith

Experential Faith

2006-10-23T00:35:00.000-06:00

In discussing Calvin's concept of assurance of faith, Joel Beeke highlights an issue which I both gleaned from Jonathan Edwards and understand the FRC seeks to promote: Experential faith, based on the Word, is both a necessary and valid aspect of the Christian life.

Thus, bare experience (nuda experentia) is not Calvin's goal, but experience grounded in the Word, flowing out of the fulfillment of the Word. Experimental knowledge of the Word is essential. For Calvin, two kinds of knowledge are needed: knowledge by faith (scientia fidei) that is received from the Word, "though it is not yet fully revealed," and the knowledge of experience (scientia experentiae) "springing from the fulfilling of the Word." The Word of God is primary to both, for experience teaches us to know God as He declares Himself to be in His Word. Experience not consonant with Scripture is never experience of true faith. In short, though the believer's experience of true faith is far weaker than he desires [for assurance purposes], there is an essential unity in the Word between faith's perception (the ought-to dimension of faith) and experience (the is dimension of faith).
- Puritan Reformed Spirituality, p.40.

The Holiness Persuasion of the Federal Vision?

2006-09-12T22:41:00.000-06:00

"Significantly and symptomatically Finney's doctrine of justification has interesting correspondences. Finney rejected forensic justification and accepted real sanctification as the final basis of man's standing before God. Moreover, Finney saw justification as dependent upon a prior sanctification, thus embracing, no doubt unknowingly, the traditional Roman Catholic ordo salutis. - p.41.
"Then boardman summarized the essential holiness persuasion:'Nevertheless the two things [being reckoned righteous and being made righteous] are distinct and different in their nature and are expressive of two great and equal wants of the sinner. He must be just in the eye of the law, justified before God. But he must also be holy in heart and life, or he cannot be saved.'" - p.44.

- Frederick Dale Bruner, A Theology of the Holy Spirit (Eerdman's, 1970; Trinity, 2001).

Well, specifically, this sounds just like John Kinnaird's position
(which has been uncondemned by the higher OPC courts).
However, it is representative of various FV positions as well.
See both John Otis' Danger in the Camp
and Guy Prentiss Water's The Federal Vision and Covenant Theology.

William Goode vs. Baptismal Regeneration

2006-09-04T14:04:00.000-06:00

Drug out Charismatic Confusion [1834] for some research for our children's Bible class at school, and ran across the following:

Goode's sun rose to its public splendour in the Gorham Case of 1847. Briefly, this concerned George Cornelius Gorham (1787-1857), vicar of Penwith in Cornwall, whom his bishop, Henry Phillpotts of Exeter (1778-1869), refused to appoint to the vicarage of Brampford Speke in 1847, on the basis of Gorham's alleged unsoundness on the doctrine of baptismal regeneration. Phillpotts was an old-fashioned High Anglican with slight sympathies for the Oxford Movement, and he believed in the intrinsic regenerative efficacy of baptism. Gorham, a Calvinistic Evangelical and student of the Reformers, denied this understanding of baptism; he contended that the regenerating work of the Spiritcould not be tied down to the exact moment of baptism, although the Spirit was free to work at that point in baptised infants if He so chose. The controversy aroused immense nationwide interest. Victory finally went to Gorham when the judicial committee of the Privy Council decided in his favour in 1850.
Some 50 works of literary warfare were published on the Gorham Case. The most devastating defence of Gorham and his baptismal doctrine issued from Gode's pen - his The Doctrine of the Church of England as to the Effects of Baptism in the case of Infants, published in 1849. Goode's mastery of the writings and theology of the fathers of the Reformed English Church proved largely unanswerable by Phillpotts and his allies, even if it must be granted that most Anglican Evangelicals in those days had somewhat higher views of baptism than their modern Zwinglian descendents.

Itmay prove interesting - if not profitable - to review the arguments in the Gorham Case. That is, in the light of the present Federal Vision (AAPC, Monroe 4, Neonomist, Monocovenantalism, etc.) controversy.

(Also, another Goode book worthy of republication.)

Survey Says....Amillennialist!

2006-08-07T00:59:00.000-06:00

You scored as Amillenialist. Amillenialism believes that the 1000 year reign is not literal but figurative, and that Christ began to reign at his ascension. People take some prophetic scripture far too literally in your view.

Amillenialist

100%

Preterist

55%

Moltmannian Eschatology

40%

Postmillenialist

40%

Premillenialist

40%

Left Behind

20%

Dispensationalist

What's your eschatology?
created with QuizFarm.com

(HT - Scarecrow)

Chalcedon Compliant

2006-07-01T10:29:00.000-06:00

Whew!!
So... At the least, I am not a heretic!
;-)

You scored as Chalcedon compliant. You are Chalcedon compliant. Congratulations, you're not a heretic. You believe that Jesus is truly God and truly man and like us in every respect, apart from sin. Officially approved in 451.

Chalcedon compliant

100%

Nestorianism

67%

Monophysitism

33%

Pelagianism

25%

Adoptionist

Docetism

Arianism

Apollanarian

Donatism

Gnosticism

Monarchianism

Albigensianism

Modalism

Socinianism

Are you a heretic?
created with QuizFarm.com

Ten Gallon Hat

2006-06-10T10:53:00.000-06:00

I'll put a ten gallon hat
over my devil horns
I'll lasso the sunset, in fact
I'll wear it like a uniform
They'll say "There goes one good man!"
I might fool 'em for another day
then at the crack of one glorious dawn
I'll ride away

I'll be ridin' away
to where they say
that they love you (and they MEAN IT!)
or for instance,
there's no fences
'round your dream when you dream it
and the heart
in the dark
finds a light to redeem it
In the meantime let me say...

God knows I got a ten gallon hat
over my devil horns
I'll lasso the sunset, in fact
I'm gonna wear it like a uniform
they'll say "There goes one righteous man!"
I might fool 'em for another day
then at the crack of one glorious dawn
I'll ride away

Terry Scott Taylor

Updated DVC

2006-04-18T23:21:00.000-06:00

Just a note to say that the previous post on The Da Vinci Code
has had a number of updates.

Comments and suggestions/links are welcome.

A Select(ively) Annotated Da Vinci Code Bibliography

2006-04-15T12:11:00.000-06:00

Sacred* Titles

Abanes, Richard The Truth Behind The Da Vinci Code (Eugene: Harvest House, 2004) 96pp. 0-736914-39-0 $6.99 USD
Basic, Evangelistic tool; however, goes into more depth on Leonardo than most.

Beverley, James A. Counterfeit Code: Responding to the Da Vinci Heresies (Willard & Assoc. Consulting, 2005) 100pp. 1897213018 $9.50 USD
Print-on-demand title.

Boa, Kenneth & John Alan Turner The Gospel According to The Da Vinci Code: The Truth Behind the Writings of Dan Brown ( Broadman & Holman, 2006) 176pp. 0805441905 $14.99 USD
Focuses on the worldview that enables Brown (and others) to succeed.

+Bock, Darrell L. Breaking the Da Vinci Code (Thomas Nelson, 2004) 208pp. 0-7852-6046-3 $19.99 USD
Bock: "My work concentrates on the first 325 years of Early Christian history, which are key to Brown's claims in his plot. I also give a full sample of texts, orthodox and gnostic, from this period so the reader can see for themselves what these ancients texts say and get a sense of what the difference is between [the] biblical and the 'secret' texts."

