Even beyond the 500th anniversary of 2009, Calvin and the consequences of the Reformation associated with his name have lost none of their fascination. Current questions and research projects revolve around the life, work and thoughts of the early modern theologian. The work contains the lectures of the tenth International Congress for Calvin Research (Bloemfontein 2010) and represents the latest state of Calvin research. The first part consists of all lectures by leading scientists from the history of the Reformation and theology, including Luca Baschera, Tony Lane and Wim Janse. They deal with the main topic of the congress, reconciliation. The thematically diverse second part contains short lectures, such as on Calvin's concept of theology or Calvin's understanding of freedom. Mimako Saito writes about Calvin's legacy in Japan. Like the publications of previous Calvin Congress lectures, this edition is intended to serve as a source and guide for future studies. The selection of the title, Calvinus clarissimus theologus, continues the tradition of quoting from an exchange of letters to Calvin. The title echoes the words of Johannes Storm, who praises Calvin as an "astute and learned theologian." Based on these words, Herman J. Selderhuis expresses the honorable commemoration of the Calvin expert and long-time secretary and member of the Presidium Wilhelm Heinrich Neuser, who died a few weeks before the start of the congress.

How did Dardenne Presbyterian become a regional leader?

"We fill our pews, we visit our sick, we welcome the new, we keep preaching God's word, we pray together and we work together to build Dardenne Presbyterian Church."
--"The Dardennaire," August 1973

Follow the 185-year story as prairie pioneers struggle to survive and keep their church alive despite epidemic, fire and scandal. Then pray with them as they continue their "Journey of Faith" into the 21st century.

Jonathan Edwards continues to capture the interest of many as one of America's greatest theologians. However, the very thought of reading the works of such an intellectual giant can be intimidating. In this book, W. Gary Crampton renders a clear and concise introduction to the thought of Jonathan Edwards in an enjoyable conversational format. By posing questions and crafting answers from selected quotations, Crampton provides a comfortable atmosphere for surveying the life and thought of Edwards. This dialogue makes an excellent resource for those looking for a brief and accessible guide on Edwards. W. Gary Crampton holds the degrees of Th.M. and Th.D. from Whitefield Theological Seminary, and Ph.D. from Central School of Religion, in Surrrey, England. He is an ordained teaching elder in the Reformed Presbyterian Church and the author of several books, including Meet Jonathan Edwards, What the Puritans Thought, and What Calvin Said.

John Calvin has been the subject of numerous studies, but most have focused on one aspect of his thought or a limited selection of his writings. This study of Calvin adopts a uniquely holistic approach.
Randall Zachman begins with a brief biography and considers Calvin's own understanding of his ministry as a teacher and pastor. From this perspective, he surveys Calvin's writings and their place in the work of reforming the church--both through the training of clergy and the instruction of the laity. Zachman then considers Calvin as a theologian. In contrast to Martin Luther, Calvin sought to balance the verbal proclamation of the Word with an emphasis on the visible manifestation of God--both in creation and in Christ.
This study will be of great interest to Reformed clergy and to students of the Reformation and Calvinism.

Originally published in 1940. Contents Include - CALVINISM AS A DOGMATIC SYSTEM - The Knowledge of God - Knowledge of Gog and Self-Knowledge - The Knowledge of God from Natural Religion - The Biblical Doctrine of Creation and Providence - Man's Fallen State - The Perfect Standard of Righteousness in the Law - The Mediation through Christ - The Appropiation of Salvation through Christ - The Holy Spirit and Faith - Repentance - Justification by Faith - The Nature of Justification - Christian Liberty - Prayer - The Eternal Election - Church and Sacraments - The Nature of the Church - Preaching and the Sacraments - Baptism - The Lord's Supper - CALVINISM AS AN ECCLESIASTICAL SYSTEM - The Organization and the Ministry - Calvinism on the Continent of Europe - At Geneva - The Reformed Church in Swittzerland, Germany and the Netherlands - Caqlvinism in France - Calvininsm in the English Speaking World - SOME ASPECTS OF CALVINISM - The Calvinism View of Scripture - The Principle of Authority in Calvinism - The Calvinisic Way of Life - Calvinism and the Social Order - Church and State - The Revived Interest in Calvinism

Beginning with the motto "The Church Reformed and Always Being Reformed," thirteen Presbyterian leaders and representatives of a number of different groups across the theological spectrum offer their reflections on the current state of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) and what the denomination needs today. This book presents various viewpoints, values, and commitments found throughout the denomination. Discussion and reflection questions at the end of each chapter make this book ideal for individual and group study.

This book addresses the age old controversy between to completely opposite positions in theology. Who is right, the Arminian view which gives man the credit for his salvation and all his good works that qualifies him for that great blessing - OR - is the Calvinist view that is correct which teaches that God is the one that should get credit for any person that comes to Jesus as Lord - that all man's work mean nothing in the sight of God as far as qualifying him to be one of God's saved ones? The authour explains the view of both sides but deals plainly in favour of Calvinism.

Thine Is My Heart brings together a year's worth of meditations from the writings of John Calvin, carefully selected to reveal his devotional side. Taken from his commentaries, correspondences, and sermons, these selections demonstrate that practical application of Christian truth was never far from his mind. Let these daily portions be an encouragement to you to offer your heart to the Lord, promptly and sincerely.

In this witty, accessible, and concise book, theologian Doug Ottati argues that liberal Presbyterians and other liberal Protestants still have much to contribute to the contemporary world. Offering an alternative to evangelical and conservative thought that he believes now pervades the larger culture, Ottati presents what he sees as the foundations of liberal, theological thought. Writing out of the Reformed tradition and a theology of grace, he addresses current issues such as evangelism, the ordination of homosexuals, and the war on terrorism. Most important, this book is a call to liberal Presbyterians and other liberal Protestants to restate, rethink, and revise traditional theologies and beliefs in the face of contemporary knowledge and realities. This book is ideal for individual or group study.

"Why Election Is Not My Gospel" is a controversial diatribe that explores and answers these questions: Does the Gospel consist in a real and sincere promise by God to all without exception, or an invitation to the elect alone? Is there a clear distinction between God's desire (command) and God's intention (purpose)? Does God in any sense desire that Reprobates be saved? Is Election part of the Gospel, or necessary to be believed as the immediate object of justifying faith? And many more...

After years spent deceived in the circles of "Hyper-Calvinism," author E.D. Manard marks his public exodus from this spiritually fatal movement, and repudiates his former association with it, proving it as a departure from God's Gospel addressed to, and designed for, lost sinners.

Mr. Manard takes on the editor of "Outside The Camp Newsletter, " Marc Carpenter, directly, and counters Carpenter's denial of the "free offer" of the Gospel, demonstrating that such denial is anti-historical, anti-biblical, and anti-evangelistic.

Pulling no punches, Mr. Manard shows conclusively from God's Testimony which evangelistic message God's ministers are commissioned to preach to lost sinners exactly, and why "Election" is not it.

Many years ago, the papers of James S. Stewart were lodged in the library of New College, Edinburgh, by 'J.S.S.' himself under a twelve year embargo. Recently permission was granted for this embargo to be lifted and the material finally to be made available. Among the papers were some exceptional set piece sermons-examples of work upon which James S. Stewart bestowed such labour, which he honed and polished. Readers who remember his distinctive voice, and those who have learned about this magnificent preacher, may now hear the vibrant accents of his passionate delivery through the printed word. For twenty years the late James S. Stewart was Professor of New Testament Language, Literature and Theology, University of Edinburgh (New College). Former Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland (1963-64), he is considered to be one of the Kirk's greatest communicators of the Gospel. As a scholar, family man and public figure, his may become a historic memory, a legend of a more spacious era of church life when men and women went on Sundays to 'hear' preachers of their day. This volume of sermons by James S. Stewart is offered as a lasting testament to his life and times.

This brief, accessible guide for confirmation in the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) examines the process of confirmation, what it means, and its ongoing importance in the church. This essential resource, which includes discussion and reflection questions at the end of each chapter, is perfect for individual or group study. It is ideal for those being confirmed, their parents, and all those assisting individuals who are being confirmed.

