#reformed

[scarabesque-returns]

I finally finished this and it's disappointing for the purpose for which I purchased it.

Fr Trenham goes into great detail about the personal failings of the Reformers as if us all being fallen and flawed isn’t foundational for us. 9 out of the 11 chapters are a critical history, peppered with his opinions and commentary, of the Reformation and the Counter-Reformation. I didn’t find any incorrect facts in these chapters, but simply being flawed isn’t going to convince any but the shallowest of Protestants. Instead, I found the Orthodox perspective fascinating, being mostly on the sidelines of the Reformation and the Catholic response.

Chapter 10 is titled “Orthodox Appreciation of Protestant Virtues” and he sticks to this for about 7 pages, even noting where Protestants exceed vs the Orthodox Church (missionary work and tithing). He then spends the rest of the “Appreciation” chapter attacking Sola Scriptura. Here, he makes some arguments I agree with - especially the nearly complete ignorance of church fathers among Protestants. As he phrased it, in rejecting the papacy we threw the baby out with the bathwater. Ultimately, however, his argument falls flat because it strawmans the Protestant position as rejecting all tradition. I don’t deny that exists among many liberal Protestants, but the historical Protestant view is that of Paul - tradition can be beautiful, so long as it doesn’t contradict the scriptures.

Chapter 11 deals with a few specific “heresies”. The filioque gets a full throated attack which seemed very convincing to me, but I doubt you’ll find a Protestant who is wedded to this innovation. The Reformers didn’t deal with it at all but simply accepted it, and you’ll find the same in today’s churches.

He then goes on to attack Sola Fide and the doctrine of salvation and here’s where it goes off the rails. He claims that we reduce faith to a courtroom understanding, which I can see because we do use that analogy, but then goes on to list the “fullness of church teaching” and it’s literally a list of things that I hear in sermons all the time. Like that in the Incarnation the co-eternal Son united Himself forever with humanity in the womb of the Virgin Mary. We are literally on the same page here, my man.

He also claims that we don’t care about becoming more holy, apparently forgetting entirely about the doctrine of Sanctification? And that there’s an entire branch of Protestantism, the Holiness Movement, for which this is the primary focus.

Fr Trenham goes on to claim that we reject the fourth paragraph of the Nicene Creed even though we recite this or the Apostle’s Creed every Sunday. He then uses this false declaration to compare us to Mormons who don’t affirm the Nicene Creed. Of course, he leaves out the polytheism of Mormons and their belief that Jesus wasn’t divine.

After that debacle he addresses Protestant ecclesiology, including Apostolic succession. This too falls flat, as he doesn’t deal with Protestant beliefs directly but simply enumerates the Orthodox position while making petty insults toward the Protestant belief in the invisible church.

Overall, I like this for the history with critical opinions from a third party perspective of the Reformation. I recommend it for Protestants, Catholics, and Orthodox alike. I don’t think any Protestant would be ashamed to see the warts of these fallible people. On the contrary, I found it very humanizing.

The apologetics, though, is a dud. No student of theology would ever be convinced by these petty strawman arguments. And while he lists TULIP in the Calvin chapters, he only addresses pieces of it incidentally. His old professor RC Sproul might have given him a D for his limited understanding of Reformed beliefs.

I couldn't sleep last night, so I ended up watching hours of EO priest Josiah Trenham's videos. What a fascinating guy. He's the first non-Protestant I've heard make good arguments against Protestantism. He truly understands Reformed theology and performs the kind of scholarship expected of a Presbyterian minister, which makes sense since he got his M.Div. from Westminster and studied under RC Sproul himself.

I ordered his book, Rock and Sand, to see how convincing he is. Should be interesting.

[forwheniamweak]

“When we are out of the way of our duty we are in the way of temptation…Idleness gives great advantage to the tempter. Standing waters gather filth.”

— Matthew Henry; Commentary on 2 Samuel 11

[rainbowmoonbeam1]

I love Trixie so much.

Whether it's her attempting to be a villain, or her attempting, and failing, to be a hero, Trixie is just one of the more fun characters to watch.

Her colors, her voice, and her voice actress are all so amazing.

And she's also one of the only My Little Pony characters I consistently enjoy the humor of, because she's just so unapologetically silly, and I love it.

