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Archive Reformed Irenicism Sacred Doctrine Steven Wedgeworth

The Federal Vision: A Systematic Critique

(This is the final essay in a series on the Federal Vision. The first installment, a general introduction to the state of the conversation, can be found here. The second installment identifies the various personalities and their history. The next three essays explained the FV theology in more detail: essay three is here, essay four is […]

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Archive Reformed Irenicism Sacred Doctrine Steven Wedgeworth

The Federal Vision: Two Understandings of Salvation Held Together By One Name

(This essay continues a series on the Federal Vision that I have been writing since November, 2019. The first installment can be found here. The second is here. The third is here, and the fourth is here. Though I earlier stated that this essay would be my final one, I see the need for one […]

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Archive Reformed Irenicism Sacred Doctrine Steven Wedgeworth

Douglas Wilson and Justification

Douglas Wilson is the embodiment of “RIP my mentions.” His controversies range from politics to theology to literature. People laud him as a visionary leader, and people deride him as a cult leader. To some he is too conservative. To others, he has departed from the true Reformed tradition. Wilson has copycat followers, deranged former […]

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Archive Ecclesiastical Polity Reformed Irenicism Sacred Doctrine Steven Wedgeworth

Beginning to Explain The Theology of Federal Vision

I must apologize for the month-long delay in completing this series on the Federal Vision. Seasonal travels and other obligations interfered. Nevertheless, I will begin to lay out a summary description of the theological issues involved in the Federal Vision and offer some critical observations. Before attempting this, a few caveats have to be given. […]

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Archive Ecclesiastical Polity Reformed Irenicism Sacred Doctrine Steven Wedgeworth

A Federal Vision History

I recently introduced a series on the Federal Vision. In the first installment, I explained why people are still talking about it and promised follow-up articles explaining the history and development of FV. In this post I would like to give something of a survey history of the personalities and controversy and explain some of […]

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Archive Reformed Irenicism Sacred Doctrine Steven Wedgeworth

Giving Up the Ghost: What To Think of the Federal Vision After All These Years

A little over a week ago Professor Scott Clark sounded his quarterly alarm about the Federal Vision. Even though the Federal Vision was a theological discussion that began at the turn of the 21st century and reached its zenith around 2008, Dr. Clark warns his audience that the Federal Vision is back and gaining adherents. […]

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Archive Civic Polity Economics Miles Smith

Was Southern Slavery Really Conservative?

Given the prominence of the legacy of slavery and race at the 2016 Southern Baptist Convention and at the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church in America, it stands to reason that discussions over the legacy of race and slavery and their historical relationship with Evangelicalism will continue. Some of these discussions are helpful—one thinks […]

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Archive Civic Polity Nota Bene Steven Wedgeworth The Natural Family

What the Heck Even is a “Complementarian”?

The Reformed internet world, one of the more peculiar varieties of internet worlds, has been downright pullulating with posts about this thing called “complementarianism.” We’ve learned that it can be “thick” or “thin,” adjectives which do not immediately endear themselves to the reader. The “thin” complementarians worry that complementarianism is in danger of becoming “thick,” […]

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Archive Civic Polity Lily Cherney Natural Law Reformed Irenicism The Natural Family

Are Women Real?: Towards a Comprehensive Complementarianism

I. Complementarianism For Real “If gender is just a term in grammar, how can I ever find my way/ When I’m a stranger here myself?” –Kurt Weill, One Touch of Venus What follows is a kind of prolegomena to any future complementarian squabbling, or possibly a groundwork for the metaphysics of tango. It’s very incomplete […]

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Archive Nota Bene Steven Wedgeworth

“Witness” – A Pastoral-Theological Conference in Central Florida

On November 7th, the church which I pastor is hosting a conference with Douglas Wilson, Joe Carter, and Benjamin Merkle. We’ve called it “Witness: Life in a Post-Christian World,” and the talks will each deal with ways in which Christians can live public lives of faith in a culture which has quickly turned against traditional […]