Worse Than the Caricature?

We all know that things in the mainline Protestant churches can get a bit wacky.  In the last few weeks alone, the following items about the Episcopal/Anglican church have appeared in the news.  The Episcopal/Anglican Church has fallen so far that you can't even caricature it any more.

The Seattle Times ran an article on an episcopal priest (Rev. Ann Holmes Redding--the woman on the right in the picture) who has become a Muslim.  In this day, that's not a shock.  The shock is that she is still an episcopal priest who still leads a congregation while worshipping at the local mosque!  Click here: Local News | "I am both Muslim and Christian" | Seattle Times Newspaper.  As the National Review Online put it, "with the benefit of hindsight, it should have been obvious that the first female imam would be an Episcopalian..."

And then there is this interesting news flash.  What do you do when your unmarried priest gets pregnant?  Click here: Unmarried priest quits top job after becoming pregnant | the Daily Mail.  At least she stepped down.

Finally, imagine finding your Bishop drunk, and passed out in the backseat of someone else's Mercedes with a huge bump on his noggin?  Click here: Clergy urge 'drunk' bishop to atone for his sins | the Daily Mail.

But does anyone see a pattern here?  As one wag recently quipped:  "don't try and caricature the Episcopal church!  They'll just do you one better . . ."  

PCA General Assembly Vote on NPP/FV

This just in from White Horse Inn producer and guest blogger Shane Rosenthal--Shane is also a member of the PCA.

On Wednesday, June 13th, the 35th General Assembly of the PCA voted overwhelmingly to approve the recent report on the theology of the Federal Vision and the New Perspective on Paul.  The full report is available here:

http://www.pcaac.org/2007GeneralAssembly/Fed%20%20Vision%20Rept%20%205-11-07.pdf

See also R. Scott Clark's blow by blow report of the GA discussion and vote here:

http://www.oceansideurc.org/the-heidelblog/

Below are the nine summary declarations of the PCA report which was just adopted.  It will be interesting to see what happens next.  Will Federal Vision proponents be brought up on charges, given that their theology has been found to be out of step with the Westminster Standards?  Or will they voluntarily leave the PCA?  "Dark Days lie ahead Harry.  You must choose between that which is right, and that which is easy."  

IV. Declarations  

 

In light of the controversy surrounding the NPP and FV, and after many months of carefulstudy, the committee unanimously makes the following declarations: 

1. The view that rejects the bi-covenantal structure of Scripture as represented in the Westminster Standards (i.e., views which do not merely take issue with the terminology, but the essence of the first/second covenant framework) is contrary to those Standards. 

2. The view that an individual is “elect” by virtue of his membership in the visible church; and that this “election” includes justification, adoption and sanctification; but that this individual could lose his “election” if he forsakes the visible church, is contrary to the Westminster Standards. 

3. The view that Christ does not stand as a representative head whose perfect obedience and satisfaction is imputed to individuals who believe in him is contrary to the Westminster Standards. 

4. The view that strikes the language of “merit” from our theological vocabulary so that the claim is made that Christ’s merits are not imputed to his people is contrary to the Westminster Standards. 

5. The view that “union with Christ” renders imputation redundant because it subsumes all of Christ’s benefits (including justification) under this doctrinal heading is contrary to the Westminster Standards.  

6. The view that water baptism effects a “covenantal union” with Christ through which each baptized person receives the saving benefits of Christ’s mediation, including regeneration, justification, and sanctification, thus creating a parallel soteriological system to the decretal system of the Westminster Standards, is contrary to the 

Westminster Standards. 

7. The view that one can be “united to Christ” and not receive all the benefits of Christ’s mediation, including perseverance, in that effectual union is contrary to the Westminster Standards. 

8. The view that some can receive saving benefits of Christ’s mediation, such as regeneration and justification, and yet not persevere in those benefits is contrary to the Westminster Standards. 

9. The view that justification is in any way based on our works, or that the so-called “final verdict of justification” is based on anything other than the perfect obedience and satisfaction of Christ received through faith alone, is contrary to the Westminster Standards.

 

Yes, that's R. C. Sproul at the mic, giving his plea to pass the resolution . . . 

For Those of You Who Love History . . . This Is Very Cool!

We've all seen pictures of the ruins of the Roman Coliseum--if we haven't been to Rome and seen the ruins first-hand.

Now you can see the Coliseum in 3-D!  Indeed you can see much of Rome in 3-D, just as it looked in 320 AD when Constantine was emperor.

To see "Rome Reborn," Click here: RomeReborn1.0

A Marriage Made in Kitsch Heaven

  Saw this posted on Religious New Service (Click here: Modern Reformation - Religious News).  This is a great fit--two of the tackiest ventures on earth become as one!

"Trinity Broadcasting Network has become the new owner of the Holy Land Experience, a biblical theme park in Orlando, Fla.  `This marriage will bring an unprecedented synergy to both ministries and the production that is done there will be seen by a worldwide audience,' said Paul F. Crouch Jr., vice president of administration for the Santa Ana, Calif.-based TBN.

Crouch said the acquisition comes as the network offers local programming through Orlando's WGTL-TV Channel 52, which it acquired last year, and will simultaneously `provide `The Holy Land Experience' with much-needed promotion to bring more people to the theme park and Orlando as a whole.'  The ownership change came as five members of the network's leadership, including Crouch, and his parents and TBN founders Paul F. and Janice W. Crouch, were announced as new board members of the theme park.  `The mission of The Holy Land Experience is to bring the Bible to life for everyone who comes through our gates,' said Tom Powell, president of the theme park.  `The strength of the TBN leaders will empower The Holy Land Experience to carry on this important mission, in new and creative ways utilizing 12,000 television stations and 67 satellites.' 

The Orlando Sentinel reported that the tourist attraction -- which features music, drama and portrayals of Jesus' ministry, death and resurrection -- has experienced financial troubles and declining attendance."

At least TBN can't move it to Orange County near their present facility--far and away the gaudiest building in all of Orange County (and that includes anything @ Disneyland). 

Who Said That?

Who Said That?

"If any man espouse a virgin, and desire to espouse another, and the first give her consent, and if he espouse the second, and they are virgins, and have vowed to no other man, then is he justified; he cannot commit adultery for they are given unto him; for he cannot commit adultery with that that belongeth unto him and to no one else.  And if he have ten virgins given unto him by this law, he cannot commit adultery, for they belong to him, and they are given unto him; therefore is he justified."

OK, leave your guess in the comments section below. . .   No google searches!

Update on Monday, June 11, 2007 at 01:02PM by Kim Riddlebarger

These words, it is claimed, come from Jesus himself, speaking to his people through Joseph Smith's 12 July 1843 polygamy revelation on plural marriage and his demand that Emma Smith, the first wife, accept all of Joseph Smith's plural wives; The Doctrine and Covenants, 132:1–4, 19, 20, 24, 34, 35, 38, 39, 52, 60–62.  Lucky Emma . . .

Speaking in Tongues Is Alive and Well -- In Some Surprising Places

This news would come as no surprise if this post was speaking about Pentecostal churches.  But tongue-speaking is alive and well in some very surprising places.

How about among Southern Baptists?

"A new study from LifeWay Research shows that two-thirds of Protestant pastors -- and half of Southern Baptist pastors -- believe the Holy Spirit gives some people a special prayer language from the Lord.  The phone study surveyed 1,004 Protestant laity, 405 pastors in the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC), and 600 non-SBC senior pastors. Pastors were asked if they believed the Holy Spirit gave some people the gift of a special language to pray privately to God. Fifty percent of SBC pastors said the Holy Spirit still gave some people the gift of tongues, 43 percent said no, and seven percent didn't know."  Click here: Survey says ... half of So. Baptist pastors believe private prayer language is valid (OneNewsNow.com)

Or how about in the Christian Reformed Church?

"Third Wave Pentecostalism

It might seem odd for a synod of a Reformed church to be discussing a Pentecostal movement, but as Rev. Peter Hoytema pointed out in his article `Riding The Third Wave' (May 2007 Banner), this movement has had a greater influence within the CRC than many people realize. Synod 2004 appointed a committee to study it. That committee is reporting to Synod 2007 with two reports, one from the majority of the committee and one from the minority.  The two groups could not agree on the biblical basis or the place in the CRC of practices such as prophesying, healing ministries, spiritual warfare and deliverance ministries.  The majority of the committee, while cautioning against spiritual elitism, found that the Third Wave movement has much to offer the CRC. However, the minority group said that some of the dangers cautioned against by the majority are so serious that they could not agree with the positive assessment. Synod 2007 will have to make its own judgment."  (Click here: wfn.org | CRC NEWS: What to Watch for at Synod 2007).

