Great God of Wonders 2

Day 2 is a full day here in Northampton. We have papers 2, 3 and 4. We began with Robert Letham on Faith and reason: reflections on belief in God  which dealt with the various so called proofs for God and raised the question of whether that will help a person to know God. Again, we had a good discussion on this.

The second paper was from Tom Brand. Entitled The God of unchanging glory: from Nicaea to Hegel and back it was a good look at the matter of the impassibility of God. Again good discussion followed. It is great to be here and to enjoy the fellowship.

And another five books

 

I like the idea of noting my reading five books at a time. So here goes again. I think I've mentioned Breeze from heaven by Eryl Davies, which is really worth reading if you are Welsh. It tries to give some idea of the blessing there has been on several churches since the forties. Inevitably it is selective and some of the omissions seem glaring to me but in its effort to inform, to invite biblical thinking and to inspire prayer, it is excellent. I also mentioned the two books on the Lord's Supper before, so need to say no more there. (They are by Robert Letham and Michael Haykin). The one on fake history (which I read on kindle) by Otto English is a debunking exercise, attacking some of the ways history is related in quite a romantic and inaccurate way. Most of it I was familiar with (ancient people didn't think the earth was flat, Abraham Lincoln was not all he is cracked up to be by some, Hitler's artistic skills, the story of curry - although I had some of that worng, etc). Great story telling. I have now started on his second similar volume. I also bought and read Misconceptions a similar but shorter book by Tim Rayborn unveiling misconceptions such as some found in English's book and lots of others. I will do some ten lists from it soon. (I bought that last book from a shop in Golders Green. I had complained to the owner about a prominently displayed item with a swear word on it and he had reacted positively and so I wanted to buy something.)

Two Books on the Lord's Supper

Up at the Pastors Academy recently for the reading group. The main book this time was a beautifully presented volume of reflections on Baptist sacramental church history by Michael Haykin Amidst us our beloved stands. This was supplemented by a brief work on similar subjects from Robert Letham covering the same ground and other matters. Both books take the Calvinist view so popular at present and oppose the so-called  Zwinglian memorialist view. The books strengthened me in my Zwinglian convictions (if that's what they are) despite themselves. About a dozen of us met to discuss the subjects raised in the books and athough most appeared to be Calvinist many of Letham's statements, such as those on John 6, were questioned. A good time.

10 Loci of Systematic Theology

1. Prologomena
2. Theology proper – The study of the character of God
3. (Theological) anthropology – The study of the nature of humanity.
4. Angelology – The study of angels
5. Christology – The study of Christ
6. Pneumatology – The study of the Holy Spirit
7. Soteriology – The study of salvation
8. Hamartiology – The study of sin
9. Ecclesiology – The study of the church
10. Eschatology – The study of the end times

Affinity Study Conference 2019 Day 2

Thursday was the main day of the conference. Three papers were given by Robert Letham, Graham Beynon and Ray Evans.
Bob Letham spoke provocatively on aesthetics, focusing on praying and singing and Graham Beynon took us on a very quick tour of Christian writings on the affections ending, obviously, with Jonathan Edwards. Ray Evanss, in typical style looked at where we are at today.
All three papers were very helpful.
Example quotes

Letham:
In the church, Calvin says, voice and song must spring from the heart or it has no value or profit with God. He strongly commended it. It exercises the mind and heart and keeps us attentive. The tongue was designed for this. Music was created to proclaim the praises of God, mainly through the assembly of believers.88 Singing was an ancient practice going back to the apostles. In it the godly mutually edify one another. Singing, with gravity, lends dignity and praise, kindles our hearts to an eagerness to pray. Our ears should be more attentive to the meaning of the words than to the melody. It is a holy and salutary practice.
Beynon:

Edwards sees a parallel with preaching: God’s word must be preached rather than only read in books because,

…although these may tend as well as preaching to give men a good doctrinal or speculative understanding of the things of the word of God, yet they have not an equal tendency to impress them on men’s hearts and affections.

Evans:
... the church is still the church when we are living for God on Monday – it is the church scattered, not gathered. Without getting into the debate whether “worship” is a “Sunday meeting thing” or an
“everything we do” thing (the one tends to devalue the rest of the week, the other the actual gathering for “vertical” worship on Sundays), it seems to me that it is a both/and not an either/or thing. We leave church worship to go into a time of worship – living for God’s honour during the rest of the week in all that we do.

Carey Conference 2019 Day 3

There were just two sessions on the final day of the conference. Firstly, Dr Letham gave his third and final paper on the Trinity. This time on The Trinity, redemption, and worship. Neither of these second papers quite lived up to the first, I fear. This may simply be because we had half an hour extra for that first session and so plenty of time for discussion. It was all very good, however, and worth hunting down in recorded form. The same may be said of his book on the Trinity which is being revised and reprinted soon, and perhaps of the forthcoming 800 page Systematic Theology that Crossway are producing this year.

The final paper was from Jonathan Bayes on the subject of Zeal for God's glory. This took us through the many passages that deal with God's glory with the hope that it would stir us up to zeal. Perhaps this was not the best way to do that and if we had stuck with one epitomising text it may have been easier. The final day of a conference is never easy as people are tired and already in danger of overload.

Highlights remain then the first message on the Trinity, the message on holiness and the paper on Dort. We plan to meet again January 7-9, 2020. Once again the format and those present have been refreshing. A big thank you to organisers and speakers.

Carey Conference 2019 Day 2 Sessions 2-4

Robert Strivens, Jonathan Worsley, Bob Letham, Bill James

Bob Letham

Henry Dixon

We had three more sessions on Day 2 of the Carey, a further paper from Bob Letham on the Trinity, a Q and A session and a final paper on the Holy Spirit and prayer from Henry Dixon. As with the first session, our womenfolk left us for session son Proverbs by Ann Benton.

Bob spoke this time on The trinity, creation, and the world around us and although this is more difficult ground to cover he was again very helpful. Henry spoke first of how difficult prayer can be then of how the Spirit helps us and finally on the fact he prays for us. He spent most time on the second point suggesting ways in which the Spirit helps - giving power over sin, giving spiritual life, leading us, directing us into God's love and giving fervency of speech. Some of this, as Henry suspected, is controversial but widely held among even cessationist theologians. The question session was lively and far reaching and one of the best such sessions I have been involved in. Besides matters connected with the Trinity we got on to infant salvation, the authorship of Hebrews and fencing the table, etc. A good day, I also managed a trip to the nearby Denbyware factory shop in the afternoon with my son and his family. Haven't been there in ages.

Carey Ministers Conference 2019 Day 1

Bob Letham

David Campbell

It is good to be at the Carey in Swanwick once again. Numbers seem to be good (about a hundred or so?) and as always there is a good spirit.

The meetings began yesterday with three sessions from three different men. I missed the first session with Jonathan Worsley from Kew on worship, which looked helpful. We then had a session on the Trinity (the first of three) with Dr Bob Letham. This one "From biblical foundations to orthodox doctrine". It was an excellent clear introduction on a topic that we need to keep coming back to. We recited the Nicene Creed together. 

The highlight of the day perhaps was David Campbell on the beauty of holiness who took us to the Lord Jesus Christ, the holy servant of God and made us long to be holy like him. It was an excellent session.

He noted how after the death of the saintly Robert Murray McCheyne, a letter addressed to him, which he had not shown to anyone, was found responding to the last sermon he preacched in Broughty Ferry, Dundee. The anonymous writer testified that McCheyne had been the means of leading him to Christ, and concluded, ‘It was nothing you said that made me wish to be a Christian; it was rather the beauty of holiness which I saw in your face!’” So challenging.

Affinity Study Conference 2

Our next two sessions looked at union with Christ historically. Bob Letham of WEST presented a paper on Calvin and John Fesko of Westminster Theological Seminary in California on the communion controversy, where one William Sherlock replied to Owen on communion with God. The chairmen were Kevin Bidwell and Mike Plant. We had a good discussion session touching on our understanding of the Lord's Supper, the Song of Solomon and various other matters. We appear to be agreed on things in general but the opportunity to sharpen up our understandings is proving useful. Sorry not to give more background but each paper is long and fairly detailed. The papers will be published in due time I understand.

