In this episode we welcome church historian Stephen O. Presley to explore the life, theology, and enduring relevance of Irenaeus of Lyons. Writing in the latter half of the second century, Irenaeus emerges not merely as a polemicist against Gnosticism but as a deeply pastoral theologian—one whose doctrine, biblical interpretation, and ecclesial commitments were inseparably bound to the life of the church.

Presley highlights Irenaeus’s vision of Scripture as a unified, Christ-centered story, summed up in his doctrine of recapitulation: All things find their meaning, coherence, and redemption in Christ, the true head of humanity. Against both ancient Gnosticism and modern disembodied spiritualities, Irenaeus affirms the goodness of creation, the integrity of the human person, and the necessity of catechesis rooted in the rule of faith. For today’s church—navigating doctrinal confusion, cultural fragmentation, and questions of discipleship—Irenaeus offers a compelling model of theological method that is biblical, confessional, pastoral, and profoundly Christ-centered.

Dr. Stephen O. Presley is Director of Education and Engagement and Senior Fellow for Religion and Public Life at the Center for Religion, Culture and Democracy and Associate Professor of Church History at Southern Seminary. He is the author of Irenaeus of Lyons: His Impact and Life (Christian Focus) and Cultural Sanctification: Engaging the World like the Early Church (Eerdmans).

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Chapters

• 00:07 Introduction
• 01:47 The Center for Religion, Culture, and Democracy
• 04:48 How to Pronounce Irenaeus
• 08:48 The Early Church
• 13:31 Irenaeus as a Church Theologian
• 16:00 The Rule of Faith
• 20:36 Reading Scripture
• 26:11 Recapitulation
• 30:18 Against Gnosticism
• 33:38 Christ as the New Adam
• 44:07 Surprises While Writing the Book
• 46:39 Conclusion

Participants: Camden Bucey, Stephen Presley

In this episode of Christ the Center, Camden Bucey and Lane Tipton discuss a deceptively brief but theologically weighty section of Geerhardus Vos’s Biblical Theology, exploring Jesus’s critique of first-century Jewish ethics. Far from addressing merely surface-level moral failures, Vos shows that Jesus exposes a deeper religious collapse—one marked by practical deism and pervasive self-centeredness. When God’s glory is displaced as the center of ethical life, obedience becomes external, fragmented, and ultimately irreligious.

This conversation presses the listener to consider how these same distortions reappear across church history and into the present—whether in moralistic fundamentalism, liberal Protestant ethics, or debates surrounding the New Perspective on Paul. The antidote Vos commends is not tighter rules or refined casuistry, but a recovery of true religion: life coram Deo, grounded in union with Christ, animated by delight in God himself as our supreme reward. In Christ, obedience is restored to its proper place as worship, flowing from grace rather than self-reliance.

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Chapters

• 00:07 Introduction
• 07:32 Jesus’s Critique of Jewish Ethics
• 18:07 Common Distortions of Ethics
• 32:55 Modern Expressions of the Same Error
• 40:46 Von Harnack and the Essence of Christianity
• 44:08 The New Perspective on Paul
• 49:35 The Antidote
• 52:28 Conclusion

Participants: Camden Bucey, Lane G. Tipton

In this episode of Christ the Center, we welcome Josiah Leinbach to discuss William Whitaker’s A Disputation on Holy Scripture—a monumental sixteenth-century defense of sola Scriptura, newly edited and republished by Prolego Press. Written in 1588 against leading Roman Catholic theologians such as Robert Bellarmine, Whitaker’s work offers a comprehensive treatment of Scripture’s authority, canon, clarity, and sufficiency. Leinbach explains how Whitaker combined Renaissance humanism with scholastic rigor, engaging Scripture, church history, and patristic sources to show that Protestant convictions about Scripture were neither novel nor reactionary, but deeply rooted in the catholic tradition of the church.

