The Church, Sacraments and Last Things (Loci III)

1. Lectures Listen to the lectures in order. Those marked supplementary are optional.

   • The Westminster Standards (audio course, 29 chapters of the Confession) Sinclair B. Ferguson (ordained Church of Scotland; later Associate Reformed Presbyterian) 29 chapters covered Open source Doctrinal The Gospel Coalition Courses These teachers subscribe to the American revision of the WCF (1788/ARP text) in chs. 20.4, 23.3 and 31.2, not the 1647 text on the civil magistrate and the calling of synods. Doctrinally they are otherwise within the Standards. Use freely for chs. 1-19, 21-22, 24-30, 32-33; present their sessions on chs. 20, 23 and...
   • The Westminster Confession (34 sessions, incl. 'US Revisions to WCF Chapter 23') Andrew Webb (Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church; MDiv Westminster Theological Seminary) 34 sessions, 15 Jan 2014 - 28 Mar 2024 Open source Supplementary Providence ARP Church, Fayetteville NC, via SermonAudio These teachers subscribe to the American revision of the WCF (1788/ARP text) in chs. 20.4, 23.3 and 31.2, not the 1647 text on the civil magistrate and the calling of synods. Doctrinally they are otherwise within the Standards. Use freely for chs. 1-19, 21-22, 24-30, 32-33; present their sessions on chs. 20, 23 and...
   • The Belgic Confession (sermon series, arts. 1-37) Steve Oeverman (with Ed Marcusse), United Reformed Churches in North America 76 sermons, 6 Jun 2020 - 3 Aug 2026 Open source Supplementary Oak Glen United Reformed Church, via SermonAudio RCA has moved outside the confessional line on office and ethics; Beardslee is a translator/editor only. Keep as a translation; doctrine is Wollebius's and Turretin's own. If the EEBO-TCP text of Ross's 1650 Wollebius becomes reachable, prefer that public-domain translation.

2. Reading Read in the order given. Public-domain and free texts are linked; purchases are optional and never required.

   • An Exposition of the Confession of Faith of the Westminster Assembly of Divines Robert Shaw Open source Doctrinal 1850. Public domain
   • A Directory for Church-Government and Ordination of Ministers (Westminster Assembly, 1647 printing) Westminster Assembly Open source Primary text 1647. Public domain
   • Church Order of Dort (1619), English text Synod of Dort Open source Primary text 1619. Free online
   • Belgic Confession, audio recordings arts. 1-37 (URC Learning) URC Learning 37 files Open source Doctrinal Free online
   • Heidelberg Catechism audio, Lord's Days 1-52 (URC Learning) URC Learning 52 files Open source Doctrinal Free online
   • Commentary of Dr. Zacharias Ursinus on the Heidelberg Catechism Zacharias Ursinus Open source Doctrinal 1888 (Williard trans.). Public domain

3. Assignment Write a research paper of 30 pages on a topic drawn from the lectures and readings of this course. Argue from Scripture, the Westminster Standards (1647 text) and the Three Forms of Unity, cite the primary sources you read, and state the points on which the sources differ.

   Open the assignment

Every lecture and reading carries its role. "Under review" means the teacher's subscription to the Westminster Standards or the Three Forms of Unity is not yet established; "Read as comparison" means the material teaches the 1788 American text of WCF 20.4, 23 or 31 or of Larger Catechism Q.109, which the school reads beside the 1647 text. Nothing has been removed.