Studies on the Trinity

[Key: Tim L, Tim D, Moi, Steffan, Michael, Robert

Gideon, Peter Prof Letham, Robert]

When I reflect on the fact that the lines have fallen to me in pleasant places, I often think of the providence of having come to study at the LTS and then having been called to a church near to LTS and the John Owen Centre and the advantages that brings. (Proximity means that despite a heavy schedule I have still been able to be at our midweek meeting and members meeting, do some door to door and make a pastoral visit and see my family).

I have been aware of that again this week, having audited the course on the Holy Trinity, given by Robert Letham. I think I have had a number of opportunities, including the opportunity to

1. Think through a major Christian doctrine (The Trinity)

2. Read a big theological book sat on my shelves unread (Letham on the Holy Trinity)

3. Spend time learning from one of the leading theologians in our Reformed community and see them close up (Robert Letham)

4. Remember the world of scholarship where so much goes on that has relevance to my ministry

5. Learn of various scholarly books produced in recent years that I might have missed otherwise

6. Have fellowship and interaction with fellow ministers, some of whom I had not met before

7. Investigate the rather neglected world of patristics, which I am hoping I will revisit  (I have now downloaded the ante-, post- and Nicene Fathers works for e-sword)

8. Read some Owen and Barth

9. Investigate the book Basil on the Trinity, a book I didn't really know existed beforehand

10. Take advantage of the LTS Library and a nice second hand book sale organised by the administrator Nigel Redford

Doctor Robert

I post this Beatles video chiefly to salute my good friend and fellow elder Robert Strivens who receives his doctorate this week. I am also planning to be listening to another Dr Robert (Letham) this week at the John Owen Centre, who I hope will be helping me to understand the Trinity. Typical of sixties rock I guess the original song is all about drugs really but it is a very pleasant pop song, nevertheless.

Westminster Conference 2011 Day 1

We are at a new venue for the Westminster Conference this year. The Salvation Army Hall on Oxford Street is centrally located and well kept, light and airy. We had a little problem with acoustics but nothing that could not be overcome. Numbers were a little disappointing as we did not reach the hundred mark this time. We had good papers though and decent discussion.

1. Bob Letham on Christian Liberty and the Westminster Confession.

Bob began by pointing out two major factors influencing the Westminster Confession's statements regarding Christian liberty - the repression in the archepiscopate of William Laud and antinomianism. he also confessed that there is not much regarding Chapter 20 in the extant minutes except for the fourth and final section where Independents questioned the role of the magistrate. The location of the chapter is significant, coming as it does after the chapter on the law and before that on worship.

He then worked through the four sections under the headings - the basis, heart, boundaries and defence of Christian liberty, finishing with a section on the practice of Christian liberty and considering the Assembly debates on the logistics of The Lord's Supper, days of thanksgiving, etc. 

2. Knox Hyndman on the covenanters

He began by explaining how after the Reformation Scotland uniquely entered into covenant with God as a nation on the Old Testament model of Israel in 1581 and 1638, not forgetting the Solemn League and Covenant with England in 1643. Under four headings he outlined covenanter principles and practice, the demands of absolutism that led them in the direction they went, the Restoration period in particular when a third of the clergy were ejected and the legitimacy of revolution. They eventually split on  protester, resolutioner lines (differing over how much power should be given to the King in the ordering of church affairs) but were all disappointed in part with the settlement of 1689.

3. Stephen Rees on Obadiah Holmes

We reported on Stephen's paper on this man at the assembly some time ago. This fresh paper illuminated the subject well. It was especially helpful to have the differences between the Plymouth and Massachusetts colonies explained in detail.

So a good day on subjects increasingly relevant to us today.

Westminster Prog 2011 Day 1

These are the details for the first day of the Westminster Conference in December.

Double click the pic if you need it enlarged.

