Calvinistiske, reformerte kirker og presbyterianske kirker

This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work was reproduced from the original artifact, and remains as true to the original work as possible. Therefore, you will see the original copyright references, library stamps (as most of these works have been housed in our most important libraries around the world), and other notations in the work.This work is in the public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work.As a reproduction of a historical artifact, this work may contain missing or blurred pages, poor pictures, errant marks, etc. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.

The form itself was adopted by the Synod of Dordt (1618-19) as the authoritative form for the administration and celebration of the sacrament of the Supper by both the Reformed churches in the Netherlands and by Dutch-speaking churches in the tradition of Dordt elsewhere in the world. Over the years the form has been adopted, translated, and used by most-if not all-Reformed churches that stand in the tradition of Dordt. The Lord's supper form, therefore, expresses the faith of orthodox, Reformed Christianity concerning the supper and all the rich implications of the supper for doctrine and life.

This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work was reproduced from the original artifact, and remains as true to the original work as possible. Therefore, you will see the original copyright references, library stamps (as most of these works have been housed in our most important libraries around the world), and other notations in the work.This work is in the public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work.As a reproduction of a historical artifact, this work may contain missing or blurred pages, poor pictures, errant marks, etc. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.

Ce nouveau livre, L'évolutionnisme théiste. Ses racines et ses conséquences, aborde l'évolution sous un angle autre que ne le fait l'Introduction apologétique au premier commandement. L'idole de notre temps : la science quantitative moderne, ouvrage, qui s'attaquait aux aberrations logiques et scientifiques d'une macroévolution à la fois naturaliste, matérialiste et athée.Le livre entre vos mains cherche par contre à réfuter un évolutionnisme religieux qui se prétendrait théiste ; cette théorie prouvant l'évolution du monde par l'action divine elle-même. Pour ce faire l'auteur remonte aux sources médiévales du nominalisme de Guillaume d'Occam - son rejet des universaux - qui, en détruisant les bases conceptuelles de l'ordre de l'univers, refuse toute stabilité à la réalité, en particulier aux espèces.Il débute par une suite d'aphorismes traitant des racines et des conséquences d'une évolution revêtant un masque religieux d'origine divine . Le lecteur est ainsi ramené à la source évolutionniste lointaine de bien des erreurs actuelles, théologiques, philosophiques et scientifiques.De telles aberrations religieuses proviennent de l'héritage volontariste, subjectif et idéaliste d'Occam. Elles aboutissent à une mystique vitaliste, autocréatrice, celle de cette évolution créatrice au c¿ur de la philosophie de Henri Bergson. C'est ainsi que l'évolutionnisme théiste en vient à refuser tout ordre à la création, aboutissant alors à une déstabilisation générale, dont celle d'une intelligence apte à comprendre le monde. La suite de l'ouvrage reproduit le débat de J.-M. Berthoud avec Henri Blocher et réfute, pour terminer, les positions contradictoires d'Alvin Plantinga qui, tout en rejetant le naturalisme scientiste, en vient à remplacer la Parole divine, en tant qu'ordonnatrice du réel, par le fantôme d'une évolution imaginaire.

