Christ the Center
286 episodes - English - Latest episode: 3 days ago - ★★★★★ - 115 ratingsChrist the Center is an audio program centered on Christian reformed theology. In each episode a group of informed panelists discuss important issues and stimulate listeners to critical thinking and a better understanding of reformed doctrine designed to yield godly living.
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Episodes
The Gospel and Self-Conception
July 26, 2019 04:00Daniel Schrock speaks about self-conception in light of the Revoice movement and the Nashville Statement. Looking to the believers’ union with Christ in his death and resurrection, Schrock provides a way to answer questions such as, “Is it proper to speak of being gay as a Christian’s identity?” The basis of this episode is Schrock’s […]
The Doctrine of Election
July 19, 2019 04:00Dr. Cornelis Venema speaks about the doctrine of election. His book, Chosen in Christ: Revisiting the Contours of Predestination, is available in Mentor’s Reformed, Exegetical, and Doctrinal Studies series. Venema addresses the subject from exegetical, historical, contemporary, and pastoral vantage points. In this conversation, he addresses the doctrine of election in the Old and New […]
Evangelicals and Post-Vatican II Roman Catholicism
July 12, 2019 04:00Leonardo De Chirico speaks about evangelical responses and assessments of Roman Catholicism post-Vatican II. Vatican II was an ecumenical council of the Roman Catholic Church held from 1962–1965 and widely interpreted as bringing the Catholic Church into a new relationship to the world and other religions. De Chirico analyzes the several prominent evangelical scholars, including […]
Vos Group #56 — The Mode of Reception of the Prophetic Revelation
July 05, 2019 04:00We turn to pages 212–213 of Vos’ book Biblical Theology: Old and New Testaments to discuss the mode of reception of the prophetic revelation. In the fourth section of his book, Vos continues to contrast the modernist conception with that of confessional orthodoxy. He stresses that revelation does not originate naturally but is in its essence, […]
Cessationism
June 28, 2019 04:00Glen Clary and Camden Bucey speak about the ministry of the Holy Spirit and cessationism. We discuss how the pouring out of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost is a unique event of redemptive-history just as unrepeatable as the death and resurrection of Christ. As individuals are effectually called and united to Christ by faith, they […]
John Gerstner and the Renewal of Presbyterian and Reformed Evangelicalism
June 21, 2019 04:00Jeffrey S. McDonald speaks about his book, John Gerstner and the Renewal of Presbyterian and Reformed Evangelicalism in Modern America (Wipf & Stock, 2017). It is published in the Princeton Theological Monograph Series. John Gerstner (1914–96) was a significant leader in the renewal of Presbyterian and Reformed evangelicalism in America during the second half of […]
Thinking through Creation
June 14, 2019 04:00Christopher Watkin speaks about his book Thinking through Creation: Genesis 1 and 2 as Tools of Cultural Critique. Watkin looks to the early chapters of Genesis for foundational doctrines about God, the world, and ourselves. In so doing, he advocates for a robust engagement with others about contemporary culture and ideas. Dr. Watkin completed his […]
Vos Group #55 — Did the Later Prophets Create an Ethical Monotheism?
June 07, 2019 04:00We turn to pages 206–211 of Vos’ book Biblical Theology: Old and New Testaments to continue our discussion of critical theories of prophetism. Vos tackles a modernist, critical theory of the development of monotheism under the prophets. Vos wants the reader to enter into a modernist world–a critical world. In that world, there are three […]
Reformed Apologetics
May 31, 2019 04:00J. V. Fesko has written Reforming Apologetics: Retrieving the Classic Reformed Approach to Defending the Faith (Baker Academic, 2019). In the book, Dr. Fesko criticizes, among others, Cornelius Van Til. In this conversation, we interact with the book and compare its claims with those of Van Til. A central claim of Dr. Fesko’s is that […]
Reformed Forum, the Church, and the Great Commission
May 24, 2019 04:00Reformed Forum exists to present every person mature in Christ (Col. 1:28). We do that specifically by supporting the Church in her God-ordained task of accomplishing the Great Commission. In this episode, we discuss our mission and vision and share exciting news about the future of our ministry including Camden Bucey’s transition to become our […]
All Israel Shall be Saved: Interpretations of Romans 11
May 17, 2019 04:00Many different interpretations have been offered regarding the phrase “all Israel shall be saved” in Romans 11. In this episode, we speak about five different interpretations, focusing on the three that are represented in confessionally Reformed and Presbyterian Churches. Resources Cornelis P. Venema, “In This Way All Israel Will be Saved: A Study of Romans […]
The Battle Hymn of the Republic and Civil Religion
