Rev. John H. Piersma is pastor of the Bethany Christian Reformed Church of South Holland, Illinois. His article deals with the teaching of Reprobation as this is found in the Doctrinal Standards of the CRC, and with a communication from Dr. Harry Boer about this, to be considered at Synod. This matter may be found […]
The history of the handling of the doctrinal matter of the love of Cod and the atonement at several synods of the Christian Reformed Church leaves one in a troubled frame of mind. This history runs from the first appearance of the matter at the Synod of 1963 to the decision in terms of “ambiguous” and “abstract” in […]
When our office-bearers sign the Form of Subscription (p. 71, back of Psalter Hymnal) something fine takes places; a commitment of faith in, and loyalty to, our Reformed Standards. It has been unfairly claimed that this signing asks us to “rule out in advance all public discussion of all creedal problems.” But a careful reading gives better […]
Since 1619, the Christian Reformed Church and its predecessor denominations in the Netherlands have had some of the strictest policies of any Reformed tradition for subscription to the doctrinal standards of the church. That could change if Classis Thornapple Valley gets its way. By unanimous vote, the January […]
The Reformation was above all a doctrinal reform in the life of the church. Throughout the Middle Ages, calls for reform had primarily been concerned with the moral life of the church. The Reformation certainly resulted in profound moral and spiritual renewal for the church, but the foundation of that renewal was doctrinal. The doctrinal […]
WHAT IS the character of the standards of a Reformed church, a church which aims at being a confessing church in the world by proclaiming the truth of God’s Word? This question demands a composite answer. Such an answer has been provided by the late Prof. P. Biesterveld in his Schets van de Symboliek. He […]
In light of recent discussions about the Form of Subscription, Reformed Fellowship offers this republication of the second of two articles by Dr. Louis Praamsma originally published in the October 1963 issue of Torch and Trumpet. IN THE FIRST article I attempted to demonstrate, by an appeal to various decisions and documents, that the creeds […]