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Books > Religion & Spirituality > Christianity > Protestantism & Protestant Churches > Calvinist, Reformed & Presbyterian Churches > General
Originally published in 1935, this book examines the history of the
English Presbyterian movement in terms of its connection with the
surrounding cultural environment. Covering the period between 1662
and the formation of Unitarianism during the early nineteenth
century, it provides a detailed analysis of the movement and its
ideas. The relationship between Presbyterian thought and
contemporary developments in science and philosophy is given
particular attention. From this perspective, the history of the
Presbyterian movement can be seen as forming part of the larger
question of the relationship between secular learning and religious
credenda. This is a fascinating book that will be of value to
anyone with an interest in religious or cultural history.
In 1593, in response to strict censorship in England, English
Puritans in Scotland printed a volume of letters, petitions and
arguments titled Parte of a Register, which was smuggled into
England. Manuscripts for a second book were collected but never
published, and were later acquired by Roger Morrice (1628 1702),
the Puritan diarist. They are now housed at Dr Williams's Library
in London. This is a two-volume study of the 257 documents, which
date from 1570 to 1590. They include Puritan letters, petitions,
arguments and records of persecution by ecclesiastical authorities,
and together constitute valuable evidence of the aims and concerns
of the early Puritan movement. Compiled by the ecclesiastical
historian Albert Peel (1886 1949) and first published in 1915, this
catalogue itemises the contents of the collection. Volume 1
contains an introduction discussing the history of the manuscripts
and the first part of the list of documents.
In 1593, in response to strict censorship in England, English
Puritans in Scotland printed a volume of letters, petitions and
arguments titled Parte of a Register, which was smuggled into
England. Manuscripts for a second book were collected but never
published, and were later acquired by Roger Morrice (1628 1702),
the Puritan diarist. They are now housed at Dr Williams's Library
in London. This is a two-volume study of the 257 documents, which
date from 1570 to 1590. They include Puritan letters, petitions,
arguments and records of persecution by ecclesiastical authorities,
and together constitute valuable evidence of the aims and concerns
of the early Puritan movement. Compiled by the ecclesiastical
historian Albert Peel (1886 1949) and first published in 1915, this
catalogue itemises the contents of the collection. Volume 2
contains the second part of the list, and indexes of manuscripts,
authors, people, places and subjects.
Dutch society has enjoyed a reputation, or notoriety, for
permissiveness from the sixteenth century to present times. The
Dutch Republic in the Golden Age was the only society that
tolerated religious dissenters of all persuasions in early modern
Europe, despite being committed to a strictly Calvinist public
Church. Professors R. Po-chia Hsia and Henk van Nierop have brought
together a group of leading historians from the US, the UK and the
Netherlands to probe the history and myth of this Dutch tradition
of religious tolerance. This 2002 collection of outstanding essays
reconsiders and revises contemporary views of Dutch tolerance.
Taken as a whole, the volume's innovative scholarship offers
unexpected insights into this important topic in religious and
cultural history.
The doctrine of deification or theosis is typically associated with
the Eastern Orthodox tradition. Indeed, the language of
participation in the divine nature as a way to understand salvation
often sounds like strange music in the ears of Western Christians
despite passages like 2 Peter 1:4 where it appears. However, recent
scholarship has argued that the theologies of some of the most
prominent figures in the history of the Western church, including
Martin Luther, John Calvin, and John Wesley, share more in common
with deification than has been acknowledged. In this New
Explorations in Theology volume, theologian James Salladin
considers the role of deification in the theology of another
well-known Western theologian: Jonathan Edwards. In addition, he
reflects upon the question of how Edwards's soteriology compares
with the rest of the broader Reformed tradition. Here, we discover
how Edwards's theology affirms what it means for sinners to be
brought into the hands of a loving God. Featuring new monographs
with cutting-edge research, New Explorations in Theology provides a
platform for constructive, creative work in the areas of
systematic, historical, philosophical, biblical, and practical
theology.
