Reformed Churchmen

We are Confessional Calvinists and a Prayer Book Church-people. In 2012, we remembered the 350th anniversary of the 1662 Book of Common Prayer; also, we remembered the 450th anniversary of John Jewel's sober, scholarly, and Reformed "An Apology of the Church of England." In 2013, we remembered the publication of the "Heidelberg Catechism" and the influence of Reformed theologians in England, including Heinrich Bullinger's Decades. For 2014: Tyndale's NT translation. For 2015, John Roger, Rowland Taylor and Bishop John Hooper's martyrdom, burned at the stakes. Books of the month. December 2014: Alan Jacob's "Book of Common Prayer" at: http://www.amazon.com/Book-Common-Prayer-Biography-Religious/dp/0691154813/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1417814005&sr=8-1&keywords=jacobs+book+of+common+prayer. January 2015: A.F. Pollard's "Thomas Cranmer and the English Reformation: 1489-1556" at: http://www.amazon.com/Thomas-Cranmer-English-Reformation-1489-1556/dp/1592448658/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1420055574&sr=8-1&keywords=A.F.+Pollard+Cranmer. February 2015: Jaspar Ridley's "Thomas Cranmer" at: http://www.amazon.com/Thomas-Cranmer-Jasper-Ridley/dp/0198212879/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1422892154&sr=8-1&keywords=jasper+ridley+cranmer&pebp=1422892151110&peasin=198212879

Saturday, August 17, 2013

Mr. (Prof.) John Tulloch: "The Old Testament Story"

Tulloch, John H. and McEntire, Mark. The Old Testament Story (8th Ed.). Upper Saddle River: Pearson-Prentice Hall, 2009.

We have the 8th, but there is a 9th edition available at:
http://www.amazon.com/The-Old-Testament-Story-Edition/dp/0205097839/ref=sr_1_fkmr0_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1376794370&sr=8-1-fkmr0&keywords=tulloch+the+old+testament+story

Before we begin, we alert you to the end. Below, we (actively) confess (our faith), pray, and sing. That will follow at the end.

But, back to the book first.

The first author, Mr. Tulloch, is a Professor Emeritus at Belmont University. The second Professor, Mr. McEntire, works at Belmont University.

It is a collegiate level textbook with some soft liberalisms including—of all things—Graf-Wellhausen. But, more will follow on that; we will register “our issues” as we proceed. Each of the 15 chapters has study questions and endnotes. As always, the maps and charts in most of these volumes are excellent. The book does not have a bibliography at the end; that occurs chapter-by-chapter. It has 434 pages.

It is structured as follows.

Bibliographical Abbreviations
Maps
Preface


Chapters


 1. The Book and Those Who Study It
2. Geographical and Historical Settings for the Old Testament Prior to 1200 B.C.E
3. Israel Looks at Beginnings
4. Israel Becomes a People: Exodus and Wilderness
5. Israel Gains a Home: Joshua and Judges
6. Israel Demands a King: Samuel and Saul
7. Israel’s Time of Glory: David and Solomon
8. Israel Becomes Two: Story of the Northern Kingdom
9. Judah: Rehoboam to Hezekiah (933 B.C.E.-687 B.C.E.)
10. Judah: Manasseh to Zedekiah and the Exile
11. Exile: Judah’s Dark Night of Soul
12. Post-Exilic Period: Judah Revived
13. Legacy of Israel: Teachers of Wisdom and Singers of Songs
14. Time of Silence: Judah in Eclipse
15. Epilogue: Continuing Story

Glossary
For Further Study
Chronological Chart
Indices



We confess our faith, pray and sing.

Confession of Faith: the inimitable Westminster Confession of Faith (I.1). We use the word "confess" as a active statement and an active confession of faith by the mouth and from the heart. It's not some musty document for periodic perusal, but is an active confession.

  I. Although the light of nature, and the works of creation and providence do so far manifest the goodness, wisdom, and power of God, as to leave men unexcusable;[1] yet are they not sufficient to give that knowledge of God, and of His will, which is necessary unto salvation.[2] Therefore it pleased the Lord, at sundry times, and in divers manners, to reveal Himself, and to declare that His will unto His Church;[3] and afterwards for the better preserving and propagating of the truth, and for the more sure establishment and comfort of the Church against the corruption of the flesh, and the malice of Satan and of the world, to commit the same wholly unto writing;[4] which makes the Holy Scripture to be most necessary;[5] those former ways of God's revealing His will unto His people being now ceased.[6]

The brackets above indicate Biblical texts which we did not include.

 Prayer of Faith: 1662 Book of Common Prayer

The Second Sunday in Advent.
The Collect.

BLESSED Lord, who hast caused all holy Scriptures to be written for our learning; Grant that we may in such wise hear them, read, mark, learn, and inwardly digest them, that by patience and comfort of thy holy Word, we may embrace, and ever hold fast, the blessed hope of everlasting life, which thou hast given us in our Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen.

Hymn of Response:  Psalm 119: 73-80
 
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5dCCfvzxZV8

Psalm 119: 73-80, sung by St. Stephen’s Church, Canterbury in Canterbury Cathedral, October 25, 2012.

Psalm 119: 73-80

 73 Thy hands have made me and fashioned me: give me understanding, that I may learn thy commandments.
74 They that fear thee will be glad when they see me; because I have hoped in thy word.
75 I know, O LORD, that thy judgments are right, and that thou in faithfulness hast afflicted me.
76 Let, I pray thee, thy merciful kindness be for my comfort, according to thy word unto thy servant.
77 Let thy tender mercies come unto me, that I may live: for thy law is my delight.
78 Let the proud be ashamed; for they dealt perversely with me without a cause: but I will meditate in thy precepts.
79 Let those that fear thee turn unto me, and those that have known thy testimonies.
80 Let my heart be sound in thy statutes; that I be not ashamed.
 
 


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