Biblicist, liturgical, sacramental, ecumenical Protestantism is the antidote to Roman fever, not the cause. —Peter Leithart
See also: “Too Catholic to be Catholic” by Peter Leithart
Jason Stellman Abandons the Reformation!
Stellman’s Farewell to the Presbyterian Church letter of resignation (here) concludes with these striking words:
Due to the fact that these disagreements strike at the very core of the system of doctrine set forth in our Standards, I feel that I have no other choice than to tender my resignation from the ministry of the Presbyterian Church in America.
I would like to express my gratitude to the godly and faithful men of the Pacific Northwest Presbytery for the eight years I have been a member of this body. My desire when I joined was to remain pastoring in Woodinville for my entire life and ministry, and it is with deep disappointment and regret that this will not be the case. My sincere hope is that the fathers, brothers, and friends I have gotten to know here will keep me in their prayers, and forgive me for any offense I may have caused during my involvement in the case against TE Leithart, as well as for any offense I may be presently causing by breaking my ordination vows.
Additional Articles:
Stellman Resigns from the Presbyterian Church in America
Doug Wilson on Jason Stellman’s Departure
Who’s Got the Gateway Drug? by Peter Leithart
Jason Stellman leaves the PCA, heads in the direction of Rome
Jason Stellman, longtime critic of the Federal Vision, and the man who brought charges against TE Peter Leithart, has announced that he is leaving the PCA. The reason for his leaving revolves around his changing theology, specifically in regard to Sola Fide and Sola Scriptura, both of which he no longer holds.
You can read his own words on his blog here: http://www.creedcodecult.com/2012/06/heartfelt-farewell-to-pca.html.
Trust and Obey: The Norman Shepherd Controversy
Ian Hewitson’s Trust and Obey, is a full treatment of the Norman Shepherd controversy at Westminster Theological Seminary. The point of the book is that WTS “did not have the necessary grounds on which to remove Professor Shepherd from his teaching post (19).” The book considers vast amount of reports and faculty minutes of those long years of trial.
John Frame writes that this is an “accurate and clear account of the matter (9).” Those who have long watched the Federal Vision controversy unfold over the years will realize that Shepherd’s name is one mentioned quite often in denominational reports. Perhaps this book and the research will add greater clarity to a discussion often misunderstood.
Reformation Sunday Sermons
Here are two great sermons from Christ Church Reformation Sunday 2011 (from the two services).
The first one is by Doug Wilson, and is called “Reformation in the Boneyard.” Here is what Doug Wilson said about his message: “…this message represents the heart of our ministry here. If there is anything I care about, it is this.” (His FB)
The second sermon, “Christ the Conqueror” is by Toby Sumpter, Pastor at Trinity Reformed Church (with Peter Leithart).
I have often encouraged critics of the FV to actually listen to some of the sermons of the men they claim are denying the gospel. These sermons would be a great place to start! mp3’s of these sermons can be found at www.canonwired.com.
Solus Christus
A Reformation Day Sermon
In this excerpt, Peter Leithart addresses the question Is the Reformation Dead?
Is the Reformation dead? It may be a surprising question to us, especially since we’re commemorating Reformation Day this morning. But it’s a question worth asking. When we assess Protestantism honestly, we find that there are good reasons to wonder.
Over the past couple of centuries, many of the Protestant churches in Europe and the US have abandoned the Reformation faith in favor of a modernized form of Christianity, a heresy known as liberalism. Liberalism turns theology into anthropology, treats the events of the gospel as symbols of religious experience or human aspiration. Liberalism’s ethos is shaped more by the ethos of modern pluralism and tolerance than by adherence to Scripture or the Reformation confessions. H. Richard Niebuhr summarized liberal theology this way: “A God without wrath brought men without sin into a kingdom without judgment through the ministrations of a Christ without a cross.” Even if the Reformation slogans continue to be mouthed, there is no room for the real Reformation gospel to be preached within liberalism. Continue reading “A Reformation Day Sermon”
Andrew Sandlin on Peter Leithart’s Trial
Sandlin offers his brief, but pointed observations on the Leithart trial:
I’ve stomached perusing some of these documents (some, thank God, not all) and am nothing short of appalled and embarrassed. How God’s people could use God’s money and God’s time to attack God’s man and on such comparatively inconsequential errors (if errors they be) is nothing short of ecclesial malpractice. I’m an acquaintance and not a close friend of Peter’s and I’m no partisan for his distinctive ecclesiology, sacramentolgy and liturgics. I don’t have an axe to grind with anybody — except people who waste time on trivialities while Western civilization burns.
Note: Peter believes the Bible from cover to cover; believes historic Christian orthodoxy; believes in justification by faith alone in Jesus Christ alone; believes that the Faith should pervade all of culture; loves the church; loves his wife and children; lives a Christian life above reproach; preaches the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Apparently, that’s insufficient for the “prosecutors.”
And where, pray tell, do we find ecclesial “trials” in the Bible in the first place? Don’t you dare mention 1 Corinthians 6:1–8, which refers to personal disputes among the saints in the local body. (Oh, wait: we do have ecclesial trials in the Bible: Jesus was once on trial ….). The idea of judging theological fitness by Western jurisprudential models is a Presbyterian myth, not Biblical truth. Disagree? Please post all the Biblical references.
Unsolicited advice to the Peter: keep preaching, teaching and writing.
Unsolicited advice to the “prosecution”: get a life.
James Jordan and the Glory of Kings
For those who are interested in ordering The Glory of Kings: A Festschrift for James B. Jordan, you can order a copy from Amazon, or directly from Biblical Horizons.
R.R. Reno’s delightful foreword can be read here.
Robert Dabney on Imputation
“It may be said, without affecting excessive subtlety of definition,
that by imputation of Christ’s righteousness, we only mean that
Christ’s righteousness is so accounted to the sinner, as that he
receives thereupon the legal consequences to which it entitles.”“All are agreed that, when the Bible says, ‘the iniquity of us all was
laid on Christ,’ or that ‘He bare our sins,’ or ‘was made sin for us,’
it is only our guilt and not our moral attribute of sinfulness which
was imputed. So it seems to me far more reasonable and scriptural to
suppose that, in the imputation of Christ’s righteousness, it is not
the attribute of righteousness in Christ which is imputed, but that
which is the exact counterpart of guilt–the title to acquittal.” ~
Systematic Theology in Lecture LIV (pg. 641 of the Zondervan edition)
In the Matter of Presbyterian Church in America v. TE Peter Leithart
The Pacific Northwest Presbytery of the PCA has posted the minutes of the Leithart Trial: