Preserving A Reformed Heritage

This is the story of the Free Church of Scotland in the 20th Century. It outlines the life and witness of the Church throughout the century dealing with some of the issues which faced the Church in that period. A companion volume entitled 'A Divided Church', provides an account of the division which occurred in the Free Church of Scotland in 2000, a division that led to the emergence of the Free Church of Scotland (Continuing). This is not an exhaustive history, nor is it an 'official' one. It is in the nature of 'Aspects of the History of the Free Church of Scotland in the 20th Century.' The Free Church itself reflected a confessional evangelical and reformed position throughout the century, though not without testing times, not least right at the end of the century.

Worship renewal is now on the agenda of many Reformed churches, as the need for adaptation and new approaches is acutely felt all over. How can the church faithfully worship God in the midst of rapidly changing situations? How can it constructively relate to widely differing cultural contexts? What is its place in the wider ecumenical scene? In preparing a sweeping survey of Reformed worship across time and place, this volume provides some help to those engaged with vital questions like these. Written by theologians and liturgical scholars from a wide range of churches and countries, these chapters explore the history of Reformed worship on every continent from the sixteenth century to the present. Surveying the most significant developments in the growth of Reformed worship, the book identifies the major "ingredients" that make the Reformed worship tradition distinctive and highlights those aspects of Reformed worship that are particularly relevant to present efforts at renewal. Indeed, an important component of this book is the inclusion of "A Common Reflection on Christian Worship in Reformed Churches Today," the result of a major consultation in January 2001 at the International Reformed Center John Knox. Revealing the rich variety of forms and diversity of perspectives that have made and do make up Reformed worship worldwide, this volume will be a valuable resource for church and worship leaders both in and outside the Reformed family. Contributors: Hor ace T. Allen Jr. Emily R. Brink Livingstone Buama Coenraad Burger Bruno Bürki Gerson Correia de Lacerda Alan D. Falconer, Kasonga wa Kasonga Baranite T. Kirata Elsie Anne McKee Seong-Won Park Ester Pudjo Widiasih Alan P. F. Sell Joseph D. Small Bryan D. Spinks Leonora Tubbs Tisdale Lukas Vischer Isaiah Wahome Muita Geraldine Wheeler Marsha M. Wilfong John D. Witvliet

A Divided Church is an account of the division that took place in the Free Church of Scotland, a conservative evangelical and reformed church, in the year 2000. The story is told of events that led to the division and the perceived inadequacies of procedures in church and state which impacted upon events leading up to the division. The book is written from the perspective of the Free Church of Scotland (Continuing), the smaller part of the divided Church. It is a story that requires to be told and it is written with care and conciseness by the lecturer in Church History and Church Principles at the Seminary of the Free Church of Scotland (Continuing).

A dynamic array of scholars here inspects the role of the Reformed confessional tradition in the reading and interpretation of Scripture. Written by contributors not only from the West but also from Hungary, Romania, India, South Africa, and China, these essays recognize the influence of one??'s context in doing exegetical work. Wide-ranging and lucid, Reformed Theology: Identity and Ecumenicity II is an excellent resource for readers looking to examine current biblical and theological trends in Reformed thought. Contributors: Denise M. Ackermann Peter Balla Brian K. Blount Hendrik Bosman H. Russel Botman William P. Brown H. J. Bernard Combrink Beverly Roberts Gaventa Zsolt Gereb Theodore Hiebert Jaqueline E. Lapsley Bernard Lategan James Luther Mays J. Clinton McCann Jr. Alexander J. McKelway Patrick D. Miller Elna Mouton Piet J. Naud? Ed Noort E. A. Obeng Douglas F. Ottati Ronald A. Piper Cynthia L. Rigby D. R. Sadananda Konrad Schmid Dirk Smit Iain Torrance Hans Weder Carver T. Yu

God always intended to have a people to love: a church Jesus said nothing could destroy (Matthew 16:18). Simonetta shows how God has kept this promise for two thousand years.

Haldane proves the Lord’s Day is a permanent obligation, afterward embodied in the Ten Commandments and recognized by Jesus and His apostles, and that the change of day does not void the fourth commandment. He sets forth how beautifully the Sabbath day depicts the patience, goodness, and mercy of Jehovah. Most divine institutions point out the consequences of sin, but the Sabbath traces its origin to the time when man walked in innocence in the immediate presence of the Lord. We are to remember an institution forgotten in the bondage of Egypt—to keep holy a day God claims as His inalienable property, a claim restated by Jesus Christ for us. Table of Contents: 1. The Sabbath Anterior to the Mosaic Dispensation 2. The Sabbath Binding Alike under the Jewish and Christian Dispensations 3. The Manner of the Promulgation of the Decalogue 4. The Manner of the Preservation of the Decalogue and the Lessons Thereby Taught 5. Proof of the Permanence of the Fourth Commandment Derived from the Foregoing Statements 6. Internal Evidence Shows that the Fourth Commandment Is of Universal Obligation 7. Objections to the Permanent Obligation of the Sabbath Considered 8. The Observance of the Sabbath under the Christian Dispensation Is Fully Recognized by the Prophets 9. The Change from the Last to the First Day of the Week Has Not Invalidated the Obligation of the Sabbath

The early transition from Catholicism to Protestantism was a complicated journey for England, as individuals sorted out their spiritual beliefs, chose their political allegiances, and confronted an array of religious differences that had sprung forth in their society since the reign of Henry VIII. Inner anxieties often translated into outward violence. Amidst this turmoil the poet and Protestant preacher John Donne (1572-1631) emerged as a central figure, one who encouraged peace among Christians. Raised a Catholic but ordained in 1615 as an Anglican clergyman, Donne publicly identified himself with Protestantism, and yet scholars have long questioned his theological orientation. Drawing upon recent scholarship in church history, the authors of this collection reconsider Donne's relationship to Protestantism and clearly demonstrate the political and theological impact of the Reformation on his life and writings. The collection includes thirteen essays that together place Donne broadly in the context of English and European traditions and explore his divine poetry, his prose work, the Devotions Upon Emergent Occasions, and his sermons. It becomes clear that in adopting the values of the Reformation, Donne does not completely reject everything from his Catholic background. Rather, the clash of religion erupts in his work in both moving and disconcerting ways. This collection offers a fresh understanding of Donne's hard-won irenicism, which he achieved at great personal and professional risk.

Reading Christian Theology in the Protestant Tradition offers a distinctive approach to the value of classic works through the lens of Protestantism. While it is anachronistic to speak of Christian theology prior to the Reformation as "Protestant†?, it is wholly appropriate to recognize how certain common Protestant concerns can be discerned in the earliest traditions of Christianity. The resonances between the ages became both informative and inspiring for Protestants who looked back to pre-reformation sources for confirmation, challenge, and insight. Thus this book begins with the first Christian theologians, covering nearly 2000 years of theological writing from the Didache, Justin Martyr, and Origen to James Cone, José Míguez Bonino, and Sallie McFague. Five major periods of church history are represented in 12 key works, each carefully explained and interpreted by an expert in the field.