Two helpful little books recently published

I have recently read two new little books, one from EMW and one from Evangelical Press. They are quite different in style and content but both to be highly commended.

The first is My sunflower girl by Dyfan Williams. I bumped into  Dyfan a year or two back in the seminary on sabbatical. I guess he was working on this then. In 2003 Dyfan and Caroline's daughter Megan died rather suddenly. She was only 10. This book is a reflection on that fact  I guess it does not contain anything I did not know about the Bible's approach to Christian suffering but coming, as it does, from someone who really has suffered in a  way I never have it has a strength that I could never muster if I put pen to paper. There are also some helpful reflections on grief, such as its individuality. I particularly liked the illustration of the ball and three containers of different sizes and how the grief does not change in size but the ability to contain it does.

The second is Paul Helm's new little book on biblical revelation Just words? This is written in a simple philosphical style rather than than the usual well referenced biblical manner and so it comes over more Johannine than Pauline, if I can put it that way. That gives it a simple but profound  character that probably menas that only a second reading will bring out all the arguments it contains. You can get the favour from these two pargraphs from Dr Helm's blog

In this short book we are to consider one important aspect of the ordinariness with which God visits us. God has done things for us and he says things to us. Some of the things he does are to attract attention. But not like Presidents may command our attention, by their residence or their motorcade or the eloquence of their speech or the might of their army or the size of their entourage. In making himself known, God does not lose anything of his glory, but in what he does his glory shows through in surprising ways. And when all his redemptive work is done his glory will be manifest to all. Christ will come in great glory, and all his angels with him.

We learn that in God’s dealings with the human race, matter and manner are intertwined, vitally connected. In this study we are considering God’s book, what we call The Holy Bible. It is a book made up of other books, spanning hundreds of years. This shelf of books itself has a character that is at one with God’s coming down. For what God says in his book and how he says it are seamlessly woven together. The Bible tracks what has happened in human history when God came down.

Some new books

Affinity Study Conference 2017

It was good to be able to be at the theological study conference once again. Some 74 of us gathered at the King's Park Conference Centre in Northampton from lunch last Wednesday to lunch on Friday. 

I was glad to be able to bring along two seminary students currently on placement, who joined two or three other students also along. It was good to have my old friend Alan Davey with us on the road up. We also met several other Welshmen or Wales based souls including Mark Thomas, Guy Davies, Stuart Dainty and Gareth Williams Bala. Also nice to chat with Ian McNaughton and others. Some of us including Chris Thomas, Lucy Beale and Mark Pickett enjoyed a walk around nearby Pitsford Water just when the rain stopped on day 2. Other leisure activities included playing pool - not something I often do. I even managed to win two games!

The format is that six papers are distributed to attendees beforehand and then presented at the conference followed by group and then plenary discussion. This year's subject was The Christian Church: Its Mission in a Post-Christian Culture.

I was put in a group ably led by Hexham based American Joshua Rieger that included Andrew Murray, Mike Plant, Ian Parry and others and David MacKay who presented the last of the six papers given.

The papers took us through the Old and New Testaments, church history (Augustine then the rest of history) and the present day. The best of these papers were David Green on the OT and Paul Helm on Augustine. Sadly, Lee Gatiss's slightly sketchy paper did not arrive until the conference had started for various reasons.
We ended with a plenary session chaired by Stephen Clark, who had played a big part organising the conference. Logistics were in the hand of the ever proficient Assistant Director Matthew Evans. Various men chaired including Affinity Director Graham Nicholls, who also organised a prayer session where we had various reports on Wales, N Ireland, Christian Concern, etc, etc.
I thought the conference lacked a little perhaps in theology (for a theological study conference) and was surprised that we didn't appear to differ on Presbyterian/Independent lines as may ahve been expected. In fact, I would have valued more Presbyterian input (I think). Anyway the next one the year after next will be on worship and I doubt if I will be making the same observations then.

Westminster Conference 2015

So another two days of conference have come and gone. And very good it was too. Apologies that I have not been able to report until now. Anyway, we had six excellent papers and good times of discussion after them too. The last paper is always without discussion.

