INTERVIEW: Prof. David Engelsma (PRC) & Rev. Donald Veitch (WCF-BCP-TFU)

Professor Engelsman and I discussed “Federal Vision.” Prof. Engelsma, BA (Calvin), BD (Protestant Reformed Seminary), ThM (Calvin on “Trinity and the Covenant). Prof. Engelsma was a Pastor for 25 years and Professor of Dogmatics and Old Testament at Protestant Reformed Seminary for 20 years. A total of 45 years in ministry. He’s written several books, including one on “Federal Vision: Heresy at the Root.”

Our discussion dealt with the origins of “Federal Vision” in Professor Norman Shepherd’s view of the “conditional covenant” (Schilderian? Canadian Reformed?) resulting in the “Federal Vision Movement” in the wider Reformed world. Tyler, TX (including Mr. Sutton of the Reformulated Episcopal Church), Dr. Peter Leithart and others were noted. The “root cause,” which the Professor stressed, is the definition of the covenant of grace. Of note, the Westminster Standards side with Prof. Engelsma. The Westminster Standards and the Gorham Decision of 1850 (CoE) hold that the covenant is established with “Christ and His seed” which does not include all inside the visible church. “Unconditional grace” informs, shapes and includes the doctrine of the Trinity (our concern), the church, regeneration, justification, adoption, sanctification, perseverance, and glorification. The Professor hit that ball out of the ballpark. Amazingly, a Dutch Reformed Professor of the PRC and an old “Reformed Episcopalian” (used in the “historic and honest sense” rather than the hijacked name by disloyal Churchmen) were on the very same page of music on the covenant. What a privilege to hear him. The Professor spoke tellingly of Bishop N.T. Wright’s doctrinal denials of the Reformation on justification by faith alone as well as his other reformulations of Paul’s Epistle to the Romans—redefining justification by works, election as an identity marker and more. Mr. Wright spoke at Calvin a few years back. The Reformed students, 300-400 of them, warmed and wooed by Wright’s charm and charisma, stood and applauded like uninformed, clapping penguins. Prof. Engelsma and two others attended and remained seated. The Prof. made it clear that this was influencing the American Reformed world, OPC, URCNA and others. Hopefully, we can talk to Prof. Robert Godfrey on the Shepherdit crisis at WTS in the 1980s. BTW, Prof. Engelsma’s book, “Federal Vision: Heresy at the Root,” is available here: https://www.amazon.com/Federal-Vision-Heresy-at-Root/dp/1936054078/ref=sr_1_1?crid=2UM1XJEFZEHTK&keywords=david+engelsma+federal+vision&qid=1675277478&sprefix=david+engelsma+f%2Caps%2C4023&sr=8-1 . The issue of theonomy, reconstructionism and “heresy” as a word for “Federal Vision” were raised. From this side, Federal Vision appears to generate conditional election, conditional justification and more—sounding very Romanizing, Lutheranizing on the sacraments, and blatant Arminianism, logical and necessary consequences. It now makes sense why Rev. Mark Winder (OPC) reported that Mr. Sutton, PB of the Reformulated Episcopal Church (the truthful name), taught “baptismal regeneration and baptismal justification” (dubbed “informal regeneration and informal justification) in defiance of Reformed Confessions and clearly in defiance of the historical REC’s “Declaration of Unalterable Articles.” Mr. Sutton is a Federal Visionist inside the Reformulation Episcopal Church and ACNA.  Prof. Engelsma’s book needs another tour and other issues are yet on the table: theonomy, the dangers in the Reformed world across the denominations (with more precision), affinities for post-millenialism, sacerdotalism (which becomes clearer), paedo-communion, “covenant objectivity” inventing “covenantal election and “decretal election,” and the denial of double imputation and the imputation of Christ’s active and passive obedience. These are not minor matters. The Professor argued and stated that the “root error” is the conditional covenant. One can’t simply cut down the tree, but must pull up the roots as well—the issue is the “covenant of grace as the covenant with Christ and His seed.” A wonderful discussion. This older Brother (not “Father” like the tinker-toy boys of  Anglicanism) and Professor was a superb guest. There’s work to do. THEOLOGICAL FORENSIC UNIT—these are their stories.