Clark, Stephen The Da Vinci Code on Trial: Filtering Fact from Fiction (Evangelical Press, 2005) 94pp. 1850492093 $9.99 USD

Ehrman, Bart D. Truth and Fiction in The Da Vinci Code:A Historian Reveals What We Really Know about Jesus, Mary Magdalene, and Constantine (OUP, 2004) 207pp. 01951-8140-9 $20.00 USD
Besides general debunkery, [t]hroughout, Ehrman offers a wealth of fascinating background information--all historically accurate--on early Christianity. He describes, for instance, the discovery of the Dead Sea Scrolls (which are not Christian in content, contrary to The Da Vinci Code); outlines in simple terms how scholars of early Christianity determine which sources are most reliable; and explores the many other Gospels that have been found in the last half century.

Flory, Suzy & Gini Monroe - Fear Not Da Vinci: Using The Da Vinci Code to Share Your Faith (AMG, 2006) 224pp. 0899570526 $14.99 USD
Evangelistic tool.

+Garlow, James L. The Da Vinci Codebreaker: An Easy-to-Use Fact Checker(Minneapolis: Bethany House, 2006) 203pp. 0-7642-0185-9 $9.99 USD
Garlow follows up the success of his co-authored Cracking Da Vinci's Code(see below), with this handy alphabetical, cross-referenced glossary-cum-encyclopaedia of Da Vinci Code facts. A sacred version (ie: with a more-or-less dogmatic evangelical Christian viewpoint) of Newman's The Real History Behind the Da Vinci Code (see below).

+Garlow, Jame L. & Peter Jones Cracking Da Vincis Code (Colorado Springs: Victor, 2004) 252pp. 0-78144-165-X $14.99 CDN
Garlow, author of How God Saved Civilization (now, God and His People), and Jones, author of The Gnostic Empire Strikes Back and Spirit Wars, combine efforts to produce a work that tackles the significant points and attach a short Readers Guide with questions relevant to the text. The odd, evolving, Divine Arc/Circle symbology used at the start of chapters has (and will, probably) distracted a few; however, the book has sold around half a million copies, so people appear to be finding it useful overall.

Green, Michael The Books the Church Suppressed: Fiction and Truth in The Da Vinci Code (Grand Rapids: Kregel, 2006) 192pp. 08254-6096-4 $13.99 USD
Focuses on the reliability and canonicity of the NT and Gnosticism which Green sees as the main attacks of Brown's work.

Gumbel, Nicky The Da Vinci Code: A Response (Alpha Int'l, 2005) 1-904-07481-2 L1.00 UK
Warning: Written and published by Alpha/Charismania oriented personnel. Recommened by David McKay as, "good because it is so short and people might actually read it!"

+Hanegraaff, Hank & Paul L. Maier The Da Vinci Code: Fact or Fiction? (Carol Stream: Tyndale, 2004, rev. 2006) 96pp. 1-41430279-7 $5.99 USD
A pocket guide designed with quick answers to all the significant issues. Another evangelistic tool. The revised version adds a Gospel presentation. Basic.

Kellmeyer, Steve Fact and Fiction in The Da Vinci Code">Fact and Fiction in The Da Vinci Code (Peoria: Bridegroom Press, 2004) 96pp. 0-971812861 $9.95 USD
A Papist perspective on 72 items of offending material. According to Marcia Ford, an editors nightmare that, "... will make you realize why we need such a thing[as The Chicago Manual of Style], in case you ever doubted it."

+Lutzer, Erwin W. The Da Vinci Deception (Carol Stream: Living Books, 2006 [2004]) 167pp. ISBN 1-4143-0633-4 $6.99 USD
A very helpful introduction to the critical issues with a nice examination of gnosticism by a recognized, proven, conservative (Baptist) writer and Senior Pastor of Moody Church in Chicago.
A short positive review by Gary Gilley is online.

+McDowell, Josh The Da Vinci Code: A Quest for Answers (Holiday: Green Key Books, 2006) 112pp. 1-932587-80-2 $4.99 CDN
A short text using the conversational technique(apparently, popular?) about as successfully as James White did in Scripture Alone (ie: I dont care for the technique, but realize that it might be helpful for others). A useful 3-session study guide for this item is available on-line. Tim Challies has a review of Quest here.

+Olson, Carl E. & Sandra Miesel The Da Vinci Hoax: The Truth About Jesus, Christianity, Mary Magdalene, and The Da Vinci Code (Ignatius Press, 2004) 329pp. 1-58617034-1 $15.95 USD
"Co-authored by a theologian and a medievalist, The Da Vinci Hoax hasbeen described by Francis Cardinal George of Chicago as 'the definitive debunking.' At 330 pages and with 555 footnotes, it is the most exhaustive and meticulous refutation of the biblical, theological, historical, philosophical, and artistic errors of The Da Vinci Code."
Papist, but looks interesting (even Marvin Olasky endorses it!). Furthermore, Marcia Ford, author and able DVC et.al. reviewer (see below), has these glowing words: "Olson, editor of Envoy magazine and a Catholic author with an evangelical background, and Miesel, a journalist with master's degrees in biochemistry and medieval history, provide a wealth of richly detailed historical and theological information in their extensive volume. Chapters are arranged topically and thoroughly cover the subject under discussion, whether it's Gnosticism or the Knights Templar or Leonardo's art. More than the other titles, this book looks at the cultural and religious factors that have combined to contribute to the success of DVC."

Price, Robert M. Da Vinci Fraud: Why the Truth is Stranger than Fiction (Prometheus Books, 2005) 296pp. 1591023483 $18.00 USD
NT Scholar and member of the Jesus Seminar puts in his 2¢.

+Strobel, Lee & Gary Poole Discussing The Da Vinci Code (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2006) 96 pp. 0310272653 $7.99 USD
Discussion Guide & DVD for small group study. New.

Strobel, Lee & Gary Poole Exploring The Da Vinci Code: Investigating Issues Raised by the Book & Movie (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2006) 112pp. 0310273722 $4.99 USD
New.

Welborn, Amy - De-Coding Da Vinci (Our Sunday Visitor, 2004) 124pp. 1-5927-6101-1 $9.95 USD

Williams, Garry - The Da Vinci Code: From Dan Brown's Fiction to Mary Magdalene's Faith(Christian Focus, 2006) 1-84550-121-7 $3.99 USD
Recommended by Westminster Seminary. Publisher remark: "Garry Williams teaches Church History and Doctrine at Oak Hill Theological College in London, England. Here he answers seven of the key claims raised by Dan Brown's book and points you towards a story even more intriguing - and more firmly based on fact."

+Witherington III, Ben The Gospel Code (Downers Grove: IVP, 2004) 252pp. 0-8308-3267-X $15.00 USD
James Dunn's student, apparently, does an adequate job.

Sacred Resources On-Line
(Please send me additional links, and I will update.)

Challenging Da Vinci Website
Australian David McKay informs me that this is,"a site created by Sydney Anglican Media to address questions posed by the Da Vinci Code. The site will be advertised with the introductory short ad at cinemas. Greg Clarke, who wrote a lot of the material, says he thnaks God for the book and film because it has given opportunities to address hundreds of non Christians and share the gospel with them. He's going on a national church-hopping tour talking about the film, book and the Bible."

Christianity Today "The Da Vinci Rejects"
Humour: What other publishers could have done to respond to Dan Browns bestseller.

Christianity Today - "Decoding The Da Vinci Code"
Has links to other articles on the topic; but, overall, rather sparse.

Discusing the Da Vinci Code
A sub-site of Bible.org with many helpful, academic resources.

Ford, Marcia 'DA VINCI DEBUNKERS: Spawns of Dan Brown's Bestseller'
Seminal reviews of 11 books about/or responding to DVC. Recommended
_________ 'The Book That Will Not Go Away'
Further reviews of 15 titles which either debunk or imitate DVC. Recommended

Jeff Down's Resource Index: The Da Vinci Code Page
A handy reference to a multiplicity of Books (most herein mentioned), audio, and online essay links. Recommended

JesusAndDaVinci website
A nexus of linked articles, a discussion group, and (Josh McDowell) resource store. Part of a network of Campus Crusade sites responding to Brown's novel and the movie, catalogued by Rob Williams of CCC here.

