Another Tyndale House Conference

Peter

Dirk

Tony

I do like the work Tyndal House is doing and so when I realised there was a conferncee at IPC Ealing nearby I decided to go along. It is the anniversary of the publication of Tyndale's New Testament this year and so there was a paper from Tony Watkins on Tyndale plus A typical Peter Williams paper and one on textual matters from Dirk Joongkind, who I had not heard before. About 70 there in person I guess. I knew almost no-one though there was one family that used to be in our church many years ago. So nice to see them. Good questio times. So much to be positive about. Bought some nice books too.

Catalyst Conference 2024 Day 2

 

So Day 2 was perhaps not quite up to Day 1 but then in the afternoon Matthew Mason was really quite scintillating on the temptation of Christ. Kindly but definitely rejecting several current Christian theories on this subject, he argued that we must see Christ's temptations as unlike ours because, of course, he is sinless. This was quite moving at times. The other messages were worth hearing too - Sinclair Ferguson's next triptych from Job 16, David Filson on critical race theory and Kent Hughes on Paul's paradoxes from 2 Corinthians 4. Lots of good things once again then. This quote from Calvin was striking "Satan’s aim is to drive the saint to madness by despair". Lots of other good things too.

Catalyst Conference 2024 Day 1

Some 280 are booked in for this year's IPC Conference. It was good to be there once again. We followed the usual pattern of two messages before lunch and two after. Sinclair Ferguson started us off looking at Genesis 3 and seven aspects of Satan's rebellion (the first part of a three part triptych, as he described it). We had lots of wonderful things here - eg the importance of the atmosphere of a text of Scripture, the importance of the affections, the way the references to the LORD God disappear when Satan comes in (he never refers to the LORD) and the idea (drawing on Alfred North Whitehead's similar statement about Plato) that the whole of the Bible is really a footnote to Genesis 3:15. We then had a wonderfully flamboyant man called Dr David Filson, Pastor of Theology and Discipleship for Church and Academy at Christ Presbyterian Church (PCA) in Nashville, Tennessee. He gave a wonderful introduction to Westminster Seminary style apologetics and the whole matter of our battle with the world that was gripping.

After lunch with my father-in-law, Geoff Thomas, and fellow Aber graduates Ed Collier and Emyr James, we had Matthew Mason from the Pastors Academy on the flesh and this whole matter of concupisence, which has come into our thinking again mainly due to the whole question of how to regard same sex attraction. Like Matthew Roberts he rejects the idea of John Stevens and some of the advocates of the view that to be same sex attracted is not wrong in itself. Very helpful. The final message was from R Kent Hughes, very well known by reputation but rarely seen this side of the Atlantic I believe. He took us to Paul and his thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan. A helpful exposition.

So a good day. I headed off after it to visit a member in hospital.

A quotation from day one

“But there are some people, nevertheless - and I am one of them - who think that the most practical and important thing about a man is still his view of the universe. We think that for a landlady considering a lodger, it is important to know his income, but still more important to know his philosophy. We think that for a general about to fight an enemy, it is important to know the enemy’s numbers, but still more important to know the enemy’s philosophy. We think the question is not whether the theory of the cosmos affects matters, but whether, in the long run, anything else affects them” (G. K. Chesterton, Heretics, in The Complete Works of G. K. Chesterton, ed. David Dooley, vol. 1, San Francisco: Ignatius Press, 1986, 41).

IPC Catalyst Conference Day 3

Our final day was inevitably unable to top the previous two days but the standard was still excellent. It has grown hotter by the day and despite the kind supply of lollipops that has brought its challenges. Sinclair Ferguson spoke on knowing Christ from Philippians 3, again very helpful. I have heard him speak of the conversion of Paul before but it was good to hear again. I don't think I have heard the rich young ruler allusion before. John Landry Cruse spoke on our response in worship - the importance of being there, of leaning in and then on singing. Good stuff. (I liked his two hymns that we sang.) After lunch (yet another pizza I confess) we had Jonty Rhodes on Christ the King who triumphed over sin, Satan and death and now rules over the church and the world. The final session was from Simon Arscott on church polity. He began with Isaiah 9:6 and did well on the whole, although for me as a Baptist, it seemed he rather assumed the meaning of Acts 15 and ruling elders. Thomas Witherow gives Independents a three out of six apparently in his recently republished book (one of several given away at the conference). I think he was being mean there and we could take a four or a five. Presbyterians meanwhile probably only deserve a theoretical six.

So great three days of conference - mind stretching and warm (in every sense). Loved the opportunity to speak with attendees - mostly Baptist and Welshmen but not exclusively. Many thanks to the organisers. I plane to back next year, God willing.

PS The videos of the conference are up. See here.

Norman Wells

It was our privilege to be at the memorial service for Norman Wells today with about 300 others at IPC, Ealing. Norman died from Covid-19 rather suddenly in Spring last year. He was 56. A memorial service has only been possible now. We had helpful tributes from family and friends and Paul Levy preached helpfully from Psalm 73. It was lovely over tea afterwards to talk with old friends and one or two people I had not spoken with before. I knew Norman from his time in London Seminary and he would sometimes turn up in our services when en route from somewhere else. Norman's main work was with the Family Education Trust. It is clear that his thorough research and advocacy for the Christian view of the family never became theoretical but was lived out in his relationship with his wife Nicola and his nine children.

