Christ the Center

Grace and Grace: The One Covenant and the Logic of Hebrews’ Warning | Marcus A. Mininger - Reformed Academy

Hebrews never pits the covenants against one another as law versus gospel; it presents them as grace and grace—the same house, the same people, the same promise. Yet the old was always preparatory: shadow giving way to substance, promise to fulfillment. Marcus A. Mininger traces that organic development and shows why the unity of the one covenant is precisely what makes Hebrews’ warning so urgent. The address closes where the letter does—on persevering within the covenant and resting in the sole sufficiency of Christ. Dr. Marcus A. Mininger is professor of New Testament at Mid-America Reformed Seminary, with research on Paul and the General Epistles—including a forthcoming study of the warning passages in Hebrews. Delivered at the 2026 Reformed Forum Theology Conference, “The Covenant of Grace: One Savior, One People, One Purpose,” at Lakeland Church in Gurnee, Illinois, on September 26, 2026. Watch this address: https://youtu.be/DMhQflaD8PM Watch the full conference: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLJykAlOwqPCA reformedforum.org Mentioned in this episode: Christ the Center 1000 Christ the Center 1000

Impossible to Be Restored? What Hebrews Really Warns Against | Marcus A. Mininger - Reformed Academy

Few passages have unsettled readers like Hebrews’ warning that it is “impossible … to restore again to repentance” those who fall away. Does it teach a sin beyond forgiveness? Marcus A. Mininger clears away the common misreadings and names the real danger the author confronts: the temptation to abandon Christ and re-lay a foundation in the old covenant alone. The warning, rightly heard, is not about a sin too great to forgive but about the impossibility of going back—and it sets up the covenant question taken up in the session that follows. Dr. Marcus A. Mininger is professor of New Testament at Mid-America Reformed Seminary, with research on Paul and the General Epistles—including a forthcoming study of the warning passages in Hebrews. Delivered at the 2026 Reformed Forum Theology Conference, “The Covenant of Grace: One Savior, One People, One Purpose,” at Lakeland Church in Gurnee, Illinois, on September 26, 2026. Watch this address: https://youtu.be/9B4fCp9fems Watch the full conference: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLJykAlOwqPCA reformedforum.org Mentioned in this episode: Christ the Center 1000 Christ the Center 1000

A Greater Joshua, a Greater Conquest: Another Look at Jesus’s Exorcisms | Benjamin L. Gladd - Reformed Academy

A greater Joshua has come. Benjamin L. Gladd takes another look at Jesus’s exorcisms, reading them against the Old Testament backdrop of Israel’s conquest. Where Joshua led a people into an earthly rest by the sword, Christ leads his people into a greater rest by the Spirit and the word, defeating the powers that held them captive. The kingdom does not advance by force but by the triumph of the one Savior who gathers one people to himself, and the exorcisms are a preview of that greater conquest. Dr. Benjamin L. Gladd is executive director of the Carson Center for Theological Renewal and formerly professor of New Testament at Reformed Theological Seminary, Jackson. He edits the Essential Studies in Biblical Theology series and has written widely on the use of the Old Testament in the New, including works co-authored with G. K. Beale. Delivered at the 2026 Reformed Forum Theology Conference, “The Covenant of Grace: One Savior, One People, One Purpose,” at Lakeland Church in Gurnee, Illinois, on September 26, 2026. Watch this address: https://youtu.be/UeBRopgfpmI Watch the full conference: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLJykAlOwqPCA reformedforum.org Mentioned in this episode: Christ the Center 1000 Christ the Center 1000

When Does the Restoration of Israel Take Place? | G. K. Beale - Reformed Academy

When does the long-promised restoration of Israel take place? G. K. Beale gives particular attention to Acts 1:8 and its use of the Old Testament and argues that the restoration is already under way in the church's Spirit-empowered witness to the nations. God fulfills his covenant promises to Israel in Christ and carries them to the ends of the earth, as the one Savior gathers one people to himself. The answer has direct consequences for how we understand the church, the nations, and the promises of the covenant. Dr. Gregory K. Beale teaches at Reformed Theological Seminary, Dallas. He is a leading New Testament scholar known for his work on biblical theology, the use of the Old Testament in the New, and the temple theme across Scripture. Delivered at the 2026 Reformed Forum Theology Conference, "The Covenant of Grace: One Savior, One People, One Purpose," at Lakeland Church in Gurnee, Illinois, on September 26, 2026. Watch the full conference: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLJykAlOwqPCA https://reformedforum.org Mentioned in this episode: Christ the Center 1000 Christ the Center 1000

