Friday, March 20, 2009

Liveblogging Ligonier: On Calvin and On Holiness

Tim Challies and Alex Chediak have all the notes for the conference now under way.

You can also watch it live via webcast.

Below is an overview of the talks and the schedule:

MINI-CONFERENCE:
John Calvin (1509–2009) — Celebrating a Legacy
In 2009, we celebrate the 500th birthday of John Calvin. It is only appropriate at this time to reflect on his legacy. In the mini-conference, four participants will discuss Calvin’s impact in several aspects of the church’s life and thought. There will be four lectures followed by a Question & Answer time:


1. R. Albert Mohler – John Calvin: Preacher and Teacher
(Thursday, March 19, 9:00 – 10:00 a.m.)
John Calvin was one of the most important figures in the Protestant Reformation of the sixteenth century. Today, five hundred years after his birth, his influence continues to be felt. In this message, Dr. Mohler will reflect on the life and work of Calvin, focusing in particular on his role as a preacher and teacher of the Word.

2. Ligon Duncan – Calvin and the Christian Life
(Thursday, March 19, 10:45 – 11:45 a.m.)
John Calvin is sometimes perceived as a dry and dusty academic whose writings deal only with abstract theological topics. To read Calvin, however, is to read one who was devoted to seeing God’s Word impact the lives of Christian people everywhere. In this message, Ligon Duncan will explore some of Calvin’s most practical wisdom for those who seek to follow Christ.

3. Sinclair Ferguson – The Doctrines of Grace
(Thursday, March 19, 1:15 – 2:00 p.m.)
Much of the significance of the Protestant Reformers such as John Calvin is found in their rediscovery of the biblical doctrines of grace. After having been buried for centuries under unbiblical doctrines and traditions, their rediscovery and proclamation turned Europe upside down. In this message, Dr. Ferguson will look at Calvin’s formulation of these crucial doctrines and explain why they are no less significant today.

4. Steven J. Lawson – The Legacy of John Calvin
(Thursday, March 19, 2:00 – 3:00 p.m.)
The modern history of the church and of the world would be entirely different without John Calvin. The influence of his thought has been felt not only in the teaching and worship of the church, but also within politics, economics, and the wider culture. In this message, Dr. Lawson will look at the legacy of Calvin, explaining what we can learn from him today.

Questions and Answers
(Thursday, March 19, 3:45 – 4:45 p.m.)
Dr. Sinclair Ferguson, Dr. Ligon Duncan, Dr. Steven Lawson, Dr. Al Mohler

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MAIN SESSIONS:
The Holiness of God
The angels declare that God is “Holy, Holy, Holy.” Without a proper grasp of God’s holiness we do not understand who He truly is, nor do we understand who we truly are. Once we begin to grasp the true meaning of God’s holiness, our lives and our worship will be forever changed. In this conference, prominent Reformed Christian teachers will expound and reflect upon what the Bible says about God’s holiness and ours. The main sessions will consist of eleven lectures:


1. R.C. Sproul – I Am the Lord, There is No Other
(Thursday, March 19, 6:40 – 7:30 p.m.)
Before he discovered the Gospel, contemplation of God’s holiness and his own sinfulness drove Martin Luther to despair. What did he grasp about holiness that most of us do not? In this lecture, Dr. Sproul will introduce the topic of the conference by explaining the meaning of the biblical concept of holiness.

2. R.C. Sproul, Jr. – Train Up Your Children: Family Worship of the Holy God
(Thursday, March 19, 7:30 – 8:30 p.m.)
The worship of our sovereign God is not to be relegated to a mere hour or two each Sunday. Instead, our worship of Him should pervade every aspect of our lives. In this lecture, Dr. R.C. Sproul Jr. will exhort believers to worship God as a family, providing encouragement and practical instruction.

3. Sinclair Ferguson – Hallowed Be Your Name: The Holiness of the Father
(Friday, March 20, 8:30 – 9:30 a.m.)
In the Lord’s Prayer, Jesus instructed His disciples to acknowledge the Father’s holiness and to adore Him in their every prayer. He is the one whom the seraphim adore, singing, “Holy, holy, holy is the LORD of hosts!” In this lecture, Dr. Ferguson will explore what the Bible teaches us concerning the holiness of our Father in heaven.

4. Steven J. Lawson – The Holy One of God: The Holiness of Jesus
(Friday, March 20, 9:40 – 10:40 a.m.)
The disciples of our Lord Jesus Christ referred to Him as “the Holy One of God.” In doing so, they said something not only about His character, but also about His relationship to the Father. In this lecture, Dr. Lawson will look at what the Bible teaches us about the purity and sinlessness of Christ.

5. Alistair Begg – The Breath of the Almighty: The Holy Spirit
(Friday, March 20, 11:30 a.m. – 12:35 p.m.)
The third person of the Trinity is the Holy Spirit, the one whom Job refers to as “the breath of the Almighty.” His work includes conforming believers to the holy image of Christ. In this lecture, Dr. Begg will look at the person and work of the one person of the Trinity whose very name includes the adjective “holy.”

Questions & Answers
(Friday, March 20, 2:30 – 3:25 p.m.)
Dr. Sinclair Ferguson, Dr. Steven Lawson, Dr. Alistair Begg, Dr. R.C. Sproul Jr. Moderated by R.C. Sproul

6. Thabiti Anyabwile – Cosmic Treason: Sin and the Holiness of God
(Friday, March 20, 4:05 – 5:05 p.m.)
The sinfulness of sin is not grasped in our day because the holiness of God is not grasped. Sin will only be understood for what it is when God is understood for who He is. In this lecture, Rev. Anyabwile will explain the true sinfulness of sin in the light of the holy and pure character of God.

7. D. A. Carson – A Holy Nation: The Church’s High Calling
(Friday, March 20, 7:15 – 8:00 p.m.)
The history of redemption reveals God calling a people out of the world to be a holy people. In this lecture, Dr. Carson will examine why God has called His people in both the old and new covenants to be a kingdom of priests and a holy nation, and he will explain what this means for us as believers today.

8. Robert Godfrey – Wounded for Our Transgressions: The Holiness of God and the Cross
(Saturday, March 21, 8:30 – 9:40 a.m.)
All have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. This is the universal problem faced by all men, a problem requiring a solution man cannot provide. In this lecture, Dr. Godfrey will examine why the holiness of God required an atonement for sin and how Jesus fulfilled that requirement for us.

9. Derek Thomas – Be Ye Holy: The Necessity of Sanctification
(Saturday, March 21, 9:40 – 10:30 a.m.)
According to Scripture, we are justified by faith alone in Jesus Christ alone. Yet our Lord calls those who have been so justified to a life of holiness. In this lecture, Dr. Thomas will explain the importance and necessity of individual sanctification as well as the means God has provided for it.

Questions & Answers

(Saturday, March 21, 11:25 a.m. – 12:25 p.m.)
Dr. Donald Carson, Dr. Derek Thomas, Dr. Robert Godfrey, Rev. Thabiti Anyabwile Moderated by Dr. R.C. Sproul

10. R.C. Sproul – A Consuming Fire: Holiness, Wrath, and Justice
(Saturday, March 21, 1:00 – 2:00 p.m.)