Reformed Churchmen

We are Confessional Calvinists and a Prayer Book Church-people. In 2012, we remembered the 350th anniversary of the 1662 Book of Common Prayer; also, we remembered the 450th anniversary of John Jewel's sober, scholarly, and Reformed "An Apology of the Church of England." In 2013, we remembered the publication of the "Heidelberg Catechism" and the influence of Reformed theologians in England, including Heinrich Bullinger's Decades. For 2014: Tyndale's NT translation. For 2015, John Roger, Rowland Taylor and Bishop John Hooper's martyrdom, burned at the stakes. Books of the month. December 2014: Alan Jacob's "Book of Common Prayer" at: http://www.amazon.com/Book-Common-Prayer-Biography-Religious/dp/0691154813/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1417814005&sr=8-1&keywords=jacobs+book+of+common+prayer. January 2015: A.F. Pollard's "Thomas Cranmer and the English Reformation: 1489-1556" at: http://www.amazon.com/Thomas-Cranmer-English-Reformation-1489-1556/dp/1592448658/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1420055574&sr=8-1&keywords=A.F.+Pollard+Cranmer. February 2015: Jaspar Ridley's "Thomas Cranmer" at: http://www.amazon.com/Thomas-Cranmer-Jasper-Ridley/dp/0198212879/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1422892154&sr=8-1&keywords=jasper+ridley+cranmer&pebp=1422892151110&peasin=198212879

Tuesday, August 25, 2009

A Personal Story

For the readers here:

I normally attempt to stay the focus on articles, reviews, good blog sites, ipods, classical music, etc. For the readers, you have the sense of it thus far. I'll throw a few comments out--personally, now and then, at as a scribbler of profound insignificance, yet as one who endeavours to follow serious things of Christ. The focus is on Christ which says it all.

I interrupt that momentarily to bring this notice, however.

This is personal.

While normally maintaining a focus on Biblical doctrine, etc., I witnessed something that is transforming. No, not an epiphany. No, not a charimatic "Word from God." You know me better than that. But it has been moving.

I can't say more than that. I need time and distance, but, Lord willing, I'll be back.

I'll be writing more about this. Later.

It may be a few months. It even might be a year. I'll never forget it as long as I live. I'll take it to the grave. I've been in touch with two friends quite privately about it. I've contacted two Professors about it. I've talked with my parents about it--86 and 87--and Dad is a retired Pastor.

The bottomline--someone's behind is going to be nailed to a Wittenburgian door. Nuff said.

7 comments:

Reformation said...

Without tipping my hand because I'm not ready and there are some other reasons too, the matter amounts to an attempted theological homocide...with saavy, quietness, and a grievous error that has stunned me. Counsel was given by a major leader to a very elderly woman in the faith near death. It may be reversible. Getting the Gospel right is not only an academic matter--and we must have academics--but it is about life and death and facing eternity. I'll never forget it. I'm profoundly troubled, so angry that it is a stillness in my soul, and yet am so thankful to have witnessed it. The false gospel given by many leaders is just that---spiritual deception that facilitates death. More later.

Reformation said...

That's spiritual homocide.

Reformation said...

I witnessed it. It's very small, very private, was very, very wrong. You don't poison an elderly person seeking counsel. Yet, though so small and so confined in space and time, it was a "symbol," something representative of the much larger scope, that at 0417 (military time, Eastern Time Zone), I am unable to sleep. Let the Pastors, Professors and Churchmen, especially the Leaders, take this "ad cor," to heart. That's all I am prepared to say.

Reformation said...

The elderly person will get assistance shortly. The context did not allow for an intervention. I hoping that, small as that might be and so local, that it too might be "representative" of the larger scope--getting Christ's Gospel very right and very true, e.g. Romans and Galatians.

DomWalk said...

Hope all goes well with that, Philip. Hurry back, I'm really enjoying all that you're posting on your blog.

Do you ever get out to the left coast?

Reformation said...

Dom, won't be leaving the blog for a month or year, but leaving this issue for awhile, to wit, what was witnessed. While so small, local, and will never be in history books, yet the event was one of a pastoral act of attempted homocide with an elderly person, for whom I care and of whom I am defensive--perhaps as her theological German Shepherd. She's near blind, by the way.

Reformation said...

Dom, the homocidal attempt by an Archbishop on an elderly lady--the story still untold--still lingers deeply with me. It motivates me more than ever against these puerile quibblers over obscurantistic liturgical pieties while unable to get at the grand doctrines of the faith. I am more and more of the mind that Anglo-Romewardizers are not well educated...that's pretty harsh, but inclining that way.