So we started with Jeremy Walker on Andrew Fuller and his pastoral theology. We mainly discussed pastoral visitation and its benefits and the question of what can be done to train ministerial character.

After lunch, we had the first of two sessions on John Owen. Originally Sinclair Ferguson was to have spoken but instead Crawford Gribben, whose OUP book on Owen comes out soon (John Owen and English Puritanism) spoke on his eschatology, which appears to have undergone some changes over the years - firt thinking Satan was bound, then that he was not. It was good to discuss a subject I don't recall us looking at before.

We closed the day with David Pfeiffer on Owen's doctrine of definite atonement and his preaching of the free offer. A good free flowing debate on the free offer followed, where some differences were discernible.

This first day was one of the best we have had in my memory. Good papers, good discussion. Day two was fine as well but different. We began with an unusual but highly relevant subject for the conference - Erasmus and the Greek Testament. Peter Hallihan gave us a very interesting and illuminating life of Erasmus focusing on his Greek Testament and his Latin translation. A good natured and helpful discussion followed.

The nest paper was different again as Paul Helm guided us through the bulk of Jonathan Edward's Religious affections pointing out its Lockean subtext and its politically nuanced presentation of Christian experience. Again very illuminating.

We closed the conference with an excellent and succinct lecture from Benedict Bird. He gave us seven points on Isaac Watts' life, touching delicately but clearly on his aberrant Trinitarian views and then seven further points summarising his Guide to prayer.

About 120 attended the conference both days the make up being slightly different each day. This included some new attendees and younger men. The sessions were well chaired I thought (I chaired David Pfeiffer's session hence the lack of a live shot above, the session didn't need too much chairing) and over forty must have contributed from the floor. The quality of the contributions was good too I thought.

Some quotations

You are to be a " faithful" servant. Faithfulness is absolutely required of a servant of Christ. You are not required to be successful: your Lord and Master was not very successful: but he was faithful, and so must you be. There is great need of faithfulness. (Andrew Fuller, Works p 408)

Men are busy, and not so far concerned, I am sure, in me, nor (I am almost persuaded) in you, as to trouble themselves with the perusal of what belongs unto us personally. For my part, I know it is my duty in all things, especially in those that are of such near concernment unto his glory as are all his truths and worship, to commend my conscience unto God, and to be conversant in them in simplicity and godly sincerity, and not in fleshly wisdom, not corrupting the word of truth, nor lying in wait with any subtle sleights to deceive. And this, through his grace, I shall attend unto, whatever reward I may meet withal in this world; for "I know in whom I have believed, who is able to keep that which I desire to commit unto him." (John Owen, end of Fiat Lux)

“Consider the infinite condescension and love of Christ, in his invitations and calls of you to come unto him for life, deliverance, mercy, grace, peace and eternal salvation. Multitudes of these invitations and calls are recorded in Scripture… In the declaration and preaching of them, Jesus Christ yet stands before sinners, calling, inviting, encouraging them to come unto him.

This is somewhat of the word which he now speaks to you: Why will ye die? Why will ye perish? Why will ye not have compassion on your own souls? Can your hearts endure, or can your hands be strong, in the day of wrath that is approaching? ... Look unto me, and be saved; come unto me, and I will ease you of all sins, sorrows, fears, burdens, and give rest unto your souls … eternity lies at the door…do not so hate me than you will rather perish than accept deliverance by me.

These and the like doth the Lord Christ continually declare, proclaim, plead and urge upon the souls of sinners…He doth it in the preaching of the word, as if he were present with you, stood amongst you, and spake personally to every one of you…” (John Owen in “Meditations and Discourses Concerning the Glory of Christ and Applied unto Unconverted Sinners and Saints under Spiritual Decays” in Works Vol 1, p 422)

Let us pray then, that when God has prepared our heart for worship, he would also teach our tongue to answer the thoughts and desires of the heart and to express them in words suitable and answering to all our inward spiritual feelings. A fitting variety of expression, and holy oratory prayer, is one of these good and perfect gifts that come from above, from God, the Father of lights and Knowledge. (Isaac Watts, Guide to Prayer, p 75)

Flavel Redivivus?

https://digitalpuritan.net/john-flavel/

I've been a bit slow with this but if you follow this link there is a very kind review of the new book at Helm's Deep. Thank you so much Paul.

