Ok, so here’s the 2nd proper Google Wave test I’ve started to work with.
The last one was using Sandbox server, this one is with the preview server. Hopefully we’ll see a little bit of movement!
If you’ve got Google Wave – please say G’day! 
Archive for November, 2009
Check it out. It’s great. Church Planting with a passion.
I’d like to point their Statement of Beliefs in your direction. It’s a really interesting and engaging read: Statement of Beliefs
It’s high time that a bunch of Australian based reformed evangelicals nailed their colours to the mast and stood up for some sort of Reformed confession.
It’s a well-rounded statement of beliefs – perhaps the only thing which I would add in a Reformed statement of beliefs is a doctrine of church: Word and Sacraments. Come to think of it, this might be all the more important in the long run with a Church Planting network.
Anyway, I think it’s a good statement of beliefs. What do you reckon?
… But neither were the Calvinists … Who is a Calvinist anyway…? argues Richard Muller in this fascinating article.
As part of the 2009 Calvinpalooza of events, Richard Muller gave this address at Calvin Theological Seminary in the States.
It is an absolutely superb discussion of the following types of things:
- Is it anachronistic to describe Calvin as adhering to TULIP?
- Did Calvin teach Limited Atonement?
- Why have we moved on since the Calvin vs. the Calvinists thesis?
- How do Humanism and Scholasticism relate to Calvin’s teaching?
- What does it really mean that Calvin moved around the locus of Predestination in his Institutes?
- Is anyone really a “Calvinist”?
- Why pitting the 16th and 17th century Reformed theologians is ridiculous.
All these questions and more by arguably the world’s leading Reformation scholar. Download the PDF! Here’s a snippet:
“By way of addressing these issues, we should note first and foremost the problem of TULIP itself — an acrostic that has caused much trouble for the Reformed tradition and has contributed greatly to the confusion about Calvin and Calvinism. (I don’t plan to tiptoe through this issue.) It is really quite odd and a-historical to associate a particular document written in the Netherlands in 1618-19 with the whole of Calvinism and then to reduce its meaning to TULIP. Many of you here know that the word is actually “tulp.” “Tulip” isn’t Dutch — sometimes I wonder whether Arminius was just trying to correct someone’s spelling when he was accused of omitting that “i” for irresistible grace. More seriously, there is no historical association between the acrostic TULIP and the Canons of Dort. As far as we know, both the acrostic and the phrase “five points of Calvinism” are of Anglo-American origin and do not date back before the nineteenth century. It is remarkable how quickly bad ideas catch on.”
And if you’re really keen to dig deeper, check out his Post-Reformation Reformed Dogmatics (picture above – it looks nice on the bookshelf!). This has proved to be one of my best purchases whilst at college – I’ve found it an invaluable resource for doing a whole bunch of my college assignments!
PS – Just in case you’re wondering, Muller’s argument isn’t a negative neo-orthodox position, but quite a nuanced take on the Reformed tradition.
Well, this episode of the Pilgrim’s Podcast goes back to our roots. The way things are supposed to be. Good banter, great rambling, many shoutouts, and a bit of normal conversation. After all, this is the 21st episode (we prefer “birthday”) of the podcast!
Inside this riveting episode of the Pilgrim’s Podcast you’ll find Steve and Mark:
- Concluding the series on Pastoral Care and Counselling
- Sharing what we personally learnt and got out of the series
- Giving an unprecedented 10+ shoutouts!
- Coming up with all sorts of random things.
- Giving some speeches on account of the 21st birthday of the Podcast!
Check it out, and email/sms/tweet/reply/post/blog about the Poddy for your own personalised shoutout!
Listen:
