Prominent Defenders of the Christian Sabbath

[NaphtaliPress]

All,
Who living would you consider to be the most prominent defenders of the good old way of the Puritan (i.e. biblical) view of the fourth commandment?

 

[Reformed Covenanter]

Brian Schwertley, Chris Coldwell, Matthew Winzer, Nathan Eshelman.

 

[NaphtaliPress]

That's flattering; but I'm more thinking of decades of witness and writings, etc.

 

[Stephen]

Daniel Ritchie

 

[fredtgreco]

Joey Pipa

 

[Stephen]

Andrew Bonar, Robert Murray McChyenne, Charles Spurgeon, Lloyd Jones, Sinclair Ferguson, and Eric Alexander. Is this what you are asking?

 

[Stephen]

I forgot about Joey Pipa and I would add Joel Beeke.

 

[NaphtaliPress]

Andrew Bonar, Robert Murray McChyenne, Charles Spurgeon, Lloyd Jones, Sinclair Ferguson, and Eric Alexander. Is this what you are asking?

Yes; but not yet passed on to glory.

 

[Blue Tick]

Joey Pipa

 

[NaphtaliPress]

Does Dr. Beeke take more of a Puritan view than Reformed?

 

[VirginiaHuguenot]

James T. Dennison, Jr.
Walter Chantry

 

[Reformed Covenanter]

I was going to suggest Joel Beeke, Joesph Pipa and Walter Chantry; but I am not sure if they fully adopt the Puritan view. Can anyone elaborate? I got the impression from Walt Chantry's book that he would allow for recreations.

 

[Reformed Covenanter]

Oh yes, there is Rev. Hugh Cartwright of the Free Presbyterian Church of Scotland (he wrote the essay on the Establishment principle in Ligon Duncan's volumes); he is bound to have some articles on it.

 

[Reformed Covenanter]

And what about Dr. Francis Nigel Lee?

 

[CarlosOliveira]

Iain D. Campbell - On the First Day of the Week: God, The Christian and The Sabbath

 

[Stephen]

Does Dr. Beeke take more of a Puritan view than Reformed?

What is the difference? Beeke comes out of the Dutch tradition. They say if you aint Dutch you aint much.

 

[Stephen]

I was going to suggest Joel Beeke, Joesph Pipa and Walter Chantry; but I am not sure if they fully adopt the Puritan view. Can anyone elaborate? I got the impression from Walt Chantry's book that he would allow for recreations.

I am not certain that Chantry holds that position but I will have to look at that further. The confession clearly states that we are to give ourselves to a holy resting from all work and recreation, so that we can devote ourselves entirely to worship. I do not think you can explain it any other way.

 

[VictorBravo]

I was going to suggest Joel Beeke, Joesph Pipa and Walter Chantry; but I am not sure if they fully adopt the Puritan view. Can anyone elaborate? I got the impression from Walt Chantry's book that he would allow for recreations.

I am not certain that Chantry holds that position but I will have to look at that further. The confession clearly states that we are to give ourselves to a holy resting from all work and recreation, so that we can devote ourselves entirely to worship. I do not think you can explain it any other way.

As I recall, in his little book "Call the Sabbath a Delight", he doesn't approach the recreation question as a yes or no, but rather says that things that clear your mind for reflection are quite OK. I think the example he used was that if you were a sedentary office worker who rarely got outside during the work week, it was quite all right to go out for a bike ride or a walk for some exercise and air, all to clear your mind and aid your meditations.

I thought his book was good at urging the command but avoiding the over-focus on negative rules (without being antinomian). Rather, he pointed out the purpose and joyful benefits of obeying the Fourth Commandment.

 

[KMK]

Maybe Sam Waldron?

 

[Pilgrim]

G.I. Williamson?

 

[Stephen]

G.I. Williamson?

He is not a systematic theologian. He wrote a commentary on the Westminster Confession of Faith, which is a great resource for teaching a Sabbath School class or an introduction to the WCF.

 

[Pilgrim]

G.I. Williamson?

He is not a systematic theologian. He wrote a commentary on the Westminster Confession of Faith, which is a great resource for teaching a Sabbath School class or an introduction to the WCF.

Was the question limited to systematic theologians?

 

[Pilgrim]

Morton Smith

 

[NaphtaliPress]

G.I. Williamson?

He is not a systematic theologian. He wrote a commentary on the Westminster Confession of Faith, which is a great resource for teaching a Sabbath School class or an introduction to the WCF.

Was the question limited to systematic theologians?

No; anyone who has been long a defender of the Lord's day in print.

 

[Pilgrim]

He is not a systematic theologian. He wrote a commentary on the Westminster Confession of Faith, which is a great resource for teaching a Sabbath School class or an introduction to the WCF.

Was the question limited to systematic theologians?

No; anyone who has been long a defender of the Lord's day in print.

Do I sense a project on the Sabbath for CPJ similar to the one on the RPW in the works?

 

[Pilgrim]

And what about Dr. Francis Nigel Lee?

Definitely at or near the top of the list.

The Covenantal Sabbath
Calvin on the Weekly Christian Sabbath

 

[NaphtaliPress]

Was the question limited to systematic theologians?

No; anyone who has been long a defender of the Lord's day in print.

Do I sense a project on the Sabbath for CPJ similar to the one on the RPW in the works?

You sense a project yes, but it is a Naphtali Press book that will need a good introduction. That's all I'm prepared to say at present. From the names so far I have to say Dennison is at the top because of his Market Day of the Soul, and he is one of the very knowledgeable of the history of the Puritan thought. No one has mentioned Richard Gaffin. He wrote Calvin and the Sabbath; but I do not know his views as far as strict Puritan Sabbatarianism.

 

[Pilgrim]

Richard Gaffin?

[edit: Looks like Chris beat me to it]

 

[Pilgrim]

Is Market Day of the Soul another one of the Soli Deo Gloria books that is out of print? Looks like the going price is about $97.

 

[Pilgrim]

Dennison bibliography