Last week it was announced that Reformed Theological Seminary has released the first installment of its new online journal. It is entitled Reformed Faith and Practice (RF&P) and can be accessed here.
The launch of the new journal coincides with the 50th anniversary of RTS (the seminary opened its doors in 1966). Other 50th anniversary-related initiatives include the release of the two volumes written by RTS faculty: A Biblical-Theological Introduction to the New Testament and A Biblical-Theological Introduction to the Old Testament.
RF&P will be publishing three times a year with contributions mainly from RTS faculty across our numerous campuses: Charlotte, Jackson, Orlando, Washington D.C., Atlanta, New York, and Houston. But there will also be contributions from scholars outside the RTS orbit.
In the introduction of the inaugural volume, editor John Muether provides an explanation of what RF&P is trying to accomplish:
We write from convictions that comport with the mission of RTS, which is “to serve the church by preparing its leaders, through a program of graduate theological education, based upon the authority of the inerrant Word of God, and committed to the Reformed faith.” An ecclesial focus will, we hope, be especially prominent in these pages as we seek (in the language of the RTS vision statement) to serve Christ’s church “in all branches of evangelical Christianity, especially Presbyterian and Reformed churches.” Thus our pledge is that we will commend the Reformed faith with a particular view toward the well-being of Reformed churches. While we aim to maintain high levels of scholarship, we write as servants of the church. Even more specifically, we seek to serve alumni of Reformed Theological Seminary with hope that RF&P will be an ongoing source of wisdom and continuing education in the work of pastoral ministry. As our title suggests, we plan to give particular attention to the relationship between doctrine and life. Our faith should inform the practice of the Christian life, and that practice must, in turn, reinforce our doctrinal commitments.
The first volume has a great line up articles. Here is the table of contents:
Divine Fullness: A Dogmatic Sketch
Michael Allen
The Life-Giving Spirit
Richard B. Gaffin Jr.
Owning our Past: The Spirituality of the Church in History, Failure, and Hope
Sean Michael Lucas
“It Was Made to Appear Like That to Them:” Islam’s Denial of the Crucifixion
Gregory R. Lanier
Redeemer City Ministry as a Model of Ministry Preparation for the City
Timothy J. Keller
From the Archives: The Five Points of Calvinism
Roger Nicole
Conversation: Q & A with J. Todd Billings
Book Reviews
Let me also note that this new volume has some great book reviews. In particular, check out the lengthy review by Bob Cara of Lee Iron’s recent volume, The Righteousness of God (Mohr Siebeck, 2015). Iron’s volume is critique of the New Perspective on Paul via the use of “righteousness of God” language in the OT and beyond.
Enjoy the new journal!