Framing the Magisterial Reformation from a Lutheran Perspective

https://issuesetc.org/2026/05/25/the-uniqueness-of-the-lutheran-reformation-dr-jordan-cooper-5-25-26-1452-encore/

For the most part I appreciate Jordan Cooper and the work he does. Despite my many differences with him on questions of doctrine and Scriptural interpretation, I appreciate his spirit and the careful and conscientious way in which he approaches theological questions. In terms of being an ambassador for Confessional Lutheranism, there is no one better that I'm aware of.

However on this point concerning the uniqueness of the Lutheran Reformation and the way he frames it as a 'Traditional' or 'Conservative' Reformation as opposed to being 'Radical', I must disagree. But the debate itself is interesting and informative.

Sola Scriptura and The Spectrum of Scriptural Authority (V): The Holy Spirit, Epistemological Poverty, and True New Covenant Biblicism

We've considered various Sola Scriptura camps that are found wanting in their claims as well as briefly touching on some of the groups that esteem Scripture down to those who functionally despise it.

We must weigh all of these versus a genuine Biblicist rendering of Sola Scriptura. For some this is an impossibility, for others Pandora's Box that can only lead to chaos.

The Clarkian-Gnostic Freemasonry

Recently I was in a used book store and stumbled across Christianity and Neo-Liberalism by Paul Elliott (published by the Trinity Foundation in 2005). Some will immediately know this is a book connected to the followers of Gordon Clark (1902-1985), a controversial figure within Reformed circles in general and the Orthodox Presbyterian Church (OPC) in particular.

Vos and the Two-Age Ethics of Redemptive-Historical Theology

https://reformedforum.org/vos-and-neo-calvinism-rethinking-a-transatlantic-identity/

Bucey provides some helpful analysis regarding this rather pivotal episode in the life of Geerhardus Vos (1862-1949) and his 1886 refusal to join Abraham Kuyper at the Free University in Amsterdam. The young Vos instead made his way to Grand Rapids to teach at what would become Calvin College and Seminary.

Honest to God, Bonhoeffer, and Metaxas

https://www.scielo.org.za/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S1011-76012018000100013

I think I first encountered JAT Robinson (1919-1983) and discussions of his 1963 work 'Honest to God' in the writings of Francis Schaeffer and authors such as Iain Murray of the Banner of Truth. This would have been back in the mid-1990's.

For those unfamiliar with the discussion, Robinson was the Bishop of Woolwich and while in that office he published 'Honest to God' in which he revealed his doubts about conventional theism. It shocked the Christian world at the time (1963) - a bishop who was effectively (at least according to traditional definitions) an agnostic, if not an outright atheist.

The Bogus Case for Cathedrals

https://thefederalist.com/2025/11/18/why-christians-should-build-cathedrals/

Nathanael Blake, the author of this piece was recently on LPR's Issues Etc., in order to promote this article and its ideology. I was disappointed with Todd Wilken that he was willing to give voice to this, but given some of the other voices and ideas he promotes, I guess I'm not too surprised.

The Lutheran Church Missouri Synod (LCMS) is clearly fighting its own internal battles. They're struggling with Far Right and Nazi-esque revisionists on the one hand and a still vibrant Evangelical-style movement that wants to take them into a low-church direction. Having examined and even visited some of the LCMS congregations in my area, the battle lines are clear. We have everything from High Church practice with statues of Jesus, the sign of the cross, and chanting to (at the opposite end of the spectrum), low-church Evangelical-style worship with pop music, screens, and the rest.

The Life and Times of IC Herendeen

https://www.amazon.com/Life-Times-I-C-Herendeen/dp/B0FJZ4ZFY7

I am pleased to endorse this 2025 work authored by my son, Isaac. It would seem that our visits to Swengel, Millmont, and Lewisburg, Pennsylvania piqued his interest some years ago. I had visited those places in connection to Arthur Pink. I knew of Herendeen, but Isaac picked up his story and pursued his own course of research and I must admit I find Herendeen's life to be noteworthy.

The Historical Canon of the Waldenses, Charism, and the First Reformation

https://pilgrimunderground.blogspot.com/2025/09/a-troubling-revival-of-historic-anti.html

As I have recently indicated, the hijacking of the Septuagint and Apocrypha debate by Right-wing Anti-Semites has been the source of considerable grief for me as I believe it unnecessarily muddies the waters and will overshadow future discussion. This issue is one of many that I have called attention to in recent years - another point of deviation (on my part) from the Magisterial Reformation narrative as embraced by Confessionalists and contemporary Evangelicals.

That said, the issue of the Apocrypha and Septuagint is still a live one for me and the Right-wing's attacks on the Masoretic Text and tradition are an unfortunate complication. Leaving that aside with assurances that in no way am I motivated by anything Anti-Semitic, let us turn to the historical and doctrinal issues at hand.

The suggestion that the Apocrypha (so-called) was only formally adopted by Trent in the 16th century is misleading if not altogether false.

The Church in Dark Ages - A Call to Dissent and Nonconformity (IV)

What are the options? To be frank, there aren't many. We can look to the Confessionalist churches within the Reformed, Lutheran, and Anglican traditions. This is a viable option in some cases and in terms of week to week worship these offer much better opportunities - but they are not without their problems. Their ecclesiologies are often unbiblical. Many Reformed are actually just Evangelicals. There are real problems with Lutheran and Anglican worship but I find them preferable to Evangelical pop-culture worship and piety.