Rhodes, Ron "Crash Goes the Da Vinci Code"
An helpful essay dealing forthrightly with many significant quotes. By a recognized and competent apologist.

Rogers, Jay The Real Jesus, Part Two:Debunking The Da Vinci Code
Part of a planned DVD presentation on The Real Jesus by the director of The Forerunner. This part deals with Brown's gnostic delusions. In Jay's words: "Originally, I had planned to make it available upon the release of the movie. I probably will have part 1 of the video done by summer, and the Da Vinci Code section (part 2) will probably appear in 2007 as
part of the video series -- The Real Jesus: Exposing the Christological Heresies of Pop Culture."

The Da Vinci Dialogue website
Sponsored by HollywoodJesus (?), with the cooperation of Sony Pictures(?). From their Expert page: "Highly regarded Christian leaders and scholars volunteered to tackle the controversial topics within The Da Vinci Code. Between now and the release of the film, the Da Vinci Dialogue will regularly post new and insightful essays from these experts. Additional essay contributors will be announced in the coming days." The range of experts include: John L. Allen, George Barna, Darrell L. Bock, Tony Campolo, Chuck Colson, Gloria Gaither (yes, Bill's wife!), and the list goes on to represent papists, neo-evangelicals, liberals, and some half-decent representatives like Josh McDowell.

The Truth About Da Vinci.com
A reformed presence! Westminster Seminary has just (April 14th) launched a - growing - site with relevant apologetical articles, sermons, FAQs, video clips, Q&As, an e-store (really, Westminster Bookstore), and (forthcoming) White Papers, Discussion (forum?) and Banners(?). We'll keep tabs on it for updates. [HT to Steve Johnson from rtdisc.]

Turner, John Alan "Who is Really In the Gnosis?"
An article for Reflections Ministries about Dan Brown, Elaine Pagels, and Gnosticism. [HT to Mr. Turner.]

White, James - "Debunking Dan Brown's "Fact Based Fiction"
A lengthy combined version of several blog postings in which James deals in his usual, polemical style with issues of the book. Jame's three-part Sunday Schoo discussion of The Da Vinci Code is also online: Part I, Part II, Part III.

Wright, N.T. - "Decoding The Da Vinci Code"
The Bishop of Durham [CoE] weighs in on The Da Vinci Code.

Sacred DVDs

+The Da Vinci Code Deception (Grizzly Adams Productions) 120 min. 1-931602-86-7 $19.95 USD
A docu-drama with experts, setting-site tours, sermon outline, and group studies utilizing the material in the Lutzer, Bock, and Garlow/Jones titles (above). See also Grizzly Adams Productions.

Where Fact and Fiction Meet: The Biblical Christ in a Da Vinci Code Society $29.99 USD
Six pseudo-documentary studies - ideal for small groups - entitled, The Historical and Biblical Jesus, Ancient and Modern Gnosticism, The Real Words of Christ, Jesus, Mary, and the Role of Women in the Early Church, The Messiah, the Myths, and the Holy Grail and Reaching the Da Vinci Code Society. Comes with Outlines and personal and Bible Study questions.

Secular Titles

+Burstein, Dan, ed. Secrets of the Code (NY: CDS Books, 2004) 373pp. 1-59315-022-9 $21.95 USD/$29.95 CDN
Subtitle: The Unauthorized Guide to the Mysteries Behind The Da Vinci Code. A collection of essays, synopses, a glossary, cast, and web-resource guide by a variety of authors who represent a spectrum of interests in the material (ie: from the sympathies of a Michael Baigent or Margaret Starbird, through the ambivalence of Bart Ehrman or Elaine Pagels, to the helpful plot-hole exposé of David Shugat and the level-headed review by Laura Miller). Recommended.

Cox, Simon Cracking the Da Vinci Code (Sterling Publishing, 2004) 160pp. 1-4027-1837-3 $9.95 USD
A partisan work composed of short discussions of various Brown topics and esoterica. Cox writes, "This book isdesigned in such a way as to give the reader of The Da Vinci Code a primer on many of the factual elements in the book."

+Haag, Michael & Veronica - The Rough Guide to The Da Vinci Code, rev.ed.(London: Rough Guides, 2006 [2004]) 288pp. 1-84353-713-3 $10.99 USD/ $15.99 CDN
The best, pocket-sized, cheap - with relevant pics and diagrams - secular guide to the novel; now enhanced with movie-related trivia.

Lunn, Martin Da Vinci Decoded: The Truth Behind the New York Times #1 Bestseller (The Disinformation Company, 2004) 182pp. 0-9729-5297-7 $9.95 USD
A, purportedly, thorough examination by an unknown author who utilizes Brown's sources - sometimes, against him.

+Newman, Sharan The Real History Behind the Da Vinci Code (NY: Berkley, 2005) 337pp. 0-425-20012-4 $15.00 USD/$22.00 CDN
An alphabetically-arranged examination of people, places, and subjects raised in Browns novel, by an acclaimed medieval mystery writer, longtime member of the Medieval Academy, and Ph.D. candidate. She gives a generally sane, secular take on the material. For a sacred version in a similar format, see Garlow's The Da Vinci Codebreaker (above).

*Note: I have, on purpose, used the distinction between sacred and secular.This does not indicate, however, that I am under the impression that all the authors under the sacred designation are Christians, never mind conservative, evangelical, or reformed. Commensurate sentiments would be in play vice versa.
+Titles I own. Donotions of other resources, gladly accepted! (I am working on a presentation for locals.)

The Gospel of Judas?

2006-04-15T11:37:00.000-06:00

The recent release of a spurious gnostic text known as The Gospel of Judas has caused a minor tempest.

Discussions over the Easter release-date - as The Da Vinci Code, and other Gospel-attacking material has also been released in the past - are being held on various group's e-lists.

But, The Gospel of Judas is so dominated by a gnostic worldview, and informed by platonism, Jewish mysticism, and pre-Manichean motifs, that it can have no serious impact on on the Canon, esp. as seen by Christians. Irenaeus dealt with centuries ago, as did other Fathers over similar heretical movements.

Here [ht to John Barach on ref-net] is a scathing review (primarily of National Geographic's disingenuousness) of the recent publication of The Gospel of Judas by Bruce Chilton, certainly no conservative evangelical scholar, but helpful (if I must descend to such a comparison) in the manner that N. T. Wright is - ie: Handle Me With Care (for all you Lynne-ites out there).

Linked Reviews

2006-04-03T23:24:00.000-06:00

Reformation 21 has just posted some interesting reviews:

Wright's Paul: In Fresh Perspective
and
Letham's The Holy Trinity

Full Gospel, Fractured Minds - Review - 1

2006-01-25T23:17:00.000-07:00

Full Gospel, Fractured Minds: A Call to use God’s Gift of the Intellect
By Rick M. Nańez
(Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2005) ISBN: 0-310-26308-5, $18.00 HB, 267pp.
A Review, Part I

The claim to the uniqueness or seminality of this title, as attested by the likes of Stanley Horton, J. P. Moreland, and Amos Yong (see Endorsements and Preface), only confirms some of the negative impressions non-Pentecostals have supposedly and stereo-typically held concerning the Pentecostal/Charismatic phenomenon.

