Reformed Forum

Dr. Lane G. Tipton teaches a thorough introduction to the theology and innovative apologetic method of Cornelius Van Til (1895–1987), a pioneer in a distinctly Reformed approach to defending the faith. This course investigates the context, structure, and significance of Van Til’s theology and apologetics. It is designed to introduce students to the main influences and fundamental concerns of Van Til’s theological approach to apologetics. Topics include a general introduction, Trinity, image of God, covenant, revelation, worldview, antithesis, common grace, and idealism. Special attention is given to the programmatic deep structures of Van Til’s thought, distinguishing his views from Roman Catholicism, Barth, and Evangelical approaches to theology and apologetics.

Lane Tipton speaks about his chapter, "The Person of Christ: The Deeper Protestant Conception and the Church's Heavenly-Mindedness" in Theology for Ministry: How Doctrine Affects Pastoral Life and Practice (P&R Publishing), a festschrift for Sinclair Ferguson.

Hosea 13 contains mostly words of rebuke and condemnation. But there is good news there as well. The Lord rebukes his son, Israel, whom he called out of Egypt, for the sin of covenantal faithlessness. They have gone after other gods. So thorough will God's coming judgment be that it is likened to death. But he also offers a word of hope which contains the promise of life, as death itself will be defeated. 

Dr. Lane G. Tipton teaches a thorough introduction to the theology and innovative apologetic method of Cornelius Van Til (1895–1987), a pioneer in a distinctly Reformed approach to defending the faith. This course investigates the context, structure, and significance of Van Til’s theology and apologetics. It is designed to introduce students to the main influences and fundamental concerns of Van Til’s theological approach to apologetics. Topics include a general introduction, Trinity, image of God, covenant, revelation, worldview, antithesis, common grace, and idealism. Special attention is given to the programmatic deep structures of Van Til’s thought, distinguishing his views from Roman Catholicism, Barth, and Evangelical approaches to theology and apologetics.

On September 1, 2022, Lane Tipton fielded questions on his book, The Trinitarian Theology of Cornelius Van Til. Cornelius Van Til (1895–1987) offered a confessionally Reformed doctrine of the Creator-creature relation that stands out as distinct in contrast to both traditional Roman Catholic and contemporary Barthian alternatives. His Trinitarian theology of the Creator-creature relation supplied a pioneering enrichment of Reformed theology in the traditions of Old Princeton and Old Amsterdam. In the book, Lane G. Tipton interprets Van Til in his own historical and polemical context and demonstrates how the immutably dynamic life of the self-contained Trinity bears upon God’s relation to Adam in the work of creation, the act of special providence in covenant, and the person and eternal Son in the event of incarnation. Tipton argues that Van Til’s Trinitarian theology deepens confessionally Reformed Trinitarianism and federalism in contrast to medieval Thomistic and modern Barthian theological alternatives. I

Drs. Alan Strange and Cornelis Venema speak about the practice of catechetical preaching both from a practical as well as historical perspective. While the practice is more common within the Dutch Reformed tradition, Dr. Strange also provides a case for Presbyterians to engage in preaching using the Westminster Standards as aids. Regardless of where you may land on the particular role of secondary standards in organizing the preaching of the Word, this conversation useful and instructive for considering how the church may best instruct her members. Dr. Cornelis Venema is Professor of Doctrinal Studies and President of Mid-America Reformed Seminary in Dyer, Indiana. Dr. Alan Strange is Professor of Church History, Registrar, and Theological Librarian of Mid-America Reformed Seminary in Dyer, Indiana.

We look at the significance of a trio of prophecies: the flight to Egypt, Jeremiah’s prophecy of the weeping of Rachel, and that “he would be called a Nazarene.” Matthew identifies Jesus with us, so that we might identify with him. The glorious king is not what many expected, and his kingdom does not look the way many expect.

Dr. Lane G. Tipton teaches a thorough introduction to the theology and innovative apologetic method of Cornelius Van Til (1895–1987), a pioneer in a distinctly Reformed approach to defending the faith. This course investigates the context, structure, and significance of Van Til’s theology and apologetics. It is designed to introduce students to the main influences and fundamental concerns of Van Til’s theological approach to apologetics. Topics include a general introduction, Trinity, image of God, covenant, revelation, worldview, antithesis, common grace, and idealism. Special attention is given to the programmatic deep structures of Van Til’s thought, distinguishing his views from Roman Catholicism, Barth, and Evangelical approaches to theology and apologetics.

In 1904, the same year Herman Bavinck published Christian Worldview, Bavinck published a book titled Christelijke wetenschap (Christian Science) in which he commented on a movement to "build science . . . on the foundation of the Christian faith." Cory Brock joins us to speak about this book and Bavinck's views on the subject. Dr. Cory C. Brock is assistant minister of St. Columba's Free Church and part-time lecturer in theology at Edinburgh Theological Seminary. He is the author of Orthodox yet Modern: Herman Bavinck’s Use of Friedrich Schleiermacher and co-author of Neo-Calvinism: A Theological Introduction.

