Touring Princeton University

The third and final day of the Calvin Conference ended on Saturday afternoon.  It was a real treat to attend this unique event!  I got to meet and listen to a segment of the intellectual society which I normally don't relate to.  It was a very intellectually stimulating atmosphere and the discussions we had were very profitable.

Here are some of the pictures (with my comments as well :) from the last day!

The room Cody and I shared

Conference attendees

Pastor Serven speaking with one of the doctoral students

Lunch with academics (everyone at the table had a Doctorate degree except Cody and I)

 After lunch, with the Calvin Colloquium being concluded, Pastor Serven, Cody, and I took a walk all around the surrounding area about Princeton Theological Seminary.  The following photos were taken during our walk.

Beautiful Episcopalian Church

Stained glass window

Princeton University arch

 Princeton University is located just one block down from the Seminary.  The University is significantly larger than the Seminary but the architecture is very similar.

University Lab

Cathedral!

 Visiting this cathedral on the University campus was a real treat!  It is one of the largest cathedrals in the whole North American continent and it is a testament to the impressive and awe-inspiring grandeur of Gothic/medieval art and architecture.  This was one of the unforgettable moments during our trip to Princeton!

The sanctuary from the entrance

Plaque inside the sanctuary

Pipe Organ!!!!

 Because it was Saturday afternoon, the church organist was practicing the hymns and worship music he would be playing the following morning.  That added to the already incredible experience.  Hearing the enrapturing and grand organ music filling the room, seeing the light shining through the stain-glass windows, and just contemplating the surroundings was a rare delight!

The altar at the front

The pulpit

Examiner Cody Winton

Small side chapel for smaller services

It was surprising dim inside the building

Along the walls of the sanctuary

 This was hanging on one of the walls inside the cathedral sanctuary.  Personally, I thought this statue was a little creepy and I'm not sure who it is supposed to represent.

 This beautiful tapestry was hanging in one of the side rooms

University building

Almost looks like a castle!

This plaque was on the Seminary grounds, commemorating the sacrifice of martyrs from Princeton Theological Seminary

Once we had seen everything we needed to see at Princeton, we left to rejoin the Serven family in Pennsylvania.  They were visiting Valley Forge, which Cody and I got to visit a little bit as well.
 

Lydia Serven, Sarah Serven, and Cody

Monument to the New Jersey brigade

Joel Serven inspects the inscription

The indomitable Continental soldier!

 I hope everyone enjoyed my photos from the Calvin Conference!  Lord willing, I will be posting pictures from the Heroes, History, & Hope Tour over the next few days, as we learn about our spiritual heritage in Princeton, NJ and Plymouth, MA.

Calvin and the Book Conference!

Hello to everyone!

   My apologies to everyone for my long absence from posting about the goings on during my pastoral internship.  Life has been incredibly busy and I have been trying to stay on top of about 5 projects.  Sadly, as my already small amount of free time diminished, I had to "disappear" from some of my social networking sites.

  That said, I'm currently on a trip with Pastor Serven and Cody Winton and I have a few moments to write again!  So I'm hoping to leave behind a trail of blog posts with pictures about all my adventures on the East Coast.

To begin with, my trip out to the New England states began with a conference.  Keep in mind that this is not your average conference.  This is an international conference!  I'm sitting in a room with men and women from countries like Scotland, the Netherlands, France, and Canada.

Secondly, this conference is all about John Calvin.  The Calvin Studies Society has organized this conference and has invited several very reputable and respected scholars from the countries I listed above to speak about the various impact and foundations which Calvin contributed to the Western world.  Some of the scholars are from liberal schools and seminaries, but they simply cannot ignore the fact that Calvin is responsible for much of what we have today in the West.

The Booktable...every conference needs one

The first lecture was given by Dr. Pettegree from St. Andrews, Scotland.  He gave a fascinating lecture on how John Calvin and Martin Luther adapted to the new technology of the printing press and used it to advance the message of the Reformation.  I had never even considered this practical aspect of the Reformation.

