Modern Theology

The difficulty with modern theology is that it is no different from taking drugs.  It is one trip or another.  You may try LSD, you can try the modern theology.  It makes no difference- both are trips, separated from all reason.
~ Francis Schaeffer The Church at the End of the 20th Century, p 21

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Basilica is Starting to Get Moving (Again)

So things should be up and running for realz now.  Tim has begun a multi-part installment on Augustine’s City of God, and Peter has a post on the place of the decalogue in American public law.  The rumor is that Peter also has about a 40pg critique of Westminster California coming up.
So, in other words, [...]

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The Federal Vision and Reformed Theology

It is been some time now since I’ve blogged on the so-called Federal Vision.  If you check my archives, you’ll see one post with the category tag from this year, though it is really a historical find in Luther’s writings which I came across while researching the two kingdoms post for Basilica.  Prior to that [...]

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Pope Gregory XIII on Queen Elizabeth I

Basilica, though moving slowly, is attempting to address the various positions on Church and State that existed in the Reformation times.  One thing that many people do not realize is just how radical the Roman Catholic position was regarding civil authority.  They taught that all civil authority (every “human creature” as Unam Sanctam says) must [...]

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I’ve Got New Stuff To Say

But I have to finish reading Plotinus first.

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Future Justification

I noticed that Reformation 21 is doing a series refuting the concept of a “future justification according to works.”  This moves considerably beyond folks like Gaffin and Venema, who allow for a future justification “according to works,” but not one “based on works.”
I did some historical research on this question among Reformed theologians of the [...]

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What in Sheol?

The Old Testament has many passages which speak of the dead going to Sheol.  Both the wicked and the righteous seem to go here, and the New Testament says that Jesus descended to Sheol and was raised from it.
Just a few sample passages:

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Resurrection in the Old Testament

Joseph’s Bones
Genesis 50: 25-26
Then Joseph took an oath from the children of Israel, saying, “God will surely visit you, and you shall carry up my bones from here.” So Joseph died, being one hundred and ten years old; and they embalmed him, and he was put in a coffin in Egypt.
Joseph died in Egypt, prior [...]

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Resurrection Sunday School

My class on the resurrection is online now.  There was a small blip in the recording, and so at the beginning a piece is missing.  This part dealt with Old Testament passages about the resurrection which are important, and so I will post these on the blog.

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Lancelot Andrewes on Tradition

They [Papists] have the Fathers, Councils, the Church and the Pope. We have not so.
~ A Pattern of Catechetical Doctrine 5.3

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