Reformed Anglicans

McNiell, John Thomas. The History and Character of Calvinism. New York: Oxford University Press, 1962. McNeil retails many shorter, occasional writings of Calvin beside the Commentaries and Institutes, some which are wittily sarcastic (e.g. against relics recommending a catalogue of them) and some seriously antagonistic pieces like that of Calvin against Pighius. Calvin was to Pighius what Luther was to Erasmus (205). Also, Calvin is watching and commenting on the opening of Trent. Greg Allison’s “Historical Theology:” 18. Atonement. Prof. Allison sets up the anti-penal atonement crowd of the 21st century, essentially, modern Socinians like Prof. Sharon Baker of the Princeton Journal of 2007. Edward Cairns’s “Christianity Through the Centuries:” Prof. Cairns brings us up to 1529 and Luther’s unhelpful and unedifying thunder-claps at the 1529 Marburg Colloquy—with agreements on 14 of 15 propositions (320). Millard Erickson’s “Christian Theology:” . Three-in-Oneness. Prof. Erickson discu...

Rev. Dr. Philip Edgcumbe Hughes, “Theology of English Reformers:” 5. Ministry, 159-188. The English Ordinal. The ministry is not sacerdotal after the Aaronic model of the OT, but has one High Priest who offered Himself as the one, sufficient, final and complete oblation and sacrifice. Prof. Hughes asserts the priesthood of all believers (165). Margot Johnson’s “Thomas Cranmer: 500th Commemoration of his Birth:” Prof. Gilley describes a plain preaching-box of an 1800 service with the triple-decker pulpit with a sacrament-church of 1900 with all the high bells, whistles, lights, reredos, vestments, and a priest with his back to the congregation. Yet, the BCP was common to both churches (168). Cf: Anglo-Sartorial-Lustings@CoolBros.com. Diarmaid McCulloch’s “Thomas Cranmer:” Prof. Mac describes Bonner’s aggressive attacks on Cranmer’s proxies and begins pressing the Six Articles (281). Arthur Innes: “Cranmer and the Reformation in England:” Art offers his effort on the bone-munchers ...

“The Fundamentals—A Testimony to the Truth, Vol. 1:” in “The Mosaic Authorship of the Pentateuch,” Professor George Frederick Wright, DD, LLD, comments on the rejection of Assyriology and archaeology on the Graffie-Cultists of Germany, long on themselves and distrustful of archaeological discoveries. Oh no! The Hebrews could write! “The Fundamentals—A Testimony to the Truth, Vol. 2:” in “Inspiration of the Bible—Definition, Extent and Proof,” Dr. James Gray (Moody Bible Institute and ordained minister in the Reformed Episcopal Church) discusses the extent of inspiration, commenting on some critics who mix a-little-of-this-and-a-little-of-that, trying to preserve something but being driven by a destructive agenda. “The Fundamentals—A Testimony to the Truth, Vol. 3: “The Biblical Conception of Sin,” the Rev. Dr. Thomas Whitelaw of Kilmarnock, Scotland is laying it on thick regarding original and actual sin. This man is worth the whole volume. A Scottish Churchman is in the house! “T...

Bibliotheca Sacra (Jan-Mar 2021): in “A Chronology of the Life of Christ with Emphasis on the Nativity and Epiphany,” Kurt Simmons, J.D., finally breaks out to discuss views of the length of Christ’s ministry: 1 year for some early fathers, 2 in others and 3.5 in others (including Eusebius). Mr. Simmons notes that Jesus cleansed the Temple twice, an early instance noted in John and one in the Passion week as noted in Matthew. Christ will do it again (Mt. 23-24) when, from His High and Exalted Throne, He orders up some Roman-action by a smack-down of Jerusalem (66-70 AD). It didn’t happen without divine ordination. Oh no! That meany Jesus! Get me my pacifier! Modern Reformation (July/Aug 2022): in “Who Says? Solving Doctrinal Controversy,” Dr. Matthew Barrett continues his diatribe against “evangelicals” modifying the doctrine of God and God’s attributes. No footnotes. No names. Just accusations. Not a good article. Hey Mike Horton, the Editor, you let this pass? Calvin Theological ...

