Reformed Media Review

Episodes

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  Grace and Grace: The One Covenant and the Logic of Hebrews’ Warning | Marcus A. Mininger - Reformed Academy 03.10.2026 50m

  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/DMhQflaD8PMWatch the full conference: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLJykAlOwqPCAreformedforum.orgMentioned in this episode:Christ the Center 1000Christ the Center 1000
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  Impossible to Be Restored? What Hebrews Really Warns Against | Marcus A. Mininger - Reformed Academy 03.10.2026 38m

  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/9B4fCp9femsWatch the full conference: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLJykAlOwqPCAreformedforum.orgMentioned in this episode:Christ the Center 1000Christ the Center 1000
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  A Greater Joshua, a Greater Conquest: Another Look at Jesus’s Exorcisms | Benjamin L. Gladd - Reformed Academy 02.10.2026 46m

  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/UeBRopgfpmIWatch the full conference: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLJykAlOwqPCAreformedforum.orgMentioned in this episode:Christ the Center 1000Christ the Center 1000
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  When Does the Restoration of Israel Take Place? | G. K. Beale - Reformed Academy 02.10.2026 48m

  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=PLJykAlOwqPCAhttps://reformedforum.orgMentioned in this episode:Christ the Center 1000Christ the Center 1000
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  Before the Foundation of the World: The Covenant of Redemption and the Covenant of Grace | Camden M. Bucey - Reformed Academy 01.10.2026 46m

  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 conferencereformedforum.orgMentioned in this episode:Christ the Center 1000Christ the Center 1000
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  John Carrick — Jonathan Edwards and the Immediacy of God 10.11.2021 18m

  Jeff Waddington reviews Jonathan Edwards and the Immediacy of God by John Carrick. Jonathan Edwards is one of the outstanding figures in the history of the Christian church—he was, quite simply, a man of towering intellect and towering spirituality. But it has been noted, even by his friends and admirers, that his thought is also marked at times by certain idiosyncrasies which inevitably introduce certain complexities into his philosophical-theological system.This study contends that the theme of divine immediacy is the controlling theme and the correlating principle within Edwards’s thought. It analyzes the theme of divine immediacy in the thought of Jonathan Edwards under four major heads: creation, the will, ecclesiology, and spiritual experience. Indeed, Dr. Carrick claims that the theme of the immediacy of God is the Ariadne’s thread, which runs with consistency through the multiple aspects of Edwards’s philosophical, theological, ecclesiological, experiential, and homiletical interests.But sometimes a man’s strength is also his weakness, and it would appear that Edwards’s profound commitment to the concept and the reality of the immediacy of God entails significant problems for his entire philosophical-theological system. Edwards’s concept of divine immediacy finds its supreme expression, surely, in his doctrine of continuous creation; but is it not the case that this doctrine of continuous creation is in conflict with his determinism, that its tendency is to destroy the moral responsibility of man, and that it makes God both the author and the actor of sin? In short, is it not the case that Edwards’s Ariadne’s thread is, in fact, also his Achilles’ heel? Chapters 00:00 Introduction00:45 Jonathan Edwards and the Immediacy of God04:32 Occasionalism and Continuous Creationism10:30 The Context of Edwards’ Theology13:52 The Ariadnes Thread of Edwards’ Thought17:33 Conclusion Participants: Camden Bucey, Jeff Waddington
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  Cornelis Pronk — A Goodly Heritage 02.11.2021 16m