Cody

Meeting attendees

Scholars of all sorts

The second lecture of the day was given by Dr. Margo Todd, who examined the Book of Discipline by John Knox and the Book of Ordinances by John Calvin.  These books laid out the practical ordering of a church and a Christian society.  They also prescribed the penalties for violations of Christian conduct.  She was definitely liberal and held a modern view of God's Law in society (which can be translated as "how ignorant and oppressive people were in the days of dogmatic Christianity").  However, I did appreciate the way her lecture made me ask myself some questions about theonomy and God's Law in society which I had never considered before.

Princeton Dining Hall

I had an opportunity to meet many different scholars, seminary professors, and pastors during this conference. Lord willing, I'll get to meet many more!  During dinner, I got to have a lengthy discussion with a pastor/adjunct professor about the 5 points of Calvinism.  He specifically disagreed with the doctrine of limited atonement.  I really enjoyed the opportunity to have a good discussion (with lots of Scripture quotes!) about the questions surrounding this controversial doctrine.

Plaque to B.B. Warfield

Miller Chapel

Pipe Organ!!!!

The pulpit

An old Dutch Reformed Psalter

I always wanted to learn to play the pipe organ

The evening concluded with an incredible lecture about the pipe organ in Calvinistic liturgy across Reformed churches in Europe.  The very talented organist demonstrated several impressive Psalm tunes from the 16th and 17th centuries.  We even got to sing along to two of them!  While I don't think churches should incorporate large pipe organs in their worship service, I do love listening to pipe organ music.  The grand, sweeping, majestic, and awe-inspiring music literally carries me away to medieval cathedrals which dominated the European city architecture.

Pastor Serven with his interns...

Stay posted for future pictures and commentary on this unique conference!

Vision Forum in 2012 and Beyond!

Every year, Vision Forum Ministries publishes a list of lessons learned and visions cast for the future.  I always immensely enjoy reading these annual publications!  It is encouraging to see how the Lord is using this ministry down in Texas to have an impact all across our nation and around the world!  Furthermore, the visions they cast for the coming year are always intriguing and exciting to read, even if you are merely a spectator on the sidelines :)

So here are some of the visions for the year 2013 that I am most excited about.

You can find the whole document at the Vision Forum Ministries website.

A 3-D Perspective on the Ministry of the Apostle Paul 

                'In the Footsteps of Paul’ Tour to New Testament Greece

In 2013, VFM will take families to the location of one of the greatest apologetic ministries in history—New Testament Greece. There we will walk in the footsteps of Paul the Apostle and chronicle his ministry, his message, and the unfolding story of New Testament Christianity during the Apostolic era. From Athens to Corinth, from Thessalonica to Ephesus, we will remember the antithesis between Jerusalem and Athens and the message that turned the world upside down. 

The Great Transition 

                  Leading Our Sons from Boyhood to Visionary Manhood

One of the most discussed issues in the homeschool movement, if not in the Christian community as a whole, is the need for helping our sons to gain maturity and transition into manhood. There is a real concern that in this age of ease and entertainment, many Christian young men remain confused, unprepared, and immature. In 2013, VFM will focus on addressing “The Great Transition”— Leading Our Sons from Boyhood to Visionary Manhood. Our efforts will include holding a conference at the end of March in San Antonio, Texas. Special messages will address this and other related issues, drawing from Scripture and the experience of proven, godly success stories.
 

Announcing the History of America Mega-Conference 

                          A Conference on God’s Providential Legacy

In 2005, VFM held the first History of the World Mega-Conference, covering more than 4,000 years of history. This July we will meet on the East Coast for our History of America Mega-Conference. Leading Christian historians will trace the providential history of America from its antecedents to its founding, from its rise to its recent decline. In VFM tradition, the conference will involve reenactments, lectures, music, and exciting opportunities to enjoy the Fourth of July in true historic an patriotic style, as well as visit the
150th anniversary reenactment of the Battle of Gettysburg.

I hope you all get a chance to read through the whole list of "Lessons Learned & Visions Cast" on the website.  I think you will find it both encouraging and also challenging as you seek to lay out the vision God has put in your heart for the new year.  And remember to keep Vision Forum Ministries in your prayers during the year 2013!

Have a wonderful Christmas!