The Unity of the Office of Elder

A quote from the Lutheran scholar, David Chytraeus, on how elders have always been elders, Now the fact that, afterward, ministers were distinguished from one another by degrees–this was a human contrivance for the sake of order. Jerome, in his letter to Evangelus, addresses this matter at length, arguing that priests and bishops are the…

Christ’s Dominion via Atonement

George Smeaton has a beautiful section in his work, “Christ’s Doctrine of the Atonement” on how the atonement denudes Satan of his power. He suggests that in the atonement, Christ merited the right to His current rule of the world of mankind as the God-man, as well as the right to subdue Satan’s reign. I’ll…

Vermigli and SSA (pt. 7): Conclusion

Continued from part 1, part 2, part 3, part 4, part 5, and part 6. We’ve discussed, in great detail, Vermigli’s views and how they relate to Reformed. But what does that have to do with the current discussion of sexuality in the PCA? Contemporary & Confessional Discussion Contemporary Language about Sexuality There are three…

All Loves Excelling

Good quote from Bunyan in his work “All Loves Excelling” on the mediatorial dominion of Jesus Christ: He has obtained to be made of God the chief and high Lord of heaven and earth for us…’All things’ saith he ‘are delivered unto me of my Father, and all power in heaven and earth is given…

Vermigli and SSA (pt. 5): Indwelling Sin

This is continued from part 1, part 2, part 3, and part 4. In the last post I looked in detail at Vermigli’s view of how original sin is transmitted to Adam’s descendants. The question for the Christian who struggles with same-sex attraction, or any attraction similar to that, is: what does this have to…

Vermigli and SSA (pt. 6): Regeneration

This is continued from part 1, part 2, part 3, part 4, and part 5. The entirety of these posts are concerned with how Vermigli’s views of original sin relate to our contemporary questions about SSA and Christian living. As of yet, I haven’t resolved any issues or proposed anything new. In fact, I don’t…

Vermigli and SSA (pt. 4): Transmission of Original Sin

This is continued from part 1, part 2, and part 3. I am writing this little series to consider how Vermigli’s view of original sin relates to contemporary issues of same-sex attraction in the theology of the Church. In the first post, I compared Vermigli’s anthropology, or view of human composition, with contemporary views. In…

Vermigli and SSA (pt. 3): Extent of Original Sin

This is continued from part 1 and part 2. The Extent of Original Sin Vermigli’s depiction of original sin is that it is an entire corruption of human nature. It is a corruption entirely throughout, though not an entire corruption such that the mind and affections are utterly wicked. Rather, every aspect of human nature…

Vermigli and SSA (pt. 2): Original Sin

This is continued from part 1. In part 1, I discussed Vermigli’s view of anthropology, or human composition. His view of this is intricately related to his view of original sin and indwelling sin, so it is worth going back and reviewing if you missed the last one! Vermigli’s Definition of Original Sin After grasping…

Vermigli and SSA (pt. 1): Anthropology

I recently purchased and read, “On Original Sin: Vol. 1 of a New Translation of the Loci Communes” of Peter Martyr Vermigli, translated and edited by Kirk Summers, and printed by The Davenant Institute. This is actually the first volume of the second part of the original commonplaces. I’m excited to learn that Dr. Summers…