May 10, 2019 04:00We welcome Richard M. Gamble, Professor of History, Anna Margaret Ross Alexander Chair in History and Politics at Hillsdale College, to speak about Julia Ward Howe’s poem, which came to be know as “The Battle Hymn of the Republic.” Gamble is the author of A Fiery Gospel: The Battle Hymn of the Republic and the […]
The Role of Surveys in Biblical Studies
May 03, 2019 04:00Jim Cassidy speaks about his experience teaching a New Testament survey at South Austin OPC in South Austin, Texas. Surveys of the Old Testament, New Testament, and the entire Bible are useful for provide historical, cultural, geographical, and other forms of context in order to help us deepen and widen our understanding of God’s plan […]
The Creator-creature Distinction in the Hypostatic Union
April 26, 2019 04:00In the incarnation, the eternal Son of God assumed a human nature. He did this without giving up his divinity. He retains his immutability, omniscience, omnipresence, and all the attributes according to his eternal, divine, and necessary existence. In this episode, we discuss how these two natures relate to the person in the hypostatic union. […]
Vos Group #54 — The Origin of “Nabhi-ism” in Israel
April 19, 2019 04:00We turn to pages 202–205 of Vos’ book Biblical Theology: Old and New Testaments to continue our discussion of critical theories of prophetism. Vos answers critics who believe that Israel derived its understanding of prophetism from Canaanite religion by focusing our attention upon God’s word revealed in history. Contrary to the false prophets, true prophetism […]
Sabbath Rest in Genesis 2:1–3
April 12, 2019 04:00The sabbath principle is established in Genesis 2:1–3, immediately upon the completion of God’s work of creation. This Sabbath rest principle is a function neither of redemption nor theocracy. It is part of God’s creation order. We trace this theme through Scripture with particular attention to worship. Glen Clary recently addressed this subject in a […]
Divine Authority Displayed in Covenant
April 05, 2019 04:00We gather around the table in Wimberley, Texas to discuss the authority of the self-contained Triune God of Scripture. The absolute, self-sufficient God nevertheless established a covenant with man by an act of special providence. In that act, the authority of God’s word is diplayed—entirely independently of man’s response. Whether Adam obeyed or disobeyed, God’s […]
Predictive Prophecy in Isaiah 44:24–45:7
March 29, 2019 04:00Andrew Compton, Assistant Professor of Old Testament Studies at Mid-America Reformed Seminary, speaks about the nature of the prophecy in Isaiah 44:24–45:7 wherein the Lord declares that he will raise up Cyrus. Rev. Compton addresses the challenges of critical scholars, who often see this passage as a later addition. Participants: Andrew Compton, Camden Bucey
The Blessings and Promises of the New Covenant in Deuteronomy 30:1–10
March 22, 2019 04:00Will Wood, Assistant Professor of Old Testament at Reformed Theological Seminary in Atlanta, Georgia, joins us to speak about the blessings and promises of the New Covenant as described in Deuteronomy 30:1–10. Links Mellel word processor Participants: Adam York, Camden Bucey, Will Wood
The Usefulness of the Cross
March 15, 2019 04:00What does suffering have to do with the life of the Christian? Is suffering something we just have to endure until that time that we will have the victory in Christ? To address this matter, we turn to a classic article by Richard B. Gaffin, Jr., “The Usefulness of the Cross,” The Westminster Theological Journal, […]
Vos Group #53 — The Influence of Geerhardus Vos
March 08, 2019 05:00Danny Olinger, author of Geerhardus Vos: Reformed Biblical Theology, Confessional Presbyterian, joins us for a special conversation. We take a brief break from Vos’s book Biblical Theology to discuss the influence of Vos upon several other theologians. We then open the floor to questions from people participating in our live webinar. Participants: Camden Bucey, Danny […]
The Future of Everything
March 01, 2019 05:00William Boekestein speaks about eschatology and the life of the Christian. While many limit eschatology merely to the consideration of millennial views, Rev. Boekestein calls all Christians to understand how our view of the future in Christ shapes all of life. Boekestein is the author of The Future of Everything: Essential Truths about the End Times (Reformation Heritage, 2019). Participants: Camden Bucey, Jim […]
Interpreting Genesis 1–3
February 22, 2019 05:00Dr. Vern Poythress speaks about the hermeneutical issues of interpreting Genesis 1–3 and how biblical interpretation relates to contemporary scientific study. Dr. Poythress is Distinguished Professor of New Testament and Biblical Interpretation at Westminster Theological Seminary and the author of Interpreting Eden: A Guide to Faithfully Understanding and Reading Genesis 1–3 (Crossway). The publisher writes: Christians have long discussed and debated the first three […]
Vos Group #52 — Prophets and Sons of Prophets
