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

Friday, March 7, 2014

Council of Foreign Relations: Crisis in Ukraine

Ukraine's new government faces several challenges in the coming weeks. However, a successful and careful transition could usher in a new era for the country, bringing in political and economic reforms that afford it more autonomy away from Russia's sphere of influence. Charles Kupchan, CFR's Whitney Shepardson Senior Fellow, highlights three things to know about Ukraine's way forward:


0:48 A Divided Nation: The country is beset by an ethnic and political divide dating back several centuries. Western parts of Ukraine are oriented toward Europe, and the population is largely made up of ethnic Ukrainians. But the eastern part of the country identifies with Russia, and most of the population speaks Russian. As such, "trying to find policies to bring the country into some kind of national unity is going to be very difficult," Kupchan says.


1:52 Fiscal Fragility: Despite President Viktor Yanukovich's swift fall from power, "there is much hard work ahead," Kupchan warns. Weak institutional infrastructure and the threat of default loom over the country, and it is unknown when foreign powers could come forward with financial aid. "It's not clear whether Ukraine will be able to make the political and economic reforms necessary to get the loans to keep the country fiscally afloat," Kupchan says.


2:49 A Balancing Act: Delicate geopolitics in the region will continue to factor into the new government's decisions, Kupchan says. Yanukovich's fall from power indicates a political loss for Russia, which has viewed Ukraine as a junior partner in the world. Balancing ties between Europe and Russia will be crucial if Ukraine wants to gain more autonomy, move away from the Russian sphere of influence, and "chart a course toward rule of law and liberal democracy," Kupchan says.


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