[kaapstadmk]

Something to consider:

I put a post in a Christian parenting FB group that's stated as being for folks who are theologically reformed (I hold to Baptist covenant theology, so sure), that was, essentially, calling out the heavy preponderance of ideologically conservative views and talking points, instead of ones based in the Reformed theological tradition.

As expected, it erupted, some members even doxxing my timeline and other comments in the group to show I'm a no-good, dirty trans supporter and a communist (I had recommended @wiseoldllamaenby's The Word in Black and Red, which makes me totally a commie 🙄), folks calling my salvation into question, etc. Whole nine yards. To the point the moderators closed the thread.

To be fair, I know in American Christianity, Christian anything with the adjective Reformed tends to imply the Young, Restless, and Reformed movement, which took the conservative evangelical community by storm in the '10s and is pretty hyper-conservative, politically. It has many of the same leaders involved with the Christian nationalist movement. So, I knew what I was getting into.

What's interesting to me is the response by some individuals in other threads in the same group. Clearly, with my call-out, I announced myself as out-group, not in-group and, suddenly, my opinion or expertise is less desired, even in areas not pertaining to differences in worldview. They view my "flaming" and the thread being locked as signs that they won, not as signs that touched on a nerve so severely that civility had to be externally reinforced.

Additionally, the number of likes on the master post continues to outnumber the number of laughing (mocking) emojis, especially from wives in the group, where most of the laughter is from husbands.

My takeaways from this?

1) Political and social conservatism has become a golden calf, to the point that criticism of it means rejection of the gospel, which is concerning, because many conservative viewpoints echo back to cultural expectations around the NT times that some of the apostles directly spoke against (e.g. family hierarchy and value of women)

2) In-group/out-group reasoning is taking a stranglehold in many conservative and evangelical circles (I'm extrapolating this from other areas, too, not just this interaction). This is dangerous, because it leads to rejection of outside expertise in favor of inside experience, even if there is a lack of expertise on the inside, and cultivates an echo chamber and culture of silencing/shaming dissent. We can see the impact of this when looking at how many churches and conservative groups have dealt with abuse allegations, for example, and it's a pattern of reasoning that conservative media uses to maintain control over its audience. The catch is, it relies on shouting out, shutting down, and removing out-group messaging, and declaring it as a win as a component to maintaining control

3) Not everybody agrees with the vocal mob. However, the problem is that many dissenters are silent, whether out of fear of reprisal (social, physical, emotional), perception of isolation, or perception of futility, especially if they have either experienced or witnessed consequences being doled out to dissenters.

[404-found]

You Can’t Save Yourself

There’s a lie that slips into a lot of pulpits, youth camps, and altar calls. It sounds spiritual. It sounds biblical. It sounds good.

And it goes something like, “God did His part. Now you just have to do yours.”

No. You don’t have a part. You don’t contribute to salvation. You don’t meet God halfway. You weren’t drowning, reaching for His hand. You were dead at the bottom of the sea, and He pulled you out.

The Bible doesn’t say, “You were struggling, and then you chose God.”

It says, “You were dead in your trespasses and sins.” (Ephesians 2:1)

Dead. Not sick. Not weak. Not trying. Dead.

You don’t save yourself. You don’t wake yourself up. You don’t bring yourself to life.

God does that.

You couldn’t clean yourself up. You couldn’t turn your heart around. You couldn’t decide to follow Jesus unless He first made you alive.

Jesus didn’t say you might need to be born again. He said, “You must be born again.” (John 3:7)

And newsflash, You didn’t give birth to yourself.

The new birth is a work of the Spirit. It’s supernatural. It’s one sided. It’s not a reward for your decision. It’s the cause of your decision.

Let’s just say what needs to be said.

You didn’t choose God. He chose you. You didn’t chase after Him. He chased after you.

Romans 3:11 says, “No one seeks for God.” Not some. Not a few. No one.

If you’re seeking Him now it’s only because He opened your eyes first.

People like to talk about “free will.” But your will isn’t free. It’s enslaved to sin.

Jesus says, “Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who practices sin is a slave to sin." (John 8:34)

You do what you want, yes. But apart from Christ, what you want is never God. What you want is comfort, pride, sin, control, pleasure, self-righteousness, or self-protection.

John 6:44 says, “No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him.”

No one comes. Unless. Unless God moves. Unless God calls. Unless God gives life to a dead heart.

That’s why salvation is all grace. Not grace plus effort. Not grace plus decision. Just grace.

God didn’t help you save yourself. He saved you.