Affinity 01

I set off to the Affinity conference in High Leigh this morning and met Mark Johnston (Grove) and his assistant Simon Arscott en route. There are about 140 of us here including LTS students coming in on a daily basis. We began rightly with an examination of the concept of covenant in the history of theology. Dr Robert Letham (WEST) had prepared the paper; Robert Strivens (LTS) chaired.

Brief outline of the paper
1. Preliminary considerations
Covenant in the Bible; Covenant theology: a problem of definition
2. From the Apostles to Augustine
Covenant and redemptive history; Covenant and soteriology
3. Mediaeval Europe
Covenant and politics: mediaeval constitutional theory; Emergence of social contract theory;
The King and the rule of law; Soteriological perspective again
4. Covenant theology in the classic reformed period
Covenant of grace; Classic statement Westminster
Under law Under gospel
Covenant of works/life
Arguments against Rationale
Covenant and law; Covenant and politics; Covenant of redemption?
Extras
In addition to his paper Dr L called attention to the idea of progress in theology, warning of the danger of reading ideas back into history. He also spoke of the differences among Reformed theologians over the place of the Mosaic covenant in relation to the Abrahamic covenant. The majority with Calvin wrote of one covenant with different administrations. Generally the Puritans taught that Sinai was never intended to be a means of grace. As for the covenant of redemption, the idea is post Westminster standards beginning with Owen and others. It was intended to buttress the doctrine of penal substitution. Covenant and union with Christ are very important. However, for Dr Letham the notion as normally propounded undermines its own case by threatening classic Trinitarian doctrine. Owen was aware of this. Dr Letham seemed happier with John Brown, Dick, Kuyper, Hoeksema (Council of peace) – the Trinity in covenant with the Second Adam.
He closed with an amusing but slightly irrelevant reading from "Percy takes the plunge" by Rev W Awdry (sic)
Questions for clarification
These were with regard to one will in God. (Gethsemane is best understood as being an alignment of Christ's human and divine wills. Certainly God has one will and great care needs to be taken in the matter of the covenant of redemption. It was confirmed that Owen took the minority view that Sinai was a republication of the covenant of grace. The objection to the covenant of redemption was reiterated. It is like a business meeting, the Holy Spirit sending his apologies.
Small groups
We then adjourned to small groups for half an hour to consider five questions including
1. Mosaic covenant radically different from Abrahamic? After fall two different covenants or always only one covenant of grace?
We felt the second was development of the first.
2. Arguments for and against the pre-fall covenant of creation/nature/works/life? Are arguments against the priority of law valid? Not sure.
3. Should we abandon the idea of an eternal covenant? No.
We made little progress with these difficult questions despite some able contributors in our group.
Plenary questions
These didn't get us very much further. Dr Letham summed up recommending Last Things First: Unlocking Genesis 1-3 with the Christ of Eschatology by John V Fesko. He saw the covenant of works as logically deducible, opposing a solo scriptura approach (something evidenced in our small group). The covenant of redemption needs care in how it is formulated. The view has no confessional support.

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 01

It was good to be one of around 150 present at the John Owen Centre, Finchley, to hear this year's Dr Lloyd-Jones memorial lecture by Philip Eveson on Gospel and Creation - the significance of a theology of creation for preaching. A very full paper, it considered what a theology of creation should include (making some 12 points including the fact that there can only be one universe, that creation is the work of the triune God, who is also a relational God and insisting on the distinction between Creator and creation, creation and providence); the message of the gospel; the centrality of Christ and the significance of all this for preaching. Relying heavily on the work of Herman Bavinck, both creation and the gospel were expounded and asserted in the face of Muslim, Hindu, atheist and other deviant views to the contrary. It closed with an alliterative admonition to adore our Maker, appreciate his creation, understand the ache or groan that we presently know, anticipate the new creation and being active in making the message known.

The lecture came at the end of a busy first day of lectures and discussion under the title of Creation, the Bible and Science. About a hundred, mostly men and most of them ministers, had listened to three papers. The first was by Dr John Currid from RTS, Charlotte, Virginia, on Interpreting Genesis 1 & 2. This focused almost exclusively on Genesis 1 and was perhaps rather narrow as it simply sought to show that Genesis 1 is not poetry. Other interesting matters were raised in the paper and in discussion, however, and it was good to hear and discuss this paper.

