Reformed Forum

On this week’s episode of Theology Simply Profound , Rob and Bob discuss the fruit of the Spirit in light of Paul’s exhortation in Galatians 5 to “walk in the Spirit.” Participants: Rob McKenzie , Robert Tarullo

Jim Cassidy speaks about Karl Barth and his relationship with idealism. On the heels of Lane Tipton’s recent course, Introduction to the Theology and Apologetics of Cornelius Van Til, the panel compares and contrasts Barth’s ontology and doctrine of revelation in the Christ-event with Van Til’s critique of idealism and warnings of correlativism. Participants: Camden Bucey , Jim C...

We turn to pp. 238–243 of Vos’s book, Biblical Theology , to speak about the Old Testament prophets and their understanding of the nature and attributes of God. Vos affirms that God is Spirit. This brings into view not that God is immaterial per se, as Vos notes, but rather the “energy of life in God.” This is critical to appreciate. That God is Spirit reminds us that while he is immutable in his...

This week on Theology Simply Profound , Rob and Bob discuss living in this present evil age while living life in the Spirit. How does a Christian live in the midst of the chaos and the confusion, the virus and the violence? Is God sovereign over the affairs of men or not? Is the Spirit of God at work in the lives of his people? What does that look like? Participants: Rob McKenzie , Robert Tarullo

Glen Clary speaks about the biblical basis and covenantal context of the call to worship and benediction. These elements of worship are rooted in Christ’s work on behalf of his covenant people. In the call to worship, God calls his people to have covenant communion with him in his heavenly temple. He calls us to enter his house—to draw near to him—to have communion with him. The benediction...

This week on Theology Simply Profound , Bob reads J. I. Packer’s (1926-2020) well known “Introductory Essay” to John Owen’s The Death of Death in the Death of Christ as a tribute to this great Anglican theologian. Participants: Robert Tarullo Mentioned in this episode: Christ the Center 1000 Christ the Center 1000

In this episode, we discuss a new online course wherein Dr. Lane G. Tipton teaches a thorough introduction to the theology and innovative apologetic method of Cornelius Van Til (1895–1987), a pioneer in a distinctly Reformed approach to defending the faith. This course investigates the context, structure, and significance of Van Til’s theology and apologetics. It is designed to introduce students...

Jeremy Boothby speaks about covenant theology through the biblical-theological lens of the book of Hebrews. In so doing, he compares and contrasts 1689 Federalism and other particular baptist approaches to covenant theology with that of confessional Reformed covenant theology. Following the author of the epistle to the Hebrews, Boothby gets to the heart of the difference between particular baptist...

Biblical exegetes have long discussed the relationship of justification in James to that of Paul. On the surface, James 2:24 appears even to contradict many of the key Pauline passages that speak clearly of justification as occurring by grace alone through faith alone in Jesus Christ alone and not by works of the law. In this episode, we discuss the different uses of the words “justification...

This week on Theology Simply Profound , Bob continues a reading of Geerhardus Vos’s 1903 book, The Teaching of Jesus Concerning the Kingdom of God and the Church . In chapter 4, endeavors to test two opposing views about the kingdom of God to determine which one is in accord with the teaching of our Lord. Participants: Robert Tarullo Mentioned in this episode: Christ the Center 1000 Christ t...

We turn to pp. 235–238 of Vos’s book, Biblical Theology , to speak about the Old Testament prophets and varying views of monotheism. The prophetic era begins with Samuel and the introduction of kingship in the theocracy, and the fundamental conflict between the prophets and the kings is between those who are fundamentally theocentric and those who are fundamentally political. And the kings concern...

This week on Theology Simply Profound , Bob continues a reading of Geerhardus Vos’s 1903 book, The Teaching of Jesus Concerning the Kingdom of God and the Church . In chapter 3, Vos discusses the nature of “kingdom” as well as the difference between the usage of “kingdom of God” and “kingdom of heaven.” Participants: Robert Tarullo Mentioned in this episod...

We discuss the doctrine of the covenant of works, including its biblical basis (Gen. 2:15–17 et al ) as well as common objections to it. The Reformed tradition has spoken of the relationship between God and Adam as a covenantal relationship. The Westminster Shorter Catechism 12 asks: Q. 12. What special act of providence did God exercise toward man in the estate wherein he was created? A. When God...