Catalyst Conference 2021

It was brilliant to be at a live conference this last week. Yes, we still had to wear masks and socially distance and there was no bookstall but there were live speakers and coffee and lollipops and people to talk to. Brilliant! I love being with Presbyterians as despite the few differences we pretty much agree and they have some excellent men who can be so helpful. One can feel an outsider a little but I am well used to that in all the circles I inhabit. The Catalyst conference is organised by IPC (International Presbyterian Church not to be confused with EPCUW or any other bunch) and was at their church in Ealing. Ealing is on our doorstop and my wife works in nearby Hanwell so I was able to get a lift in and out with a little walk between. Perfect. It was also a joy to be there with both my father-in-law and one of my sons. Three generations!

The conference was organised so that all three days replicated themselves which has advantages and disadvantages. The overall title was Apolgetics and there was plenty on that. Mostly I loved it but being out of practice I got rather tired. The heatwave added to that. Each day we began with James Torrans from Inverness gave us Bible readings from John 11, Mark 2, etc. He was followed by James Eglinton, seniot lecturer at Edinburgh University. He introduced us to Gisbertiurs Voetius, Herman Bavinck and J H Bavinck in order to explore our subject. The first paper on categorising sin was most interesting but all good and stimulating stuff.

After lunch Dan Strange, until recently at Oak Hill and now moving to the north east, is a good speaker for the graveyard slot and he kept us awake with his extrapolations from. J H Bavinck on magnetic points. Each day ended with wonderful expositions from Romans by Sinclair Ferguson. Good days.

The conference is planned for the same time next year. Meanwhile look out for this year's conference on video. See here.

Videos now available here 

Yet another one bites the dust

This is the latest in a long line of things I won't be going to. They've held this one over until 2021.

IPC Catalyst Conference Days 2 and 3

The rest of the conference went off very well and it was good to be there for the whole of it as it improved day on day, I felt. Andrew Randall on knowing God was perhaps a little nervous on day one but really settled into his subject and gave two excellent messages that were warm and pastoral. Scott Swain continued to look the Westminster Confession Chapter 3. I thought the first two messages were perhaps a little pedestrian but when we came to the third session on the Trinity we went into overdrive. I had missed the Themelios article of last year available here, which he presented again to us. It is mind blowing and rather shocking in its own way. let me quote the digest

B. B. Warfield’s 1915 ISBE article on the Trinity presents the Princeton theologian’s mature thinking on the biblical bases and meaning of the doctrine and offers a revisionist interpretation of the personal names of “Father,” “Son,” and “Spirit.” Instead of interpreting the personal names of the Trinity in terms of relations of origin, Warfield argues that the personal names only signify likeness between the persons. The present article locates Warfield’s revision within its immediate and broader historical contexts, critically engages Warfield’s proposed revision, and discusses the importance of a traditional interpretation of the personal names for Trinitarian theology.

Warfield is such a hero it is hard to believe he could have been so wrong in this area, yet Scott Swain appears to have him bang to rights.  Others, such as Grudem and Reymond (we could mention Carson and Reeves too, perhaps) have apparently followed him. Wow!

Kevin DeYoung has an analytical grasp and a good sense of humour and so his addresses on creation and providence were great. Perhaps the second half of the one on creation, dealing with male and female, was the stand out portion.

All three days ended with Sinclair Ferguson on 2 Timothy. This was very warm, quite challenging at certain points, and a thorough exposition of New Testament ministry. It will be worth checking out the recordings when they appear - probably here.

It was nice to see Scott Swain getting some sort of revenge on Paul Levy, in the form of a medal for Tweeting.

IPC Catalyst Conference 2019 Day 1

Around 200 gathered at the lovely new building of the IPC in Ealing for day 1 of this year's conference. Four men spoke - Andrew Randall, Scott Swain, Kevin DeYoung and Sinclair Ferguson - so two Scotsmen bracketing two Americans. All spoke well and helpfully. If anything, I detected a gradual rise in the quality of presentations through the day so that we ended on a high note with Sinclair Ferguson encouraging us from 2 Timothy at the end. Kevin DeYoung gave a very thorough and useful exposition of Chapter 3 of the WC and Scott Swain of Chapter 2:1. Good day. Mostly strangers to me at the conference but I had a number of nice chats with different people.

International Presbyterian Church, Ealing

It was good to be at the opening service at the new building in IPC, Ealing this morning. A packed auditorium enjoyed the service led by the pastor Paul Levy. It included a brief summary of what has been nine years of effort to redevelop the site. The new building is an excellent facility and one hopes it will be a real asset. The preacher was Sinclar Ferguson who took us to Matthew 16 and made several helpful points. There was  alight lunch to follow and that was good too. It was good to be there and chat with various friends.

