Holiness and Honor: A Reformed View of Sex and Marriage
Philadelphia Conference on Reformed Theology 2015
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Plenary SpeakersJoel Beeke Seminar SpeakersPre-Conference The Gospel and the Song of SongsLocationsMarch 20-22, 2015 April 24-26, 2015 |
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About the Conference
"Then the Lord God said, 'It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him a helper fit for him.'" Genesis 2:18
It is important to note that these two themes – sex and marriage – are joined together in our conference. This is because they are inseparably joined in God's creation design. As Genesis 2 records God's gift of human relations, marriage is found at the very center. So also is marriage vitally important to the godliness of our churches and the vitality of our witness. With this in mind, the conference will begin with a treatment of the goodness of God's design for marriage. What is the purpose? What is the pattern? Why does it matter so vitally that Christians pursue biblical marriages? We will also address related themes such as gender, which is integral to mankind's bearing of God's image. How vital it is that Christians have a truly biblical view of gender in our confused times! We will explore the beauty and blessing of sexuality and the significance of holiness through sexual purity. The conference will conclude with an exploration of the relationship between the love union of marriage and the love-bond of salvation between the church and its Savior, Jesus Christ. We anticipate a highly informative, edifying, and biblically inspiring conference on this most relevant of themes today.
Our plenary sessions will feature the contributions of some of the most able preachers and scholars of our time, including Joel Beeke, D. A. Carson, Iain Duguid, and David Garner. You will especially want to join us for the Friday pre-conference assembly, where Iain Duguid will speak on the vitally important topic of The Gospel and the Song of Songs. I look forward to sharing God's Word together with these outstanding teachers, as well as to worshiping together with you and interacting with so many vibrant Christians who care deeply about our church and our society today, and who want a biblical and Reformed understanding of these important matters of Christian life.
The Gospel and the Song of Songs
Pre-Conference
The Song of Songs used to be one of the church's favorite books of the Bible. These days, however, we seem unsure what to make of it. Is it a manual about sex and marriage? Is it a love song from Jesus to the church? Is it something else? The goal of this pre-conference is to help you to understand what the Song of Songs is, what it teaches us about living wisely in this world, and how it points us to Christ and the gospel.
Schedule
Friday
Pre-Conference8:00 a.m. Registration and Coffee
9:15 a.m. Opening Bible Study, Richard Phillips
9:45 a.m. The Gospel and Wisdom Literature, Iain Duguid
10:45 a.m. Coffee Break
11:00 a.m. Understanding the Song of Songs, Iain Duguid
12:00 p.m. Lunch
1:30 p.m. Teaching and Preaching the Song of Songs, Iain Duguid
2:30 p.m. Question and Answer Session, Iain Duguid and Richard Phillips
3:15 p.m. End of Pre-Conference
6:00 p.m. Conference Registration
7:00 p.m. Opening of the 2015 PCRT
The Goodness of God's Design for Marriage, Iain Duguid
Saturday
8:00 a.m. Late Registration
9:00 a.m. Gender and the Image of God, David Garner (MI), Richard Phillips (PA)
10:30 a.m. The Honorable Institution of Marriage, DA Carson (MI), Joel Beeke (PA)
11:30 a.m. Question & Answer Session
12:30 p.m. Lunch
2:00 p.m. The Beauty of God's Design for Sex, David Garner (MI), Richard Phillips (PA)
3:15-4:30 p.m. Seminars (Choose One)
4:30 p.m. Dinner (at Local Restaurants)
6:30 p.m. Sacred Concert (MI)
7:00 p.m. Sexual Sanctification, DA Carson (MI), Joel Beeke (PA)
Sunday
PCRT joins host church worship for final address
The Marriage of Christ and His Church, DA Carson (MI), Joel Beeke (PA)
8:30 a.m. & 10:45 a.m. PCRT worships with Byron Center First Christian Reformed Church, Grand Rapids
11:00 a.m. PCRT worships with Proclamation Presbyterian Church, Bryn Mawr
Speaker Biographies
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Joel Beeke is president and professor of systematic theology and homiletics at Puritan Reformed Theological Seminary, pastor of the Heritage Netherlands Reformed Congregation in Grand Rapids, Michigan, editor of Banner of Sovereign Grace Truth, editorial director of Reformation Heritage Books, president of Inheritance Publishers, and vice-president of the Dutch Reformed Translation Society. He has written or edited fifty books including, A Puritan Theology: Doctrine for Life, and Friends and Lovers: Cultivating Companionship and Intimacy in Marriage. |
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Donald Carson is research professor of New Testament at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School in Deerfield, IL where he has taught since 1978. Dr. Carson received his B.Sc. in chemistry from McGill University, a M.Div. from Central Baptist Seminary in Toronto, and his Ph.D. in New Testament from Cambridge University. Carson has written or edited over 50 books, including How Long, O Lord? Reflections on Suffering and Evil; A Call to Spiritual Reformation; and The Gagging of God: Christianity Confronts Pluralism. |
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Iain Duguid is an Old Testament scholar with a passion for the church and for the preaching of the gospel. He initially trained as an Electrical Engineer at Edinburgh University and served as a missionary in Liberia, West Africa, before studying for the ministry at Westminster Seminary in Philadelphia. He completed a Ph.D. in Old Testament at Cambridge University, and has taught Hebrew and Old Testament at Reformed Theological Seminary, