The Calvinist International
In his sermons on Ephesians chapter 2 [works Vol 2. Sermon no. 3. p. 33] Thomas Goodwin (1600-1680), member of the Westminster Assembly, embarks upon a slightly speculative theological reflection with regard to the Kingdom of Satan and the Kingdom of Christ. This angle he attributes to Zanchius and the school-man Suarez. Goodwin contends that […]
Derek Rishmawy shares an excerpt from the ancient Christian work, and notes how similar it sounds to the fathers of the Reformed faith.
Just an observation on the opening of Matthew’s Gospel, the “book of the origin of Jesus Christ, son of David, son of Abraham.” Obviously, Matthew wasn’t familiar with the Apostles’ Creed, the Nicene Creed, or the Definition of Chalcedon, but perhaps we can already see moves in that direction on a literary level in the construction […]
Well, there has been a whole lot of Augustine going on around here lately. Figured I’d pile on with a short note. In Confessions 1.11.17, as he is about to describe his time in the catechumenate and his desire for baptism when, during a childhood illness, he thought that he was going to die, Augustine […]
A passage of astonishing power and beauty from one of Augustine’s Christmas sermons (191), preached perhaps in 411 or 412. Christ came to save sinners. Man’s Maker was made man, that He, Ruler of the stars, might nurse at His mother’s breasts; that the Bread might be hungry, the Fountain thirst, the Light sleep, the […]
Because, you know, it’s that time of year. But, of course, the topic is never out of season. There was a dilemma involved in the restoration of man from sin. Only man was obligated to pay what was owed to God, but man was unable to do it. The Son of God was willing to […]
I posted an excerpt from Augustine’s Sermon 184 a couple of days ago, and I now return to it again, because its conclusion is too good not to share. The Latin is especially beautiful (see the notes for just a few of its features), and its closing statement of desire (perficiat…filius), though brief, is profound. […]
Augustine, in Sermon 184, speaks of the difference between the “wise” and the wise, those who are wise with regard to “this world” (huius mundi) and those who are wise with regard to the one “by whom the world was made” (a quo factus est mundus). The difference is that the latter can assent to […]
As the old carol proclaims: Heaven and earth in little space; res miranda. Wondrous indeed, but not an end in itself; as another carol says, the end of it was to save us all from Satan’s power, when we had gone astray and finally, as the famous hymn declares, God and sinners, reconciled. A reason […]
TCI collaborator Brad Littlejohn recently posted an essay pointing out how Bavinck can help modern theological conversations regarding the categories of “nature” and substance.” In it, Mr. Littlejohn draws our attention to Peter Leithart’s reservations about these concepts. And while Mr. Littlejohn does offer up many helpful ways in which Dr. Leithart’s thoughts can be harmonized with the classical […]