See here

It begins (excuse my lack of modesty in reproducing this, the professor is obviously being very generous)

"Gary Brady is a present-day John Flavel. Like Flavel the Puritan, a minister in Dartmouth, Gary has been the pastor of an urban church for many years, and as Flavel became used to the ups and downs of such a life so no doubt has Gary. He has been pastor of Childs Hill Baptist Church in north west London since 1983. And like Flavel he is a considerable author, with five books already, and now a sixth, Candle in the Wind – Understanding Conscience in the Light of God’s Word. (EP Books, 2014, 242 pages). This post is by way of a modest celebration of it, and of Gary’s gifts as an author on this great but neglected topic. ..."

Westminster Conference Programme 2015

The programme for the Westminster Conference this year is as follows (you may need to click to enlarge the PNGs):

Affinity 2013 Paper 5

War and New Testament Ethics

Prof Paul Helm Teaching Fellow, Regent College, Canada

 

Introduction

I have been invited to say something about how Scripture is to be interpreted in respect of war, and especially aspects of warfare that are not new, but have come to prominence in our current situation, particularly torture and the various terms, perhaps in some cases euphemistic terms, that are used for it. We shall come to that, but not before we say something about what I shall offer as a framework for interpretation, a variant of the Reformers’ doctrine of the two kingdoms. And then, secondly, to look at how the Apostolic writings view moral reasoning and some peculiarities of our present political situation. It is not my intention, nor is it my brief, to offer a set of first-­order rules to guide conduct under the matters to be discussed, but rather to look at the methods and approaches that Christians who take the authority of the Bible seriously ought to adopt.

The Doctrine of the Two Kingdoms (Scripture)

The Two Kingdoms (Luther and Calvin)

 

The Two Kingdoms and Waging of War

 
The Two Kingdoms and the Lordship of Christ
 

Differences Between our Situation and that of the Reformers

 

New Testament Data about Military Service and War (The lack of it)
 
Reasoning About Morality, According to the New Testament
 
A Case Study–Torture (Looking at Grudem, Mohler, etc)
 

Conclusion

I have attempted to argue that in important respects New Testament ethics for Christians is different from Old Testament ethics for Israelites. Its governing question is not‘What commands or rules should we obey or follow?’but‘What sort of people ought we to be?’The centre of gravity of New Testament ethics lies in virtue, gift, grace, just as regeneration issues in a new“man”,a new person, a new nature. The ethics is from the inside out. I also suggest that such an ethic is congruent with the internationalising of the people of God in the New Testament era. Congregations of Christians may well find themselves in a wide variety of circumstances which call for different applications or emphases of the virtues of the Spirit. Christians in a time of just war may be called to act differently from when their country is engaged in what is widely regarded as an unjust war, or during a time of peace. In a similar way a Christians congregation which is socially deprived and low in attainment will need to have certain emphases made in the character of their Christian graces, while another which is affluent and fairly insulated will need others. Or, to bring this Conclusion nearer to what we have just been discussing, congregations in garrison towns may be under different pressures from run of the mill‘civilian’local churches. Finally, recognising the legitimacy of such differences among churches is one way in which Christian liberty and diversity may legitimately be expressed.

 

Questions

1) Is an evangelical church that held to conscientious objection/pacifism consistent with the New Testament?

2) Given the absence of teaching about war and peace, bearing arms etc. in the NT, are views about such matters simply a matter of Christian freedom?

3) Could a Christian consistently have a career as a spy, in MI6 say?

4) Is the decision to torture prisoners for a possible greater good just one more of the many hard choices that Christians may face, or is it in some way ‘special’?

5) ‘It is difficult to exaggerate the difference between OT Israel and the NT church on the question of the connection between the commands of God and waging war’. How fair is this?