Dr. Vern Poythress speaks about the study of history and historiography from a Christian perspective. In his book, Redeeming Our Thinking about History: A God-Centered Approach, Dr. Poythress emphasizes God’s own command to remember his works and share them with the next generation. He explores providentialism, divine purpose, and the four basic phases of biblical history: creation, fall, redemption, and consummation. Vern S. Poythress (PhD, Harvard University; ThD, University of Stellenbosch) is Distinguished Professor of New Testament, Biblical Interpretation, and Systematic Theology at Westminster Theological Seminary in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, where he has taught for four decades. In addition to earning six academic degrees, he is the author of numerous books and articles on biblical interpretation, language, and science.

This week on Theology Simply Profound, Rob and Bob discuss Louis Berkhof’s little book, Summary of Christian Doctrine. Within the second section, The Doctrine of God and Creation, the sixth chapter on “The Attributes of God,” sets before us the

We turn to pp. 299–301 of Geerhardus Vos’s book, Biblical Theology: Old and New Testaments. Vos discusses three ways in which the structure of New Testament Revelation can be determined from within Scripture itself. 1. From indications in the Old Testament 2. From the teachings of Jesus 3. From the teachings of Paul and the other apostles

Where is Christ’s body now? In short, that is the question behind our conversation today with K. J. Drake, the author of The Flesh of the Word: The extra Calvinisticum from Zwingli to Early Orthodoxy (Oxford University Press, 2021). In this book, Drake seeks to broaden the study of the extra Calvinisticum by investigating how the doctrine arose within sixteenth-century Reformed theology as well as how its form and function developed over time due to the changing polemical and theological contexts from Zwingli to the period of early Reformed orthodoxy. K. J. Drake is Academic Dean and Assistant Professor of Historical Theology at Indianapolis Theological Seminary. He received his BA in History, Classics, Medieval and Renaissance Studies, and Latin from the University of Nebraska. He attended Covenant Theological Seminary in St. Louis where he received his M.Div.

Carlton Wynne, Lane Tipton, and Camden Bucey turn to pp. 48–54 of Cornelius Van Til’s The Defense of the Faith to discuss the Christian theory of knowledge. In this section, Van Til speaks of the relationship between a theory of reality and the theory of knowledge and how for orthodox Christians, the absolute God of Scripture is identical with his knowledge while finite creatures are fundamentally dependent upon him. We also announce the arrival of Lane Tipton’s book, The Trinitarian Theology of Cornelius Van Til.

Dr. Benjamin Gladd shares his methods and favorite tools for facilitating research and eventual publication of his writing. Dr. Gladd is Professor of New Testament at Reformed Theological Seminary in Jackson, Mississippi. He is the author of Handbook on the Gospels (Grand Rapids: Baker, 2021) and From Adam and Israel to the Church: A Biblical Theology of the People of God (Downers Grove: IVP Academic, 2019). Along with G. K. Beale, he is the co-author of The Story Retold: A Biblical-Theological Introduction to the New Testament (Downers Grove: IVP Academic, 2020). Dr. Gladd is also series editor for IVP's Essential Studies in Biblical Theology and Baker's Handbook on the New Testament. Links Richard Hays, Reading Backwards (https://www.amazon.com/Reading-Backwards-Figural-Christology-Fourfold/dp/1481302337/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=hays+reading+backwards&qid=1658333854&sprefix=hays+reading+%2Caps%2C78&sr=8-1) Sönke Ahrens, How to Take Smart Notes (https://www.amazon.com/How-Take-Smart-Notes-Technique-e

This week on Theology Simply Profound, Rob and Bob discuss Louis Berkhof’s little book, Summary of Christian Doctrine. Within the second section, The Doctrine of God and Creation, the fifth chapter on “The Names of God,” serves to help us to un

Dr. Carlton Wynne speaks about his chapter, "Scripture: Foundational for Life and Ministry," which is published in Theology for Ministry: How Doctrine Affects Pastoral Life and Practice. This book is a festshcrift for Sinclair Ferguson, edited by William R. Edwards, John C. A. Ferguson, and Chad Van Dixhoorn and published by P&R Publishing. Dr. Wynne discusses the significance of the doctrine of inspiration as well as the necessity, sufficiency, and authority of Scripture. He then connects these essential doctrines to their practicality and usefulness for daily life and particularly, pastoral ministry. By understanding the doctrine of Scripture and especially its redemptive-historical character, we come to a greater appreciation of God's enduring love and care for his covenant people.

This week on Theology Simply Profound, Rob and Bob begin a discussion of Louis Berkhof’s little book, Summary of Christian Doctrine. Within the first section, The Doctrine of God and Creation, the fourth chapter on “The Essential Nature of God,�

Mark Winder previews his upcoming course on Zephaniah wherein he will discuss the prophecy in its context, and in doing so examine how the prophet utilizes protological themes to construct an eschatological picture pointing to the great Day of the Lord. We will begin with an introduction to covenant themes and establish the veracity of the theological assumptions and hermeneutical method employed in approaching Zephaniah. Dr. Winder will be teaching an in-person course at the Reformed Forum headquarters in Libertyville, Illinois, August 12–13, 2022. For more information and registration, visit https://reformedforum.org/zephaniah2022/

What does Paul mean when he says that all things in heaven and earth will be united in Christ? The apostle moves from what Christ did on the cross for his people – to look at the place of the cross in all of history. Robert Arendale and Mark Winder look at the concept of mystery, the language of “things in heaven and things on earth,” and the culmination of this text – the uniting of these things.