The Historical Roots of the Presbyterian Church in America is a Presbyterian Primer, one of a series of books by Don Clements that has been written in non-academic style, specifically designed to reach new or previously unread Church members. It lends itself quite well as an easy-to-read training manual for church officers or as an interesting introduction for persons new to church history. Topics covered in this volume include a pithy overview of the Protestant Reformation, the birth of Presbyterianism, the branching of Reformed denominations, the theological decline into liberalism by various branches, the founding of the Presbyterian Church in America and the rejoining of branches as the roots come back together. Dr. Clements offers a list of characteristics of the PCA that makes it "who it is" and calls others to solidify such an anthology in order to firmly establish a distinct foundation for leadership and a legacy for future generations. Reading this book will inspire you to appreciate the service, sacrifice and martyrdom of those who have gone before, and whet your appetite for Christian history, even if you don't enjoy or see the importance of spending time on learning about the past.

This book contains eleven great sermons by the great Welsh itinerant preacher, John Elias (1774-1841), all newly and ably translated from the Welsh by Owen Milton. Here you will find a feast of biblical, doctrinal, experiential, and practical food that shows how great preachers in ages past proclaimed the whole counsel of God over a period of time while remaining faithful in expounding individual texts in accord with their major themes. These sermons, which richly expound nearly every major doctrine of grace, are as relevant and helpful as when they were first written. Here you will find the sovereignty of God and the responsibility of man persuasively expounded. Such themes as God's sovereign calling of sinners, the experiential knowledge and fullness of Christ, the dangers of ignoring the gospel call, earnest prayer for the Spirit, the greatness of God's peace, the believer's love for Christ, the blessing of a contrite spirit, and the immanency of the Second Advent are set forth with convicting power. Practical themes such as how to listen to preaching and how to respect governmental authority are also expounded with fresh clarity. Elias's sermons exhibit all the strengths of a godly preacher-pastor-writer. Read them slowly and prayerfully, and, with the Spirit's blessing, you will grow in the grace and knowledge of Jesus Christ.

A lay-friendly introduction to Presbyterian beliefs, practices, and history. Helps readers grasp what it means to be a (conservative) Presbyterian in a postmodern age.

Twenty-two more complete sermons from Joseph Addison Alexander (1809-1860), the brilliant and godly giant from Old Princeton, are here published for the first time in more than a century. Charles Hodge said of his colleague, "In the death of Joseph Addison Alexander we have lost our great glory and defense. Permit me to express my own individual convictions. I regard Dr. Joseph Addison Alexander as incomparably the greatest man I ever knew--as incomparably the greatest man our church has ever produced. His thorough orthodoxy, his fervent piety, humility, faithfulness in the discharge of his duties, and reverence for the Word of God, consecrated all his other gifts. He glorified the Word of God in the sight of his pupils beyond what any man I ever saw had the power of doing."

There is a large demand for a textbook on the history and doctrines of the Presbyterian Church, to be used in the Sunday Schools, Pastors' study classes, and the study classes of Young People's and Women's Societies. In casting about for such a book the Presbyterian Committee of Publication found ready at home that charming little book The Creed of Presbyterians, by the Rev. Egbert Watson Smith, D. D., Executive Secretary of Foreign Missions of the Presbyterian Church in the United States. It is worthy of note that this book has already had a far larger circulation than any other book ever written in America on Presbyterianism. However, The Creed of Presbyterians is written in popular style for the general reader and was not primarily intended for a textbook, but the Committee of Publication hit upon a happy idea, and that was to convert it into a textbook by dividing it into lessons and adding a list of questions to be used in connection with each lesson. So we have in this new edition a book which has all the charm of the original edition and which can be read without any thought of the classroom, but at the same time a book which can be instantly converted into a textbook, by turning to the lesson divisions and questions in the back. With this new adjustment we believe that The Creed of Presbyterians will meet in an admirable way the demand for a textbook on the history and doctrines of the Presbyterian Church. Practically every question on each lesson can be answered by a careful study of the pages assigned to that lesson, and it is not necessary for members of the class to have any other book in connection with the course. But it will be found helpful to make frequent reference toencyclopedia articles and to such histories as members of the class may have. It will also be found helpful to have at hand an exceedingly interesting and informing book entitled, The Burning Bush: A Story of the Presbyterian Church, by J. R. Fleming. With these suggestions we send The Creed of Presbyterians out upon its new mission as a textbook with the sincere hope and conviction that it will fill a long felt need. The questions were prepared by Rev. W. L. Lingle, D. D., of Union Theological Seminary, Moderator of the General Assembly of 1920. Presbyterian Committee of Publication Richmond, Va.

