Westminster Conference Papers 2025 Now in print

 

Westminster Conference 2025

So I have spent the last two days at the annual Westminster Conference and thoroughly enjoyed it. We are now well settled inSt Giles Christian Mission, strange as it seemd to be there away from centrl London the first time we did it. We tried something new this year. Normally most of the papers are followed by discussion time but this year on day one we had most of the diiscussion at the end of the day after the three papers had been given. This was only a partial success, among the problems being that speakers tended to produce over long papers, despite their best efforts. We kicked off with Mark Thomas on the Puritans and original sin - a solid and useful paper, quite demanding to listen to. Then Paul Levy took us through Machen's magisterial Virgin Birth of Christ. The third paper was from Donald J MacLean on the temptation of Christ from Thomas Manton but ending with Hodge and Shedd. Jeremy Walker led the discussion but it was hard to focus anywhere.

Day 2 was more traditional with Andy Young on the active obedience of Christ, covering pretty uncharted territory regarding Karh, Piscator et al. We then had a marathon from Sinclair Ferguson on Samuel Rutherford. We closed, in contrast, with a fresh, very lively and brief life of Athansius given by Gavin Kinnaird. Great numbers resnet. We meet again next year, God willing, around the same time.

Westminster Conference 2025

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Westminster Conference 2025

The programme for next year has been announced (the order may change)

1. The Puritans on the temptation of Christ - Donald John McLean

2. The Puritans and the orgin of sin - Mark Thomas

3. The development of the doctrine of active obedience - Andy Young

4. How to delight in Christ with Samuel Rutherford - Sinclair Ferguson

5. Machen and the virgin birth of Christ - Paul Levy

6. Athanasius - Gavin Kinnaird

Do plan to come!

Affinity Meeting 2023

Paul Yeulett introducing the Theological Study Conference 2025

There was another opportunity to hear about the work of Affinity yesterday and as it was at London Seminary, on my doorstep, I gladly took the opportunity to go along. My new assistant Eddie is living at the seminary so it was an oppoortuntity to catch up with him too. Graham Nicholls works for Affnity only one day a week officially but he does seem to lap up the opportunities to speak on local radio, etc, and get the evangelical viewpoint acoss. We ought to be thankful for that. Finances are okay and the work of Foundations, the social issues bulletin, the theological conference, etc, all carry on too. Nice to catch up with Mark Thomas and others too. How encouraging.

Westminster Conference 2023

The brochure for the Westminster Conference in December is now out.

Double Click

Affinity Study Conference 2023

On Wednesday I caught a train up to Northampton for the Affinity Study Conference. About eighty of us have been gathered over three days to look at the subject of A form foundation: priorities for the rising generation. The conference is unique in that all the papers (five altogether) are written and printed beforehand. The speakers then briefly present their papers before we break for group and then plenary discussion. So on the first day we had an introductory sort of paper from pastor and teacher Peter Sanlon on identity and worldview, the current scene. We then had a second paper on genuine conversion by Robin Gray, a Free church man from Aberdeenshire. The paper drew chiefly on Jonathan Edwards. This was a great start. We were then free for the evening. There was an impromptu quiz, which is one of my great loves, so that was fun.

On day 2 we had the rest of the papers - Phil Heaps, the London based Baptist, on sanctification; Mark Thomas from Wrexham, on pastoring; Dr Patrick Fung, leader of the OMF based in Singapore, on persecution. We were free in the afternoon - time to take advantage of the excellent bookstall here, provided by the Evangelical Bookshop, Belfast. All this was very interesting and stimulating. I had hoped that there would be more cohesion to the papers but that was not conspicuous. In the evening, we had a prayer meeting, first a plenary one then in our groups. Two men were quite emotional as we prayed for the rising generation.

For the last day, we had all five speakers on the platform under the chairmanship of Paul Yeulett, pastor in South London. People asked their questions. Then after a cuppa Pete Campbell from Penrhyndeudraeth in North Wales preached on Ephesians 3:14-21. Through most of the conference, it was snowing or there was snow on the ground, which is a nice thing to look out on.

Westminster Conference 2017 Day Two

We have had another good day here in Oxford Street. The first two sessions were taken up with the connected subjects of Jacob Arminius and the Synod of Dort. Phil Arthur gaveus the background to Arminius himself and his writings and then Benedict Bird described the Synod of Dort which began nine years after Arminius's death in November 1618 (it went on until the folliwng year). It was good to have the details set out. We had good discussions especially as there were Arminians present. We also touched on the halfway house of hypothetical atonement or Amyraldianism.
Traditonally, the closing paper is a biography with no discussion. This is the third message I've heard on William Williams Pantycelyn this year and perhaps th ebest - may be because it was given by a minister (Mark Thomas from Wrexham).

LORD, I long to be in thy Presence, 
Tis my Joy and whole Delight;
Sweeter than delicious Honey,
Fairer than the Morning Light;

All the Assaults of Sin and Satan,
I could stedfastly withstand,
And would stem all Woes and Perils,
Having Thee at my right Hand.

I can suffer every Affliction,
And encounter every Foe,
And the Depths of flowing Jordan
Venture also fearless thro',

Only let thy gracious Presence
Then my feeble Soul assist, 
Tis thy Strength eternal only,
That can conquer and resist.

Death and Hell, and all Destruction,
Shake and tremble at thy Might;
And thy Presence hush to Silence
All the roaring Wolves of Night.

Lord Jehovah! Lord Almighty!
Is thy gracious holy Name,
O let me, unworthy Sinner,
Feel the Power of the same.

Good days. Next year we meet again, God willing December 4 and 5