6) ‘Christian churches which disavow the establishment principle are often as captive to the culture as an established church’. How far would you agree?

7) ‘The NT endorses/connives at slavery but is silent about issues of war and peace’. Is this true? If so, what is the significance of this?

8) Should churches pray corporately for e.g. the solution of the ‘Middle East crisis’? Is there NT warrant for this?

9) ‘The armed forces, the police and the prison service – they’re all in the same boat together’. Is this fair? If not, why not?

10)What bearing, if any, does 1 Cor 5:10 (‘then you would need to go out of the world’) have on whether a Christian should take up a career in the armed force?

Helm at the Piper

Damaged Piper

Tending to be a bit fuzzy myself (more or  less, as it were) I like clear thinking. Try this here for some clarity.

Helm on Owen on the Trinity

It was good to be at the Evangelical Library this week for the first lunch time meeting in the new building. The single figure turn out was a little disappointing but it was good to be there.

Professor Paul Helm gave a fascinating introduction to a forgotten little work by John Owen called A brief declaration and vindication of the doctrine of the Trinity (it is in Volume 2 of the Works and can be found here). It actually goes on to deal with Christ's person and satisfaction but we just looked at the first part.
It was first published in 1668/9. At this time Owen was living in Stoke Newington and serving an affluent dissenting congregation. His death in 1683 was some 16 years away.
Owen's concern in this work written for a popular audience is to steer a course between the anti-rationalism of the Quakers and others and the rationalism of the Socinians and Cambridge Platonists (such as Chillingworth, whose statement about the Bible alone being the religion of Protestants is often misunderstood). Owen was, as Dr Helm put it, walking a tightrope. Puritanism was already being swept away by a Unitarian Anglicanism that would grow and grow and greatly infect nonconformity too. The Trinity today is often forgotten and marginalised and Owen's work is a good antidote.
Owen begins by establishing the doctrine from Scripture. It is not a model, as some are fond of putting it today, but what the Bible actually teaches. There is no ambiguity. It is clearly taught there. Owen insists on that. He is clear that God is one and that the Father is God. Further, more contentiously, Jesus Christ is God, the eternal Son of God. He establishes this from Old and New Testaments. Fourthly, he demonstrates the deity of the Spirit and, finally, that the three are one though distinct. He concludes

that there is nothing more fully expressed in the Scripture than this sacred truth, that there is one God, Father, Son, and Holy Ghost; which are divine, distinct, intelligent, voluntary, omnipotent principles of operation and working: which whosoever thinks himself obliged to believe the Scripture must believe.

He then moves onto the question of what we do when the doctrine is assaulted. He reminds us that in the history of the church terms have been used to defend the doctrine – the doctrine not the mystery. Owen argues that we may and must make use of such terms as are available even though not found in Scripture. He says

to deny the liberty, yea, the necessity hereof, is to deny all interpretation of the Scripture, - all endeavours to express the sense of the words of it unto the understandings of one another; which is, in a word, to render the Scripture itself altogether useless. For if it be unlawful for me to speak or write what I conceive to be the sense of the words of the Scripture, and the nature of the thing signified and expressed by them, it is unlawful for me, also, to think or conceive in my mind what is the sense of the words or nature of the things; which to say, is to make brutes of ourselves, and to frustrate the whole design of God in giving unto us the great privilege of his word.

Wherefore, in the declaration of the doctrine of the Trinity, we may lawfully, nay, we must necessarily, make use of other words, phrases, and expressions, than what are literally and syllabically contained in the Scripture, but teach no other things.
He then goes further than this and asserts that if a biblical truth is accurately expressed in non-biblical language then that truth is also valid.

Whatever is so revealed in the Scripture is no less true and divine as to whatever necessarily follows thereon, than it is as unto that which is principally revealed and directly expressed. For how far soever the lines be drawn and extended, from truth nothing can follow and ensue but what is true also; and that in the same kind of truth with that which it is derived and deduced from. For if the principal assertion be a truth of divine revelation, so is also whatever is included therein, and which may be rightly from thence collected (ie deduced).