IPC Catalyst Conference Day 3

Jonty Rhodes

David Gibson

Mark Earngey

Once again, on this third day, we followed the same pattern with Jonty Rhodes followed by Dick Gaffin with Sinclair Ferguson after lunch and, this time, both David Gibson and Mark Earngey. Dr Gaffin spoke on the Spirit and prayer from Romans 8 and Dr Ferguson on the Spirit and holiness. Again these were excellent. The opening and closing sessions were very practical and perhaps less attractive in some ways. It is difficult to apply theology without sounding rather pedestrian. This is an observation rather than a criticism. The liturgical emphasis was appreciated but needs more nuancing I would think.

More on the IPC Catalyst Conference, etc

Greatly enjoying the IPC Catalyst Conference here in Ealing. Yesterday I skipped the session introducing the International Presbyterian Church. My father-in-law Geoff Thomas took myself and two others for a pizza. An interesting moment was when I asked Dick Gaffin if he had known the Westminster teacher E J Young. This is the equivalent of someone asking me if I know Geoff Thomas. He was very kind about it. Apparently the conference next year will be June 18-20. That means it won't clash with the EMA which will be June 25-27. I shoud mention that another joy this week has been stocking up bookwise courtesy of the Evangelical Bookshop, Belfast.

IPC Catalyst Conference Ealing Day 2

Sinclair Ferguson

I was back yesterday (Wednesday) in Ealing for more of the same. Ealing is only 8 or 9 miles away but at that time of the morning is quite a trek (my wife gave me a lift on Tuesday). Anyway I arrived a little late so was not able to fully appreciate the opening paper from Jonty Rhodes.

Dick Gaffin presented part of the cessation position very helpfully and after lunch Sinclair Ferguson spoke on the Spirit of adoption, again the best and most moving.

In the final session we had Mark Earngey an Australian looking Australian, an Anglican and a man who looks as if he has had a shock. He did something I have never heard covered before  - a survey of the various liturgies produced in the 16th century around Europe. Thie meant he was able to speak with some authority about the nuances of Reformed theology and practice. Fascinating. I liked the fact that in Zurich they did not sing but they did celbrate Christmas - so what is the Reformed positon there? He alos noted that from ealy on other things apart from Scripture were sung in many places. Like Dr Gaffin he ended with opportunity for questions.

So another good day. I am not sure if recordings or transcripts might be available.

IPC Catalyst Conference Ealing

Dick Gaffin

Spoiled for choice with regard to conferences this week I decided last minute to get down to Ealing Town Hall and try the IPC Catalyst Conference. Given the speakers on the programme it would be hard to see, humanly speaking, how it could fail to be good. And it was. We had four sessions of solid theology (we must have covered more theology in one day than we tend to do in one year at Child Hill - perhaps I exaggerate).

We started off in Leviticus with Jonty Rhodes who gave us lots of good biblical theology including a number of thoughts that were fresh to me (eg the Temple and Sinai). The final session of the day was from Jonathan Gibson (like Jonty's name no more than a name to me until that point). Here we were again chiefly in the Old Testament, looking at worship. This was a bit of a tour de force and comes from a large book which, despite my late booking, I managed to procure a free copy of (thanks Graham Weeks) like many others - ie Reformed Worship. Again lots of fresh thoughts (although I do wish he hadn''t left his remarks about women ruining everything rather dangling).

Between these younger biblical theologians we had two septuagenarians (One is actually an octogenarian) both systematicians. They both spoke on the Holy Spirit - Dr Richard Gaffin mainly from Acts but including other references and Sinclair Ferguson from John 14. These were again fresh and stretching and full of good and deep theology.

To be Gaffinised adn Sinclaired on the same day is quite something.

In between times there was opportunity to stock up on books and to hear Chris Roberts lunch time session Ecclesiastes 12 and to talk to people new to me and old.

We have someone staying with us for the EMA and he had a good day too. I don't know how they got on in Bala.

Lord's Day July 20 2014

Rather late with this but I did enjoy the last of my Sundays out and about during this sabbatical period. This time I was with bona fide Presbyterians down in Ealing. IPC Ealing has its roots in Schaefferism but like many good churches is made up of various strands and is seeking to bear witness where it finds itself. Their building (looks like an old office block from the outside and a temple on the inside) is currently too small for their morning congregation so they meet in Drayton Manor High School, where there must have been 160 or 170 when I visited. They would like to extend their building which comfortably sat the fifty or so along in the evening.

First impressions are of a well heeled white congregation but closer inspection reveals it is a more diverse group. I know some of the people and met others including my son's new next door neighbour at LTS next term. Paul Levy, who I also know, is the pastor. He is currently working through Luke 22 morning and evening (not his usual practice - like most of us he usually looks at different things am and pm). He has a gift with illustrations and was great talking to the children (in the evening service, unusually). They used a projector in the mornings and Praise! in the evening with a guide to the order of service printed out for both. In the morning a flute, a violin and a silver trumpet accompanied the grand piano; just keyboard and flute in the evening. Being Presbyterians there was a bit of audience participation with a corporate confession and at the communion they used real wine in communal cups. They took up a collection am and pm. I also noticed that in the evening some of the chairs were arranged as a choir sideways on to the preacher. It is good to know that the gospel is going out in that part of London.