Roman Catholicism and Christian Unity

Mark Gilbert joins Camden Bucey to examine what Protestants and Roman Catholics mean when they speak of Christian unity. Drawing on Gilbert’s conversion from Roman Catholicism, they contrast a unity grounded in the Spirit’s work through the Word with Rome’s institutional claim to mediate grace and gather humanity into one visible communion. The conversation turns to Vatican II and Karl Rahner’s doctrine of the “anonymous Christian.” Camden and Mark consider Rahner’s anthropology, his account of God’s self-communication, and the influence of this framework on Roman Catholic inclusivism. They conclude with a pastoral call to speak with clarity and charity and to offer the assurance found only in the finished work of Christ. Resources Talking with Catholics About Jesus The Nicene Creed The Nicene Creed and the Nature of Christian Unity Chapters 00:00 Introduction 03:48 Mark Gilbert’s journey from Roman Catholicism 10:50 The Rome Scholars and Leaders Network 15:04 Catholic inclusivity after Vatican II 20:36 Institutional and spiritual views of unity 26:43 The church as a continuing incarnation 28:58 Vatican II and Karl Rahner 35:36 Van Til, Rahner, and the image of God 45:18 The “anonymous Christian” 47:30 Roman Catholicism in a pluralistic world 52:06 Inclusivity, gender, and doctrinal development 58:19 Rahner, Ratzinger, and competing Catholic trajectories 61:28 The Roman Catholic Church as a “sacrament of unity” 65:33 Unity in truth and evangelizing Roman Catholics 70:14 Resources for churches and small groups 72:59 Conclusion Mentioned in this episode: Christ the Center 1000 Live in Austin, TX Christ the Center 1000 Summit Christ the Center 1000 Christ the Center 1000 Summit

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Before the Foundation of the World: The Covenant of Redemption and the Covenant of Grace | Camden M. Bucey - Reformed Academy

The covenant of grace has its source in eternity, in the covenant of redemption: the eternal agreement of Father, Son, and Spirit to save a people. In "Before the Foundation of the World," Camden Bucey traces the historical covenant of grace back to that eternal counsel. Following Herman Bavinck, he shows that the covenant revealed in time rests on an unchanging foundation in the counsel of the triune God. Before creation and before the fall, God purposed one redemption with one Savior at its center, and the unity and certainty of the covenant of grace rest on that purpose. This opening address gathers up the first two conferences in the trilogy and lays the foundation for the addresses that follow. Download the handout (PDF) Dr. Camden M. Bucey is executive director of Reformed Forum and host of Christ the Center. He is the author of Karl Rahner in P&R’s Great Thinkers series and Defending Our Hope: An Introduction to Christian Apologetics. Delivered at the 2026 Reformed Forum Theology Conference, “The Covenant of Grace: One Savior, One People, One Purpose,” at Lakeland Church in Gurnee, Illinois, on September 26, 2026. Watch the full conference reformedforum.org Mentioned in this episode: Christ the Center 1000 Christ the Center 1000