Having been a participant in such circles for over five years, having brethren who remain or still partake in the fringes of such, and being an observer of the evangelical Christian sub-culture in general, much of Nańez’s book resonates with what I have either experienced or know. Nańez, himself a Pentecostal, undertakes, in this aptly titled volume, to call his kind to a reformed opinion and use of the intellectual faculties with which we have been created. And, as you might imagine, this is no small task.

Exposing the anti-intellectual bias within his camp, Nańez appears convincing enough to me; but, will it be enough to convince his brethren who hold entrenched positions within that camp? I think so. At least, I hope that it proves adequate to shake the insularity of their world - characterized by “power encounters,” “liberating emotional expression,” and “where robust leadership is encouraged and cultivated” (ie: though Nańez sees these as positives, I would propose that they are the very obstacles to his pursuit of a balanced Christian life.)

Nańez divides his book up into two sections: the first half, Anatomy of the Fractured Mind, deals with the history and origins of the problem; while the second half, Ammunition for the Full-Gospel Mind, attempts a reasonable defence of the uses of the intellect. He also provides an eclectic 15 page Bibliography, as well as handy Scripture, Subject, and Name Indices.

2005 Top Fiction Titles

2006-01-20T22:18:00.000-07:00

Here are the Top Five Fiction Titles for 2005

1. Jane Austen - Pride and Prejudice [1913]
First time read, and 3rd Austen.

2. Leo Tolstoy - Resurrection [1899]
Second reading of this Doukhobor-financing novel of redemption.

3. Fyodor Dostoevsky - Crime and Punishment [1866]
Second reading of this novel which portrays a truer anthropology than most.

4. Agatha Christie - Crooked House [1949]
Another novel of surprising anthropology.

5. Alistair MacLean - When Eight Bells Toll [1966]
4th reading (this time - to my son) of one of MacLean's classics.

And here, in no particular order, and to compensate for the lack of a proper top ten, are ten works of fiction which will receive honourable mention (though they are not in the class of - at least the top three - above):

Agatha Christie - The Mysterious Affair at Styles [1920]
The first Poirot mystery, and still worthy.
Agatha Christie - The Moving Finger [1942]
A nice treatment of the poisoned pen letter theme.
Agatha Christie - The Secret of Chimneys [1925]
She should have written more with Anthony Cade.
Ngaio Marsh - Overture to Death [1939]
Not up to Died in the Wool, but a pleasant read.
Michael Crichton - Disclosure [1993]
Dated, but his usual fast-paced read.
Robert Ludlum - The Bourne Identity [1980]
Much better than than the movie; too bad the same couldn't be said for The Bourne Supremacy, which I just couldn't be bothered to finish.
Robert Ludlum - The Scarlatti Inheritance [1970]
Nice debut. Doesn't read like a novel, but interesting plot.
Robert Ludlum - The Matlock Paper [1973]
Conspiracy! Scary! Unfortunately, dated.
Clive Cussler - Sahara [1992]
Read it before the movie, and was impressed enough to buy the rest of his.
Clive Cussler - Pacific Vortex! [1983]
Promising actual debut, though published later. Mediterranean Caper passed, but Iceberg ran the Cussler engine dry for a while.

2005 Top Ten Non-Fiction Titles

2006-01-15T21:04:00.000-07:00

These are, in order of importance, the top ten non-fiction titles I have read this year.

1. Paul M. Elliott - Christianity and Neo Liberalism: The Spiritual Crisis in the Orthodox Presbyterian Church and Beyond, 2005.
A must read for anyone who wants to know what is going on in the reformed camp today.
2. James Bannerman - The Church of Christ, 2 vols., 2002 reprint.
The definitive text on the nature of the Church of Christ first published in 1868.
3. Heinrich Bullinger - The Decades of Heinrich Bullinger, 2005.
A classic text on reformed theology (in the shape of 50 sermons) finally in print again.
4. John MacArthur - Fool's Gold: Discerning Truth in an Age of Error, 2005
Timely collection of essays by Master's Seminary staff dealing with issues of alarm.
5. James White - Scripture Alone: Exploring the Bible's Accuracy, Authority, and Authenticity, 2004
Another plank in White's continuing defense of reformation principles, this time expounding sola scriptura. A worthy compliment to The God Who Justifies, The Potter's Freedom, and The Forgotten Trinity.
6. Timothy Weber - On the Road to Armageddon: How Evangelicals Became Israel's Best Friend, 2004
An expose of the logical conclusions of dispensationalism.
7. David T. King - Holy Scripture, the Ground and Pillar of Our Faith, Volume One: A Biblical Defense of the Reformation Principle of Sola Scriptura, 2001
What the subtitle says! And how!
8. Don Kistler, ed. - Sola Scriptura!: The Protestant Position on the Bible, 1995
Collection of Essays. As can be seen, a significant (and profitable) subject of study for 2005!
9. John Piper - Counted Righteous in Christ, 2002
The imputation of Christ's righteousness for the justification of sinners! [contra Gundry]
10. Steve Wilkins & Duane Garner, eds. - The Federal Vision,2004
Primary source for the Arminian-leading heresy invading the presbyterian reformed camp.

Reformation Day!

2005-10-31T00:14:00.000-07:00

Happy Reformation Day!

Let us be reminded of the principles restated during the Reformation. The principles that set us free from the yoke of bondage to that corrupt tyranny known as the papacy. Coming out of Egypt by the apparant miracles which shot down each of the papist idols; let us set up our own memorial and walk in them and teach them diligently to our children.

Sola Fide - Faith Alone
Sola Gratia - Grace Alone
Sola Scriptura - Scripture Alone
Solus Christus - Christ Alone
Soli Deo Gloria - God's Glory Alone

We know by Scripture Alone that we are saved by Grace Alone by the work of Christ Alone through the free gift of Faith Alone to the Glory of God Alone. Amen!!

Heinrich Bullinger V

2005-10-30T23:10:00.000-07:00

Previous Post in Series

Sermons Four and Five of the First Decade are devoted to faith.

While Bullinger provides many definitions of faith by divers authors, let me just mention (what I believe, haha) are the pertinent ones.

Bullinger explicates what he believes (and I agree) to be Paul’s words in Heb. 11:1:

St Paul saith: “Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” The substance, or hypostasis, is the foundation, or the unmoveable prop, which upholdeth us, and whereon we lean and lie without peril or danger. The things hoped for are things celestial, eternal, and invisible. And therefore Paul saith: Faith is an unmoveable foundation, and a most assured confidence of God’s promises, that is, of life everlasting and all his good benefits. Moreover Paul himself, making an exposition of that which he had spoken, immediately after saith: “Faith is the argument of things not seen.” An argument or proof is an evident demonstration, whereby we manifestly prove that which otherwise should be doubtful, so that in him, whom we undertook to instruct, there may remain no doubt at all.

But now touching the mysteries of God revealed in God’s word, in themselves, or in their own nature, they cannot be seen with bodily eyes; and therefore are called things not seen. But this faith, by giving light to the mind, doth in heart perceive them, even as they are set forth in the word of God. Faith, therefore, according to the definition of Paul, is in the mind a most evident seeing, and in the heart a most certain perceiving of things invisible, that is, of things eternal; of God, I say, and all those things which he in his word setteth forth unto us concerning spiritual things. – p.82

Then, after reviewing several exercitations on Paul’s definition, Bullinger arrives at his own:

Faith is a gift of God, poured into man from heaven, whereby he is taught with an undoubted persuasion wholly to lean to God and his word; in which word God doth freely promise life and all good things in Christ, and wherein all truth necessary to be believed is plainly declared. – p.84

(Notice his emphasis in both: the Word of God as the necessary & sufficient means.)

He makes the point that God uses “certain ordinary means”, that “he sendeth teachers, by the word of God to preach true faith unto them;” and, further, that it is not man, but the Holy Spirit which can “cause us with all our heart to believe that which we by his word and teaching have learned to believe.”

He correctly emphasizes the work of the Holy Spirit by quoting Augustine:

What do I now while I speak? I drive into your ears a noise of words: but unless he which is within do reveal it, what say I, or what speak I? - p.86

Again, not wanting the reader to miss the ultimate cause of faith, Bullinger admonishes:

This therefore is left unto us for a thing most certain and undoubtedly true, that true faith is the mere gift of God, which is by the Holy Ghost from heaven bestowed upon our minds, and is declared unto us in the word of truth by teachers sent of God, and is obtained by earnest prayers which cannot be tired. – p.87

Going on, Bullinger covers assent and trust before dealing with perseverance and the fact that faith does not believe all things but being “ruled and bound to the word of God,” only is a “most sure ground and settled opinion touching God and our salvation.”

He goes back over this ground, emphasizing these points and showing their precedents in scripture. The key point being that:

God’s word is the foundation of faith, faith cannot wander to and fro, and lean to every word whatsoever: for every opinion conceived without the word of God, or against God’s word, cannot be called true faith. – p.97

Ah, Sola Scriptura! Thank You, Lord!

The summary for Sermon #4 includes the two points that a) faith is a free gift of God, and b) that it believes “all that is declared in the scriptures,” and he concludes with a restatement of his (previously quoted) definition of faith.

(Sermon #5 will be covered later.)

Alarums

2005-10-22T16:23:00.000-06:00

Notes Towards a Plea for Reformed Discernment

Today's devotions included Jeremiah, Chapter Four, wherein I was reminded of the raison d'etre of ¡Alarma! Standard.
Jeremiah, in prophesying of the soon destruction of the Southern Kingdom of Judah, repeats the dual-aspected theme of warning: standard and alarm.

set up the standard toward Zion - v.6
the sound of the trumpet, the alar[u]m of war - v.19
How long shall I see the standard, and hear the sound of the trumpet? - v.21

The standard appears to be a visual symbol of what Judah should be standing for/defending; while the sound of the trumpet is an aural symbol (alarum) of coming judgement. ¡Alarma! Standard is, among other things, about the standard being assailed, and a trumpet declaring the judgement that will inevitably ensue when we fail to not only defend, but also proclaim that standard.

What is this standard?
I see this as being the composite of the holiness & righteousness of God, the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and that special revelation of such: the Word of God.
How is it being assailed?

The standard is assailed when we fail to both defend and proclaim it. This follows the definition of sin: doing wrong or failing to do right. The standard is exclusively a responsibility of the (visible) Church and, as such, she must be the one to proclaim it to the world and raise (defend) it among her people. This involves not only lifting up (teaching) that which is right; but, also, exposing, rebuking, and punishing that/those which is/are wrong (ie: polemics & church discipline).
For, we know, the gates of hell will not prevail and, thus, external assault (whether God's chastisement or the Adversary and his minions), is not the problem; rather, internal purity (1 Pet.4:17): certain men (Jude 4); false teachers (2 Pet.2:1, c/w 2 Tim.4:3); traitors (2 Tim.3:4,5); men of corrupt minds (1 Tim.6:3-5); blasphemers (1 Tim.1:20); Judaizers (Gal.); et.al., and their abherent or heretical teachings must be exposed and shown to be detrimental to (or, against) the True Faith (Jude 3) or, even, another Gospel (Gal. 1:8,9).

Now, evangelicalism bounds with entities who purport - and do, to a large extent - serve both polemically and apologetically. Most specialize in some particular area (Mormonism, New Age, Word of Faith, etc.); while some try to cover more territory (Christian Research Institute, Spiritual Counterfeits Project, etc.); however, except for internet discussion groups, the odd website or blog, little time or effort is being made on behalf of orthodox reformed discernment.

¡Alarma! Standard hopes to contribute to that cause.

Heinrich Bullinger IV

2005-10-18T23:38:00.000-06:00

[Previous post in Series]

Sermon III of the First Decade focuses on the exposition – via faithful preaching - of the Word. After noting the two extremes of “the Bible is unintelligible to the common man,” and, “make of it what you will,” and correcting the latter with a plea for exegesis and a caution against eisegesis, Bullinger sets forth four principles of bible exposition and interpretation:

1) The Analogy of Faith

2) Context, Context, Context (after HH)

3) Scripture Interprets Scripture

4) Sanctified Interpretation (ie: Spirit-led)

Then follows his triumphant summation:

Thus much hitherto have I said touching the sense and exposition of God’s word: which, as God revealed it to men, so also he would have them in any case to understand it. Wherefore there is no cause for any man, by reason of a few difficulties, to despair to attain to the true understanding of the scriptures. The scripture doth admit a godly and religious interpretation. The word of God is a rule for all men and ages to lead their lives by: therefore ought it by interpretation to be applied to all ages and men of all sorts. For even our God himself did by Moses in many words expound and apply to his people the law, which he gave and published in Mount Sinai. Furthermore, it was a solemn use among the ancient prophets first to read, and then by expositions to apply, God’s law to the people. Our Lord Jesus Christ himself expounded the scriptures. The same did the apostles also. The word of God ought therefore to be expounded. As for those which would not have it expounded, their meaning is, because they would sin freely, without controlling or punishment. But whereas the scripture doth admit an exposition, it doth not yet admit any exposition whatsoever: for that which savoureth of man’s imagination it utterly rejecteth. For as by the Spirit of God the scripture was revealed, so by the same Spirit it is requisite to expound it. There are therefore certain rules to expound the word of God religiously by the very word of God itself: that is, so to expound it, that the exposition disagree not with the articles of our faith, nor be contrary to charity towards God and our neighbour; but that it be thoroughly surveyed, and grounded upon that which went before and followeth after, by diligent weighing of all the circumstances, and laying together of the places [context]. And chiefly it is requisite, that the heart of the interpreter be godly bent, willing to plant virtue and pluck up vice by the roots, and finally, always ready evermore to pray to the Lord, that he will vouchsafe to illuminate our minds [c/w Eph.1:17,18], that God’s name may in all things be glorified. For his is the glory, honour and dominion, for ever and ever. Amen. – pp.79,80 [emphasis added]

William Goode

2005-10-17T23:59:00.000-06:00

This is a plea for someone to republish William Goode's The Divine Rule of Faith and Practice.
It would be great to see it in a quality Reformation Heritage Book edition (or Baker co-pub), though this may seem inappropriate for their - manifestly - continental program; an SGCB - or any other small reprinter (maybe Wipf & Stock?) - edition would do; need I mention P & R?

Some background:
Goode, a 19th Century theologian in the Church of England who wrote against the Tractarians among other things, wrote The Divine Rule of Faith and Practice to defend the Protestant position on sola scriptura (the Bible being the only, revealed, sufficient, norm for Christian doctrine and practice), against the unwarranted and both abherent and heretical views of the papists.

Goode also wrote an extremely helpful and enlightening work which was republished in 2000: Charismatic Confusion: The Modern Claims to the Possession of the Extraordinary Gifts of the Spirit Stated and Examined. A title I might (and hope to) review at a later date (I read it when it came out, and have covered a lot of intervening ground since then, and could not do it justice without rereading or at least skimming).

So, in the intrests of defending sola scriptura, and combating the gnostic mindset of modern evangelicalism, I join David King, co-author with William Webster of the remarkable 3 volume Holy Scripture: The Ground and Pillar of Our Faith, in calling for the republication of Goode's The Divine Rule of Faith.

NB: Goode may have been an Erastian (I haven't confirmed this yet), but then we don't have any heroes do we?

Heinrich Bullinger III

2005-10-10T23:58:00.000-06:00

(Previous Posts in this series are Bullinger I, Bullinger II.)