I have only one thing to say, but unless you have the gift of interpretation, you wouldn't understand it.    

Who Said That?

Who Said That?

"This [the obedience of the One] was our Lord's death, as an act of obedience. 'He became obedient unto death, yea the death of the cross.' He was, of course, always obedient to His Father, but it cannot be too strongly stressed that His life before the cross, His 'active obedience,' as it is called, is not in any sense counted to us for righteousness. 'I delivered to you,' says Paul, 'first of all, that Christ died for our sins.' Before His death He was 'holy, guileless, undefiled, separated from sinners.' He Himself said, 'Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone; but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit.' Do you not see that those who claim that our Lord's righteous life under Moses' Law is reckoned to us for our 'active' righteousness, while His death in which He put away our sins, is, as they claim, the 'passive' side, are really leaving you, and the Lord, too, under the authority of the Law?"

Please leave your answer (guess) in the comments section below.  No google searches, please. 

Update on Sunday, June 3, 2007 at 06:55PM by Kim Riddlebarger

This comes from Donald Gray Barnhouse's Romans: Expositions of Bible Doctrines, Eerdmans, 1966). III.105.  Barnhouse was a dispensationalist (as some of you noted, he often quotes Newell's commentary on Romans approvingly) and advocated a Keswick view of sanctification.  It is amazing how much Barnhouse's view sounds like some of the federal vision folk (i.e., the denial of the imputation of Christ's active obedience).  But in this case, Barnhouse's denial of Christ's active obedience is the fruit of his dispensationalism.

What Books Did It for You?

 
What books did it for you?

I thought it might be interesting to poll my readers to see what book (or books) finally pushed you over the edge so that you cried "uncle" and embraced Reformed theology. 

These are five books that were very instrumental in my conversion to Reformed theology from Arminianism and dispensationalism back in 1979-80--although what really did it was Donald Gray Barnhouse's tape series on TULIP.  My list includes Warfield's Inspiration and Authority of the Bible and Plan of Salvation, Bavinck's Our Reasonable Faith, Murray's Redemption Accomplished and Applied, and Berkhof's Systematic Theology.

So, I am looking for those books (not tapes or videos) which were most instrumental in your own journey to Calvinism.  Leave your list in the comments section below.  This could be fun! 

Who Said That?

Who Said That?

"Judaism has some advantages over Christianity in that, for example, it does not proselytise—except among Jews—and it does not make the cretinous mistake of saying that the Messiah has already made his appearance. … However, along with Islam and Christianity, it does insist that some turgid and contradictory and sometimes evil and mad texts, obviously written by fairly unexceptional humans, are in fact the word of god. I think that the indispensable condition of any intellectual liberty is the realisation that there is no such thing."

OK, leave your guesses in the comments section below.  No google searches or cheating! 

Update on Sunday, May 27, 2007 at 07:04PM by Kim Riddlebarger

This despicable screed comes from Christopher Hitchens, Letter to a Young Contrarian (2001).  Wonder what his brother (who is a believer) would say?

The Latest from Barna -- No Surprises

Here's the latest from Barna, and will probably not come as a major surprise:  Click here: Welcome to The Barna Group!

"Most Americans still embrace a traditional view of God, but they are less likely than ever to do so. Currently two-thirds of Americans believe that God is best described as the all-powerful, all-knowing perfect creator of the universe who rules the world today (66%). However, this proportion is lower than it was a year ago (71%) and represents the lowest percentage in more than twenty years of similar surveys.

Few adults possess orthodox views about Jesus and the Devil. Currently, just one-third of Americans strongly disagree that Jesus sinned (37%) and just one-quarter strongly reject the idea that Satan is not a real spiritual being (24%). Each of these beliefs is lower than last year and among the lowest points in nearly two decades of tracking these views.

The other changes in beliefs include greater reluctance to explain their faith to other people (just 29% strongly endorse this view, compared with 39% in 2006) and the willingness to reject good works as a means to personal salvation (down to 27% from 31%)."