  Jeff Waddington reviews A Goodly Heritage: The Secession of 1834 by Cornelis Pronk. In A Goodly Heritage, Cornelis Pronk surveys the history of the Secession of 1834, beginning with the events leading up to this important spiritual movement and subsequently following its long journey through the Netherlands and North America until 1892. He then focuses on a small minority that decided to continue as the original Christian Reformed Church, considering its growth and how it formulated theological positions in relation to several other Reformed denominations. Throughout, special attention is given to the doctrines of covenant, baptism, and the Holy Spirit’s ministry in applying salvation. This work not only explains the concerns of De Cock and other fathers of the Secession. It presses beyond the early years of the reform movement to present a larger picture of the developments of Secession theology and the contributions made by its main representatives. Chapters 00:00 Introduction00:29 Cornelis Pronk, A Goodly Heritage01:41 The Secession of 183410:17 Identifying the True Church12:33 Dutch Pietism13:39 Dutch Settlement in Pella, Iowa14:58 Summary and Conclusion Participants: Camden Bucey, Jeff Waddington
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  Therefore the Truth I Speak: Scottish Theology, 1500–1700 01.07.2021 15m

  Jim Cassidy discusses Therefore the Truth I Speak: Scottish Theology, 1500–1700 by Donald Macleod. The Scottish church was forever altered by the arrival of the Reformation in the sixteenth century. Its legacy endured, and provoked a flurry of theological re–examinations which form the foundation for much of our modern understanding of Reformed Theology. In this informed and accessible historical study, Donald MacLeod, one of Scotland’s current leading theologians, looks to the past to assess the impact of prominent theologians of the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, always with an eye to demonstrating how their writings speak to contemporary challenges facing the Church today. Participants: Camden Bucey, Jim Cassidy
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  Discussing Foundations of Covenant Theology 24.06.2021 13m

  Lane Tipton speaks about his new book, Foundations of Covenant Theology, available now through Reformed Forum. Drawing from Genesis 1:1 and subsequent biblical revelation, Lane Tipton argues that before creating the visible world, the immutable triune God created a heavenly temple dwelling, filled that heavenly dwelling with the unchanging glory of his Spirit, and sanctified that heavenly dwelling as the realm of everlasting Sabbath rest. Adam, as the created image of God and federal head of his posterity, could have advanced through perfect covenantal obedience beyond probation on the mountain of God in earthly Eden into the heavenly dwelling of God in Sabbath rest. This God-centered and heaven-focused theological backdrop enriches our understanding of the person and work of Jesus Christ, as the second and last Adam in the covenant of grace, who in his humiliation and exaltation has opened the gates of heavenly paradise for his church. Copies are available now. Participants: Camden Bucey, Lane G. Tipton
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  The Auburn Betrayal 10.06.2021 14m

  Camden Bucey speaks about Murray Forst Thompson’s tract, The Auburn Betrayal, which provides historical and theological context for the Auburn Affirmation, an important document in early twentieth-century American Presbyterianism. The tract was published in 1941 by the Committee on Christian Education for the Orthodox Presbyterian Church. Participants: Camden Bucey
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  On Our Radar [19 May 21] 19.05.2021 28m

  Durham, James. Commentary on Revelation: Volume 2, Lectures on Chapters 4–11 (Reformation Heritage Books, May 2021). 504 pages. $50.00. Hardcover.Guinness, Os. The Magna Carta of Humanity: Sinai’s Revolutionary Faith and the Future of Freedom (IVP Academic, May 2021). 288 pages. $25.00. Hardcover with jacket.Lynch, Michael J. John Davenant’s Hypothetical Universalism: A Defense of Catholic and Reformed Orthodoxy (Oxford Studies in History Theology series) (Oxford University Press, June 2021). 272 pages. $99.00. Hardcover.Hampton, Stephen. Grace and Conformity: The Reformed Conformist Tradition and the Early Stuart Church of England (Oxford Studies in History Theology series) (Oxford University Press, June 2021). 424 pages. $99.00. Hardcover.Bruening, Michael W. Refusing to Kiss the Slipper: Opposition to Calvinism in the Francophone Reformation (Oxford Studies in History Theology series) (Oxford University Press, June 2021). 384 pages. $99.00. Hardcover.Powlison, David. The Pastor as Counselor: The Call for Soul Care (Crossway, June 2021). 80 pages. $7.99. Paperback.Drake, K. J. The Flesh of the Word: The extra Calvinisticum from Zwingli to Early Orthodoxy (Oxford Studies in Historical Theology series) (Oxford, June 2021). 328 pages. $99.00. Hardcover.Rhodes, Jonty. Man of Sorrows, King of Glory: What the Humiliation and Exaltation of Jesus Mean for Us (Crossway, June 2021). 160 pages. $17.99. Paperback.Mezei, Balázs M. et al. (eds.) The Oxford Handbook of Divine Revelation (Oxford University Press, June 2021). 736 pages. $145.00. Hardcover.Steward, Gary Lee. Justifying Revolution: The Early American Clergy and Political Resistance (Oxford University Press, June 2021). 224 pages. $74.00. Hardcover. Participants: Camden Bucey, Ryan Noha
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  On Our Radar [12 May 21] 12.05.2021 31m