February 15, 2019 05:00In this episode of #VosGroup, we turn to pages 200–201 of Vos’ book Biblical Theology: Old and New Testaments to continue our discussion of critical theories of prophetism. Participants: Camden Bucey, Lane G. Tipton
Van Til in Colombia
February 08, 2019 05:00Jim Cassidy speaks about his recent trip to Colombia to lecture on Van Til’s apologetic. Jim, Glen, and Camden also speak about books they are currently reading or have read. Links Video of Jim Cassidy teaching at Iglesia Cristiana Biblica Raah Alan Strange, The Doctrine of the Spirituality of the Church in the Ecclesiology of […]
On Richard Dawkins
February 01, 2019 05:00Dr. Ransom Poythress has written Richard Dawkins in P&R Publishing’s Great Thinkers series. Poythress speaks about Richard Dawkins’s system of thought. Since the early 2000s, Dawkins has been an outspoken advocate of what has been termed the New Atheism. Poythress discusses Dawkins’s beliefs and advocates methods for approaching those who believe likewise. Dr. Poythress is assistant […]
The Marburg Colloquy
January 25, 2019 05:00Carl Trueman speaks about the Marburg Colloquy, a meeting called by Philip I of Hesse to unite the Protestant states in a political alliance. To accomplish such a union, he sought theological agreement between Martin Luther and Ulrich Zwingli. While Luther and Zwingli could agree on fourteen theological points laid out at the meeting, they […]
The Deacon
January 18, 2019 05:00Dr. Cornelis Van Dam, Emeritus Professor of Old Testament at Canadian Reformed Theological Seminary in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada, joins us to speak about the biblical office of deacon and the Church’s responsibility to provide for those in need. Dr. Van Dam has written The Deacon: Biblical Foundations for Today’s Ministry of Mercy (Reformation Heritage Books, […]
Justification Accomplished and Applied
January 11, 2019 05:00Today we provide an introduction to the doctrine of justification with a consideration of several basic categories. We begin with a confessional doctrine of justification from the Westminster Standards. We then consider justification’s relationship to faith. Then we turn to the believer’s relationship to the person and work of Christ and consider how we are […]
2018 Highlights
January 04, 2019 05:00As is our annual custom, we’ve selected several clips from the episodes we released over the last year. We spoke with many people and had many fascinating conversations. I hope we’ll pique your interest, and you’ll go back to listen to many of the full conversations represented by these highlights. Thank you to everyone who […]
Vos Group #51 — The History of Prophetism: Critical Theories
December 28, 2018 05:00In this installment of #VosGroup, we turn to pages 198–199 of Vos’ book Biblical Theology: Old and New Testaments to consider critical theories of prophetism. We extend and amplify the material in these pages more than usual by connecting Vos’s teaching to the theology of Karl Barth and other modernist approaches. Broadly, the term can […]
The Mutual Interrelation of Natural and Special Revelation
December 21, 2018 05:00Jeff Waddington speaks about the characteristics of natural and special revelation and their relationship to one another. Jeff recently delivered a lecture at Westminster Theological Seminary on the subject. Participants: Camden Bucey, Jeff Waddington
William Perkins on Predestination
December 14, 2018 05:00William Perkins (1558–1602), often called “the father of Puritanism,” was a master preacher and teacher of Reformed, experiential theology. Greg Salazar speaks about Perkins’s works on predestination and his influence upon the Puritan and Reformed tradition. In speaking of predestination, we also cover related topics on Perkins’s theology such as his Christology, his understanding of […]
Bavinck’s Philosophy of Revelation
December 07, 2018 05:00Cory Brock and Nathaniel Gray Sutanto speak about Herman Bavinck’s Philosophy of Revelation (Hendrickson Publishers). Drs. Brock and Sutanto have edited a new annotated edition of Bavinck’s Stone Lectures, which were delivered at Princeton in 1908. Other than his Reformed Dogmatics, this is Bavinck’s most important work. We are blessed to welcome new editions and translations of […]
Geerhardus Vos: Reformed Biblical Theologian, Confessional Presbyterian
November 30, 2018 05:00Danny Olinger speaks about the life and thought of Geerhardus Vos. Richard B. Gaffin, Jr. has identified Vos as the father of Reformed biblical theology and we take the time to speak of his contribution and legacy. Rev. Olinger is General Secretary for the OPC Committee on Christian Education. He has written a tremendous biography […]
Ezekiel 9–10 and the Man in Linen
November 23, 2018 05:00Lane Keister speaks about features of Ezekiel 9–10 that help us understand the identity of the man of linen in the passage. Rev. Keister’s article, “The Man in Linen: A New and Old Interpretation of Ezekiel 9–10” is published in issue 14 of the Confessional Presbyterian Journal (2018). Lane Keister is the pastor of Momence OPC in […]