YouTube as the Modern Day Areopagus

We welcome Eli Ayala, host of Revealed Apologetics, to discuss Christian apologetics in the digital public square. Drawing an analogy to the Areopagus of Acts 17, Camden Bucey and Ayala consider YouTube’s remarkable reach, its dangers, the spiritual dimension of apologetics, the union of biblical content and method, current movements in online apologetics, and the pastoral task of guiding young people who encounter theology online. Ayala recounts his path from a Spanish Pentecostal upbringing to Reformed theology and presuppositional apologetics, including the decisive influence of the Greg Bahnsen–Gordon Stein debate. He also explains the origins of Revealed Apologetics and reflects on the opportunities and distortions created by algorithmic media. Links Episode page Revealed Apologetics Revealed Apologetics on YouTube Defending Our Hope Chapters 0:00 Introduction 2:03 YouTube as the Modern Areopagus 3:43 Eli Ayala’s Background and Work 8:39 Spiritual Warfare and Apologetics 12:47 An Apologetic Awakening 17:06 The Bahnsen–Stein Debate and Presuppositionalism 20:42 The Origins of Revealed Apologetics 25:35 YouTube’s Promise and Peril 36:31 Biblical Content, Method, and Character 43:13 The Online Apologetics Landscape 47:33 Eastern Orthodoxy and Presuppositionalism 49:32 Islam and Christian Apologetics Online 50:52 Roman Catholic Apologetics Online 54:11 Guiding Young People through Online Theology 1:01:13 Conclusion Mentioned in this episode: Christ the Center 1000 Christ the Center 1000 Summit Christ the Center 1000 Live in Austin, TX Christ the Center 1000 Summit

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The Fall and Redemption of Conscience

We welcome Andrea Ferrari to discuss his book The Fall and Redemption of Conscience: A Reformed Biblical Theology. Ferrari, pastor of the Chiesa Riformata di Perugia in Italy, explains why conscience has received comparatively little attention in modern Protestant theology and considers the influence of psychology, Karl Barth, John Webster, and John Calvin on contemporary accounts of conscience. The conversation develops a biblical and theological account of conscience from creation to new creation. Ferrari addresses whether Adam possessed a conscience before the fall, the Old Testament vocabulary of heart, kidneys, and clean hands, Calvin’s sensus divini judicii, the Trinitarian basis of human self-awareness, and the effects of justification and sanctification upon a guilty conscience. The episode concludes with practical implications for preaching, counseling, and the Christian life, along with an update on Ferrari’s ministry in Perugia. Links Episode page The Fall and Redemption of Conscience Chiesa Riformata di Perugia Chapters 00:00 Introduction 03:12 Andrea Ferrari’s Ministry in Perugia 12:43 A New Study Center near the University 19:11 The Fall and Redemption of Conscience 24:33 Why Conscience Disappeared from Modern Theology 28:41 Karl Barth and General Revelation 32:12 Did Adam Have a Conscience before the Fall? 49:27 Conscience in the Old Testament 58:53 Defining Conscience as Perceptual Awareness 64:23 Calvin’s Sensus Divini Judicii 65:27 The Trinitarian Context of Conscience 74:23 The Fallen Conscience and the Imagination 80:10 Training the Senses in Hebrews 5:14 81:47 The Justified Conscience 86:43 Sanctification and the Healing of Conscience 93:23 Pastoral Counseling and Preaching to the Conscience 100:02 Ministry Reflections and Conclusion Mentioned in this episode: Christ the Center 1000 Live in Austin, TX Christ the Center 1000 Summit Christ the Center 1000 Christ the Center 1000 Summit

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The Importance of Biblical Theology for the Church

Recorded before a live audience at Cahaba Park Church during Discovering Christ in All of Scripture, a Reformed Forum seminar hosted in conjunction with Birmingham Theological Seminary, Camden Bucey moderates a panel with Dan Ragusa, Derrick Brite, and Lane G. Tipton on the importance of biblical theology for the life of the church. The panel defines biblical theology in the tradition of Geerhardus Vos, explains its organic and progressive character, and shows how the whole history of special revelation reaches its center and goal in Jesus Christ. The conversation turns to preaching, discipleship, the unity of the covenant of grace, Christ-centered interpretation, practical resources for reading the Old Testament, and the need for churches to recover the accomplishment of redemption as the great context for every biblical passage. In the audience Q&A, the panel also addresses ministry in small and struggling churches, church revitalization, and the pilgrim ethic needed for faithful pastoral service. Links Episode page Birmingham Theological Seminary Reformed Academy Chapters 00:00 Introduction and panel 03:55 Why biblical theology matters 09:28 Defining biblical theology 15:39 Derrick Brite’s formation and pastoral ministry 22:20 Dan Ragusa and the Dutch Reformed tradition 26:09 Biblical theology in a diverse congregation 30:09 Avoiding moralism and subjectivism 31:27 Hermeneutical foundations 35:56 The trans-testamental gospel 40:24 Christianity, liberalism, and supernatural history 43:54 God’s redemptive words and deeds 48:37 Christ, the one mediator 51:11 One gospel for Abraham and the church 52:56 Audience questions 53:23 Lane Tipton’s conversion and call to ministry 58:40 Teaching people to see Christ in the Old Testament 63:25 The exodus at the Transfiguration 67:16 Reading passages within the history of salvation 73:56 Christocentrism and Christotelism 77:11 Biblical theology and small-church ministry 82:58 The pastoral shortage and a pilgrim ethic 88:10 Conclusion