This book is a study of the relationship between ideology and
social behaviour. Professor Crew analyses the attitudes and
characters of the Calvinist ministers who preached in the
Netherlands in the mid-sixteenth century and their effect on the
popular religious upheavals which occurred during the summer of
1566. The hedge-preaching and iconoclasm which erupted in the
period before the Dutch Revolt have been the subject of
considerable speculation among historians, who have have developed
a variety of interpretations of these events. Professor Crew views
the Troubles in the broader context of the international Calvinist
movement and iconoclastic violence in France and England. She
questions whether the Netherlands ministers were clearly and
strongly Calvinist, whether they shared specific characteristics of
personality, social status or education, and whether they were
'charismatic leaders' in the sense given to the term by Max Weber.
By the time of the Calvinist Reformation, the cities of Holland had
established a very long tradition of social provision for the poor
in the civic community. Calvinists however intended to care for
their own church members, who were by definition 'within the
household of faith', through the deaconate, a confessional relief
agency. This book examines the relationship between municipal and
ecclesiastical relief agencies in the six chief cities of Holland -
Dordrecht, Haarlem, Delft, Leiden, Amsterdam and Gouda - from the
public establishment of the Reformed Church in 1572 to the
aftermath of the Synod of Dort. The author argues that the conflict
between charitable organizations reveal competing conceptions of
Christian community that came to the fore as a result of the Dutch
Reformation. This is the first comparative study of poor relief in
Holland, which contributes to our understanding of the Reformation
throughout Europe.
The Calvinist Reformation in Scottish towns was a radically
transformative movement. It incorporated into urban ecclesiastical
governance a group of laymen - the elders of the kirk session -
drawn heavily from the crafts guilds as well as wealthy merchants.
These men met at least weekly with the minister and comprised a
parochial church court that exercised an unprecedented discipline
of the lives of the ordinary citizenry. They pried into sexual
behaviour, administered the hospital and other poor relief, ordered
fostering of orphans, oversaw the grammar school, enforced sabbath
observance, investigated charges of witchcraft, arbitrated quarrels
and punished people who railed at their neighbours. In times of
crisis like the great plague of 1584-85, they rationed food sent
from other towns and raised an already high bar on moral discipline
to avert further divine wrath. The minute books of Perth's session,
established in the 1560s and surviving most fully from 1577, open a
window on this religious discipline, the men who administered it,
and the lay people who both resisted and facilitated it,
negotiating its terms to meet their own agendas. They are presented
here with full introduction and explanatory notes. Margo Todd is
Walter H. Annenberg Professor of History, University of
Pennsylvania.
Is there hope for Calvinism beyond TULIP? For many, Calvinism
evokes the idea of a harsh God who saves a select few and condemns
others to eternal torment. Others find comfort in the Five Points
of TULIP with its emphasis on the sovereignty of God's grace.
Oliver Crisp thinks both sides have too small a picture of the
Reformed tradition. There are ample resources for developing a more
expansive Calvinism. Reformed Christians have inherited a vast
mansion, but many of them only live in two rooms, reading John
Calvin and Jonathan Edwards on repeat, while the rest of the house
lies waiting for someone to discover its treasures. Saving
Calvinism explores some of the thorniest problems in the Reformed
tradition, including free will, the extent of the atonement, and
the possibility of universal salvation. By engaging a host of
Reformed thinkers and exploring often ignored ideas, Crisp shows
that Calvinism is much more diverse and flexible than the
stereotype suggests.
This edition brings together for the first time key texts
representing the writings of the medieval English mystics. The
texts have been newly edited from early manuscripts, and are
supplemented with textual and explanatory notes and a glossary. The
book focuses on five major authors, Richard Rolle, Walter Hilton,
the anonymous author of The Cloud of Unknowing, Dame Julian of
Norwich, and Margery Kempe. Shorter works are presented whole,
where possible, and accompanied by extracts from the mystics'
longer works; extracts from contemporary translations into English
are also included to illustrate the reception of European mystical
texts in later medieval England. Overall, this volume makes
accessible some of the finest writing by English contemplatives and
visionaries of the Middle Ages.
