Reformed Liturgy: Calvin, Knox and the Westminster Directory

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

   • Regulative Principle of Worship (Lecture 10) Ligon Duncan Open source Doctrinal Reformed Theological Seminary The lectures read or assume the 1788 OPC/PCA text; the 1647 text gives the magistrate power to call synods (31.2) and the original Belgic 36 charges the magistrate to remove idolatry. The new school holds the 1647 and original texts. Keep the lectures for chapters where the text is unchanged (21, 25 in substance,...
   • Worship - Regulative Principle (12-sermon series, Feb-May 2024) Kevin Pulliam 12 sermons; durations not confirmed Open source Doctrinal Christ Reformed Church (RCUS), Minot, North Dakota
   • Confession Chapter 21: Of Religious Worship, and the Sabbath Day Camden Bucey Open source Doctrinal Reformed Forum (OPC) The lectures read or assume the 1788 OPC/PCA text; the 1647 text gives the magistrate power to call synods (31.2) and the original Belgic 36 charges the magistrate to remove idolatry. The new school holds the 1647 and original texts. Keep the lectures for chapters where the text is unchanged (21, 25 in substance,...
   • The Westminster Standards (14-part audio series), lecture 12: Of the Law of God, Of Christian Liberty, Of Religious Worship and the Sabbath Day Sinclair B. Ferguson 14 MP3s; durations not shown Open source Doctrinal Free Church of Scotland (St Peter's, Dundee) / Reformed Theological Seminary The lectures read or assume the 1788 OPC/PCA text; the 1647 text gives the magistrate power to call synods (31.2) and the original Belgic 36 charges the magistrate to remove idolatry. The new school holds the 1647 and original texts. Keep the lectures for chapters where the text is unchanged (21, 25 in substance,...

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

   • The Service, Discipline and Forme of the Common Prayers and Administration of the Sacraments, used in the English Church of Geneva, approved by John Calvin and the Church of Scotland (Book of Common Order) English Church at Geneva / Church of Scotland 190 pages Open source Primary text 1564 (this printing London, 1641). Public domain
   • The Directory for the Publick Worship of God Westminster Assembly; approved by the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland 1645 Open source Primary text 1645. Free online
   • Genevan Ecclesiastical Ordinances (1541) John Calvin (trans. G. R. Potter and M. Greengrass, 1983) Open source Primary text 1541. Free online
   • Directions of the General Assembly concerning Secret and Private Worship, and Mutual Edification General Assembly of the Church of Scotland 22 pages Open source Primary text 1648. Public domain
   • A Dispute Against the English Popish Ceremonies Obtruded on the Church of Scotland (in The Works of Mr. George Gillespie, vol. 1) George Gillespie Open source Doctrinal 1637 (1846 edition). Public domain
   • Foundation for Reformation: The Regulative Principle of Worship Greg Price Open source Supplementary Free online Art. 69 (text confirmed) admits beside the 150 Psalms the Ten Commandments, Lord's Prayer, Twelve Articles and the songs of Mary, Zacharias and Simeon; the Scottish line sings psalms only. Both are within the two confessional families. Keep both; teach exclusive psalmody as the Scottish position and Dort Art. 69 as...

   Total: 212 pages

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

4. Paired unit: What May the Church Sing?

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

   • What Shall We Sing? Part 2 Adam Kuehner (Reformed Presbyterian Church) 48:44 Open source Doctrinal Reformed Presbyterian Church, SermonAudio
   • Exclusive Psalmody Debate (2003 GPTS Spring Conference) Brian Schwertley and Benjamin Shaw (various speakers) 2:11:49 Open source Doctrinal Greenville Presbyterian Theological Seminary, SermonAudio Schwertley argues Side A as a Westminster subscriber, but he is a theonomist and, to the reviewer's knowledge, was later deposed by his presbytery (Reformed Presbyterian Church General Assembly); this could not be checked online this session (search budget exhausted). Theonomy is not on the PRD removal list; the...
   • Selecting Psalms and Hymns for Worship (Special Edition) Camden Bucey Open source Supplementary Reformed Forum Reformed Forum pages state no church affiliation. To the reviewer's knowledge Waddington and Bucey are OPC ministers (American 1788 text); Ragusa's page links Messiah's Reformed Fellowship (New York); Sutanto's standing is not stated. he18 re-roled supplementary; ctc512 and ctc571 stay doctrinal because the topics...

   Total: 3 hours

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

   • Reformation Principles Exhibited: Declaration and Testimony of the Reformed Presbyterian Church in North America, ch. 24 'Of Christian Worship', esp. sec. 8 (Psalms to the exclusion of uninspired compositions) Reformed Presbyterian Church in North America (General Synod) pp. 90-96 Open source Primary text 1871. Public domain
   • The Psalms in Worship: A Series of Convention Papers Bearing upon the Place of the Psalms in the Worship of the Church (ed. John McNaugher, 1907) Various, United Presbyterian Church of North America; ed. John McNaugher Open source Doctrinal 1907. Public domain
   • Instrumental Music in the Public Worship of the Church John L. Girardeau Open source Primary text 1888. Public domain American subscribers (1788 text). Their material here concerns worship and Turretin's method, not the civil magistrate. Used freely under the PRD rule for American subscribers; the OPC reports are shown as a primary source with the page's own note that they are not constitutional. If any is used on WCF 20.4, 23 or...
   • Reports of the Committee on Song in Worship, OPC General Assembly 1946-47: Report of the Minority (John Murray and William Young), section 'Report of the Minority to the Fourteenth (1947) G.A.' John Murray and William Young (minority of the OPC Committee on Song in Worship) Open source Doctrinal 1947. Free online
   • Reports of the Committee on Song in Worship, OPC General Assembly 1946-47: Report to the Thirteenth (1946) G.A. (majority; Robert S. Marsden, chairman) Robert S. Marsden (chairman), R. B. Kuiper, Arthur W. Kuschke, John Murray, John H. Skilton, Edward J. Young, William Young Open source Doctrinal 1946. Free online
   • The Church Order Commentary, on Article 69 'Psalms and Hymns for Public Worship' (Christian Reformed Church) Idzerd Van Dellen and Martin Monsma Open source Primary text 1941. Free online Copyright 1941 printed in the book; the Library of Congress scan states it is 'unaware of any copyright restrictions', but renewal was not checked. It is also the only continental text for hymns beyond art. 69. Kept as free-online primary-text with the rights note; faculty to confirm renewal status or move it to...
   • Church Order of Dort (1619), art. 69 Synod of Dort Open source Primary text Free online
   • Deformation or Reformation? (Heidelblog) R. Scott Clark (Westminster Seminary California; URCNA) Open source Doctrinal 2010. Free online Both sides are present by real advocates, but Side B is uneven: Clark argues for inspired canonical songs only (nearer Dort art. 69, which also excludes 'all other hymns'), the OPC majority report argues for songs not confined to Scripture's words but is American, and the only continental hymn-permitting text is the...
   • Songs of Zion: A Contemporary Case for Exclusive Psalmody Michael Bushell Supplementary No link: find it in a library or bookstore. Purchase (optional)

   Total: 7 pages

7. Assignment Side A, exclusive psalmody (RPCNA Declaration and Testimony with McNaugher); side B, psalms plus canonical songs (Clark, URCNA) and the OPC majority report. Write a two-sided statement of 400 words for each side, then one paragraph naming the point of disagreement.

   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.