The conversation also explores the modern relevance of Whitaker’s work—especially amid contemporary debates over authority, tradition, and ecumenism. Leinbach reflects on how advances in historical and textual scholarship have confirmed many of the Reformers’ arguments, while Rome’s own positions have shifted over time. Whitaker’s insistence on the perspicuity of Scripture, the singular infallibility of God’s Word, and the Spirit’s inward testimony offers not only apologetic clarity but deep pastoral comfort. This episode invites listeners to recover confidence in Scripture as God’s clear and sufficient means of revealing Christ to his people.

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Chapters

• 00:07 Introduction
• 01:08 William Whitaker’s A Disputation on Holy Scripture
• 07:25 Leinbach’s Transition from History to Machine Learning
• 18:10 Whitaker’s Polemical Approach
• 22:03 The Canon of Scripture
• 25:50 The Perspicuity of Scripture
• 28:29 Biblical Authority
• 32:02 The Testimony of the Holy Spirit
• 35:27 Ecumenical Dialogue Yesterday and Today
• 48:10 Future Works
• 52:25 Conclusion

Participants: Camden Bucey, Josiah Leinbach

In this episode, Camden Bucey and Marcus Mininger reflect together on Resurrection and Redemption by Richard B. Gaffin Jr.—a work that has profoundly shaped Reformed biblical theology over the past half century. Rather than offering a technical review, the conversation unfolds as a guided meditation on the book’s central claim: Christ’s resurrection is not a theological afterthought but the controlling center of Paul’s soteriology and eschatology. Gaffin’s careful exegesis helps readers see how redemption is inseparable from resurrection life in union with the risen Christ.

This discussion is part of Reformed Forum’s broader effort to offer conversational commentaries on formative Reformed texts—books that have formed us as pastors and theologians. Bucey and Mininger highlight why Resurrection and Redemption remains so enduringly fruitful: It teaches the church to think biblically about salvation, not as a static transaction, but as participation in the resurrected life of Christ. The result is theology that serves the pulpit, strengthens assurance, and orients the Christian life toward the hope of glory already secured in the risen Lord.

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Chapters

• 00:00:07 Introduction
• 00:01:56 International Cohorts and Reading Guides
• 00:10:31 Encountering Resurrection and Redemption
• 00:16:15 The Title and Purpose of the Book
• 00:26:18 The Discipline of Biblical Theology
• 00:32:56 Paul as Theologian
• 00:51:23 Redemptive-Historical Epochs
• 00:59:44 The Occasional Nature of Paul’s Writings
• 01:08:27 Conclusion

Participants: Camden Bucey, Marcus Mininger

Dr. C. N. Willborn, pastor of Covenant PCA in Oak Ridge, Tennessee, speaks about the life, ministry, and enduring theological legacy of John Lafayette Girardeau—a figure often hidden in the shadow of Thornwell and Dabney, yet towering in pastoral warmth, covenant theology, and confessional clarity. Girardeau emerges as a remarkably gifted scholar, a pastor deeply loved by both enslaved and free Black congregants, and a theologian who married doctrinal precision with heartfelt pastoral care. Through stories of his early intellectual formation, his ministry at Zion Presbyterian Church, his courageous stand against segregation in 1874, and his role in shaping debates on adoption, the will, worship, and evolution controversies, listeners gain a moving portrait of a man captivated by Christ and devoted to the communion of the saints.

This episode invites us to look beyond caricatures of Southern Presbyterianism and see a pastor who was shaped by his Huguenot and Scottish heritage, attentive to the spiritual well-being of the marginalized, and unwavering in his conviction that the church must be governed by Scripture and formed by a robust federal theology. Girardeau’s story not only expands our understanding of American Presbyterian history—it encourages believers today to pursue ministry marked by doctrinal fidelity, Christ-centered preaching, and sacrificial love.