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Human Dignity in the Age of AI

Artificial intelligence does more than raise technical questions; it presses the deeper question of what it means to be human. Camden Bucey speaks with Jason Thacker, author of The Age of AI: Artificial Intelligence and the Future of Humanity, about human dignity, the image of God, and the crucial distinction between a human person and a machine. They consider how Christians can receive technology as a tool under God’s providence without confusing imitation with intelligence, convenience with communion, or productivity with personal worth. The conversation also explores how technology forms its users, why embodied life and genuine relationships matter, and how transhumanism redirects the human longing for life beyond death toward technological self-salvation. Against both utopian promises and dystopian fear, Thacker points to the sufficiency of Scripture and the hope of the risen Christ. Christians can engage emerging technologies wisely because human identity is given by the Creator, human dignity cannot be earned or erased, and Christ remains Lord over every age. Chapters 00:00 Introduction 01:19 Meet Jason Thacker 03:24 From public policy to AI ethics 06:05 Teaching ethics, philosophy, and technology 09:53 AI’s anthropological challenge 12:58 What has changed since The Age of AI? 14:55 Humanizing machines and dehumanizing people 19:55 The image of God and human dignity 25:39 AI companionship and simulated relationships 28:11 How technology forms and disciples us 34:00 Embodiment, materialism, and personal identity 42:20 Transhumanism and the longing for immortality 48:35 Engaging Pope Leo XIV’s AI encyclical 53:22 Technology as ecological change 54:43 Scripture, Christian hope, and the future Learn more: https://reformedforum.org/ctc975 Mentioned in this episode: Christ the Center 1000 Live in Austin, TX Christ the Center 1000 Summit Christ the Center 1000 Christ the Center 1000 Summit

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A Christian View of Economics in the Age of AI

Camden Bucey speaks with economist Shawn Ritenour about what makes an account of economics distinctly Christian. They discuss economic law as part of God’s created order and the biblical principles shaping stewardship, private property, labor, capital, exchange, and care for those in need. Pope Leo XIV’s Magnifica Humanitas provides the occasion for a searching conversation about the universal destination of goods, Big Tech, data, subsidiarity, sphere sovereignty, GDP, and human dignity. The conversation presses beneath policy to theology. Neither markets nor governments escape the effects of sin, and material prosperity must never be confused with sanctification. Christians seek just and prudent arrangements in this age while recognizing that scarcity, exploitation, and disordered desire will not finally be overcome by human construction. The church’s hope rests in the crucified and risen Christ and the consummation of his kingdom. Topics Discussed Economic law, creation, and Christian stewardship Private property, labor, capital, exchange, and human dignity Leo XIV’s Magnifica Humanitas and Catholic social teaching GDP, inequality, and the common good The universal destination of goods Data, privacy, Big Tech, and non-rivalrous goods Subsidiarity and Kuyperian sphere sovereignty Universal basic income and the economic disruption of AI Sin, scarcity, eschatology, and Christian hope Learn more: https://reformedforum.org/ctc974 Chapters 00:00 Introduction 02:09 What makes economics Christian? 09:52 Economics at Grove City College 14:01 Introducing Magnifica Humanitas 19:23 GDP and the dignity of the human person 23:46 The common good, inequality, and economic law 29:36 Private property, markets, and solidarity 35:12 The universal destination of goods 43:20 Data, privacy, and non-rivalrous goods 50:21 Subsidiarity and sphere sovereignty 55:04 Big Tech, state privilege, and central banking 58:02 Labor, capital, and human worth 63:26 Universal basic income in the age of AI 72:33 Economics between the fall and the consummation 80:03 Resources and conclusion Mentioned in this episode: Christ the Center 1000 Live in Austin, TX Christ the Center 1000 Summit Christ the Center 1000 Christ the Center 1000 Summit

