We believe in the Holy Spirit

The Niceno-Constantinopolitan Creed is the capstone of the doctrinal development of the Ancient Church as it relates to the Trinity. From a creedal standpoint what is unique about this text is the elaboration of the article about the Holy Spirit, which confesses the full deity of the Spirit by focusing on who he is—he is “Lord” and the One who proceeds from the Father—and what he does—he is “the Giver of life,” physical and especially spiritual, and the inspirer of those who wrote the Holy Scriptures. He is thus worthy of our heart’s adoration and worship along with the Father and the Son. And as such he must be fully God. The roots that gave rise to this confession are fully biblical ones, found first in passages that implicitly affirm him as God for he does what only God can do (e.g. Luke 1:35; Acts 10:38; Matthew 12:28; Hebrews 9:14; Romans 8:10–11; 1 Corinthians 12:3; 2:10­–12; 2 Corinthians 3:6, 17–18) and then in Scripture texts that rank him alongside the Father and the Son, so again implying his deity (Titus 3:4–7; 1 Corinthians 12:4–6; 2 Corinthians 13:14; Revelation 1:4–5; Matthew 28:19). The later expansion of this article of the Creed in the early Middle Ages by Latin-speaking theologians and churchmen, namely the assertion that proceeds “from the Father and the Son”—what is called the “Filioque”—is a biblically motivated assertion for it seeks to affirm the central truth of the New Testament that the Holy Spirit is always the Spirit of Christ (see Romans 8:9; 2 Corinthians 3:17).

John Gill and Basil of Caesarea

Ove the past few weeks I have been sourcing patristic citations from Basil of Caesarea mostly (but today also Gregory of Nazianzus) in John Gill's The Cause of God and Truth, and I cannot find any of them! It has been an extremely frustrating experience. Gill is citing these Fathers to defend the perspective that the so-called five points of Calvinism have a much earlier heritage than the Reformation and post-Refomation theologians. Methdological concerns aside, it appears that Gill at times made paraphrases from the writings of Basil. I have been combing through the Greek and am so frustrated with coming up with not one quote that I can confirm in Basil's corpus.

Thankfully, one of my PhD students, Steven Godet, is working on this very matter, and will provide answers!

Addendum (added Feb 26/2010): Have actually found three or four citations in the past three hours. Generally ok, but some of the quotes are paraphrases.

Papers from True Church Conference

Last week Dr. Haykin had the opportunity to speak at the True Church Conference hosted by Grace Life Church of Muscle Shoals, AL.  You can read about his own reflections on his experience at the conference here.  Dr. Haykin presented two papers at the conference.  The first on Hyper-Calvinism, and the second on Andrew Fuller.  Both papers are now posted in PDF format below:

Posted by Steve Weaver, Research and Administrative Assistant to the Director of the Andrew Fuller Center for Baptist Studies, Dr. Michael A.G. Haykin.

Reflections on the True Church conference 2010 and on Alexander McLaren

This past weekend (February 19–21) I had the distinct privilege of being a speaker at the 2010 True Church Conference held at Grace Life Church, Muscle Shoals, Alabama. What a privilege to meet and hear Jeff Noblit, pastor of the host church, Conrad Mbewe—“the Spurgeon of Africa”—and his wife, Barry King, a church planter in London, Jonathan Sims and David Miller—a really deep privilege. I spoke twice: once on “Defining hyper-Calvinism” and on “Missionary Pioneer Andrew Fuller & hyper-Calvinism.” The first talk was particularly difficult to prepare, since I decided to focus on the soteriology of John Gill (1697–1771) and his teaching on the pactum salutis, eternal justification, and the free offer of the gospel. I do think Gill to be on the hyper-Calvinist side of the equation and thus to have been an innovator, following lesser lights like Joseph Hussey and John Skepp rather than the broad stream of Reformed orthodoxy of the seventeenth century. Although Gill quoted Thomas Goodwin, for instance, in supporting his view of eternal justification, he misunderstood Goodwin. But to present such in a popular format, I felt peculiarly difficult. Then to speak on Fuller and do him justice was a challenge. But I am so thankful for the opportunity to be with those brethren.

Flying back this a.m., I missed worship at the house of God. I therefore “listened”—that is, within my mind as I read it—to a sermon preached over a hundred years ago: “Feeding on ashes” by Alexander McLaren (1826–1910) [in A Rosary of Christian Graces (London: Horace Marshal & Son, 1899)]. What a gem—in many ways he was good as a preacher as his contemporary, C.H. Spurgeon (1834–92). A reminder of what life and true life is all about. I was struck by the way he read that clause, “Take, eat, this is my body which is broken for you” (p.213), which he took spiritually and an offer of Christ of himself. Spurgeon had a richer view of the table of the Lord.

Dr. Haykin interviewed on Christ the Center

Dr. Michael Haykin was recently interviewed on the Reformed Forum's Christ the Center podcast.  The focus of the interview was Dr. Haykin's book, The Christian Lover: The Sweetness of Love and Marriage in the Letters of Believers.  You can access the episode in which Dr. Haykin was interviewed here.

Posted by Steve Weaver, Research and Administrative Assistant to the Director of the Andrew Fuller Center for Baptist Studies, Dr. Michael A.G. Haykin.

John Sutcliff and Walter Wilson

Walter Wilson’s The History and Antiquities of Dissenting Churches and Meeting Houses (London, 1808–14, 4 vols.) is one of the gems that anyone researching seventeenth- and eighteenth-century Dissent needs to know. Going through vol. 1 just now, I noticed that among those whom Wilson consulted for help in his researches was “J. Sutcliff, of Olney.” Sutcliff, the Baptist pastor of Olney, was an ardent bibliophile and helping Wilson would have been right up his alley!

Dr. Haykin on Family Life Today on 02/10 and 02/11

Dr. Michael Haykin has been interviewed for the nationwide radio program Family Life Today to discuss love and romance among Christians throughout history.  The two-part interview is scheduled to air on Wednesday (02/10/10) and Thursday (02/11/10).  To find a time and station in your area click here. The topic of this conversation flows from Dr. Haykin's recent book The Christian Lover: The Sweetness of Love and Marriage in the Letters of Believers which provides an interesting glimpse at the love letters of believers through the centuries.

If you don't have the opportunity to listen when the programs air, you will be able to access the programs online here on or after their airdates.

Posted by Steve Weaver, Research and Administrative Assistant to the Director of the Andrew Fuller Center for Baptist Studies, Dr. Michael A.G. Haykin.

Thomas Helwys and his congregation disavow being Anabaptists

In the midst of the discussion about Anabaptist origins of modern-day Baptists, it is very interesting that a document associated with Thomas Helwys (c.1575–c.1616), who is one of the key founders of Baptist witness in the first decade of the seventeenth century, can state quite plainly that it has been written—and I retain the spelling of the original—by “Christs unworthy witnesses,…comonly but most falsly called Annabaptists”—Obiections (1615), [p.vii].

The Feast of King Charles

Today is a fateful day in British history: the day on which King Charles I was executed in 1649. To some he became a martyr figure. To others, it was a fitting end to the "man of blood." Most of my Baptist forebears alive at the time would have supported the decision to execute their monarch. For me, it is vital to understand why men and women in that day felt the need to kill their king and how they read Scripture so as to justify their decision.

Celebrating Baptist roots like a rock concert!

Am working right now on a talk for tomorrow at Yorkminster Park Baptist Church in Toronto on “Celebrating our roots; Anticipating the harvest”—a 400th anniversary celebration of Baptist origins with John Smyth and Thomas Helwys and the like. It is historic in some ways since it will bring together Baptists from the FEBC and BCOQ to celebrate together our forebears and God’s goodness over the years.