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Chapters

• 00:16 Introduction
• 03:28 Introducing John L. Girardeau
• 24:49 French Huguenot Background
• 31:48 Academic Abilities
• 42:29 Girardeau’s Relation to the Church After the War
• 49:44 Significant Motions and Statements
• 56:05 Opposition to Segregation at the 1874 General Assembly
• 1:00:19 Influence upon Southern Presbyterianism
• 1:05:19 The Battle over Evolution
• 1:11:21 Works by Girardeau
• 1:21:59 Conclusion

Links

• Biographical sketch on Girardeau

Participants: C. N. Willborn, Camden Bucey

As Christ the Center closes out another year of weekly theological conversation, this special episode reflects on God’s faithfulness throughout 2025 by revisiting the most-watched and most-listened-to episodes of the year. Drawing from YouTube engagement, Camden Bucey highlights ten conversations that resonated deeply with listeners—spanning biblical exegesis, redemptive-historical interpretation, Trinitarian theology, apologetics, and pastoral formation. Together, these clips showcase the breadth of Reformed Forum’s work: rigorous scholarship, confessional clarity, and a steady commitment to Christ-centered interpretation of Scripture.

The episode also celebrates significant ministry milestones: thousands of students served through Reformed Academy, international reading cohorts across six continents, new books published, and the largest theology conference in Reformed Forum’s history. Framed by the theme “Growing Together into Christ” (Ephesians 4:15–16), this highlights episode not only looks back with gratitude but looks forward with confidence—inviting listeners to partner in the ongoing work of theological education for the church worldwide.

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Chapters

• 00:00:07 Introduction
• 00:00:57 Looking Forward to 2026
• 00:01:38 Growing Together into Christ
• 00:04:26 Top 10 Episodes of 2025
• 00:05:05 Greg Beale | The Use of the Old Testament in Colossians (YouTube)
• 00:08:59 Van Til Group #15 — A Critique of Mathison’s Toward a Reformed Apologetics (YouTube)
• 00:19:44 Robert Letham | The Holy Spirit (YouTube)
• 00:23:57 David Saxton | Biblical Meditation: God’s Battle Plan for the Mind (YouTube)
• 00:29:04 William Dennison | Van Til and the Problem of Evil (YouTube)
• 00:34:28 Danny Olinger | Meredith G. Kline’s Biblical-Theological Reading of the Book of Revelation (YouTube)
• 00:45:06 Marcus Mininger | Redemptive-Historical Interpretation (YouTube)
• 00:51:14 Vos Group #99 — Millennial Views and Modern Theories of the Kingdom (YouTube)
• 00:59:37 Marcus Mininger | Impossible to Be Restored? Temptation and Warning in the Epistle of Hebrews (YouTube)
• 01:14:02 J. Brandon Burks | The Puritans and the Salem Witch Trials (YouTube)
• 01:19:38 Conclusion

Participants: Bill Dennison, Camden Bucey, Carlton Wynne, Danny Olinger, David Saxton, Greg Beale, J. Brandon Burks, Jim Cassidy, Lane G. Tipton, Marcus Mininger, Robert Letham

In this conversation from Austin, Jim Cassidy, Lane Tipton, and Camden Bucey reflect on the abiding value of the Westminster Shorter Catechism as a tool for cultivating a God-centered, covenantally rich, and confessionally rooted Christian life. The discussion highlights Jim’s new book, Introducing the Faith: A Study of the Westminster Shorter Catechism, which serves as a written complement to his two free Reformed Academy courses through which he teaches the Shorter Catechism (Questions 1–38 and Questions 39–106). Together, the hosts trace their own histories with the Standards, demonstrating how catechesis shapes believers in the chief end of man—to glorify and enjoy God forever. They also explore how the catechism’s covenant theology anchors the church in biblical teaching, safeguarding the glory of God amid contemporary pressures.

The discussion turns to the weighty task of confessional subscription—its history, responsibilities, and the risks of revision. With pastoral clarity and historical attentiveness, the hosts encourage churches and teachers to handle their confessions with both gratitude and vigilance. The episode concludes with a look at the ongoing mission of Reformed Academy and the resources being developed to strengthen the church in catechesis and confessional fidelity.