This week on  Theology Simply Profound , Rob and Bob pick up their discussion of the Kingdom of God and the Four-fold Estate of Man reflecting on the disciples expectations of the kingdom of God and the change that takes place in them, especially as we see it in Peter, after the outpouring of the Holy Spirit. Participants: Rob McKenzie , Robert Tarullo Mentioned in this episode: Christ the Center...

William Reddinger speaks about strands of resistance theory in the American Revolution, considering Lockean, Continental, and Anglo interpretations of Romans 13. Dr. Reddinger has authored “ The American Revolution, Romans 13, and the Anglo Tradition of Reformed Protestant Resistance Theory ” in the Summer 2016 issue of American Political Thought . Some scholars argue that the theology...

For the 200th episode of Theology Simply Profound , Bob begins a reading of Geerhardus Vos’s 1903 book, The Teaching of Jesus Concerning the Kingdom of God and the Church . In chapter 1 and 2, Vos introduces the subject with an overview of Jesus’ public ministry as found in the Gospels, whereas in chapter 2, Vos describes the similarities and differences between the kingdom as its foun...

We turn to pp. 234–235 of Vos’s book,  Biblical Theology , to speak about the nature and attributes of God as understand by the Old Testament prophets. Participants: Camden Bucey , Lane G. Tipton Mentioned in this episode: Christ the Center 1000 Live in Austin, TX Christ the Center 1000

Dr. James N. Anderson speaks about the philosophy of David Hume, one of the foremost thinkers of the Western tradition. Hume is well known for his influential system of philosophical empiricism, skepticism, and naturalism. Throughout his work, Hume developed a naturalistic science of man that examined the psychological basis of human nature. Dr. Anderson is the Carl W. McM...

Danny Olinger and Camden Bucey discuss Graham Greene’s novel,  The Power and the Glory , which raises many questions about the nature of faith, ordination, and the sacraments through the lens of Roman Catholic theology. Greene said, “The aim of the book was to oppose the power of the sacraments and the indestructibility of the Church on the one hand with, on the other, the merely temporal of an es...

This week on  Theology Simply Profound , Rob and Bob pick up their discussion of the Kingdom of God and the Four-fold Estate of Man by chatting about the power of darkness in this fallen world. Participants: Rob McKenzie , Robert Tarullo Mentioned in this episode: Christ the Center 1000 Christ the Center 1000

Editor, teacher, and translator, Ryan M. Hurd speaks about the theology of Gisbertus Voetius. Hurd has translated a significant disputation of Voetius’ published as “Gisbertus Voetius: God’s Single, Absolutely Simple Essence” in The Confessional Presbyterian Journal (Volume 15, 2019). Gisbertus Voetius (1589–1676) was a Dutch theologian born in Heusden, Netherlands, and edu...

This week on  Theology Simply Profound , Rob and Bob pick up their discussion of the Kingdom of God and the Four-fold Estate of Man by chatting about Israel and how God used the nation in the development of the Kingdom of God in the coming of the Messiah. Participants: Rob McKenzie , Robert Tarullo Mentioned in this episode: Christ the Center 1000 Christ the Center 1000

Dr. Gregg Allison and Dr. Carl Trueman speak about the theology of Benedict XVI, pope emeritus of the Roman Catholic Church. Allison’s article, “Faith, Hope, and Love” and Trueman’s article, “Is the Pope (Roman) Catholic?,” are published in The Theology of Benedict XVI: A Protestant Appreciation edited by Tim Perry and published by Lexham Press. Dr. Allison is P...

This week on  Theology Simply Profound , Rob and Bob wanted to pick up their discussion of the Kingdom of God and the Four-fold Estate of Man with a consideration of Abraham and how God used him in the development of the Kingdom of God in the coming of the Messiah.

We turn to page 234 of Vos’s book,  Biblical Theology , to speak about the understanding of monotheism which the biblical prophets possessed. On pages 206–211 of the book, Vos dealt with the modernist conception of the issue, adding a footnote that his positive treatment would be saved for later. Now we arrive at that later portion. As we begin to address this new section, we revisit some of the g...