Anglican Theological Review: in “Kathryn Tanner and the Receptivity of Christ and the Church,” Dr. Mikke Higton (U. of Durham, UK) is talking of Christ’s life and action in the life of the believer and the church. Umm, Ephesians 2.10 will do, but we haven’t seen an instance of exegesis yet in the evaluation of Turner. Trinity Journal (TEDS, Spring 2022): in “Repetition with Variation in the Dialogue and Narrative of Judges,” Dr. Elizabeth Backfish discusses variations in the Samson narrative, variations that amplify other parts. Microscopic review here. Anglican and Episcopal History (June 2022): in “Anglicanism, the Lambeth Conferences, and International Relations in the Twentieth Century,” Dr. ANDREW CHANDLER discusses the skill-levels of Anglican bishops when encountering political and international issues. Table Talk (August 2022): Exodus 21 and case law on bodily injuries—the remedies for such. Table Talk (September 2022): “The Doctrine of Man:” Dr. Riddlebarger is discuss...

Halley’s “Bible Handbook:” geography of Jerusalem as well as being off the major thoroughfares. For Psalm30, Prof. Calvin summarizes the chapter. David acknowledges his sin and calls on others to follow him in worship. Zondervan Pictorial Bible: “Ishtar:” the consort of Baal, a goddess of fertility, resulting in prostitution in varied places, men and women. ISBE on “Leviticus:” notes the “covenant” is suffused as the predicate to the book, although “berith” is only mentioned 10 times in Leviticus. For Genesis 25: Prof. Keil gives the progeny of Ishamel prior to the start of the story of Isaac. For Judges 14, Prof. Keil comments on Samson’s killing a lion without a weapon. For Isaiah 13.19-22, Prof. Henry comments on the doom of Babylon. ISBE on Johannine Theology, Prof. I. Howard Marshall discusses the “communal” aspect in John. The Shepherd of the flock. For Mathew 11.20-30, Prof. Jamieson comments on Christ’s condemnation of Chorazin and Bethsaida. And He seemed so ni...

McNiell, John Thomas. The History and Character of Calvinism. New York: Oxford University Press, 1962. 13. Calvin as a Writer and Theologian, 201-225. Dr. McNeil gives the astonishing chronology of Calvin’s prolific publications. As voluminous as they are illuminating. He had secretary help, but still, most significant (204). Greg Allison’s “Historical Theology:” 18. Atonement. Post-Reformation period. Schleiermacher gives his dogmatic claims against dogma, turning the atonement into Ich Theologie and a subjectivistic sense of the world spirit. Allison gives a fair summary of Gustav Aulen’s Christus Victor model in his three views of the atonement. We’ll stick with our WCF and BCP (407). Edward Cairns’s “Christianity Through the Centuries:” Chapter 27: Luther and the German Reformation. Cairns retails Luther’s time in Wartburg Castle (May 1521 to March 1522), the Zwickau prophets and millennial fevers, and the rejection of Luther by Erasmus by 1524, Erasmus realizing a rupture with ...

Alan Weatherall, “Thomas Cranmer: Theologian, Archbishop, and Theologian:” discusses the turnover discussion between Sir Hawkin and Dr. Cranmer in Nov 1532, as Cranmer gets notice that Henry has recalled him to become the ABC. "Tom, life as you once knew it is over." Rev. Dr. Philip Edgcumbe Hughes, “Theology of English Reformers:” 5. Ministry, 159-188. The English Ordinal. Priest and Presbyter. Cranmer discusses the pastoral duties of the Bishop and Presbyter. Hughes goes on to attribute, largely and exclusively, the English Reformation to Cranmer. Overdone, we think. 10. Prayer Book Catholicism—Sheridan Gilley, 167-189. Sheridan describes the church as a “preaching box” in 1800. Mattins, Evening Prayer, black begowned cleric, with a triple-decker "preaching-reading box" with communion perhaps quarterly. Of course, singing metrical Psalms in many places as hymnody gains traction. Diarmaid McCulloch’s “Thomas Cranmer:” Prof. Mac gives additional info on Cranmer’s Er...

