Evening Prayer (Pt. 2)

For Systematic Theology (locus 2), Prof. Hodge discusses the Quaker chieftains and their theology.

For Theology Proper (locus 2), Prof. Reymond discusses Romans 1.3-4 as one of 8 lines of inquiry on Paul’s Christology.

For Ecclesiology (locus 6), Prof. Berkhof comments about the Church and disciplinary venues.

ODCC: Tatian (c.160) became a Christian in Rome, c. 150-165?, and was a pupil of Justin Martyr. He was an author of Oratio ad Graecos that blasted Greek civilization and argued for the divine purity of Christianity. His Diatessaron is his claim to fame, but this was replaced by the Syriac Peshitta. He offended a long list of venerable writers: Irenaeus, Tertullian, Clement of Alexandria, Hippolytus and Origen.

For Apostolic Christianity, Vol. 1 (0-100) Prof. Schaff comments on the old fraud theory of the disciples stealing Christ’s body. Also, the swoon-theory was around. Reimarus vacillated between both the fraud and hallucination theory. Strauss held the hallucination-vision theory, but when he turned in his pantheism and idealism for materialism and atheism, he averred near death the fraud-theology, the “world-historical humbug.” 1.177.

For Medieval Christianity, Vol. 4 (590-1073), Prof. Schaff adds and enlarges to the list of Christian polemicists against Mohammed.

For the Swiss Reformation Vol. 8 (1519-1605), Prof. Schaff quotes Richard Hooker (1553-1600), Lancelot Andrewes (1555-1626), John Donne (1573-1631), Bishop Hall (1574-1656), Bishop Sanderson (1587-1663) and Richard Baxter (1615-1691) in favorable encomiums to Calvin. Bishop Hall, “Reverend Calvin, whose judgment I so much honor, that I reckon him amongst the best interpreters of Scripture since the Apostles left the earth” (Works, 3.516).

For Dr. Cranmer, Prof. MacCulloch notes that Dr. Cranmer takes up residence at Durham Palace, home of the Boleyns. Dr. Cranmer’s job was to produce arguments for Henry’s annulment. Wily and Edward Coxe note that Cranmer’s writings were useful and helpful when they went to Cambridge in Feb 1530 in an effort to extort a favorable opinion from the University.

For the Creeds of Christendom, Prof. Schaff notes that three texts are claimed by the infallibilists: Luke 22.3, Mt. 16.18; Jn. 21.15. While the Prof. concedes a central and foundational role of Peter, he notes that Peter never exerted jurisdictional supremacy over John, Paul or the other apostles. Perrone, a Papist, and other Papists, dislike the passage of Galatians 2 where Paul slaps down Peter. Perrone said Paul did that out of respect for Peter’s supremacy. Rather than Poohbah claims, Peter exhorted humility amongst Elders, not supremacy, e.g., 1 Peter 5.1-3.

1994 CCC: our infallibilists hold forth on the Filioque clause claiming Leo 1 laid it out in 447 before Chalecon 451 reaffirmed 381 Constantinople. It notes the difference with the Greeks which we view as more political than theological.

Westminster Larger Catechism 150:

Q. 150. Are all transgressions of the law of God equally heinous in themselves, and in the sight of God?
A. All transgressions of the law are not equally heinous; but some sins in themselves, and by reason of several aggravations, are more heinous in the sight of God than others.