Start to finish. Top to bottom. Dead to alive.

You don’t get to take credit for being rescued. You just get to worship the Rescuer.

If that humbles you, good. It should.

If it offends your pride, it’s doing its job. Because the Gospel doesn’t tell you to look in the mirror. It tells you to look to the cross.

You bring nothing to the table but the sin that made salvation necessary.

And God, in His mercy, brings everything else.

Praise Him for that!

[idylls-of-the-divine-romance]

Writers with a more historic Protestant perspective have generally translated the Greek word charis as "grace" and understood it to refer to the idea that there is a lack of human effort in salvation because God is the controlling factor. Proponents of the New Perspective argue that "favor" is a better translation, as the word refers normally to "doing a favor". In ancient societies there was the expectation that such favors be repaid, and this semi-formal system of favors acted like loans. Gift giving corresponded with the expectation of reciprocity. Therefore, it is argued that when Paul speaks of how God did us a "favor" by sending Jesus, he is saying that God took the initiative, but is not implying a lack of human effort in salvation, and is in fact implying that Christians have an obligation to repay the favor God has done for them. [...] "charis" as "favor" [does] not teach that Christians earn their way to heaven outside of the death of Christ. Forgiveness of sins through the blood of Christ is still necessary to salvation. But, that forgiveness demands effort on the part of the individual (cf. Paul in Phil. 3:12–16).

[amalbert27]

Garnet, Amethyst, and Pearl hanging out with Steven's daughter, Alyza Universe.

[subestu]

Round 1: Introduction

[bryan360]

"🦸‍♀️🦇The Heroes"

🦇🌙Batty Midnight: Watch out, bad guys! I'm changing from the Dark Night since Inktober of 2022 (Link Here) to an amazon warrior who never back down! With my lasso of truth on hand, I'll make sure to be ready when facing off danger and help everyone in need. I'm not coming alone as I'm with these two female super pets that will helping me in battle. Krypto the Superdog and the rest were to busy facing off the big bad somewhere, but nothing we can handle a problem with my pet friends. Sure hope the Justice League will be proud of us when its over. 😊👍

🇵🇷Me: I'm sure they'll do, Batty. BTW, you seen that female cat character included; which was from 2022's DC League of Super-Pets animated movie if you know. I even made my first fanart that time if you haven't check it yet. ➡️(Link Here)

🇵🇷Me: I know already this cat character's minor villainous role from said film as I'd mentioned. This is my "What If" depiction of her; redeemed form instead of being a bad kitten who worked for an evil guinea pig antagonist. Again, didn't watched this animated film or something. Just the concept that it counts when watching some clips on YouTube. At least I'd tried to work it out when doing this Inktober post share today. Just imagine if Whiskers turned good that I can't help myself think about for a bit. 🤔

And some video clips from “DC League of Super-Pets” to see what I mean. ⬇️

Batty Midnight (as Wonder Woman) created by me; BryanVelasquez87 (Bryan360)

PB the Pig and Whiskers the Cat - DC League of Super-Pets (2022); Warner Bros Animation Group, DC Entertainment

Previously: ⬇️

“⬛️⬜️���The Grave” - Link Here #1

“🦝🦝The Raccoons” - Link Here #2

“🐿️💕❄️The Climbers” -Link Here #3

“🐱🎸🐶 The Guitarist” - Link Here #4

“🐰👮The Cops” - Link Here #5

“🐶🏴‍☠️👑The Joy” - Link Here #6

“🦔🦊💍The Rings” - Link Here #7

“🦦🐟The Fish” - Link Here #8

“🐱👢🌙 The Cuteness” - Link Here #9

“🎧🦨 The Beats” - Link Here #10

“🔴🐼🐶 The Dogs” - Link Here #11

”🐿️🐰🎸The Band” - Link Here #12

“🦊🔵 The Tallest” - Link Here #13

“🌳😟 The Hunted” - Link Here #14

“🤗❤️ The Hugging” - Link Here #15

“🐭🐩🎞️The Classics” - Link Here #16

“🐷🍫The Chase” - Link Here #17

“🎈🦫The Drifting” - Link Here #18

“🕵️👧🏻The Spies” - Link Here #19

“🐑📖👨‍��️The Member” - Link Here #20

“🐰🦄🦁The Painters” - Link Here #21

“🐔🥚🐰The Egg” - Link Here #22

Tagged: @murumokirby360 @shadowredfeline@alexander1301 @sammirthebear2k4

[anglocatholicboyo]

"Man that is born of a woman hath but a short time to live, and is full of misery. He cometh up, and is cut down, like a flower; he fleeth as it were a shadow, and never continueth in one stay.