Protestant Reformed Theological Journal 55,1 (Fall, 2021): in “The Perfectly Triune God,” Rev. Marco Barone gives a review of classical theism from Augustine, Anselm, Aquinas and others—God is relational in and outside the Trinitarian life. Themelios (Dec 2021): in “Ben Sira’s Canon Conscious Interpretive Strategies: His Narrative History and Realization of the Jewish Scriptures,” Peter Beckman (PhD candidate, U. of Ottawa) continues to sustain the thesis on Ben Sira’s canonical consciousness—a Bible-man if we may. Journal of Biblical and Theological Studies (5.2: 2020): in “The One Church, the Many Churches,” the Roman scholar, Eduardo Echeverria, turns to Vatican 2 and Lerinian hermeneutics. Reformed Presbyterian Theological Journal (1837): the Editor is covering all Biblical characters who engaged in praying. A staggering and glorious review. Southwestern Theological Journal (Fall 2021): BOOK REVIEW: Paul and the Language of Faith. By Nijay K. Gupta. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 202...

“The Fundamentals—A Testimony to the Truth, Vol. 1:” in “The Mosaic Authorship of the Pentateuch,” Professor George Frederick Wright, DD, LLD, talks about a spectrum in the higher critical orbit—weak deniers and robust deniers of God’s sovereignty and miracles—all cut from the same cloth, however, with the little-godism. “The Fundamentals—A Testimony to the Truth, Vol. 2:” in “Inspiration of the Bible—Definition, Extent and Proof,” Dr. James Gray (Moody Bible Institute and ordained minister in the Reformed Episcopal Church) describes verbal inspiration, words not just ideas. “The Fundamentals—A Testimony to the Truth, Vol. 3: “The Biblical Conception of Sin,” the Rev. Dr. Thomas Whitelaw of Kilmarnock, Scotland lays down the law on sin—no maneuvering room there to mitigate original or actual sin. Dr. Cranmer would agree. “The Fundamentals—A Testimony to the Truth, Vol. 4:” in “Modern Philosophy,” Attorney-at-Law, Philip Mauro is making a case for the death and vacuity of philosop...

Bibliotheca Sacra (Jan-Mar 2021): in “A Chronology of the Life of Christ with Emphasis on the Nativity and Epiphany,” Kurt Simmons, J.D., gets utterly wonky about the courses of Abijah and the priestly rota for Zecharias, father of John the Baptist. Modern Reformation (July/Aug 2022): in “Who Says? Solving Doctrinal Controversy,” Dr. Matthew Barrett notes that evangelicals are reintroducing eternal, immanent subordination of the Son in the Trinity contra: the Nicene Creed. Someone has heard inklings of this, but not anything widely. ??. Calvin Theological Journal (Spring 2022): “Theological Interpretation in Nigeran Prosperity Preachers:” Dr. Samuel Okanlewon comments on 1 Peter 2.24 which is used to advocate total health and absence of sickness for believers. Dr. Okanlewon is surveying a variety of texts used by the prosperity preachers. Mid-America Journal of Theology (Fall 2021): in “Should Effectual Calling and Regeneration be Distinguished,” Dr. Cornelius Venema continues his comm...