L'auteur commence son ouvrage par rappeler un sujet important, plus que jamais sous attaque : l'autorité première de la Bible. En effet, il développera la défense du thème qui l'intéresse se basant premièrement sur cette autorité ultime (extérieure à la sienne propre), la Parole de Dieu. Ceci à l'exemple du Christ qui, lors de son séjour parmi nous, déclarait que si ce qu'il affirmait n'avait pour unique source que sa seule personne, ses paroles n'avaient pas de valeur absolue. C'est pour cela qu'Il proclama à de nombreuses reprises que son enseignement lui avait été transmis par son Père céleste (Jean 8). Il est Lui-même la Parole de Dieu envoyée par Dieu sur terre. Jean-Marc Berthoud cite ici Thomas d'Aquin qui affirma : De tous les arguments, celui qui se base sur la Bible est le plus fort, parce qu'il s'appuie sur Celui qui se trouve être, en sa Personne divine, l'autorité ultime, suprême et infaillible, qui ne saurait ni mentir ni se tromper. Après cette démonstration, l'auteur présente de nombreux passages de la Bible, pour défendre le thème de ce livre : la terre ne se meut pas .Dans son troisième point, il relèvera le fait que la science la plus pointue ne parvient pas à prouver la mobilité de la terre. Puis il mettra en lumière les enjeux théologiques et métaphysiques du débat entre le géo¬centrisme et l'héliocentrisme dont - selon l'astronome Gerardus Bouw - le moteur, son principe et son modèle conceptuel a été d'exclure Dieu de sa propre création [...] , donc de la science elle aussi.Dans les Annexes, Berthoud reproduit des textes d'auteurs divers, dont des scientifiques chevronnés et des philosophes, allant dans ce sens. Ils nous font comprendre l'importance de cette question qui à la longue en vint à bannir Dieu et sa Parole de toute notre culture.

Trois formes de relâchement peuvent conduire au déclin et à la disparition des Églises : la tolérance des erreurs théologiques ; celle du péché moral ; et ce fléau, souvent ignoré car méconnu, la culture inconsciente de l'impureté.Si le péché moral et l'erreur hérétique constituent des maux bien distincts, il n'en va pas de même de l'impureté qui, comme la médiocrité, est une habitude, qui à la longue, étouffe toute vérité et toute vertu. Pourtant la Bible parle souvent de l'impureté, tant dans l'Ancien que dans le Nouveau Testament. L'impureté concerne des écarts par rapport aux lois bibliques sur les désordres de l'ordre créationnel, surtout en ce qui concerne la nourriture, la sexualité et, ce désordre ultime : la mort.Il ne s'agit pas de péchés explicites, tel un meurtre, un vol ou la fornication qui connaissent leur châtiment approprié, mais du contact avec ce qui rend impur. Tout contact avec le monde diabolique rend impur. Il en va de même pour la pornographie (forcer des enfants à contempler, puis à pratiquer des actes pervers propres à l'éducation sexuelle). Il en est ainsi de tout contact avec des cadavres, même lors de l'autopsie. Cette impureté médicale cautérise la conscience de bien des médecins les rendant insensibles au meurtre d'embryons qu'ils pratiquent par avortement.Car le propre de toute impureté est de brouiller nos rapports avec Dieu, nous rendant insensibles au mal. L'homme pécheur est alors désarmé devant ces influences nocives. L'union du croyant au Christ, c'est-à-dire à sa pureté, le protège de l'impureté.Pour conclure, écoutons la Bible :Or, tout ce que Dieu a créé est bon, et rien n'est à rejeter, pourvu qu'on le prenne avec actions de grâces, car tout est sanctifié [rendu pur] par la parole de Dieu et par la prière.(I Timothée 4 : 4-5)

As a father of the Chinese evangelical church, Pastor Wang Mingdao is remembered for insisting that the only way to be saved from sin and enjoy eternal life is by God's grace through faith in Christ, even though that insistence cost him his earthly freedom. Although Mingdao experienced a moment of weakness during persecution, he eventually found restoration in Christ and kept the faith through twenty-three years of imprisonment. His courage and strength provide a modern example of how Christians must trust the Lord and remain faithful in times of hardship and persecution.

This scarce antiquarian book is a facsimile reprint of the original. Due to its age, it may contain imperfections such as marks, notations, marginalia and flawed pages. Because we believe this work is culturally important, we have made it available as part of our commitment for protecting, preserving, and promoting the world's literature in affordable, high quality, modern editions that are true to the original work.

