The reedal - Monergism Books

Introductionoutside Scripture, some tradition, as being of coordinate and potentiallyequal authority? And is there not a danger that commitment totime-bound creeds and confessions might well doom the church toirrelevance in the modern world?These are, indeed, legitimate concerns, and I intend to address these,and more, in the coming pages. Here, however, I want to place my owncards on the table. Every author writes from a particular perspective,with arguments shaped to some extent by personal commitments,background, and belief. Thus, it seems entirely appropriate to allowthe reader insight into my own context and predispositions in orderto be better prepared to understand what I am going to say.I am a professor at a confessional Presbyterian seminary, Westminsterin Philadelphia, and a minister in a confessional Presbyteriandenomination, the Orthodox Presbyterian Church. In other words, Iam a confessional Presbyterian. The terms “confessional” and “Presbyterian”are crucial for understanding both institutions. To take thelatter term first, “Presbyterian” means that I am committed to a Presbyterianform of church government, whereby the church is ruledat a congregational level by a session, or committee, of elders; at aregional level by a presbytery of ministers and elders drawn from thechurches in the area; and at a national level by a General Assemblyof ministers and elders drawn from all parts of the country. When Ibecame a minister in my denomination, I took vows to uphold thisform of government both in what I teach and in the respect I give tothe various courts of the church.More significant for this book is the adjective “confessional.” Thismeans that I am committed to the idea that the Presbyterian confessionalposition, as stated in the Westminster Standards, represents asummary of the teaching of the Bible on key points such as who Godis, who Christ is, what justification means, and so on. When I becamea minister, I took a solemn vow to that effect. This points to anotheraspect of being confessional: my vows connect to a structure of churchgovernment such that, if I am found to be teaching something inconsistentwith what I am pledged to uphold, I can be held to account. Ifnecessary, in the worst situations, I can even be removed from publicoffice in the church.13