For lack of a better (read easier) method for tackling Bullinger’s Decades, I have willingly adopted (with slight modifications) the suggestion of John Whitgift.

Every minister having cure, and being under the degrees of master of arts, and batchelors of law, and not licensed to be a public preacher, shall before the second day of February next provide a Bible, and Bullinger’s Decads in Latin or English, and a paper book, and shall every day read over one chapter of the holy scriptures, and note the principal contentes thereof briefly in his paper booke, and shall every week read over one sermon in the said Decads, and note likewise the chief matters therein contained in the said paper;… [pp. xcix-c, The Decades of Henry Bullinger, Vol.1]

Thus far, I have read the first two sermons, while maintaining (uninterrupted) my regular Bible readings (ie: swinging back and forth between the OT and NT this time through).

Sermon I of the First Decade - an apology for the canon of scripture (and the canonicity of scripture) – begins my adventure with The Decades of Heinrich Bullinger.

While sometimes quirky, and often at less than my level of coherence, Bullinger provides a nice epistemological starting place for theological studies (scripture = divine revelation). He covers all the common scriptural witnesses for our surety that it is God-breathed. He also makes a point of the shortness of transmission – seven people – from the Creation and Patriarchal histories whilst extolling the roles of both the Prophets (esp.) and Apostles as conduits of God’s special revelation.

Dearly beloved…you learned what the word of God is; from whence it came; by whom it was chiefly revealed; what proceedings it had; and of what dignity and certainty it is. [p.57]

Sermon II of the First Decade begins with Bullinger setting forth his goal to:

Declare unto you, beloved, to whom, and to what end, the word of God is revealed; in what manner it is to be heard; and what the force thereof is, or the effect. [p.57]

He then goes on to a rousing defense of the efficacy of the Word of God. In enlisting a (to me) novel exegesis of the Parable of the Sower (Matt.13:1-23) as an exhortation for Christians to avoid ‘plagues’, he concludes:

For they do not only hinder the seed, that it cannot bring forth fruit in their hearts; but also they do stir up and egg men forward to gainsay the word of God, and to afflict the earnest desirers of God’s word. Here therefore we must take heed diligently, lest, being infected with these diseases, we become vain and unthankful hearers of the word of God. [p.66]

Other stirring words include the joyous acknowledgement of the Holy Spirit’s work:

We must pray continually, that the bountiful and liberal Lord will vouchsafe to bestow on us his Spirit, that by it the seed of God’s word may be quickened in our hearts, and that we, as holy and right hearers of his word, may bear fruit abundantly to the glory of God, and the everlasting salvation of our own souls. For what will it avail to hear the word of God without faith, and without the Holy Spirit of God to work or stir inwardly in our hearts? [p.66]

And also the sufficiency of the Word:

For the Lord in the word of truth hath delivered to his church all that is requisite to true godliness and salvation…Neither needeth the church to crave any other… [p.69]

In/Visible Church - Musings

2005-08-06T10:38:00.000-06:00

Upon reflection, the concept of the Church having two aspects, both visible and invisible, is becoming further entrenched in my mind.
The fact that the Church has both of these facets is inescapable.
Beyond this, it is so apt.
Beginning at the beginning, in Genesis, and continuing on throughout the OT, we see that God has revealed that he has two people: the people of promise (the remnant), and his set aside people (the Israelite nation). The Law, and the Promise. The seed of the woman, and the seed of the serpent. Jacob, and Esau. The spiritual reality within the physical appearance is a [the?] major theme running through the OT.
When we get to the NT, Jesus and the Apostles go on to explain and dogmatize the concept.
God's ways are higher than our ways.
We cannot see into the secret counsel of God.
We cannot judge the state, never mind the future state of men's hearts in relation to God.
The Shepherd knows His sheep, and His sheep hear His voice; but the Church can only know the profession (and conduct) of the sheep, and have to act and react based only on those criterea.
More later...

This Present Perrone Persuasion

2005-08-01T16:05:00.000-06:00

In regards to the last post:

Who said this?
James Bannerman, in his remarkable The Church of Christ, is discussing the popish conception of the Church. Specifically, he was addressing her position on the in/visibility of the Church.

To whom was he referring?
Bannerman was referring to Giovanni Perrone, a contemporary Jesuit Professor of Theology in Rome. After both explaining the Protestant position on the in/visibility of the Church and the popish historical position of only affirming the visible Church, he presents Perrone's compromise, or third way, in response to some of the persuasive Protestant arguments.

In regards to the contemporary similitude:
Perrone proposed that the invisible Church was made up of all those "who had ever received grace through the ordinances and communion of the Church." Moreover, he further explained that "even though they [ie: some] should afterwards fall away and become [ie: prove themselves to be] reprobate, [they] are nevertheless to be accounted true members of the invisible Church of Christ."
Today, we witness the Federal Vision/Auburn Avenue Theology [FV] group expounding (basically) the same thing.
Steve Wilkins, for example, writes that if one partakes of all the blessings - esp. means of grace like the ordinance of baptism - one is in union with Christ and, further, if one should fall away (prove apostate/unregenerate), "they would perish like Israel of old. All their priveleges and blessings would become like so many anchors to sink them into the lake of fire." (See The Federal Vision, Monroe: Athanasius, 2004, p.60.)
Numerous examples - as explicit as this, or deduced by good and necessary consequence (See lines 245,246) - can confirm this position, the forbear of which Bannerman strenuously opposes as unorthodox.

...it is not difficult to trace the one ruling and predominating idea which runs through the whole of the Popish system, - namely, the necessity and virtue of the outward grace communicated by the Church, instead of the inward call and election of God.
We see it, in like manner, in their ascription of the title and right of members of the invisible Church to those not chosen and not elected by God, but only joined to the visible Church, and sharing in its outward grace, notwithstanding that they shall afterwards fall away, and prove themselves to be reprobate.

With the apparent similarities (observable even more clearly upon investigation and reflection) so obvious, can we not say with Bannerman, "In both [Perrone & FV] cases it is the grace given or denied by the Church to the sinner, that confers or withholds the title of a member of the invisible Church of Christ, and not rather the purpose and election of God, calling him to the adoption and privileges of a son"?

The modern papist view is slightly modified from Perrone's day. It is, however, clear that by curent standards the papists still accede to some form of invisibility (see the case of people who apparently partake of grace yet remain outside the communion and dominion of the Papal See, here at section IX).

Who is in the Covenant?

2005-07-28T12:06:00.000-06:00

"In the first place, he denies that the invisible Church is made up of all the elect, and affirms that such of them as have not yet obeyed the outward call of the Church, and are not found in its visible communion, although numbered with the elect of God, cannot be reckoned as members of the invisible Church; and, in the second place, he denies that the invisible Church is made up of the elect only, asserting that those who have ever received grace through the ordinances and communion of the Church, even though they should afterwards fall away and become reprobate, are nevertheless to be accounted true members of the invisible Church of Christ."

Who said this?, and to whom was he referring (esp. in the "second place")?

Hint, although this sounds remarkably similar to a contemporary example, it isn't(it is similar, but it isn't that contemporary example ;-) ).