A major contribution to ecumenical reflection on the doctrine of God. The past century has seen renewed interest in the doctrine of God. While theological traditions disagree, their shared commitment to Nicene orthodoxy provides a common language for thinking and speaking about God. This dialogue has deepened our understanding of this shared way of thinking about God, but little has been done across ecumenical lines to explore God's hiddenness in revelation. In Hidden and Revealed, Dmytro Bintsarovskyi explores the hiddenness and revelation of God in two separate theological streams--Reformed and Orthodox. Bintsarovskyi shows that an understanding of both traditions reflects a deep structure of shared language, history, and commitments, while nevertheless reflecting real differences. With Herman Bavinck and John Meyendorff as his guides, Bintsarovskyi advances ecumenical dialogue on a doctrine central to our knowledge of God.

Translation of: Pro rege, of, Het koningschap van Christus.

Hank Lattimer, a young assistant pastor in a vibrant Georgia Presbyterian church, forges an unexpected friendship with Moses Awulu, an African graduate student studying in Atlanta. As the Christmas season approaches, Hank's church extends a warm invitation to a diverse group of international students but excludes Africans from eating in the church building, which Hank blindly approves. His world is thrown into turmoil as he grapples with the painful realization of his own personal discrimination. Moses severs his ties with Hank and the church and returns to Africa. A year later, Hank is sent as a missionary to Moses's homeland. Once on African soil, he faces a daunting question: Can he mend the damage he unwittingly helped cause? Ashes Fly Back, a poignant story of friendship and estrangement, explores the global repercussions of discrimination and the paths to racial justice.

Why are the policies of a church at national level, which seek to bring together people of different cultures and ethnicities as one people in Christ, so seldom reflected in local congregations and parishes? New Zealand Presbyterian minister Rev Dr Tokerau Joseph shares the insights gained from his doctoral research into this topic. While his study focussed on the Presbyterian Church of Aotearoa New Zealand (PCANZ), his findings are also relevant to other denominations with multi-cultural and multi-ethnic parishes and congregations.This exercise in practical theology examines the tension between two realities. On the one hand, there are the stated policies of the PCANZ that encourage its members to live out a diverse life together. On the other hand, there is the reality that PCANZ congregations reflect ethnic homogeneity rather than diversity. The author observes the extent to which the ethnic composition of congregations is influenced by people's theological understanding of the church and of their Christian identity, as opposed to tendencies affirming their ethnic/cultural identity. Tokerau Joseph challenges and encourages people in congregations to learn to live out more faithfully our ecclesiology of unity in diversity. This will involve re-evaluating our Christian identity, cross-cultural engagements, a pan-Pacific model of church, and the sacrament of Holy Communion. He hopes that this book will be thought-provoking and impactful for change in people's lives.Key topics discussed are:Ethnicity mattersAn ecclesiology of unity in diversityThe historical development of PCANZ ethnic componentsEthnic relations in congregations, and Rethinking our fellowshipThe book includes a full bibliography and references.

An in-depth study of the role of the elder in the Church of Scotland. The book examines the history and tradition of this important office, as well as its duties, qualifications, and appointment.This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it.This work is in the "public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work.Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.

George L. Smith presents a detailed history of the First Presbyterian Church of Ewing, New Jersey in this absorbing study. Using primary sources and interviews with members of the congregation, Smith provides a captivating account of the church's founding, development, and ongoing mission.This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it.This work is in the "public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work.Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.

John Calvin (1509-1564) was a prominent French theologian and reformer, best known for his role in the development of Reformed theology and the establishment of Calvinism. Taken from his magnum opus, "Institutes of the Christian Religion", this book treats of the Life of the Christian and contains five chapter : LIFE OF A CHRISTIAN MAN. SCRIPTURAL ARGUMENTS EXHORTING TO IT ; A SUMMARY OF THE CHRISTIAN LIFE. OF SELF-DENIAL ; OF BEARING THE CROSS-ONE BRANCH OF SELF-DENIAL ; OF MEDITATING ON THE FUTURE LIFE ; HOW TO USE THE PRESENT LIFE, AND THE COMFORTS OF IT.This new large print edition, designed to make reading comfortable, includes an index of scripture references.