 

 

In some ways gathering to recall the beginnings of those Christians called Baptists is a little like one of those rock concerts for boomers, who come together to hear a sixties band belt out some of their favourite rock n’ roll hits from that era. It would be easy to think that those aging rockers are merely indulging in nostalgia. Sure, there is some of that. But to a real extent their roots lie back in the sixties. That was the era that defined their social, sexual, and spiritual views and reliving the vibrant music of that era that stirred their souls so deeply then helps them reaffirm their identity now. In a somewhat similar way, what we are doing when we celebrate our roots is not mere antiquarianism: oh, wouldn’t it have been lovely to live in that era! No, we gather together to re-affirm who we are by recalling where we have come from.

Samuel Pearce: a one-line potted bio

I was recently asked by a good friend, Hélène Grondines, one of the finest artists I know and who is working on a portrait of Samuel Pearce (1766–1799), the Baptist leader of the eighteenth century, how I would explain who Pearce was in one line to non-Christians. Here is an initial go at it:

 

Samuel Pearce was a Baptist minister in England at the close of the eighteenth century whose preaching and walk with God, despite an early death at the age of thirty-three, made him an influential figure at the beginning of the modern worldwide expansion of Christianity.

Studying spiritual formation: a prolegomenon

The challenge with the whole area of studying spirituality and spiritual formation is that for decades, the Roman Catholics have dominated this area of study. While Evangelicals poured in tremendous resources preaching the gospel and responding to liberal theology and modernity (all of which needed to be done, no doubt about that), Roman Catholic theologians developed a whole area of what they would call spiritual theology. Now, Evangelicals are playing catch up and so frequently do not have the depth of thought on the subject. And given our ecclesial climate (ECT e.g.), it is all too easy to see the Roman Catholics as the masters at whose feet we need to sit. It is almost as if Evangelicals are saying: if you want to learn about how to be saved come to us. But then, on how to live the Christian life, you need to learn from the Roman Catholics. This is a vast over-simplification, but explains a little why Roman Catholic devotional practices are so easily assimilated into Evangelical piety.

 

But this is deeply problematic, for the theological foundation upon which Roman Catholics do spiritual formation is skewed (the Reformation was not a mistake and is still needful to orient our thinking). So there needs to be laid—which is what our Puritan forebears did—a solid theological foundation, from which proper reflection on piety can be done. And here Puritan methodology surely points the way. This does not mean that the Roman Catholics have nothing to teach us, but whatever is appropriated must be in line with biblical foundations.

Reading Martyn Lloyd-Jones: a beginning list

I was recently asked by a dear friend about reading D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones, where to begin and what to read. The advice that follows is, of course, to some degree, subjective, but I trust I hit all of the major things.

 

For brief overviews of the life of D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones, read J. I. Packer, “David Martyn Lloyd-Jones” in Charles Turner, ed., Chosen Vessels.  Portraits of Ten Outstanding Christian Men (Ann Arbor, Michigan: Servant Publications, 1985), 109–123; D. Eryl Davies, “Dr D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones: An Introduction”, Themelios, 25, No.1 (November 1999), 39–53; and Leigh B. Powell, “Dr. D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones (1899–1981): A Personal Appreciation”, Eusebeia, 7 (Spring 2007), 15–37 (this entire issues was devoted to Lloyd-Jones).

 

The definitive life of Lloyd-Jones are the two volumes by Iain H. Murray: David Martyn Lloyd-Jones. The First Forty Years 1899-1939 (Edinburgh: The Banner of Truth Trust, 1982) and David Martyn Lloyd-Jones. The Fight of Faith 1939-1981 (Edinburgh: The Banner of Truth Trust, 1990). His wife, Bethan Lloyd-Jones, also has a delightful small memoir of his first ministry in Wales: Memories of Sandfields, 1927-1938 (Edinburgh: The Banner of Trust Trust, 1983). Also see the little piece by his daughter and son-in-law: Frederick and Elizabeth Catherwood,  Martyn Lloyd-Jones: The Man and His Books (Bryntirion, Bridgend, Mid Glamorgan: Evangelical Library of Wales/London: Evangelical Library, 1982).

