Tabletalk Magazine, August 2004: A Defining Era, the History of the Church in the Fourth Century

by Ligonier Ministries

Publisher:

Ligonier Ministries

, 2004

Overview

For more than thirty years, Tabletalk has existed as a magazine for laymen. Generally speaking, laymen receive either very little instruction in the weightier matters of the faith, or the instruction is too academic, thereby making the material largely inaccessible to average laymen. This is the reason Tabletalk exists — to bridge the gap between these two poles, to explain to the people of God important, biblical doctrines and events while admonishing them toward holy living.

Contributors include R.C. Sproul along with John D. Hannah, Richard C. Gamble, Gene Edward Veith, Kenneth Jones, Burk Parsons, Sinclair B. Ferguson, Douglas F. Kelly, Patrick Lennos, George Grant, and R. C. Sproul Jr. Tabletalk features articles about topics central to the Christian faith and daily, in-depth Bible studies.

Contents

• "What Do You Say That I Am?" by R. C. Sproul
• "A Pivotal Era" by John D. Hannah
• "Not One Iota" by Richard C. Gamble
• "The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly" by Gene Edward Veith
• "Contra Medium" by Kenneth Jones
• "Resolved Tensions" by Burk Parsons
• "The Greatest of All Protestant Heresies?" by Sinclair B. Ferguson
• "The Blood of the Covenant" by Douglas F. Kelly
• "Where is Your Faith?" by Patrick Lennox
• "Coram Deo" by Burk Parsons
• "Our Fourth Century Fathers" by George Grant
• "The Moral of the Story" by R. C. Sproul Jr.

Top Highlights

“There was corruption when the state ruled the church, but it became even worse when the church ruled the state.” (Page 17)

“Bishops across the empire could assemble to discuss and formulate answers to perplexing questions. Scholars speak of the ‘ecumenical era,’ the period of several worldwide gatherings of bishops to untangle issues and formulate creeds. As a result, churchmen helped to define the orthodox faith. They did not invent the faith; they were able to explain it in a way received by all the churches.” (Page 8)

“One of the great paradoxes in Christian history is that the church is most pure in times of cultural hostility. When things are easy and times are good, that is when the church most often goes astray. When Christianity seems identical with the culture and even when the church seems to be enjoying its greatest earthly success, then it is weakest.” (Page 18)

“The Latin West distinguished the term ‘person’ and ‘substance.’ They could speak, as Tertullian the century before did, of two persons and one substance. The Greek East viewed the terms as synonyms and accused the West of supporting Modalism.” (Page 9)

“‘The greatest of all Protestant heresies is assurance.’” (Page 34)

Praise for the Print Edition

Tabletalk has been a key ingredient in the diet of Christians conscious of their spiritual vitality.

—Michael S. Horton

Month by month, Tabletalk represents an oasis in a desert of false spirituality, mindless Christianity, and vapid conviction. Tabletalk represents theological rigor, biblical Christianity, and authentic Christian devotion. It is an antidote to the world of superficial Christianity. Read it and grow.

—R. Albert Mohler, Jr.

Tabletalk has been a wonderful resource in my own daily walk with the Lord.

—Ravi Zacharias

Product Details

• Title: Tabletalk Magazine, August 2004: A Defining Era, the History of the Church in the Fourth Century
• Executive Editor: R. C. Sproul
• Editor: Burk Parsons
• Series: Tabletalk
• Publisher: Ligonier Ministries
• Publication Date: August 2004
• Pages: 60

About Ligonier Ministries

R. C. Sproul is founder and president of Ligonier Ministries and president of Ligonier Academy. He also servers as the senior pastor of Saint Andrew’s in Sanford, Fla., and he has written more than seventy books including The Holiness of God, The Intimage Marriage, Essential Truths of the Christian Faith, Following the Cross, and the R. C. Sproul Exposition Collection.

Burk Parsons serves as editor of Tabletalk and associate pastor of Saint Andrew’s in Sanford, Fla., and he is editor of the books Assured by God: Living in the Fullness of God’s Grace and John Calvin: A Heart for Devotion, Doctrine, and Doxology.