Triumph through tribulation
Westminster Conference Papers 1998
Published by the Westminster Conference. 134 pages.
The Westminster Conference has done an important job through the years in persuading us of the value of history, and reminding us too that there have been better days. The 1998 papers are almost a primer on what the conference is about, with a fine paper by Errol Hulse sketching the history of the Puritans, a look at Calvin on Job, Geoff Thomas on Samuel Davies and others.
It avoids the criticism which I once heard voiced: that we spend too much on the study of increasingly obscure ancient divines; each of the men and groups examined in these papers are important. I would like, though, to enter again a plea I have made in these pages before: please can those who lead us in the study of history labour to show its relevance for the future!
Christendom is in grave danger of drowning in the shallow sea of frivolity; the Puritan vision will help to save us from that. What was their vision? (These papers will tell you.) How does it apply today - in a very different historical context? What programme of reformation in church life ought we to be adopting as we move into the next century? How can we capture their vision of reforming the nation by reforming local churches - today? These papers will not tell you. No doubt its authors expect us to work it out for ourselves. I fear, however, they hope in vain.
It was said early in the ministry of Dr. Lloyd-Jones that he preached Puritan truths in 20th-century clothing - but many of his followers seem to prefer to preach Puritan truths in Puritan clothing, so that we are ready, as someone said, to face any challenge the 17th century might throw at us.