Martin Bucer (1491-1551) was one of the most important sixteenth century Reformers, who became leader of the Reformed Churches in Switzerland and South Germany after the death of Zwingli. To mark the 500th anniversary of his birth, an international team of specialists on Bucer highlight his contribution in thought and practice to building the community of the Church in England and Europe. The issues addressed also raise matters of contemporary significance, such as Church-state relations, Protestant-Catholic unity, and tensions between a church of true believers and a "people's" church.
What do the Canons of Dordt mean to people in the Las Vegas
airport---and does anyone there even care? In the movie Hardcore, a
pious Calvinist elder tries unsuccessfully to explain the TULIP
theology of his Dutch Reformed faith to a prostitute in the Las
Vegas airport. This incongruous conversation demonstrates how
Calvinism is often perceived today: irrelevant, harsh, even
disrespectful. Beginning with this movie scene, Calvinism in the
Las Vegas Airport addresses the weaknesses of Calvinism and points
to its strengths. How does Calvinism shed light on today? Instead
of reciting the Canons of Dordt, what s a more compassionate way to
relate to nonbelievers? What might it look like to live out the
doctrines of TULIP with gentleness and respect? This conversational
book provides answers and shatters some stereotypes. Calvinism in
the Las Vegas Airport encourages you to live every aspect of
life---business, family, education, politics, activities, and
more---before the face of a generous, sovereign God. Calvinists and
non-Calvinists alike will find this an enjoyable read. You will
discover that Reformed theology can speak relevantly and
compellingly today, both to you and to people in the Las Vegas
airport. Does Calvinism Have Anything to Do with the 21st Century?
What do you think about Calvinism? Do you view it positively or
negatively? Or has its day passed? Let s face it, many
non-Calvinists hold a less-than-positive view, sometimes due to
caricatures. This friendly, conversational book helps clear up some
misconceptions and distorted views. If you re not a Calvinist, here
is an engaging inside look. And if you are a Calvinist, Richard
Mouw shows how to live gently and respectfully with
others---Christians and non-Christians---who hold different
perspectives. Calvinism in the Las Vegas Airport focuses not on
what Calvinists believe but on how they live. From a movie scene to
the author s personal experiences in Las Vegas, you are invited to
travel with Mouw and see the Reformed faith in a new light. Yes, it
still does travel well "
Tracing the first three generations in Puritan New England, this
book explores changes in language, gender expectations, and
religious identities for men and women. The book argues that
laypeople shaped gender conventions by challenging the ideas of
ministers and rectifying more traditional ideas of masculinity and
femininity. Although Puritan's emphasis on spiritual equality had
the opportunity to radically alter gender roles, in daily practice
laymen censured men and women differently - punishing men for
public behavior that threatened the peace of their communities, and
women for private sins that allegedly revealed their spiritual
corruption. In order to retain their public masculine identity, men
altered the original mission of Puritanism, infusing gender into
the construction of religious ideas about public service, the
creation of the individual, and the gendering of separate spheres.
With these practices, Puritans transformed their 'errand into the
wilderness' and the normative Puritan became female.
Using the classic TULIP acronym (Total depravity, Unconditional
election, Limited atonement, Irresistible grace, and Perseverance
of the saints), this primer on the five points of Calvinism is
perfect for students and laypeople alike. Using the Scriptures from
which they are drawn, Edwin H. Palmer analyzes each point and
explains them in accessible language. Helpful discussion questions
follow each chapter, making this book ideal for classes or study
groups. This important resource also includes a new foreword by
Michael Horton and relevant historic catechisms and confessions.
In 1690, the Church of Scotland rejected episcopal authority and
settled as Presbyterian. The adjacent Presbyteries of Stirling and
Dunblane covered an area that included both lowland and highland
communities, speaking both English and Gaelic and supporting both
the new government and the old thus forming a representative
picture of the nation as a whole. This book examines the ways in
which the two Presbyteries operated administratively, theologically
and geographically under the new regime. By surveying and analysing
surviving church records from 1687 to 1710 at Presbytery and parish
level, Muirhead shows how the two Presbyteries related to civil
authorities, how they dealt with problematic discipline cases
referred by the Kirk Sessions, their involvement in the Union
negotiations and their overall functioning as human, as well as
religious, institution in seventeenth-century Scotland. The
resulting study advances our understanding of the profound impact
that Presbyteries had on those involved with them in any capacity.