Dr Robert Letham from WEST spoke next. Billed as Genesis 1 & 2 - the History of Interpretation this was inevitably boiled down to a history up until the Westminster Assembly and so did not interact at all with post-Darwin reactions. Indeed we may get through the whole conference saying very little about Darwin or Darwinism. Dr Letham's agenda was to suggest that there has never been much of a consensus on anything beyond the fact that the Bible teaches an ex nihilo creation by the triune God. He made a great deal of the popularity of Augustine's idea of instantaneous creation for hundreds of years.

The third paper of the day was Genesis 1 & 2 - a Scientist’s Perspective. Because Professor Stuart Burgess was the chosen speaker this was really an engineer's perspective. This was the most conservative, the warmest, the easiest and perhaps the most interesting paper of the day. He spoke of God's power, skill and goodness in creation and then spoke briefly in favour of "a young Adam" and a "young earth" and against the possibility of extra-terrestrial forms of life.

The day was a very stimulating one with lots of good questions and good answers and many expressions a genuine desire not to demonise fellow believers, seriously grappling with the biblical text and the scientific data but coming to differing conclusions to our own but within the biblical requirements. As ever, it was good to talk over the meals about these issues and others.

Hopefully tomorrow will be an equally stimulating day.

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

Through Western Eyes

Sorry it's been a bit quiet. I've been busy preparing lectures to give at the EMF School in Welwyn. (More here). I began last Friday with a lecture on Roman Catholicism where we looked at five obvious areas of doctrine where we believe Rome is in error. Next week, before the break it's the JWs and Mormons but this week we are looking at Eastern Orthodoxy. I'm rather less familiar with this and so I've been reading hard on the web and in Robert Letham's latest book Through western eyes. Letham's book is a popular one but he is looking at things from quite theological even academic perspective. He is quite sympathetic and like others who have looked into this (eg Nick Needham) believes there are things to be learned from them. he also usefully removes some of the confusion that exists. He is not blind to the genuine problems, however, and deals with these.

The book is in three parts - history, theology (5 chapters each) and evaluation (2 chapters). The theology section deals with Prayers and icons, Scripture and tradition, Church and sacraments, the Trinity and Salvation.

Letham writes in an attractive style and apart from a tendency to get a little over-excited when bemoaning evangelical failures is quite enjoyable. He provocatively questions whether the right of private interpretation is a Reformaion doctrine.

The book is of special interest to those who want a Reformed perspective on Orthodoxy but is full of interest for anyone who wants to look at subjects like the Trinity from an unusual angle.

Westminster Conference 06 A

About 200 gathered today at the Friends Meeting House near Euston for the Westminster Conference. The opening lecture was on John Owen on the Trinity was given by Robert Letham. An Englishman, Dr Letham has been pastoring in the USA for the last 17 years but has recently taken up an appointment in the Evangelical Theological College of Wales, Bridgend. Author of a recently published and well received IVP book on the Trinity, his lecture was fluent and erudite but included a few light touches to ease us along in what can be a diffiicult subject.
Dr Letham began by listing the works where Owen chiefly deals with the subject, highlighting Communion with God 1657. He then outlined the history of the doctrine chiefly in the western Catholic context, complaining about the way Hodge and others divide their teaching on God's attributes and the Trinity.
He saw Owen's strengths to be his biblical, orthodoxly western and yet, like Lombard and Calvin, partly eastern approach. He puts equal focus on the threeness adn the oneness of God.
There were some criticisms, for example Owen's over-reliance on arguments based on Song of Songs. Appreciation for Owen's use of covenantal theology was tempered too by a suggestion that he neglects the Spirit, probably due to Augustinian influence. (Augustine illustrated the Trinity by seeing the Spirt as the love that binds lover and Beloved).
Chairman Errol Hulse suggested we either discuss reaching Muslims or communion with all three persons. We opted for the latter and one or two helpful things were said.

For a review of Dr Letham's book see

http://www.reformation21.org/Past_Issues/April_2006/Shelf_Life_/Shelf_Life_/166/vobId__2627/