 

As for reading the works of Lloyd-Jones, I would begin with some of his smaller addresses found in Knowing the Times. Addresses Delivered on Various Occasions 1942-1977 (Edinburgh: The Banner of Truth Trust, 1989) or Unity in truth. Addresses given by Dr D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones at meetings held under the auspices of the British Evangelical Council, ed. Hywel R. Jones (Darlington, Co. Durham: Evangelical Press, 1991). A personal favourite of mine is his The Puritans: Their Origins and Successors (Edinburgh: The Banner of Truth Trust, 1987), his lectures on matters and figures historical at the Puritan Studies and Westminster Conferences. There is also a fascinating collection of papers in Healing and the Scriptures (1987 ed.; repr. Nashville, Tennessee: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1988) that reflects his ongoing interest in medicine (before becoming a minister of the gospel he was a medical doctor).

 

There are, of course, his sermon collections on Romans, Ephesians, 2 Peter, 1 John, Acts, and now, various Psalms. I have read much of his teaching on the work of the Holy Spirit, which stirred up no small controversy, in hisJoy Unspeakable (Wheaton, Illinois: Harold Shaw Publishers, 1985) and The Sovereign Spirit. Discerning His Gifts (Wheaton, Illinois: Harold Shaw Publishers, 1985). For further on his pneumatology, see Michael A. Eaton,  Baptism with the Spirit. The teaching of Dr Martyn Lloyd-Jones (Leicester: Inter-Varsity Press, 1989) and R. B. Lanning, “Dr Lloyd-Jones and the Baptism with the Holy Spirit”, The Banner of Truth, 271 (April 1986), 1-15.

 

Finally, there is that classic study of pastoral ministry, which I would recommend to all aspiring pastors: Preaching and Preachers (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1971). For a brief overview of his works, see Martin Downes, “Review Article: Select Works of Dr D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones”, Themelios, 25, No.1 (November 1999), 54-59.

Articles by Dr. Haykin from 'Reformation & Revival'

Rob Bradsaw of BiblicalStudies.org.uk has posted the contents of several issues of 'Reformation & Revival'. In perusing the articles, I discovered a number of articles by Dr. Haykin contributed to the journal between 1992 and 2000.  These articles are available for download or viewing online in PDF format. JOHN SUTCLIFF AND THE CONCERT OF PRAYER (Summer 1992, 1:3)

THE HOLY SPIRIT AND PRAYER IN JOHN BUNYAN (Spring 1994, 3:2)

JONATHAN EDWARDS AND HIS LEGACY (Summer 1995, 4:3)

THE REFLECTIONS OF A PURITAN THEOLOGIAN ON REGENERATION AND CONVERSION (Summer 1996, 5:3)

POST TENEBRAS LUX MARTIN LUTHER: PATHFINDER OF THE REFORMATION (Winter 1999, 8:1)

HEARING THE WORD: ROBERT HALL'S REFLECTIONS ON HOW BEST TO PROFIT SPIRITUALLY FROM PREACHING (Winter 2000, 9:1)

A SPIRITUALITY OF THE WORD: THE SCRIPTURES IN EARLY BAPTIST LIFE AND THOUGHT (Fall 2000, 9:4)

Posted by Steve Weaver, Research and Administrative Assistant to the Director of the Andrew Fuller Center for Baptist Studies, Dr. Michael A.G. Haykin.

On image and substance

Given the prevalence of television in the past, and movies and the internet in the present, in forming our culture, it should be obvious to any culture-watcher that we live in an age when image is everything. "Smoke and shadows" are the new reality. This seems a far cry from what the sixties wanted: authenticity. Christianity, with its word-based theology and piety, though, affirms that substance is what life is really about: what we do in time "echoes in eternity."

This is a major challenge for western Christians: how to live lives of reality and substance, not simply image. And it is even a greater danger for a Christian who finds himself or herself in the public limelight: the cultural pressure to maintain an image must be great indeed. May we pray for them that their lives might also be ones of weight and truth.