¡Alarma! Standard Origin

2005-07-18T22:28:00.000-06:00

This weblog's name was taken from a newsletter-cum-magazine which, to date, has never seen the light of day. (How's that for cliche?) (And then rhyme?)
Prior to the arrival of our three children, I did have dreams of publishing a newsletter which would both subsidize and advertize my growing library. I had envisioned both writing articles and book reviews as well as making the nascent Historical Research Library available to interested parties.
The newsletter name: ¡Alarma! Standard, itself, originated from the combination of ¡Alarma! from Daniel Amos' ground-breaking four-album ¡Alarma! Chronicles, and Standard from

Isaiah 62:10:

" Go through, go through the gates; prepare ye the way of the people; cast up, cast up the highway; gather out the stones; lift up a standard for the people. "

Isaiah 59:19:

" So shall they fear the name of the LORD from the west, and his glory from the rising of the sun. When the enemy shall come in like a flood, the Spirit of the LORD shall lift up a standard against him. "

And Jeremiah 50:20:

"Declare ye among the nations, and publish, and set up a standard; publish, and conceal not: say, Babylon is taken, Bel is confounded, Merodach is broken in pieces; her idols are confounded, her images are broken in pieces."

¡Alarma! was a wake-up call; and Standard was the upholding and proclaiming of the verity and rule of the Word of God.
Thus, it seemed fitting that this weblog serve as the current incarnation (!) of ¡Alarma! Standard.

Brief (ecclesiastical) Bio

2005-07-17T23:40:00.000-06:00

Born, baptized, catechized, married, and lapsed in CRC.

Five-year stint in an authoritarian, independent charismatic association.

10-year period of readjustment and then asking and seeking (g).

Brief period in an unaffiliated reformed fellowship, interimly, pastored by Tim Gallant.

Currently home-churching and leading and/or attending eclectic Bible studies.

In Your Face

2005-07-10T15:07:00.000-06:00

The Spirit of the modern age is to be “in your face.” Anti-fur people throw blood on expensive furs; PETA people burn science labs; “We’re in your face,” is the shrill chant of feminists. Sodomites get in the face of good people by means of gay-shame parades; War-protesters throw garbage on brave warriors. Religious bullies get “in the face” of the “old fogies” in order to bring the church “up to date” in terms of the latest trends in “worship” and doctrine [or lack thereof, W]. Revolution does not value or build upon the past, but seeks to overthrow it.

There was a time when you tried to persuade, not intimidate. Children were seen and not heard, no matter how old they were. We figured that a person truly had the right to speech, but he had to earn the right to be heard. That has all changed, of course. Words used to convey reason and ideas are now used to attack, to destroy.

“My soul is among lions: and I lie even among them that are set on fire, even
the sons of men, whose teeth are spears and arrows, and their tongue a sharp
sword.” (Ps 57:4 AV)

Jesus was not so. “The mouth of a righteous man is a well of life: but violence covereth the mouth of the wicked.” (Pr 10:1 AV) describes his ministry. The only time he picked up an instrument of violence, was when he made a”scourge of small cords” to drive the greedy churchmen and their wares froim His Father’s House.

Jesus was no pacifist, but He did not stoop to hide an emptiness of mind by getting in anyone’s face.

From the June 2005 edition of A Basket of Figs (pp.6,7), soon to be posted here.

Book Tag

2005-07-10T00:28:00.000-06:00

I willingly became it in a variation of the bloggish game of tag.<>
Other participants, that I am currently aware of, include Tim, Barb, Mr. Garver, and Mr. Colvin.

So, here are my responses, for whatever they are worth.

How many books do I own?

c.10,000 (This includes a small collection of sf/f magazines - mainly IAsfm, Analog, and MF&SF).

I have not counted them in the last five years (since we moved).

Previously, I very diligently kept records of my purchases, and used a form of card catalogue system.

The library grew too big, and was split into the Historical Research Library (general non-fiction and classics), and The Erik Axton Library of Fantastic Fiction (fantasy & science fiction titles, the bulk being a 1,000 volume DAW Books collection). At the time of our move there was approximately 4,000 in each library. Subsequently, I disencumbered myself of approx. 500 sf/f titles. And, since then, I’ve probably added at least 2,500 titles (this includes some duplicates from a former business inventory). Recently I have begun uploading (800 to date) onto a database and using a new subject/category system.

What’s the last book I bought?

A stack of them.

But the first one I am reading is Carl G. Gustavson's A Preface to History (McGraw-Hill, 1955).

What’s the last book I read?

I have developed the (bad? - unusual?) habit of reading several volumes at one time.

Finished?

Robert Ludlum's The Osterman Weekend (Bantam, 1982 [1972])

A long story. As short as possible: I had seen that Sahara was possibly a nice action/adventure movie. I learned that it was an older book. I quickly obtained a few of Clive Cussler’s (of whom I had heardof but not bothered to read – his titles appeared interesting), and read Sahara before the movie went to the discount theatre (we basically never go to the regular, and might visit the discount a few times a year). While collecting the Cussler’s (I am a completist, and am only missing Vixen 03 to date), a ran across a recommendation for Robert Ludlum (by Cussler). Coincidently, I had also known of but never read any Ludlum; though I had seen The Bourne Identity(2002) and Osterman Weekend when it came out in 1983 (movies, that is). Thus I checked out a read The Bourne Identity (1980), then rented the movie (as I could only vaguely recall it) to re-view. Then I began Ludlum’s opus chronologically (as is my wont) and went on to The Scarlatti Inheritance (1970) and now The Osterman Weekend. Obviously, Ludlum is the better author of the two (I am also on the third Dirk Pitt adventure).

Currently at various stages in all of the following:

Timothy Weber's On the Road to Armageddon: How Evangelicals Became Israel's Best Friend (Baker, 2004)

Willem VanGemeren's The Progress of Redemption (Baker, 1995 [1988])

Gordon & Campi, eds. Architect of the Reformation (Baker, 2004)

Heinrich Bullinger's Decades (Reformation Heritage, 2005 [1549-51])

Clive Cussler's Iceberg (Berkley, 2004 [1975])

Alistair MacLean's When Eight Bells Toll (Collins, 1966) my fourth time, out-loud with my son!

John Owen's Works, Vol.5: Justification (Banner of Truth) on and off

Fyodor Dostoyevsky's Crime and Punishment (cheap edition) second time, stalled half-way for some reason.

What are the five books that mean the most to me?

This is a little tougher. Obviously, the Revelation of God to man, the Word, but that should go without saying.

The other five, in no particular order would be:

How Should We Then Live? (1976) by Francis A. Schaeffer - The book that showed me how ideas mattered in history, and the slippery-slope, or the devolution (against postmillennialist optimism), from a Christian worldview to a modernist-humanist (at that time) philosophy.

The Seduction of Christianity (1985) by Dave Hunt & T. A. McMahon – The proverbial straw that broke the camel’s back. The book I read several times and led me out of a vast deception, and began to show me how seriously corrupted by occultism evangelical Christianity was becoming. Note, since then (despite having read over a dozen of Hunt’s titles), I have been hesitant to take all of Hunt’s research at face value (due to various critiques), and would never endorse his work – en toto – especially since his latent reluctance to stop and smell the tulips has manifested itself in unreasoned and unreasonable attacks.

The Doctrine of Justification (1867) by James Buchanan – What can be said…the book that (almost) deals exhaustively with the most central doctrine - next to sola scriptura - of the Reformation. James White’s The God Who Justifies (Bethany House, 2001) was purported to be the modern equivalent of Buchanan’s work but, I believe, the definitive (taking into consideration the current crisis) modern work on justification has yet to appear.

The Bond of Love (2001) by David McKay – A beautiful comprehensive look at Covenant Theology in all of its ramifications. I have not yet begun to fully appreciate this work.

Institutes of the Christian Religion (1536-59) by John Calvin – The comprehensive systematic presentation of the reformed theology which I find in Scripture. The historical influence of this work on all aspects of reformed/presbyterian orthodoxy and orthopraxy is a significant aspect of its inclusion here. Time and reading will tell if a Brakel or Turretin might challenge Calvin’s position (but I doubt it).