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Cultivating Reformed Piety: Scripture, Prayer, Meditation, and Family Worship

What does it mean to cultivate a life of Reformed piety? Camden Bucey speaks with Joel Beeke about the ordinary practices by which God forms reverential love for himself in Christian homes: Scripture reading, prayer, singing, biblical meditation, family worship, and faithful participation in the church’s public worship. Dr. Beeke explains why meditation serves as a “halfway house” between Bible reading and prayer, how deliberate meditation gives rise to spontaneous reflection throughout the day, and why small, repeated habits often bear their richest fruit over decades. The conversation offers practical encouragement for parents, spouses, pastors, and every believer who desires an integrated life of devotion—one in which home, church, and daily vocation are oriented toward the glory of God and maturity in Christ. Topics Discussed Reformed piety as reverential love for God Building durable habits of family worship Reading Scripture, praying, singing, and instructing children Praying with one’s spouse Deliberate and spontaneous biblical meditation Carrying the ministry of the Word from church into the home Preparing the family for the Lord’s Day The long-term fruit of ordinary spiritual disciplines Learn more: https://reformedforum.org/ctc973 Chapters 00:00 Introduction 01:41 Puritan Reformed Seminary, Reformation Heritage Books, and current ministry 06:24 Recent and forthcoming books 15:05 Cultivating Reformed piety in the home 16:22 Family worship and the Family Worship Bible Guide 24:46 Prayer with one’s spouse and family 27:22 Biblical meditation between reading and prayer 34:03 Recommended writers on Reformed piety 40:04 Connecting church, home, and school 45:51 The Lord’s Day as an uninterrupted exercise of piety 51:13 Beginning family worship simply 53:58 Cultivating spontaneous prayer and spiritual conversation 55:50 Conclusion Mentioned in this episode: Christ the Center 1000 Christ the Center 1000 Summit Christ the Center 1000 Live in Austin, TX Christ the Center 1000 Summit

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Beyond Babel: Building Faithfully in the Age of AI with Derek C. Schuurman

Camden Bucey speaks with Derek C. Schuurman, professor and chair of computer science at Calvin University, about Christian wisdom in the age of artificial intelligence. Drawing upon Shaping a Digital World, Schuurman explains why technology is never neutral: people shape their tools, and those tools in turn reshape habits, institutions, and communities. The conversation sets contemporary AI within the biblical story of creation, fall, redemption, and new creation. Bucey and Schuurman contrast Christian hope with technicism—the belief that technology can solve humanity’s deepest problems and build a technological heaven on earth. They also discuss human nature, transhumanism, responsible design, Christian higher education, autonomous weapons, and the need to keep human moral judgment and accountability in the loop. Chapters 00:00 Introduction 03:41 Derek C. Schuurman’s path from engineering to Christian higher education 08:29 Technology, cultural change, and the need for wisdom 11:45 Technology is not neutral 14:36 How tools reshape people and societies 18:08 Reading technology through creation, fall, redemption, and new creation 20:18 Two cities, two loves, and the biblical story 22:22 Babel, idolatry, and the temptation to build heaven on earth 23:21 Technicism and the promises of Silicon Valley 26:52 Transhumanism and a Christian account of humanity 29:14 Practical frameworks for responsible technological design 30:36 Dooyeweerd’s non-reductionistic view of creation 33:19 Eight norms for faithful design 37:34 Integrating Christian faith throughout education 41:21 Liberal arts, AI, and well-rounded technical formation 42:29 AI, labor, and the human calling to work 43:42 Autonomous systems, accountability, and just-war questions 45:55 Why moral judgment requires a human in the loop 49:12 Faithful presence and wise Christian vocation 51:41 Resources for engineers, designers, pastors, and parents 53:24 Calvin University’s “Wisdom in the Age of AI” conference 55:36 Conclusion Resources Shaping a Digital World: Faith, Culture and Computer Technology A Christian Field Guide to Technology for Engineers and Designers Wisdom in the Age of AI Conference, Calvin University, October 8–10, 2026 Magnifica Humanitas Episode resources Mentioned in this episode: Christ the Center 1000 Christ the Center 1000 Summit Christ the Center 1000 Live in Austin, TX Christ the Center 1000 Summit

