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Trent, Augustine, Scripture, and Justification
Trent makes a number of explicit claims about justification. Of this Justification the causes are these:the final cause indeed is the glory of God and of Jesus Christ, and life everlasting;while the efficient cause is a merciful God who washes and sanctifies gratuitously, signing, and anointing with the holy Spirit of promise, who is the…
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Peter Enns and the Historical Adam
Peter Enns’ latest post suggests that he has identified the biggest theological objection to rejection of the historical Adam, the first man, specially created by God. Enns thinks that the biggest problem is the wrath of God. Adam’s sin in the garden is important to explain why God’s wrath is against the human race. Obviously,…
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Religious Liberty – Vatican For or Against?
The Catholic News Service reported comments of Bishop Bernard Fellay, the superior general of the Society of St. Pius X (SSPX), one of the most prominent “traditionalist” groups. Fellay seemed to take the position that Vatican II has been widely misunderstood. On the topic of “Religious Liberty,” Fellay said that “In our talks with Rome,…
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How Much More Could Mary be Venerated?
Vatican Information Service (VIS reports, 13 May 2012, Benedict XVI as follows: “As Mother of the Church, Our Lady always wants to comfort her children at the time of their greatest difficulty and suffering”, said the Pope today … . Mary is not our mother. Scripture describes the heavenly Jerusalem as our mother:Galatians 4:26 But…
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Imputation of the Active Obedience of Christ and John Calvin
There is not any doubt that Calvin taught that we are justified by the imputed righteousness of Christ (see Institutes of the Christian Religion, Book 3, Chapter 13, and Book 4, Chapter 14). Moreover, in general it seems that most Reformed historians conclude with Francis Turretin that Calvin taught that specifically the active obedience of…