The Need For Reformation Continues
The New Geneva
by Anthony Charles
1y ago
Written by Janie Brown Last month one of Milan’s most ancient and bizarre events took place in the city’s famous Cathedral, the Duomo. At the far end of the cathedral’s apse, suspended forty meters above the floor, there is a round reliquary lit by a red light, visible to all who are in the pews. This is where Milan’s most precious relic is stored. According to Roman Catholic tradition, it was Empress Helena, mother of Constantine, who, in the fourth century, took it upon herself to find the “true” cross of Christ. It is said that once she found it, she sent a nail of the cross to her son Cons ..read more
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Post Tenebras Lux: After Darkness, Light
The New Geneva
by Anthony Charles
1y ago
The crown jewel of the Protestant Reformation was recovering the doctrine of justification by faith alone. This impacted Christianity so profoundly that the Reformation was marked by the spirited slogan: Post tenebras lux–“After darkness, light.” Calvin rightly termed justification by faith alone “the main hinge on which religion turns.”[1] Thomas Watson warned future generations: “Justification is the very hinge and pillar of Christianity. An error about justification is dangerous, like a crack in the foundation…Justification by Christ is a spring of the water of life, and to have the poison ..read more
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Is Sanctification Monergistic or Synergistic? Why It Matters
The New Geneva
by Anthony Charles
1y ago
As Calvinists grow in their understanding of the doctrines of grace, the question is often asked whether sanctification is monergistic or synergistic. Some may wonder if it even matters, but this is an important question with significant theological ramifications. If we misunderstand the nature of sanctification, we face the danger of having a flawed view of the nature of justification. Having a defective view of justification can lead us back to Rome, Arminianism, Two-Stage Justification, or even worse places! That is why this is an important question. It is my position that Reformed theology ..read more
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Liturgy In Reformed Worship
The New Geneva
by Charles Vaughn
1y ago
A capstone project during my final semester in seminary was on Christian liturgy. This occurred in the final systematic theology class on Ecclesiology, or the doctrine of the church. Instead of a term paper the students were given a research project to work on. We were to discover the biblical and historic precedence for liturgy in the church with an emphasis on Reformed liturgy, comparing and contrasting the various traditions of the church throughout time and place. Students were also charged with creating their own desired liturgy. Below are the meager fruits of this exercise. Worship of th ..read more
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The Three Uses of the Law in Reformed Theology
The New Geneva
by Anthony Charles
2y ago
In today’s world, numerous things are going haywire. Headlines flicker hourly across our social media feeds with the latest abuse of power, breaches in trust, shootings, riots, and protests. The spirit of anarchy is alive and well in our world. How is it possible for depraved individuals to even recognize evil? Why do we care about injustice? It is because we all have the Law of God written in our hearts (Romans 2:14-15). When we observe countless atrocities occurring on a daily basis, it is human nature to want justice to prevail. In Christianity, there have always been disputes on how Christ ..read more
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From Rome To Geneva
The New Geneva
by Anthony Charles
2y ago
By Janie Brown Kneeling on the cold linoleum floor while listening to my grandmother chant out the rosary in Spanish is a memory that is ingrained in my mind. In her devotion and zeal, she gathered her grandchildren around her like a little flock of sheep and taught us the prayers on Sunday afternoons. She was a lifelong committed Roman Catholic, an immigrant from Mexico who instilled in her grandchildren a reverence for God. Growing up with such a devout abuelita, I dutifully did all that was expected of me: my first communion, after school catechism classes, confirmation, even parish high s ..read more
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Sacred Bond: A Covenant Theology for Today
The New Geneva
by Charles Vaughn
2y ago
For the one who reads their Bible the concept of covenant is found cover to cover. It is not simply located in the Hebrew and Greek words translated “covenant” in English (berit and diatheke, respectively). The concept of covenant goes far deeper into the biblical drama than what appears on the textual surface. Indeed, this is how God works and reveals himself – through bonding covenants of sacred origin to a people he calls by name into his gracious kingdom. Michael G. Brown and Zach Keele with their book Sacred Bond, in a clear and concise manner, have brought together the elemental themes ..read more
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Covenant Theology and the Covenant of Works
The New Geneva
by Anthony Charles
2y ago
When my family and friends ask me why I joined a Reformed church they’re always surprised when I don’t mention the Five Points of Calvinism. While I love the five points and view them as essential to being Reformed, they’re only a gateway. There’s more to being Reformed than holding to the “doctrines of grace.” As wonderful as they are, they only belong to one category of theology: soteriology (the doctrine of salvation). The DNA of Reformed theology is the doctrine of the Covenant—specifically, the covenant of works and the covenant of grace. You might ask, “What’s a covenant?” In Confessing ..read more
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Why is the Mosaic Covenant Important for Christians?
The New Geneva
by Anthony Charles
2y ago
In Reformed theology, everything is built on Scripture alone–Sola Scriptura. We don’t build our theology on the New Testament by itself. The Old Testament is the bedrock and foundation for the New. As Paul said, our theology is built on the foundation of the apostles AND the prophets (Eph. 2:20). With this in mind, it’s important to remember the majority of Old Testament literature is about the Mosaic Covenant. What was the Mosaic Covenant? “It’s a law covenant with Israel, wherein God graciously leads them to Christ by showing them the perfect righteousness that only Christ could fulfill to ..read more
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A Concise Case For Reformed Infant Baptism
The New Geneva
by Anthony Charles
2y ago
Are you interested in attending a Presbyterian or Reformed church, but you just haven’t been able to be convinced of the validity of infant baptism? If so, this post is especially for you. The first thing to keep in mind in this: In Reformed theology, our belief in infant baptism doesn’t come from isolated Bible proof texts, but by considering Scripture as an organic whole. In this post, I’ve tried to refine down the most concise and compelling case for Reformed infant baptism. Many of these ideas are influenced by Herman Bavinck’s Reformed Dogmatics and Louis Berkhof’s Systematic Theology. W ..read more
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