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The Presence of God from Eden to the New Creation

Camden Bucey speaks with Daniel R. Hyde about A Christian’s Pocket Guide to the Presence of God (Christian Focus, 2026), tracing this great biblical theme from Eden’s garden sanctuary through the tabernacle, temple, exile, incarnation, church, and new creation. Scripture’s map leads not to a sacred location or a fleeting spiritual sensation, but to Jesus Christ, the true temple and the glory of God dwelling among us. The conversation also offers pastoral help for seasons when God feels distant. Feelings ebb and flow, but the Lord’s covenant promises remain sure. Through the Holy Spirit, Christ meets his people in the ordinary means of grace and gathers them as his body. The Christian hope reaches its fullness in Revelation 22:4: the redeemed will see God’s face in the risen and glorified Christ. Chapters 00:00 Introduction 00:58 A Christian’s Pocket Guide to the Presence of God 01:39 Ministry at Oceanside United Reformed Church 02:59 The biblical theology series and the book’s origins 05:28 Augustine and discovering the Bible’s great theme 08:18 Is God’s presence a feeling? 11:32 A map to a person, not a place 12:59 Omnipresence and covenant presence 16:42 God’s presence as blessing and judgment 17:58 The presence of God across redemptive history 18:29 Eden as the first earthly temple 21:14 Edenic imagery in the tabernacle and temple 24:49 Worship, geography, and reversing exile 29:29 Exile and the departure of God’s glory 32:45 Jesus Christ as the return of the glory 33:05 When believers feel that God is distant 37:34 The ordinary means of grace 38:01 The Holy Spirit as a divine person 40:57 God’s presence in the gathered church 46:03 Seeing the face of God in Christ 50:40 Living as the people of God’s presence 52:49 Michael Morales’s book in Rome 54:07 Conclusion Resources A Christian’s Pocket Guide to the Presence of God Episode resources Participants Camden Bucey and Daniel R. Hyde Mentioned in this episode: Christ the Center 1000 Christ the Center 1000 Summit Christ the Center 1000 Live in Austin, TX Christ the Center 1000 Summit

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Defending Our Hope: An Introduction to Christian Apologetics

In this episode, we introduce Camden Bucey’s new book, Defending Our Hope: An Introduction to Christian Apologetics, and trace its development from an adult Sunday school class at Hope Presbyterian Church to a twelve-lesson Reformed Academy course and now a beautiful hardcover volume. Camden and Ryan Noha explain why the book is intended as an accessible on-ramp to a distinctly Reformed approach—one grounded in the doctrines of God, revelation, and humanity rather than an imagined realm of neutral reasoning. The conversation returns again and again to the living hope of 1 Peter 1:3 and the call of 1 Peter 3:15. Christian apologetics is not chiefly about winning arguments or mastering a script; it is about bearing faithful witness to Jesus Christ, who lived, died, and rose for our salvation. Because the power belongs to God and works through his Word, ordinary believers can speak the truth in love with gentleness, respect, and genuine confidence. Chapters 00:00 Introduction 01:04 Introducing Defending Our Hope 02:12 Upcoming Reformed Forum events 04:03 The story behind the book 04:28 The book and course as an accessible on-ramp 07:58 Formed through the local church 13:28 Apologetics in the community 21:57 Friendship, community, and everyday witness 24:31 Ordinary Christians and the hope within us 27:09 The apologetic context of 1 Peter 3:15 30:04 Always prepared—with gentleness and respect 31:37 The living hope of resurrection 33:39 Apologetics and evangelism 34:39 Why doctrine determines apologetic method 41:28 Scripture as the self-attesting Word of God 50:09 Starting anywhere in God’s world 52:36 Faithful witnesses who tell the truth 60:56 Using the book with the free Reformed Academy course 62:30 Further study and ordering information 65:42 Closing remarks Resources Episode resources and Defending Our Hope Free Reformed Academy course: Defending Our Hope Reformed Forum bookstore Mentioned in this episode: Christ the Center 1000 Christ the Center 1000 Summit Christ the Center 1000 Live in Austin, TX Christ the Center 1000 Summit