The Church in Dark Ages - A Call to Dissent and Nonconformity (II)

Medieval Romanism formulated its notions of law and justice in terms of a fusion between old Roman jurisprudence and the tribal codes and customs coming out of the Germanic world. Over time this would be re-tooled by other influences. The point being - Scripture had little to do with it.

The Church in Dark Ages - A Call to Dissent and Nonconformity (I)

or,

An Examination of the Twin Sisters of Medieval Roman Catholicism and American Evangelicalism

Evangelicalism has moved much closer to Rome in recent years and unthinkable as it was just a few decades ago, many now consider Roman Catholics to be fellow Christians. In recent days this has been most evident with the way Evangelicals speaks of figures like JD Vance and Erika Kirk. These Roman Catholics who worship Mary, partake of the idolatry that is the Mass, venerate a tradition of false prophets that claim to speak in the place of Christ, and find salvation in a merit-based sacerdotal system, are deemed inspiring fellow believers. The term 'Christian' has itself has been run through so many filters and redefined to such an extent that theologically and even culturally it struggles to have any kind of actual meaning. The same is true of Evangelicalism which describes more of a cultural attitude and ethos (if not a political movement) than any kind of ecclesiastical movement, theology, or identity.

Ghosts of Weimar: A Lament for Lutherans Struck Blind

I found myself frustrated listening to a couple of Missouri-Synod pastors discussing what they called The American Interim - an attempt to draw a parallel with the Augsburg and Leipzig Interims (1548-1555). German Lutherans were forced to make concessions in the wake of their 1547 defeat in the First Schmalkaldic War. Eventually the Protestant princes rose and in the Second war of that name they achieved victory marked by the 1555 Peace of Augsburg.

The Usury Dilemma Revisited (III)

Should I dispense with bank accounts? I wouldn't mind doing so but it's increasingly becoming impossible. I tried at one point years ago - operating on a cash basis, paying all my bills with money orders and the like. It's very difficult and frankly pretty miserable. It's not really possible anymore in a lot of urban locations. I live in the boondocks, where there are miles of endless forest, no traffic lights, and more deer than cars.

The Usury Dilemma Revisited (I)

...Usura rusteth the chisel

It rusteth the craft and the craftsman

It gnaweth the thread in the loom

None learneth to weave gold in her pattern;

Azure hath a canker by usura; cramoisi is unbroidered

Emerald findeth no Memling

Usura slayeth the child in the womb

It stayeth the young man’s courting

It hath brought palsey to bed, lyeth

between the young bride and her bridegroom

CONTRA NATURAM

They have brought whores for Eleusis

Corpses are set to banquet

at behest of usura.

From Ezra Pound's Canto XLV (1937)

Wrestling with the matter of usury and in light of recent discussions, I have been forced to address the question differently and through the lens of different contexts. This is not a question of situation ethics but rather applying wisdom and some Biblically-driven discernment to a question that is both simple and straightforward but also inescapably complex - and perhaps without solution.

Another Example of Progressive Orthodoxy

https://churcheswithoutchests.net/2025/03/13/the-imitation-of-christ/

I am pleased to note de Bruyn also offers some praise for the Theologia Germanica, another worthy pre-Reformation work.

But as I've often argued there's a problem with this approach to orthodoxy - it's progressive. Men like de Bruyn are willing to say that à Kempis and the anonymous author (the Friend of God from the Oberland) of the Theologia were Christians.

The Magdeburg Confession of 1550

While there is much to laud with regard to Lutheranism, the 1550 Magdeburg Confession is a remarkable exception. Written by Lutheran pastors, the document argues for the basis of lawful resistance - in other words the justification for Christians killing others to secure their own rights and privileges. Indeed, there are times when Christian must resist certain laws. But it must be asked if this perceived need or right allows the Christian to abandon New Testament ethics? Is this not a case of the end justifying the means?

Recent Discussion of the Salem Witch Trials

https://reformedforum.org/podcasts/ctc907/

https://churchandfamilylife.com/podcasts/scripture-applied/681b88f593d37c3f67415b85

Regarding the Salem Witch Trials of 1692/93, it was evident early on that the host of the show was not familiar with the subject when he raised the question of whether Britain had its witch episodes as well. I guess he's never heard of Matthew Hopkins (d.1647).

The 17th century represented probably the height of the witch craze in the Western world. Many wrongly think of the Middle Ages when it comes to witches. Most of the episodes actually occur in the post-Renaissance context and the phenomenon seemed to equally afflict both Protestant and Roman Catholic circles.

Samuel Davies: A Colonial Era Hero, Presbyterian Patriot, and Christ-hater

https://americanreformer.org/2024/07/samuel-davies-colonial-presbyterian-patriot/

My eye was drawn to the locales mentioned in the opening paragraph. They are well known to me as my family has made a point of visiting these places for historical reference - and they're not too far away from where we live.

Samuel Davies (1723-1761) is also a name well known to me from my days spent in OP and PCA circles. He is a titan in American Presbyterianism but to be honest I hadn't give Samuel Davies a lot of thought in quite a few years. So by this point I was hooked and decided to read the article.

A Popular but Contrived Celtic Heritage

A Calvinist blogger (from the South) posted about wanting to understand his Celtic roots and then listed some books being read to that end.

Malachi Martin and Rich Church, Poor Church

Back in the 1990's I used to pick up some Malachi Martin works on occasion. He provides insider information about the Jesuits and the Vatican and while I've never agreed with him, I've always found him to be interesting.

I stumbled on his 1984 work 'Rich Church, Poor Church' in a pile of discount books and since it was only $1.50, I decided to pick it up. It was a work I had never encountered before.