Anglican Theological Review: in “Kathryn Tanner and the Receptivity of Christ and the Church,” Dr. Mikke Higton (U. of Durham, UK) notes that “Whiteness” in Christology jaundices the subject. Quite a wild claim. Wildly distractionary and so very modern. Reformed hawks are circling the high grasses. Trinity Journal (TEDS, Spring 2022): in “Repetition with Variation in the Dialogue and Narrative of Judges,” Dr. Elizabeth Backfish brings in Gideon’s revenges as evinced inside the variants within the story, not as a contradiction but amplification. Anglican and Episcopal History (June 2022): in “Anglicanism, the Lambeth Conferences, and International Relations in the Twentieth Century,” Dr. ANDREW CHANDLER wonders about the skill-set of Bishops weighing in on political events in post-WW2 LCs. Table Talk (August 2022): the President of RPTS comments on “prayer” in St. Paul’s Ephesians. Life the cry of a baby upon life, there are prayer instincts in the living Christian. Abba, Father. Table ...

Halley’s “Bible Handbook:” discusses weather patterns in Israel including agricultural implications. For Psalm 29, Prof. Calvin focuses the sovereign and infinity of God who “strengthens” His people. The basis for confidence. Zondervan Pictorial Bible: “Ishmael:” discusses the descendants and their regional tribes. ISBE on “Leviticus:” discusses the piety of offerors of offerings. For Genesis 25: Prof. Keil discusses the descendants of Keturah. For Judges 14, Prof. Keil discusses Samson’s desire for marriage to a Philistine girl, a violation of the Mosaic rule to marry within the faith and covenant. PRACTICAL: teach marriage to a believing spouse. For Isaiah 13.19-22, Prof. Henry comments on the destruction of Babylon. PRACTICAL: toss the Socinians and decadent Protestants aft of the stern into the wake, the decadent theologians that is, e.g. Barth and Bultmann. ISBE on Johannine Theology, Prof. I. Howard Marshall comments on the “community” of the “sheepfold.” Not just i...

Themelios (Dec 2021): in “Ben Sira’s Canon Conscious Interpretive Strategies: His Narrative History and Realization of the Jewish Scriptures,” Peter Beckman (PhD candidate, U. of Ottawa) brilliantly notes the canonical consciousness of Ben Sira which gives a good view of 2nd century BC consciousness. Bravo! Reformed Presbyterian Theological Journal (1837): the Editor offers several prayers of individuals in the OT whose prayers were answered: Job, Moses, and others. The subject, after expositing the WSC, is the “efficacy of prayer.” Southwestern Theological Journal (Fall 2021): BOOK REVIEW: Demons: What the Bible Really Says about the Powers of Darkness. By Michael Heiser. Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press, 2020, xviii+320pp., $19.99. Hongy Yai of Southwestern comments favorably on Heiser’s assertion in ontological entities, spiritual beings, as per the OT and NT. With no apologies to Western denials by the derelict and decadent Protestants. The Biblical Repertory/Princeton Review (Ja...

Reformed Faith and Practice (May 2022): in “Geerhardus Vos and the Interpretation of Romans 1:3-4,” Dr. J. V. Fesko, Reformed Theological Seminary, Jackson, discusses Dr. Vos’s resume—instructor at the Reformed Seminary in Grand Rapids, 188-1893, followed by institution as Chair of Biblical Theology at Princeton in 1893. Further, he gives the early development (which is quite undeveloped) of Dr. Vos on Romans 1.3-4, neglecting to account for significant English scholarship. Concordia Theological Journal (January 2022), in “Scaer and Preuss on Justification,” the author comments on Preuss’s “exegetical” and “theological realism.” Real, historical events as reported in the Bible. One sees here the corruption invading Concordia Seminary in the 1950s-1960s before the cleansing in the 1970s. The corporate whining over that cleansing is remembered here. Net result? The decadents ones were driven off and Concordia re-established its Confessional identity and history. Sounds like what Dr. Al...