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Chapters

• 00:00 Setting the Scene in Austin
• 03:14 Why Catechesis Matters Today
• 09:12 Personal Histories with the Westminster Standards
• 16:47 Man’s Chief End and the God-Centered Life
• 20:44 Covenant Theology in the Catechism
• 26:22 Guarding the Glory of God in Reformed Theology
• 31:48 Confessional Revision: History, Risks, and Responsibilities
• 57:47 Looking Ahead: Resources and the Mission of Reformed Academy

Participants: Camden Bucey, Jim Cassidy, Lane G. Tipton

In this installment of Vos Group, Camden Bucey and Lane Tipton explore pages 392–395 of Geerhardus Vos’s Biblical Theology and his rich, God-centered understanding of righteousness within the kingdom of God. They emphasize that true righteousness is never a human-centered moral construct but is rooted entirely in the character, will, and sovereign rule of the triune God. Vos contrasts biblical righteousness with pagan and modern distortions that treat ethics as merely horizontal or civic. Instead, righteousness is what agrees with, pleases, and exists for God—meaning believers live every moment coram Deo, before His face, in covenant fellowship.

The episode also unpacks how righteousness relates organically to the coming of God’s kingdom: it is concurrent with God’s reign, a gift worked by the Spirit, and graciously rewarded for Christ’s sake. Camden and Lane draw out the pastoral comfort that Christ—who possesses unlimited dominion—reigns not only from heaven but also within the hearts of His people. This kingdom reality transforms daily obedience into worship, participation in God’s redemptive purposes, and hopeful anticipation of our final inheritance in Him.

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Chapters

• 00:07 Introduction
• 08:49 Righteousness Is God-Centered
• 16:42 Living Before the Face of God
• 28:03 The Kingdom of God and Righteousness
• 32:45 Participating in the Kingdom
• 40:52 Righteousness and God’s Sovereign Rule
• 43:55 Conclusion

Participants: Camden Bucey, Lane G. Tipton

In this episode, Dr. Harrison Perkins speaks about his new book A Penitent People: The Doctrine of Repentance (Christian Focus). Perkins brings the warmth of pastoral ministry together with the clarity of confessional Reformed theology. He explains that repentance is often misunderstood—as if it were a dreary duty or an entrance requirement for grace. Instead, Scripture presents repentance as a saving grace, a divine gift through which Christ frees his people from sin’s enslaving power and draws them into renewed joy. Repentance is not the price we pay to come to Christ; it is the fruit of having already been brought to Him by the Spirit through faith.

Together they explore key biblical passages (Psalm 51, Psalm 38, 2 Corinthians 7, Luke 3), the Reformed confessions, unhealthy distortions of penance, and the pastoral challenge of helping people see repentance not as a terror but as a mercy. Repentance doesn’t merely involve feeling guilty—it involves embracing Christ, turning from sin, and tasting the joy that accompanies renewal. They also discuss what a repentant church culture looks like: a community marked by humility, honesty, grace, and a shared approach to the Lord’s Table as those who come on equal footing—sinners saved by a gracious Redeemer.

Harrison Perkins (PhD, Queen’s University Belfast; MDiv, Westminster Seminary California) is the pastor of Oakland Hills Community Church in Farmington Hills, Michigan. He is the author of Reformed Covenant Theology: A Systematic Introduction (Lexham Press 2024), Catholicity and the Covenant of Works (Oxford University Press, 2020), Righteous by Design: Covenantal Merit and Adam’s Original Integrity (2024), Created for Communion with God: The Promise of Genesis 1–2 (Lexham Press, 2025), and a number of popular and academic articles. He regularly writes articles for Heidelblog and Modern Reformation.

