Our Reformation Heritage
Posted by Isaac Butterworth | Filed under Reformation, Reformed Heritage
During July at First Presbyterian Church, Wichita Falls, our adult Sunday School classes will be invited to meet together in Fellowship Hall for a series of studies that Doug Cartwright and I will lead. The set of five presentations will be offered under the title, Our Reformation Heritage.
Responsibility for the first three topics has fallen to me. Here is a preview of the subjects I am hoping to address:
OUR REFORMATION HERITAGE
Purpose: To introduce the Reformed heritage through its (1) history, (2) doctrine, and (3) piety. A fourth area could be its practice (or polity), but, since there are three Sundays in my part of the series, I will forego this possibility.
Historical Moments in Reformed History
Sunday, July 1, 2012
Our approach to the history of the Reformation will be anecdotal, highlighting moments in the biographies of some of the movement’s primary figures: Martin Luther and John Calvin. If time permits, we may look at the influence of pietism on the Presbyterian church, first during the American colonial era and then, later, during the early years of our history as a nation.
Samplings from Reformed Doctrine
Sunday, July 8, 2012
Affirming the confessional nature of the Reformed tradition, we will introduce…
- covenant theology as it is formulated in the Westminster Standards and
- the doctrines of grace (sometimes called “the five points of Calvinism”) as they find expression in the Canons of Dordt.
Contours of Reformed Piety
Sunday, July 15, 2012
Our study of Reformed piety (a term preferred in Reformed circles above that of “spirituality” and one not to be confused with pietism) will bring into focus the classical Reformed view of the Sabbath, the Regulative Principle of Worship (RPW), the means of grace (Word and Sacrament), and the catechetical ministry of the church.
Some books I recommend for those interested are:
- Concise Theology: A Guide to Historic Christian Beliefs by J. I. Packer. Wheaton, Illinois: Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., 1993. 267 pages.
- For Calvinism by Michael Horton. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan, 2011. 208 pages.
- Welcome to a Reformed Church: A Guide for Pilgrims by Daniel R. Hyde. Orlando, Florida: Reformation Trust Publishing, 2010. 178 pages.
My plan is rather ambitious, and I may have to modify my expectations. I am eager, however, for our church family (and anyone else interested) to get a taste for the riches of our Reformation heritage.
Photo Credit: Tür im Innehof, Lutherhaus by Gertrude K.