He concludes then that as the Bible reveals Father, Son and Spirit to be one God then they must be

one in essence (wherein alone it is possible they can be one), and three in their distinct subsistences (wherein alone it is possible they can be three), - this is no less of divine revelation than the first principle from whence these things follow.

The claim is not to inspiration but to having the truth.
It is a way of thinking that some modern evangelicals would be uncomfortable with. The fear is that Owen has opened the door to rationalism. However, he is clear that man's mind is far from being the measure of all things. He carefully maintains the Creator/creature distinction and warns against mere carnal reasoning. Nevertheless, the finite can understand the infinite at least in part. If the doctrine of the Trinity seems unreasonable to some it is because it is contrary to carnal reason.
A useful discussion followed. The Bible alone position is still attractive to many good people today who do not see the danger in that simplistic approach.
A further lunch time meeting (on Lloyd-Jones and his prefaces by yours truly) is set for 1 pm on Monday, May 17. Before then we have our opening, which is on Saturday April 17 at 3 pm. Do come and join us.

Helm on Owen

Just a reminder that Paul Helm is speaking on John Owen at lunch time on Monday in the new Evangelical Library. Starts 1 pm. More here.

Calvin Link

This is quite an old interview but I came across it today and notice it has been republished in The Briefing and can be seen here.

Affinity 04

With our fourth paper we turned to the use of the Mosaic Law in society today, which Paul Helm tackled with Stephen Clark chairing.I hope my abbreviated notes make sense.
Professor Helm summarised his paper thus:
1. Preliminary observations. This comes from the perspective of a principled pluralist (unlike Rutherford, Calvin, etc). The problem is what is the glue that keeps society together? It cannot be Scripture. So we look to natural law. However, the problem is that the phrase is ambiguous. The approach is a bottom up one – a posteriori. It is confined to the second great commandment
2. Biblical survey. Before the law was given there was no law but there were norms. Sin but not transgression. What are these norms – things that shame the patriarchs. They recognise the fear of God – remnants of a sense of obligation. Genesis is partly organised in this way. These norms figure largely in its structure. The book of deceptions would be a good name. Part of the plot is how these deceptions are perpetrated and dealt with. Motive is not an issue here. See David van Drunen. Mosaic law is not a novelty but a codifying of norms found in the early chapters of Genesis. Though not the only fulcrum, the early chapters of Genesis define natural law. The Reformers were happy to use the language of natural law – original, universal, not secular, not pristine.
Application to the contemporary world. Very difficult to do. Eg shelter, food, children, etc. Constraints on behaviour. Yet spoiled. Some cultures are morally superior to others.
4. Connectedness or disconnectedness of morality and law.
5. Oscillation in society. After extremes, norms kick in.
Questions of clarification
1. Romans 1 and oscillation
2. What about the first table? Much more difficult. Also creates problems.
3. Practical outworking. Points of contact. Our society not secular but showing vestiges of the image of God.
4. Why is PP a good thing? See the previous but one Affinity conference. Christ is King of kings? Now and not yet.
5. More on pendulum mechanics – how do the norms kick in? Sometimes by revival but sometimes it just becomes intolerable.
Further plenary questions
After the small groups we reconvened and asked
1. The difference between natural law and common grace.?Kuyper and Bavinck moved away from Calvin and natural law to common grace under the influence of 19th Century views. Two ways of looking at the same thing.
2. Self-evidence? Not an unphilosophical term though there may be differences on the matter. Gut feelings. An appeal to conscience very similar.
3. Paul Robert's painting in Geneva with justice pointing to the Law of God. How can principled pluralism be right? Do we want to deal with Servetus as Calvin did? Th impact of the Constantinian settlement was raise and Dr Helm spoke as a good Baptist on it.
4. Really a matter of approach to winning society.
5. Importance of Romans 13.
6. Is self-evidence the same as democracy? Politics - tactics, etc. In moral argument there has to be a stopping point. Otherwise utilitarianism rules. Here is where we can take a stand eg on abominations.
7. NT impact
8. Abimelech and the fear of God
9. I asked him about Paul's references to long hair and homosexuality being unnatural.
10. The great commission is primary not the cultural mandate? For ministers yes but what about Shaftesbury, Wilberforce, etc? But the call as a church.

