The Westminster Conference
The Westminster Conference meets for two days annually and comprises six speakers presenting papers examining the history, doctrine and practice of people, events and churches associated with the Puritans including their forebears and successors. The perspective is that of reformed Biblical Christianity of the orthodox historic kind, in which such themes as the Gospel of Grace and God’s sovereign purpose are derived from Scripture and lived-out in human lives.
2010 Conference
The dates for the 2010 conference will be Tuesday & Wednesday, 7th - 8th December 2010, God willing.
The papers due to be presented are:
Re-Writing the Reformation
Puritan Attitudes to Rome
The Authorised Version of 1611
Preaching for Repentance
The Edinburgh Missionary Conference 1910
Andrew Bonar
2009 - Calvin, Geneva and Revival
The 2009 conference was held on Tuesday & Wednesday, 8th - 9th December 2009 and the theme was “Calvin, Geneva and Revival”.
The following papers were presented:
John Calvin's agenda: Issues in the separation from Rome
Garry Williams
Why did the break with Rome matter so much to Calvin, and what exactly mattered in the midst of it? This paper will explore Calvin's agenda for the church in a time of conflict and reform. Is Calvin’s agenda one that we share? Is it an agenda that we should share?
Calvin as Commentator and Theologian
Don Carson
What is the nature of the interplay between John Calvin’s exegetical work - his commentaries - and his systematic theology, seen in his Institutes of the Christian Religion? This address scans important Bible passages to observe how they are handled in both commentaries and Institutes. The aim is to explore how each discipline nurtured the other with obvious application for pastors and others whose responsibility and privilege it is to teach the whole counsel of God.
1859 - A Year of Grace
Stephen Clark
Darwin’s Origin of Species had a seismic effect upon the way humanity would view itself. The same year spiritual awakening (just as seismic in effect but eternal its consequences) occurred in numerous countries. This paper traces the growth of this work down to effects still with us. Lessons will be drawn concerning the need for the church to have the right priorities at a time of great intellectual and cultural change and of huge spiritual and moral need.
Elizabeth and Calvin
Robert Oliver
Elizabeth I showed little liking for the Genevan Reformation and seems to have suspected that the Reformation under Edward VI had gone quite far enough, if not too far. At the same time, the foundations of a powerful Puritan movement were laid in her reign. This paper aims to explore the extent to which this is the legacy of John Calvin.
Darwin Before and After
Ken Brownell
In a year of significant anniversaries for both Calvin and Darwin, Dr Brownell will consider the responses of three self-confessed Calvinists - B. B. Warfield, George Frederick Wright and James Orr - to Darwin’s theory of evolution. Why were Calvinistic and conservative thinkers among the most receptive to Darwin (albeit with significant qualifications)? How should conservative and Reformed evangelicals today engage with science and culture?
The Moravians and Missionary passion
Bruce Jenkins
“This makes me love the Moravian Brethren tho’ I cannot agree with them in many of their principles” (Whitefield). The Moravians under Count Zinzendorf pioneered a worldwide missionary enterprise of extraordinary fervour and vision. Who were they? What characterised and sustained their labours? Did they have passion without doctrine? Bruce Jenkins will consider a movement that should stir up in us the missionary zeal that our convictions demand.
Location
The conference location is Whitefield’s Tabernacle, 79a Tottenham Court Road, London.
Please email any enquiry to the Conference Secretary, John Harris at (JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address).