  DeYoung, Kevin. Men and Women in the Church: A Short, Biblical, Practical Introduction (Crossway, April 2021). 176 pages. $19.99. Paperback.Gronewoller, Brian. Rhetorical Economy in Augustine’s Theology (Oxford University Press, April 2021). From the Oxford Studies in Historical Theology series. 224 pages. $99.00. Hardcover.Tripp, Paul David. Marriage: 6 Gospel Commitments Every Couple Needs to Make (Crossway, April 2021). 384 pages. $24.99. Hardcover with jacket.Kruger, Michael J. Surviving Religion 101: Letters to a Christian Student on Keeping the Faith in College (Crossway, April 2021). 272 pages. $16.99. Paperback.Gallagher, Robert L. and Smither, Edward L. Sixteenth Century Mission: Explorations in Protestant and Roman Catholic Theology and Practice (Lexham, April 2021). From the Studies in Historical and Systematic Theology series. 504 pages. $29.99. Paperback.Crisler, Channing L. and Plummer, Robert L. Always Reforming: Reflections on Martin Luther and Biblical Studies (Lexham, April 2021). From the Studies in Historical and Systematic Theology series. 344 pages. $29.99. Paperback.Plumer et al. The Pastor, His Call, Character and Work (Banner of Truth, 2021). Written by faculty and friends of Old Princeton with an introduction by Sinclair Ferguson. 272 pages. $20.00. Hardcover.Jamieson, R. B. The Paradox of Sonship: Christology in the Epistle to the Hebrews (IVP Academic, May 2021). From the Studies in Christian and Doctrine Series. 240 pages. $30.00. Paperback.Helopoulos, Jason. The Promise: The Amazing Story of our Long-Awaited Savior (Crossway, May 2021). 64 pages. $15.99. Hardcover with jacket. Illustrated by Rommel Ruiz.Timmer, Daniel C. Obadiah, Jonah and Micah: An Introduction and Commentary (Tyndale Old Testament Commentaries, Vol 26) (IVP Academic, May 2021). 272 pages. $25.00. Paperback. Participants: Camden Bucey, Ryan Noha
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  Loetscher, The Broadening Church: A Study of Theological Issues in the Presbyterian Church Since 1869 06.05.2021 22m

  Camden Bucey and Lane Tipton discuss Lefferts A. Loetscher, The Broadening Church: A Study of Theological Issues in the Presbyterian Church Since 1869 (University of Pennsylvania Press, 1954). This book is indispensable as a thoughtful and well-researched rationale for the reorganization of Princeton Seminary in 1929. It is a history told from the perspective of the mediating conservatives, who viewed Machen and other fundamentalists as “extreme conservatives.” From the Publisher: The far-reaching social and intellectual changes in the United States since the Civil War have had a definite effect upon the religious thought of American churches. In this volume, a distinguished scholar and theologian has undertaken an inductive study of theological issues in one of the major denominations, the Presbyterian church in the United States of America. Since this church was in the thick of the social and intellectual ferment that changed the living and thinking habits of Americans, much that transpired in it finds broad parallels in other leading American churches. Thus, the story of the Presbyterian church is, in essence, a kind of theological barometer of American history. Avoiding sweeping generalizations, Lefferts A. Loetscher briefly traces the history of the Presbyterian church from its founding by New England Puritans on Long Island in the 1640s to the disruption of 1837 and the “wedding day” of Old School and New School Presbyterians in 1870, following the reunion of 1869. From this point, he examines in detail the development of the church, analyzing the controversies that occurred over the years, interpreting the various theological issues that led to disputes. Lefferts A. Loetscher was Professor Emeritus of American Church History at Princeton University. He is the author of A Brief History of the Presbyterians. Links George M. Marsden, Reforming Fundamentalism: Fuller Seminary and the New EvangelicalismLane G. Tipton and Jeffrey C. Waddington, eds. Resurrection and Eschatology: Essays in Honor of Richard B. Gaffin, Jr. Participants: Camden Bucey, Lane G. Tipton
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  Scott Swain, The Trinity 29.04.2021 13m