Affinity Conference

The book of papers for the Affinity Conference early in February on the end of the law has arrived. It currently lacks Paper 4: The use of the Mosaic Law in the New Testament church by Chris Bennett Wilton Community Church, Muswell Hill. The other papers

Paper 1: The concept of Covenant in the history of theology

Bob Letham Wales Evangelical School of Theology (WEST), Bridgend
Paper 2: The validity of the three-fold division of the Mosaic Law in Scripture

Iain D Campbell Back Free Church, Isle of Lewis
Paper 3: One Covenant or two – the relationship between the Old and the New

Douglas Moo Wheaton College, Illinois
Paper 5: The use of the Mosaic Law in society today

Paul Helm Regent College, Vancouver and London University
Paper 6: Where do we go from here?

Michael Horton Westminster Seminary, California

I've only just started on the papers so I can't comment yet but I am looking forward to reading them and the discussion at the conference. Douglas Moo and Michael Horton are names I know well but have rarely had opportunity to hear. The Affinity website is here.

John Owen Centre Conference Day 02

It was good to hear the final three papers today at the John Owen Centre.

In a most interesting and thought provoking paper Dr Stephen Lloyd of Biblical Creation Ministries looked first at The New Testament and Creation focusing chiefly on agony and death but also on the flood and, very briefly, Adam, and pointing out the difficulties with the "bad stewarding view" that sees the groaning of creation not as death and the other effects of the fall (these being something that was part of the original creation) but the general malaise upon the world caused by sin.

Equally interesting though largely cautionary and negative was Professor Helm's paper, raising questions regarding the intelligent design argument and its prosecution. See here for the fine paper more or less as given. I particularly liked this
Apologetics, the business of offering apologiae for the Christian faith or for some part of it is, presumably, a part of the missionary and evangelistic calling of the Church. That strategy is set by the Great Commission. It is (where the words are understood in a comprehensive sense), 'the preaching of the Gospel'. The New Testament also indicates the manner of such preaching: 'I am among you as the one who serves', (Lk 22.27); 'The servant is not greater than his master', (Jn 13. 16); 'I was with you in weakness and fear and much trembling', 'Not in plausible words of wisdom....' (I Cor 1.3-4 ); ' 'For what we preach is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, with ourselves as your servants for Jesus' sake' (2 Cor. 4.5); 'To the Jews became I as a Jew, in order to win Jews' (I Cor. 9.20). The New Testament is full of such expressions. The Church fulfils her mandate when her preachers preach Christ, in the manner in which Christ should be preached. Matter and manner together. That, in a nutshell, is the strategy.There is not, as part of that strategy, something in addition, a revealed apologetic system. I’d say, there is no more a revealed apologetic system than there is a revealed way of heating church buildings. But there is a revealed Gospel and a revealed way of spreading it. This way of spreading it is, naturally enough, often given to us in Scripture in the form of examples.If the preaching of Christ in the manner in which Christ ought to be preached is the Church's strategy, what, then, are the tactics? I’d say Apologiae, defences, is one type of tactic. In the case of tactics, there are no separate ends, but the means, the apologetic tactics, are justified by the ends. This, surely, is clear enough. Paul preaches, delivering his apologia for the Gospel, differently in Lystra and Athens than in Antioch and Thessalonica. So what is Paul doing? What are his tactics? They differ from place to place.

Finally the bow-tied Dr Jason Rampelt of The Faraday Institute for Science and Religion addressed the subject of Authority: Bible and Science. Though very engaging and thoughtful the underlying assumptions which appeared to give more ground to the unbelieving scientist than is warranted left the more conservative members of the audience much more concerned than they were with Professor Helm's negativism. If you examine the Faraday site as against the BCM one you might gather how much more favourable to theistic evolution the former is. It was nevertheless good to hear what Dr Rampelt had to say.

JOC Conference

Guy was just ahead of me - so I'll nick his page to remind you of this upcoming conference. (If anyone is into redaction criticism this good be a good place to start).