In the midst of life we are in death : of whom may we seek for succour, but of thee, O Lord, who for our sins are justly displeased?"

-from the 1662 Book of Common Prayer's office for the burial of the dead.

[scarabesque-returns]

Can you tell me about predestination?

I'd love to!

Predestination is the belief that God chose His elect in advance, before the creation of the world. He effects this by working in the lives of His elect via regeneration and the gift of grace. This is foundational to Reformed theology, which can be neatly summarized with the acronym TULIP.

As with all things Reformed, it starts with scripture.

"For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified." (Romans 8:29-30)

"Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love he predestined us for adoption to himself as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will" (Ephesians 1:3-5)

There are many more, but I don't want this to get too long.

We can see in scripture that faith is a gift from God, through no effort or valor on our part (Unconditional Election). And thank God for that, because sin has so separated us from Him that we are incapable of choosing Him on our own (Total Depravity). We also see that God chooses His elect, as He chose Jacob over Esau (Limited Atonement). God always gets what he wants in the end (Irresistible Grace). And finally, I thank God for the fact that my salvation depends on Him and not me because He will never let me go (Perseverance of the Saints).

Predestination is ultimately the understanding that God is sovereign over all things. He is unlimited and does not choose to limit Himself. He is the source of all good in this fallen world. And we can take comfort in the fact that He knew us before he created us (Jeremiah 1:5).

[forwheniamweak]

[knight--error]

It's always "Catholic Tumblr" this and "Catholic Tumblr" that. Where is my Reformed Tumblr. Where are my fellow Presbyterians. I know there have to be a few of you on here. Come on, we can be buddies for a minute and then have fractious, scorched-earth fights over doctrinal minutiae. *shakes box of Trinity hymnals like a bag of treats*

[silencedminstrel]

(Art by Juan Novelletto)

THE AFTERMATH - REMAINING MEMBERS OF A FORMER KLTUA-LYMONZS WORSHIPPING CULT TAKING STOCK AFTER RECENT DEADLY ATTACKS

Fellow brethren of Fruktilia Sect, forsooth the days of late have not been kind to us! Betwixt attacks by this so-called Death Squad and isolated skirmishes with our

Hostile halves we are at a loss! Since we cannot combine forces with other groups (as part of their truce with both The Union and The Synod) lest we'd be sorely mistaken for

Our warring brethren; so I am now open to suggestions...! But Brother Brelenek, why can't our benefactors come and protect us? (Sigh) Their forces have been decimated

In the wake of that failed invasion, Brother Stej; we're basically on our own now...! But of course, there's always The Creator Aspects! Not when they're preparing for war with the Dark Deity, Sister Nierness! Unless...? (Sigh)

[toq1gou2003]

[idylls-of-the-divine-romance]

Okay so... I'm gonna dunk on the concept of election for a second. Specifically it's that idea of election where "the elect" are those that God predestined to go to heaven when they die as opposed to the "non elect" who are either directly or indirectly condemned to hell (as if those are different things). My main problem with this concept is that it is (probably unintentionally) completely divorced from the concept of election in the HB.

Election in the tanakh is not about who gets the privilege of going to the "good place" instead of the "bad place", but rather it's about who gets the responsibility of bringing the good place to everyone else. Not about who goes "up" to heaven, but who brings heaven "down". Nor about any personal or individual salvation, but about who is called to bring salvation to the rest of the world and rescue them from the promise of evil and the curse of destruction.

Abraham. Isaac. Jacob. Judah. David. Bethlehem. These people (and a town) are not chosen because God wanted to save them and smite everyone else. They're chosen to be the vehicle through which God blesses the others. They are the people through whom God will defeat evil and elevate all peoples. God desires that all be saved. He elects some to rescue others.

If you have any conviction that you are part of "the elect" who am I to tell you if you are not? But I can say this: you are not elected to whatever position you are in so you can sit comfortably in your salvation. You are elected to go out of your comfort place, out into the wild and waste land, and to bring God's blessing of life and love and goodness and beauty to the nations. Anything less than that is an abuse/misuse of God's blessing upon your life