Hedgehog Review (Summer 2022): in “Abuses and Uses of History: Nietzsche’s Quarrel with History,” Dr. Jennifer Ratner-Rosenbagen (Un. of Wisconsin-Madison) opens with some swirling historical approaches, including Putin’s abuse of history in the invasion of Ukraine. PRACTICAL: watching a professional historian work her craft with her specialty in American intellectual history (which may be oxymoronic, bad joke). DTS (Summer 2022): “Interview with Dr. Darrel Bock:” discussion of poiema in Ephesians 2.10—relational, work of God, expressed in obedience to God’s commandments. “The Fundamentals—A Testimony to the Truth, Vol. 1:” in “The Mosaic Authorship of the Pentateuch,” Professor George Frederick Wright, DD, LLD, comments on the stern aversion of higher critics to God’s sovereignty and providence. No miracles possible. A few will sneak in a few, but the vast majority are schooled in denial and affirm the little-god view with their Ich Theologie (our words). “The Fundamentals—A Tes...

Standard Bearer (August 2022): in “The Commitment of Silas, Mr. Bruinooge comments on Acts 15.40 and offers a commonsense review of Silas’s resume as a fellow missionary with St. Paul. Bibliotheca Sacra (Jan-Mar 2021): in “A Chronology of the Life of Christ with Emphasis on the Nativity and Epiphany,” Kurt Simmons, J.D., totally wonks out on chronology. So much so that he’s hard to follow. Modern Reformation (July/Aug 2022): in “Who Says? Solving Doctrinal Controversy,” Dr. Matthew Barrett comments on the Scripture as the Magisterial authority and the church, councils and theologians as a Ministerial, but subordinate authority beneath Scriptures. Like an evangelical, he whines about evangelicals not having historical or confessional context. Very common to evangelical complaining. The tone is not alluring. Calvin Theological Journal (Spring 2022): “Theological Interpretation in Nigeran Prosperity Preachers:” Dr. Samuel Okanlewon comments on three Nigerian prosperity preachers wit...

Anglican Theological Review: in “Kathryn Tanner and the Receptivity of Christ and the Church,” Dr. Mikke Higton (U. of Durham, UK) is evaluating Turner’s claim that our acts are God’s acts, virtually, obliterating the Creator-creature distinction and pantheizing sin and wickedness. An occasional caveat is registered, “insofar” as this-or-that. But caution is not in sight. Sin is nowhere in sight. Trinity Journal (TEDS, Spring 2022): in “Repetion with Variation in the Dialogue and Narrative of Judges,” Dr. Elizabeth Backfish outlines her methodology and argument. Anglican and Episcopal History (June 2022): in “Anglicanism, the Lambeth Conferences, and International Relations in the Twentieth Century,” Dr. ANDREW CHANDLER is long-talking about the United Nations and the LC Bishops doing politics. Table Talk (August 2022): Ex.21.1ff. A discussion of murder, kidnapping and children cursing or threatening parents with death. Capital offense. As for murder, intent is discussed for inte...

Halley’s “Bible Handbook:” discusses the seasons and temperatures. PRACTICAL: helps to emphasize and explain agriculture. For Psalm 29, Prof. Calvin again notes the power of Jehovah in nature. Zondervan Pictorial Bible: “Ishmael:” describes his resume and achievements. ISBE on “Leviticus:” discusses the nature of the offeror and his piety in making the offering. For Genesis 25: Prof. Keil gives a wonky, but important description of the descendants of Kethurah of people-groups around the Arabian regions. For Judges 13, Prof. Keil outlines the cordial reception of the Angel of the Lord by the parents of Samson. For Isaiah 13.19-22, Prof. Henry notes that Babylon is doomed by predictive prophecy. PRACTICAL: rebuffs the little-god-nice-god-theories of the decadent theologians. ISBE on Johannine Theology, Prof. I. Howard Marshall discusses “individual” and “communal” dimensions. For Mathew 11.20-30, Prof. Jamieson outlines Jesus’s judgments against Bethsaida and Chorazin. PRA...