  Jim Cassidy reviews Scott Swain, The Trinity: An Introduction (Crossway) From the Publisher The Trinity is one of the most essential doctrines of the Christian faith. The eternal God existing as three distinct persons—Father, Son, and Spirit—can be difficult to comprehend. While Christians often struggle to find the right words to describe this union, the Bible gives clarity concerning the triune God’s being and activity in nature (creation), grace (redemption), and glory (reward). In this concise volume, theologian Scott Swain examines the doctrine of the Trinity, presenting its biblical foundations, systematic-theological structure, and practical relevance for the church today. Scott R. Swain (PhD, Trinity Evangelical Divinity School) serves as president and James Woodrow Hassell Professor of Systematic Theology at Reformed Theological Seminary in Orlando, Florida. He is the author or editor of several books, including The God of the Gospel and Retrieving Eternal Generation. Scott and his wife, Leigh, reside in Orlando, Florida, with their four children. Swain is an ordained minister in the Presbyterian Church in America. Participants: Camden Bucey, Jim Cassidy
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  Gerald Bray, The Attributes of God 22.04.2021 29m

  Jim Cassidy reviews Gerald Bray, The Attributes of God: An Introduction (Crossway) From the Publisher How can we (created beings) know God (the Creator)? Throughout history, the church has recognized the importance of studying and understanding God’s attributes. As the Creator of all things, God is unique and cannot be compared to any of his creatures, so to know him, believers turn to the pages of Scripture. In The Attributes of God, renowned theologian Gerald Bray leads us on an exploration of God’s being, his essential attributes, his relational attributes, and the relevance of his attributes to our thinking, lives, and worship. As we better understand God’s attributes, we will learn to delight in who God is and how he has made himself known to us in Scripture. Gerald Bray (DLitt, University of Paris-Sorbonne) is research professor at Beeson Divinity School and director of research for the Latimer Trust. He is a prolific writer and has authored or edited numerous books, including The Doctrine of God; Biblical Interpretation; God Is Love; and God Has Spoken. Participants: Camden Bucey, Jim Cassidy
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  On Our Radar [15 Apr 21] 15.04.2021 19m

  The following books are on our radar for April 15, 2021. Greidanus, Sidney. Preaching Christ from Leviticus: Foundations for Expository Sermons (Eerdmans, March 2021). 344 pages. $35.00. Paperback.Ryken, Leland and Mathes, Glenda Faye. Recovering the Lost Art of Reading: A Quest for the Good, the True, and the Beautiful (Crossway, March 2021). 304 pages. 21.99. Paperback.Bredenhof, Reuben. Weak Pastor, Strong Christ: Developing a Christ-Shaped Gospel Ministry (Reformation Heritage Books, March 2021). 144 pages. $14.00. Paperback.Tietz, Christiane. Karl Barth: A Life of Conflict (Oxford University Press, April 2021). 448 pages. $32.95. Hardcover.Baucham Jr., Voddie T. Fault Lines: The Social Justice Movement and Evangelicalism’s Looming Catastrophe (Salem, April 2021). 270 pages. $24.99. Hardcover with jacket.Levering, Matthew & Plested, Marcus. The Oxford Handbook of the Reception of Aquinas (Oxford University Press, March 2021). 856 pages. $165.00. Hardcover.Nichols, Stephen J. R. C. Sproul: A Life (Crossway, March 2021). 400 pages. $34.99. Hardcover with jacket. Participants: Camden Bucey, Ryan Noha
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  On Our Radar [8 Apr 21] 08.04.2021 21m