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Samuel Rutherford’s Systematic Response to Arminianism

We welcome David Noe and Chad Van Dixhoorn to discuss the first volume in Reformation Heritage Books’ new edition of The Works of Samuel Rutherford: Arminianism: A Systematic and Theological Response. Noe translated the work from Latin, while Van Dixhoorn serves as general editor of the series and edited and introduced this volume. The conversation explores Rutherford’s significance as a leading theologian of seventeenth-century Scotland and a commissioner to the Westminster Assembly. Rather than treating Arminianism as merely five disputed points of salvation, Rutherford examines it as a theological system reaching into the doctrine of God, divine simplicity, providence, human freedom, ecclesiology, and the sacraments. The guests also discuss the challenges of translating scholastic Latin, recovering manuscripts, correcting citations, and preparing a projected twenty-volume edition. Learn more at reformedforum.org/ctc969. Chapters 0:00 Introduction 2:08 David Noe joins the conversation 5:45 Translation projects and Calvin’s Latin Bible 12:41 Reformed worship and the declaration of pardon 15:29 The Works of Samuel Rutherford, Volume 1 17:47 A twenty-volume publishing project 22:22 Samuel Rutherford and the Westminster Assembly 23:54 Why Rutherford addressed Arminianism 27:54 Why the book is more than an “examination” 30:23 Arminianism as a theological system 31:58 Divine simplicity and the doctrine of God 33:56 Middle knowledge, freedom, and providence 36:03 Rutherford’s pastoral and rhetorical power 41:57 Ecclesiology, sacraments, and scholastic method 45:02 The craft and challenges of translation 49:16 Difficult texts and inaccurate citations 54:38 A second manuscript enters the project 56:04 Translating Homer and the meaning of polytropos 60:16 How to read Rutherford fruitfully 62:55 Chad Van Dixhoorn joins the conversation 63:19 Rutherford’s stature in Scottish theology 66:10 Arminianism involves more than five points 68:20 The origins and scope of the Rutherford series 70:38 The search for unpublished letters and sermons 73:35 Rutherford’s final years and posthumous legacy 76:59 Assessing Rutherford’s polemical judgments 82:02 Why the volume remains valuable today 83:30 What is next for the series 85:02 Conclusion Mentioned in this episode: Christ the Center 1000 Christ the Center 1000 Summit Christ the Center 1000 Live in Austin, TX Christ the Center 1000 Summit

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General Assemblies, Rome, and Artificial Intelligence

In this free-for-all episode of Christ the Center, Camden Bucey is joined by Derrick Brite, Lee Hutchings, and Dan Borvan for a wide-ranging conversation following the summer season of Presbyterian and Reformed assemblies. They reflect on the PCA General Assembly, the OPC General Assembly, and the URC Synod, considering overtures, church order, the spirit of deliberation, and the practical realities of Presbyterian polity. The conversation also turns to Reformed witness in Italy, Roman Catholicism, and the need to speak the truth clearly and charitably. Camden previews upcoming discussions on Pope Leo XIV’s encyclical Magnifica Humanitas, Catholic social teaching, artificial intelligence, human dignity, and the need for a sound Reformed anthropology in an age of rapid technological change. Mentioned in this episode: Christ the Center 1000 Christ the Center 1000 Summit Christ the Center 1000 Live in Austin, TX Christ the Center 1000 Summit

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Meeting God in His Means of Grace

