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Update on the Redemption Creed

May 24, 2019 · by Cameron Shaffer · in Uncategorized

An updated version of the Redemption Creed is now available, as is an updated version of its brief guide.

I finished the prior version of the creed in January, 2018. I was mostly content with its doctrine and organization, but was advised that it was too long (it was about 240 words and 326 syllables, compared to 220/290 for the Nicene Creed and 110/160 for the Apostles’ Creed, respectively). I took over a year off from editing it in order to gain better perspective, and it is now much smaller, compact, and effective.

I solicited a lot of feedback in the drafting process, which was quite interesting. A number of people (mostly Anglicans) thought it was an attempted usurpation of the ecumenical creeds, which was not my intent. Quite a few people (mostly Reformed) thought that it needed more information or emphases on different aspects of redemption. That would be nice, but it was ballooning into something unwieldy. One of the interesting differences between the Nicene and Apostles’ creeds is the precision of the former; you can’t defend historic Trinitarian orthodoxy from explicit statements in the Apostles’ Creed the way you can from the Nicene. Yet, the Apostles’ Creed is orthodox and provides a creedal foundation for catholic Trinitarianism. There are “hooks” within the Apostles’ Creed that draw people to the more explicit formulations of the Nicene, Athanasian, and Chalcedonian creeds. In the end, that was the model I decided to follow for the Redemption Creed. Prioritize accuracy in what is there, emphasize Reformational soteriology, and make it usable. It is not a substitute for either the ecumenical creeds or the Reformed confessions and catechisms, but hopefully a valuable, liturgical supplement.

On the Purpose of Benedictions

April 22, 2019 · by Cameron Shaffer · in Uncategorized

What’s the point of the pronouncement at the end of worship of God’s blessing? And why does the pastor raise his hands when making it? One of the most important principles of worship is that God has decided how he is to be worshipped. So a third question must be, Where do we find a biblical warrant for this element of worship?

This final part of the worship service is called the ‘benediction’, which comes from the Latin word for blessing, ‘benedictus’. For example, Zechariah in Luke 1:68-79 pronounces a prophecy that begins with, “Blessed be the Lord God of Israel.” This prophecy is known as the Benedictus…

A Brief Guide to the Redemption Creed

April 9, 2018 · by Cameron Shaffer · in Uncategorized

A common pastoral struggle is the work of reminding Christians that they rest upon Christ and his finished work alone for their assurance of salvation. The necessity of regularly preaching the gospel partially flows from a sin-induced, immature forgetfulness. The child of God forgets, or doubts, why the Father has adopted them into his family. A nagging pride can leave some convinced that they merited their salvation. Or fear can convince the Christian that Jesus’ work was not enough, and that there needs to be more: more faithfulness, less sin, on the Christian’s part, in order to be accepted. Sometimes sheer ignorance, or confusion, is the source of the error…

On the Civil Religion and Kneeling

On the Civil Religion and Kneeling

September 25, 2017 · by Cameron Shaffer · in Uncategorized

If you think that when Neo-Nazis and the KKK protested in Charlottesville, with a white supremacist murdering and injuring counter-protestors, that there were “some very fine people on both sides,” that this represents an insignificant fringe of American culture, and that media blew it out of proportion,

But also believe that black men kneeling during the national anthem to protest racism directed at their community is hugely disrespectful, and that they should be fired, you are probably racist.

If you think efforts to remove flags and monuments to the Confederate rebellion to preserve slavery, most of which were erected during the Civil Rights era, is a liberal assault upon American heritage, and that they should be left up…

On Worshiping America

On Worshiping America

July 7, 2017 · by Cameron Shaffer · in Uncategorized

Plenty of comments have already been made on the patriotic worship service at First Baptist Dallas last week. It really should not come as a surprise that “Court Evangelical” Robert Jeffress’ church held something like this. It should also not…

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Bible Presbyterian Church

Split from the Orthodox Presbyterian Church in 1937, one year after its founding, over the issues of abstinence from alcohol and premillennialism.

Members: 3,500
Congregations: 33
Doctrine: Westminster Standards (Premillenial edit)

Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church

Formed by the Scottish immigrants of the Seceder tradition in 1753, the majority merged with the Covenanters in 1782, and then as the United Presbyterian Church of North America merged with the PCUSA in 1956. The remaining Associate Presbyterians form the ARPC of today.

Members: 39,700
Congregations: 296
Doctrine: Westminster Standards
Affiliations
North American Presbyterian and Reformed Council
World Reformed Fellowship