  The following books are on our radar for April 8, 2021. Barrett, Matthew. Simply Trinity: The Unmanipulated Father, Son, and Spirit (Baker, March 2021). 368 pages. $24.99. Paperback. Van Dam, Cornelis. In the Beginning: Listening to Genesis 1 and 2 (Reformation Heritage Books, March 2021) 384 pages. $30.00. Hardcover.Gribben, Crawford. Survival and Resistance in Evangelical America: Christian Reconstruction in the Pacific Northwest (Oxford University Press, March 2021). 224 pages. $29.95. Hardcover. Kuhn, Chase R. and Grimmond, Paul. Theology is for Preaching: Biblical Foundations, Method and Practice (Lexham, March 2021). From the Studies in Historical and Systematic Theology series. 416 pages. $29.99. Paperback.Piper, John. Providence (Crossway, March 2021). 752 pages. $39.99. Hardcover. Waltke, Bruce and Ivan D. De Silva. Proverbs: A Shorter Commentary (Eerdmans, March 2021). 500 pages. $38.00. Paperback.  Participants: Camden Bucey, Ryan Noha
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  On Our Radar [1 Apr 21] 01.04.2021 17m

  These are the books on our radar for April 1, 2021. Kuyper, Abraham. On Business and Economics (Lexham; Acton Institute, February 2021). From the Abraham Kuyper Collected Works in Public Theology series. 192 pages. $29.99. Hardcover with jacket.Selvaggio, Anthony T. Considering Job: Reconciling Sovereignty and Suffering (Reformation Heritage Books, February 2021). 184 pages. $14.00. Paperback.Carr, Simonetta. Questions Women Asked: Historical Issues, Timeless Answers (Reformation Heritage Books, February 2021). 240 pages. $18.00. Paperback.Balserak, John. A Companion to the Reformation in Geneva (Brill’s Companions to the Christian Tradition, Volume 96) (Brill, February 2021). 478 pages. $222.00. Hardcover.Sweeney, Douglas A. and Jan Stievermann (eds.) The Oxford Handbook of Jonathan Edwards (Oxford University Press, February 2021). 608 pages. $145.00. Hardcover.Dodson, Rhett P. With a Mighty Triumph: Christ’s Resurrection and Ours (Banner of Truth, February 2021). 159 pages. $10.00. Paperback.Wellum, Stephen J. The Person of Christ (Crossway, Feb 2021). Short Studies in Systematic Theology series. 208 pages. $18.99. Paperback. Participants: Camden Bucey, Ryan Noha
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  Research Tools: Zotero 25.03.2021 15m

  Whether you are a scholar, pastor, theological student, Bible study teacher, or someone engaged in serious personal study, it is critical to document your sources. Regrettably, most people don’t do this well. Along with many best practices, there are tested tools used by many scholars in a wide range of disciplines. One of these is Zotero. At root, Zotero is a citation manager. But it does much more than that. It is a tool that helps you collect, organize, cite, and share research. Links ZoteroZotero connector for Google ChromeZotFile: advanced PDF managementWorldCat library catalogReformed Media Review, episode 126: How to Take Smart Notes
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  Hands-On with Van Til’s Books 18.03.2021 31m

  Ryan Noha brings his collection of Van Til books to the studio for show-and-tell. Join us for a surreal Reformed home shopping network experience. This was recorded in the summer of 2020 along with our course Introduction to the Theology and Apologetics of Cornelius Van Til. Participants: Camden Bucey, Lane G. Tipton, Ryan Noha