Camden Bucey speaks with Harrison Perkins about Meeting God in His Means of Grace: How Word, Sacrament, and Prayer Help Us Encounter Christ. Perkins argues that the Christian life is fundamentally receptive: we do not invent our own paths to God, but meet him where he has promised to be present and active for the good of his people. The conversation explores the ordinary means of grace—Word, sacraments, and prayer—as Christ’s appointed instruments for strengthening faith, assuring believers, and shaping the church’s worship. Perkins discusses the reading and preaching of Scripture, baptism as a covenantal sign, the Lord’s Supper as communion with Christ and a foretaste of the marriage supper of the Lamb, prayer as a means Christ uses to sustain his people, and congregational worship as active participation before God rather than religious spectatorship. Watch or learn more at reformedforum.org/ctc967. Mentioned in this episode: Christ the Center 1000 Christ the Center 1000 Summit Christ the Center 1000 Live in Austin, TX Christ the Center 1000 Summit

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Lively Truths and Puritan Spirituality with Stephen Yuille

In this episode of Christ the Center, Camden Bucey welcomes Stephen Yuille, director of Puritan publishing at Reformation Heritage Books, for a conversation on Puritan spirituality and the devotional series 90 Days with the Puritans. Yuille reflects on his work with Puritan writings, the relationship between the mind and the affections, and the way the Puritans seek to move biblical truth from mere cognition into doxology, repentance, obedience, and perseverance. The discussion centers on five “lively truths” that recur throughout the Puritan tradition: the majesty of God, the beauty of Christ, the severity of sin, the mystery of providence, and the hope of glory. Along the way, Camden and Stephen consider biblical meditation, Thomas Manton, holiness as divine beauty, beholding Christ through Scripture rather than mysticism, affliction as fatherly discipline, and the believer’s blessed hope in the face of death and suffering. Chapters 0:00 Introduction 0:33 Stephen Yuille and Reformation Heritage Books 2:24 Stephen Yuille’s ministry and Puritan publishing work 8:46 What gave rise to 90 Days with the Puritans 11:15 Five lively truths in Puritan spirituality 15:51 Biblical meditation and the Puritans 22:42 Thomas Manton as a guide to meditation 25:20 Holiness as beauty, not divine scowling 31:07 Beholding Christ without mysticism 36:10 Sin, holiness, and the doctrines of grace 39:12 Christ altogether lovely 45:53 Providence, affliction, and fatherly discipline 51:24 Death, glory, and the blessed hope 57:45 Closing thoughts and resources Participants Camden Bucey Stephen Yuille Resources mentioned Reformation Heritage Books Thomas Manton, Holy Meditation Stephen Yuille, The Sight of Christ Stephen Yuille, The Heart Taken Up Stephen Yuille, The Fullness of Grace Mentioned in this episode: Christ the Center 1000 Live in Austin, TX Christ the Center 1000 Summit Christ the Center 1000 Christ the Center 1000 Summit

Heaven Opened: Biblical Theology in the Gospels and Acts with Adam York

In this episode of Christ the Center, Camden Bucey welcomes Adam York and Randy Lee back to the Reformed Forum classroom for the second part of a conversation on global theological education and OPC foreign missions. Whereas the previous discussion focused especially on Uganda and faith-centered finance, this episode turns to York’s recent teaching trip to Ethiopia and the biblical-theological material he taught on the Gospels and Acts. The conversation traces major themes from John 1:51 and Jacob’s ladder to Matthew’s genealogy, Jesus as true Israel, the Sermon on the Mount, the parables of the kingdom, Peter’s confession, Matthew 24–25, the Great Commission, and the book of Acts. Along the way, York shows how the hope of heaven opened in Christ, the end of exile, the gift of the Spirit, and the church’s missionary calling all belong together in the unfolding work of the risen and ascended Lord. Participants Camden Bucey Adam York Randy Lee Resources mentioned Hope Orthodox Presbyterian Church OPC Foreign Missions OPC Short-Term Missions Reformed Academy Mentioned in this episode: Christ the Center 1000 Christ the Center 1000 Summit Christ the Center 1000 Live in Austin, TX Christ the Center 1000 Summit