How do Christians account for the widespread presence of goodness
in a fallen world? Richard Mouw, one of the most influential
evangelical voices in America, presents his mature thought on the
topic of common grace. Addressing a range of issues relevant to
engaging common grace in the 21st century, Mouw shows how God takes
delight in all things that glorify him--even those that happen
beyond the boundaries of the church--and defends the doctrine of
common grace from its detractors.
Blackness, as a concept, is extremely fluid: it can refer to
cultural and ethnic identity, socio-political status, an aesthetic
and embodied way of being, a social and political consciousness, or
a diasporic kinship. It is used as a description of skin color
ranging from the palest cream to the richest chocolate; as a marker
of enslavement, marginalization, criminality, filth, or evil; or as
a symbol of pride, beauty, elegance, strength, and depth. Despite
the fact that it is elusive and difficult to define, blackness
serves as one of the most potent and unifying domains of identity.
God and Blackness offers an ethnographic study of blackness as it
is understood within a specific community--that of the First
Afrikan Church, a middle-class Afrocentric congregation in Atlanta,
Georgia. Drawing on nearly two years of participant observation and
in‑depth interviews, Andrea C. Abrams examines how this community
has employed Afrocentrism and Black theology as a means of
negotiating the unreconciled natures of thoughts and ideals that
are part of being both black and American. Specifically, Abrams
examines the ways in which First Afrikan's construction of
community is influenced by shared understandings of blackness, and
probes the means through which individuals negotiate the tensions
created by competing constructions of their black identity.
Although Afrocentrism operates as the focal point of this
discussion, the book examines questions of political identity,
religious expression and gender dynamics through the lens of a
unique black church.
Why did the young Protestant monarch William of Orange fail to make
his mark on Scotland? How did a particularly hard-line 'Protester'
branch of Presbyterianism (the last off-shoot of the Convenanting
movement) become the established Church in Scotland? And how did it
come about that Scotland suffered a kind of 'cultural revolution'
after the Williamite revolution, nipping in the bud the
proto-Enlightenment? This book reviews the political events that
led to the abolition of episcopacy in 1689 and with it the
concerted attack on the parish clergy. It explores for the first
time the background and influences that led to the brutal 'rabbling
of the curates' in south-west Scotland. It explores the mind-set of
the notorious Covenanting tract Naphtali (1667), and of its author
Sir James Stewart of Goodtrees, who was the author of the Act
establishing hard-line Presbyterianism in 1690, and became Lord
Advocate of Scotland in 1692. The purges of the universities after
the 1690 Act led to a hardening of attitudes, and the on-going
purging of the parishes led ultimately to the emptying of
two-thirds of all the parishes of Scotland. The book suggests how
these events contributed to the notion of 'King William's ill
years'.
Reveals a much neglected strand of puritan theology which
emphasised the importance of inner happiness and personal piety.
The traditional view of puritans is that they were killjoys -
serious, austere, gloomy people who closed theatres and abolished
Christmas. This book, based on extensive original research,
presents a different view. Focusing on both the writings of the
leading Independent divine, Ralph Venning, and also on his pastoral
work in the 1640s and 1650s when he was successively chaplain to
the Tower of London and vicar of St Olave's, Southwark, the book
revealsa much neglected strand of puritan theology. This emphasised
the importance of inner happiness and the development of a personal
piety which, the author argues, was similar in its nature to
medieval mysticism, not that differentfrom the piety promoted by
earlier metaphysical preachers, and not at all driven by the
predestinarian ideas usually associated with puritans, ideas liable
to induce a sense of helplessness and despair. In addition, the
book reassesses the role of Emmanuel College, Cambridge, where
Venning was educated, in shaping puritan thought, discusses Max
Weber's ideas about puritanism and capitalism especially in
relation to recreation and leisure activities, and demonstrates
that Venning's strand of puritanism favoured toleration, moderation
and church unity to a much greater degree than is usually
associated with puritans. Stephen Bryn Roberts was awarded his
doctorate from theUniversity of Aberdeen and has been Adjunct
Lecturer in Early Modern Church History at International Christian
College, Glasgow since 2011.
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