From Rutherford Hall -- By: Barry J. York

Journal: Reformed Presbyterian Theological Journal
Volume: RPTJ 06:1 (Fall 2019)
Article: From Rutherford Hall
Author: Barry J. York


From Rutherford Hall

Barry J. York

President and Professor of Pastoral Theology

Reformed Presbyterian Theological Seminary

Each fall as the new academic year begins, Reformed Presbyterian Theological Seminary hosts our annual Westminster Conference. Though usually, our professors treat a topic from our own Confession of Faith after which the conference is named, occasionally, the faculty tackles a topic of current interest or of historical importance. With this year marking the 400th anniversary of the conclusion of the Synod of Dort, the faculty of RPTS chose the latter option and addressed the history of this assembly and the Five Canons of Dort that it produced. This edition of Reformed Presbyterian Theological Journal contains the papers from this conference.

As our professors spoke about the historical events and theological issues that led the leaders of the Dutch church to call for representatives from other nations throughout Europe to join them to address the concerns, one repeated theme emerged from the various talks. Those opposed to the Reformed faith — known then as the Remonstrants for the stands they took but who later became identified as Arminians for the teacher they followed — sought to craftily and subtly introduce false teachings into the church. Whether by subterfuge, equivocation, or feigned ignorance, the Arminians’ duplicitous efforts sought to overcome the solidified commitment to the orthodox teaching of the doctrines of grace captured earlier by the Belgic Confession. Through the careful work of the delegates of the Synod of Dort, the comforting doctrines of salvation were preserved and propagated, and the erroneous teachings of the Arminians overcome.

Dort stands as a marker in historical theology of the wisdom and bravery of the church four centuries ago. This synod also reminds the church of how diligent she must be to protect God's people in every age from being "tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes" (Eph. 4:14).

So as you read these pages, may the Lord sharpen your minds and strengthen your spirit with the wondrous teachings handed down to us by the Synod of Dort!

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