Honourable Mentions:

All God's Children and Blue Suede Shoes: Christians and Poular Culture - Kenneth A. Myers

A Philosophy of the Christian Religion - Edward J. Carnell

Amusing Ourselves to Death - Neil Postman

The Sovereignty of Grace - Arthur C. Custance

The Two Babylons - Alexander Hislop

To Save a Nation - D. R. Howard

The Romantic Manifesto - Ayn Rand

Heresies - Harold O. J. Brown

Studies in Saving Faith - A. W. Pink

Fire in the Minds of Men - James H. Billington

The Evolution of Civilizations - Carroll Quigley

Origin of the Nations - John Pilkey

The Illuminatus! Trilogy - Robert Shea & Robert Anton Wilson

Secret Societies and Subversive Movements - Nesta H. Webster

The Economy of the Covenants Between God and Man - Herman Witsius

The Defense of the Faith - Cornelius van Til

Systematic Theology (w/Prolegomena) - Louis Berkhof

A Christian's Reasonable Service - Wilhelmus a Brakel

Post-Reformation Reformed Dogmatics - Richard A. Muller

Institutes of Elenctic Theology - Francis Turretin

Decades - Heinrich Bullinger

Commentary on the Heidelberg Catechism - Zacharius Ursinus

The Church of Christ - James Bannerman

Historical Theology - William Cunningham

Church History in Plain Language - Bruce Shelley

2000 Years of Christ's Power - Nick Needham

Books, in and of themselves, are hard pressed to be significant in regards to their impact on my understanding of both God and this present reality in which he has placed us. Bodies of works by authors would be a more representative category. The cumulative impact of people like Francis Schaeffer, C. S. Lewis (initially great, but currently shunned), John Calvin (Insitutes as well as Commentaries, etc.), Arthur W. Pink, and Arthur C. Custance has meant more to me than any five individual books I might select.

Also, the last five years, I have read many more magazines and internet-posted articles (and mere posts), which have ‘nuanced’ (is this not the obligatory mot de jour?) my thinking.

Anyways, more on books and authors in other posts.

Projected Topics

2005-07-06T13:17:00.000-06:00

With the proviso that certain practicalities may alter the final make-up, I humbly provide the following list of topics (in no particular chronological or relevant order) which I hope to tackle in the coming year, God Willing.

The Apostles’ Creed
Ecumenicity vs. Unity
Discernment
Conspiracy
Essentials of the Faith
Raison d’etre
Separation
Covenant Theology
New Perspective on Paul
Justification
Art
Bullinger (more)
Emergent Movement
Transitioning
Daniel Amos
CCM
CWM
Heresy
Matthew 18: 15-20
Name of Blog
Current Reading
Top Tens
Quotable Quotes
Misc. Items

Caveats

2005-07-04T12:56:00.000-06:00

This post will exempt/absolve me from everything. :-)

My education: High School Diploma with a few college courses. Therefore, I am not an expert on anything. I am not a scholar, and my opinions, observations, and analyses – whatever they may be – carry no weight (or, ecclesiastical authority) beyond that which you, Dear Reader, may invest in them. I am, merely, what is commonly referred to as ‘an interested lay-person.’
The contents of this weblog are primarily for my own benefit. Selfish?…Probably! I write this as both a journal of my thoughts/reading and as instrument whereby I might hone what little craft I have with writing.
Any spiritual enlightenment or benefits that readers might derive are putatively and providentially that: spiritual. That is, I will deny my own inherent ability/will, and credit the Holy Spirit.
Besides these, the usual caveats apply. Links, Resources, and Persons are endorsed only insofar as they are reflect and conform to revelational verity of Scripture.

Heinrich Bullinger II

2005-06-27T17:24:00.000-06:00

Took the shrink wrap of Vol.1 and read the two "new" introductions: "Henry Bullinger (1504-1575): Shepherd of the Churches", an biographical essay by George Ella - 60pp., and "Henry Bullinger's Decades", a helpful overview and history of Decades as well as a chapter on Bullinger as a preacher and the centrality of preaching/sermons to reformation saints by Joel Beeke with George Ella - 60pp. (With this volume totalling 1000pp. and vol.2 being just as thick, this looks to be a lot of reading :-) )
These two intro's were very well written and accessible to the common person, and thus were in sharp contrast to the overtly scholastic essays in Architect of the Reformation. The essays I have read, that is! :-) Gordon's "Introduction" seemed very political, while Edward Dowey's "Heinrich Bullinger as Theologian: Thematic, Comprehensive, and Schematic" was both a welcome overview of some of B's major theological works and a passable (to my untrained mind) argument for B being a "'schematic' or programmatic rather than systematic" theologian. Just starting the third essay on "Bullinger on the Trinity" by Mark Taplin.
The Decades, besides the Second Helvitic Confession, are probably B's most comprehensive presentation of his overall theology. They are composed of five sets of ten (decades) sermons on every major topic (except CT, specifically), and are commonly divided thusly: The Word of God and Faith (First Decade); Ethics (Second and Third Decades); The Doctrine of God (Fourth Decade); and The Doctrine of the Church (Fifth Decade) [after Beeke], and are prefaced by a compilation of various ancient creeds - a major concern the reformers had for illustrating their continuity with the historical confession of faith.
At least two of B's other works which may be profitable for the church today - if they were translated and published in the common tongue - would be firstly his Summa Christlicher Religion (1556) an "epitome" of the Decades ideal for adults and young adults as a "summary of the Christian religion in which we present briefly and correctly, without wrangling and scolding, such matters drawn from Holy Scriptures as are necessary for every single Christian to know, believe, do and allow, and also to suffer and die in blessedness," according to Bullinger (Dowey, p.53); and, secondly, his Catechesis pro Adultioribus (1559) prepared for use in "upper school classes" at the request of the Zurich Synod and ideal for new converts and those preparing for confession of faith. Other works would be as welcome!

Heinrich Bullinger I

2005-06-20T16:03:00.000-06:00

Currently reading Architect of the Reformation: An Introduction to Heinrich Bullinger, 1504-1575, edited by Bruce Gordon & Emidio Campi (Baker, 2004).
Heard of Bullinger in my previous reading, but his was just a name mentioned as a possible connection to Covenant Theology(CT). In my (ongoing) research of CT, I initially pursued Voetius and Coecceius, after obtain a few volumes of Witsius; the triumvirate of Latinized 17th Century reformed scholastics whom I understood (at the time) to be the continental formulators of CT.

I could not obtain either V or C, so I contented myself with Witsius and Bullinger's name receded to the back of my mind. Untilthat is, I read through McNeill's The History and Character of Calvinism (OUP, 1955), and learned a little bit more about Bullinger. Of all his contemporaries (incl. Calvin), I thought Bullinger could be the best well-rounded (pastor, theologian, author, etc.).

My attempts to discover/obtain Bullinger - in print - led me to Ryan Glomsrud's outline of Decades on Scott Clark's Westminster site. Through correspondence, Clark informed me that he was looking into getting Decades back into print.

Subsequently, I picked up Cornelis Venema's Heinrich Bullinger and the Doctrine of Predestination: Author of "the Other Reformed Tradition"? (Baker, 2002) - which, I must admit, I have yet to read!

Then, late in 2004, I received Reformation Heritage Book's latest Catalog which announced the scheduled publication of Bullinger's Decades in two volumes. Almost immediately Iarranged to order it, and it arrived in late April this year. At the same time I acquired the Gordon/Campi title.

Well, the Decades are still in shrink wrap, and I am currently trying to introduce myself to Bullinger via the myriad essays in Architect of the Reformation.

¡Alarma! Standard Debut

2005-06-05T00:14:00.000-06:00

This is the !Alarma! Standard debut and test post.