John Calvin transformed the Western theology and law of sex, marriage, and family life. Building on a generation of Protestant reforms, Calvin constructed a comprehensive new theology and law that made marital formation and dissolution, childrenbs nurture and welfare, family cohesion and support, and sexual sin and crime essential concerns for both church and state. Working with other jurists and theologians, Calvin drew the Consistory and Council of Geneva into a creative new alliance to govern domestic and sexual subjects. Together, these authorities outlawed monasticism and mandatory clerical celibacy, and encouraged marriage for all fit adults. They set clear guidelines for courtship and engagement and mandated parental consent, peer witness, church consecration, and state registration for valid marriage. They radically reconfigured weddings and wedding feasts and reformed marital property and inheritance, marital consent and impediments. They created new rights and duties for wives within the bedroom and for children within the household. They streamlined the grounds and procedures for annulment and introduced fault-based divorce for both husbands and wives on grounds of adultery and desertion. They encouraged the remarriage of divorcees and widow(er)s. They punished rape, fornication, prostitution, sodomy, and other sexual felonies with startling new severity and put firm new restrictions on dancing, sumptuousness, ribaldry, and obscenity. They put new stock in catechesis and education, created new schools, curricula, and teaching aids, and provided new sanctuary to illegitimate, abandoned, and abused children. They created new protections for abused wives and impoverishedwidows. Many of these reforms of sixteenth-century Geneva were echoed and elaborated in numerous Calvinist communities, ultimately on both sides of the Atlantic, and a good number of these reforms found their way into our modern civil law and common law traditions. This volume and its sequels analyzes and documents this transformation of sex, marriage and family life in Geneva using many newly-discovered theological and legal materials.

This book has been written to commemorate 175 years of the Presbyterian Church of Ghana. It intends to provide a balanced account of the role of the Presbyterian Church of Ghana since the early nineteenth century, and as such, sheds much light on the history and development of Ghana over the past two centuries. It covers the contributions of the Basel missionaries and their Scottish successors, and emphasises the contributions of the locals to the mission, particularly in developing local languages, translating sacred texts and compiling dictionaries and proverbs. It illuminates the achievements of the Church and the contributions it has made to the development of moral and spiritual life, education, agriculture, health, Ghanaian languages and music. However criticism of the missionaries is not reserved, being levelled at the rigidity and intolerant attitude of the missionaries towards the indigenous culture.

Liberals don't have all the facts about HOMOSEXUALITY Neither do Conservatives Is your congregation studying the issues surrounding ordination of gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender people? Have you run into a dead end looking for authoritative, current curricular material? You'll be astonished at the information that has been known for years in seminaries and universities but has been unavailable to lay readers. Until now. This book presents the broad range of Biblical, theological, and scientific source material that churches are seeking for their study of these critical issues. * What does the Bible say about sexual orientation and behavior? Look at a variety of interpretations * What does science say about the effectiveness of conversion therapy? Read the studies and weigh the evidence Can members of a congregation engage with the questions of ordination standards; study, analyze, and weigh the data; come to their own conclusions; and still remain friends at the end of the day? The authors of this book did. And now we are sharing these resources with you, so that you can explore primary sources and consider a broad range of viewpoints regarding the issues that are raised by

"We need say no more than get it, and you will find abundance of suggestions for profitable trains of thought. Dickson is a writer after our own heart. For preachers he is a great ally. There is nothing brilliant or profound; but everything is clear and well arranged, and the unction runs down like the oil from Aaron's head." - C.H. Spurgeon "I have taken all my good deeds, and all my bad deeds, and cast them through each other in a heap before the Lord, and fled from both, and betaken myself to the Lord Jesus Christ, and in him I have sweet peace." In these words David Dickson expressed his faith as he was on his death-bed. It is with such words of grace that Dickson expounds the Epistle to the Hebrews.