LTS Conference 4 Garry Williams

The opening paper on our second day at LTS was by Garry Williams (Director of the JOC). His subject was  Puritan psychology. What he actually did was to look at those giants Owen and Edwards on this subject.  It was a fairly long and derailed paper that led to a good discussion but these are his nine principles drawn from Owen and Edwards

1. The believer's affection of love for God rests on the prototype of God's own prior trinitarian love

2. Love is central to the Christian life, and therefore the affections are central

3. The human person is unitary rather than composite

4. Religious affections involve a new sense in renewed but not new faculties

5. Religious affections are not identical with what we call emotions

6. Religious affections are responses to the realities of the Gospel

7. Religious affections terminate finally on God himself not his benefits

8. Affections must be universally renewed

9. Ministry must be designed to heighten affections

Garry also made these brief applications

1. The problem of rationalism on one hand and enthusiasm on the other will always be there. Is the key to be in the middle? Owen and Edwards show us a better way, a theological one. We must see the importance of both the understanding and the affections. The test of a song is its ability to focus on the truth and affect the heart with that content.

2. There is a risk that we detach our thinking about psychology lags behind our theology

3. Am I a dog loving my master because of his kindness rather than for himself?

4. There is a challenge here to hypocrisy. How easy to cultivate friendships only with those who might offer the church something rather than to all. A utilitarianism can come in too easily.