It's a two day conference at the John Owen Centre and the programme is as follows:

Monday 15th September

Interpreting Genesis 1 & 2 - Dr. John Currid

Genesis 1 & 2 - the History of Interpretation - Dr. Robert Letham

Genesis 1 & 2 - a Scientist’s Perspective - Prof. Stuart Burgess

7.45 pm The Martyn Lloyd-Jones Memorial Lecture:

The Gospel and Creation - the significance of a theology of creation for preaching - Rev. Philip Eveson. This lecture will be held in Kensit Evangelical Church and is open to everyone.

Tuesday 16th September

The New Testament and Creation - Dr. Stephen Lloyd

Design Arguments - stepping stones or stumbling blocks? - Prof. Paul Helm (*)

Authority: the Bible and science - Dr. Jason Rampelt

Looks very interesting. More info here.

* Prof Helm's paper is available in draft form here

Lunch Time Lecture

This is a reminder of the lunch-time lecture on March 10th at Evangelical Library from Professor Helm on Jim Packer's Fundamentalism and the Word of God. Do come along if you can.

Lunch Time Lectures

EVANGELICAL LIBRARY

March/April Meetings.
(2008)

March 10th
Professor Paul Helm - "Fundamentalism and the Word of God- J. I. Packer's book."

April 14th
Gary Brady - Richard Baxter's "Call to the unconverted"

May 19th
Christopher Idle - John Stott's "Basic Christianity".

Each meeting will commence at 12.30 pm and last approximately 50 minutes.

There will be some time allowed for questions and discussion.
All members and friends are welcome.

Sorry-no refreshments provided.

No Easy Task

I was at the first lunch time lecture of the year at the Evangelical Library today (in fact I was chairing). It was gratifying to be among over 30 people who had gathered to hear trustee Professor Paul Helm speak on the subject No easy task - Charles Hodge and Theology. Focusing on the first 17 pages of Hodge's Systematic Theology (see here for an online edition of Hodge) Dr Helm sought to do two things. Firstly, to defend Hodge against accusations of naivete and a perceived over-emphasis on propositions and secondly to stress the importnace of his material for today.
1. Professor Helm accused some modern scholars of failing to read Hodge properly and spoke of a veritable 'Hodge derision' industry. Kevin Van Hoozer was one cited by name. Hodge certainly believed in the inductive method of approaching Scripture - taking the data of Scripture and using the human mind to draw conclusions but people today often throw their hands up in horror at such a method.
Hodge in fact was not naive but recognised the difficulties in his task. (He himself uses the phrase 'no easy task').

Of course, the Bible is not a higgledy-piggledy collection of facts that can be arranged as suits the individual. Even in Scripture there is evidence of systematisation and order (not only in Paul but in John and perhaps in other places too). The bible's own self-interprettion is a help for those who would systematise.
He speaks too of dogmatic and speculative difficulties that we bring to Scripture when we either come to it with our minds already made up about things or fall into mysticism, on one hand, or philosophising on the other.
2. Professor Helm's plea then was for a reaffirmation of the fact that the Bible is objectively true. Though for sociological purposes the government and others may consider evangelicals to be a sect we are in fact people who stand on the objective truth of Scripture. It is a mistake to think that if a thing is objectively true it must be provable. Some things are not of that nature. We need to remember the Reformation view that 'councils have erred' and recognise our own fallibility without surrendering the idea that Scripture itself is infallible and inerrant. We are always 'on the way' as Hodge recognised but we do have the truth.
In his closing remarks Dr Helm urged us to check out what peole really say and not rely too much on secondary sources. When we find a scholar misrepresenting his source we should ask where he is really getting his ideas from. We need to recognise that in Scripture we find truth not just opinions. We must be determined to make a disciplined study of it.
A helpful brief time of discussion followed. It was nice to meet old friends and others including a young American man studying in Brighton present with his wife and baby son. There is another lecture on Feb 26 at the Library when Mostyn Roberts will be looking at Francis Schaeffer.

Professor Helm's blog Evangelical Library