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Chapters

• 0:00:07 Introduction
• 0:10:03 Background to the Book
• 0:16:22 Reframing Our Understanding of Repentance
• 0:20:39 The Joy of Repentance
• 0:24:35 The Reformed Confessions on Repentance
• 0:37:17 Psalms 38 and 143
• 0:43:26 Bearing Fruit in Keeping with Repentance
• 0:48:15 Distinguishing Fruits of Repentance from Acts of Penance
• 0:53:28 Illustrations of Repentance
• 1:00:41 Exodus 24, Covenant, and the Repentant Community
• 1:06:45 Hope for Readers of This Book
• 1:12:06 Conclusion

Participants: Camden Bucey, Harrison Perkins

Reformed Forum is happy to introduce a major new publishing initiative: the Redemptive-Historical Bible Studies series. In this episode of Christ the Center, Camden Bucey is joined by Ryan Noha, Jim Cassidy, and Dan Ragusa to discuss how these resources embody Reformed Forum’s vision for accessible, Christ-centered theological education.

This series begins with two volumes—Jim Cassidy’s The Book of Job: Suffering unto Glory and Dan Ragusa’s Exploring 2 Peter: The Promise and the Path—each drawn from Reformed Academy courses. Designed for adult Sunday schools and small groups, these studies help readers encounter Christ in every book of Scripture. Rooted in the conviction that all Scripture testifies to the sufferings and glories of Christ, these studies move beyond mere grammatical-historical observation to unfold the redemptive unity of God’s Word.

Together, these books and their free companion courses mark the beginning of Reformed Forum’s long-term plan: to produce faithful, Christ-centered studies for all sixty-six books of the Bible—so that the church may mature in Christ through the Word.

The Book of Job: Suffering unto Glory (Redemptive-Historical Bible Studies)

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Exploring 2 Peter: The Promise and the Path (Redemptive-Historical Bible Studies)

Ragusa, Daniel. New paperback.

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Exploring 2 Peter: The Promise and the Path (Redemptive-Historical Bible Studies)

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Ragusa, Daniel. New paperback.

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The Book of Job: Suffering unto Glory (Redemptive-Historical Bible Studies)

Cassidy, James J. New paperback.

Add for $12.99 Original price was: $12.99.$6.50Current price is: $6.50.

In stock

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Chapters

• 00:00 Word & Deed
• 01:18 Introduction
• 03:59 Our Plan for Reformed Academy
• 11:42 Writing the Books
• 18:26 Themes in Job
• 25:49 Themes in 2 Peter
• 29:27 The Importance of Studying the Bible Redemptive-Historically
• 42:21 The Relevance of Redemptive-History
• 43:58 The Textual Divisions of Job
• 49:57 How to Get the Books
• 52:24 Other New and Forthcoming Books
• 57:27 Conclusion

Participants: Camden Bucey, Dan Ragusa, Jim Cassidy, Ryan Noha

In this rich conversation, Camden Bucey sits down with Dr. Chad Van Dixhoorn—historian, pastor, and professor at Reformed Theological Seminary in Charlotte—to explore the remarkable work and enduring wisdom of the Westminster Assembly. Together, they discuss how the divines pursued theological clarity through collaboration, not compromise, and how their humility and respect shaped confessional standards that have guided the Reformed church for centuries.

Van Dixhoorn explains why the Westminster Confession should be seen as “a document with compromises, not a compromise document,” how its chapters differ in tone and theological armor, and what this teaches us about confessional fidelity today. The conversation also explores doctrinal preaching—how to preach theology without losing the text—and why confessions must unite rather than constantly be rewritten.

With warmth and clarity, Dr. Van Dixhoorn reminds us that Reformed unity is not built on uniformity, but on the shared pursuit of truth before the face of God.

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Chapters

• 00:00 Introduction and Word & Deed Ministry
• 01:18 At the Reformation and Worship Conference
• 04:10 Introducing Dr. Chad Van Dixhoorn and the Westminster Assembly
• 06:00 Consensus, Collaboration, and Compromise in the Assembly
• 09:30 The Process of Drafting the Westminster Standards
• 12:00 Respectful Debate and the Spirit of the Divines
• 19:30 Comparing the Westminster and Heidelberg Traditions
• 25:30 Confessional Revision, Study Committees, and Doctrinal Reports
• 33:00 Doctrinal Preaching: From Text to Theology
• 40:50 The Joy of Teaching and Ongoing Research on the Divines

Participants: Camden Bucey, Chad Van Dixhoorn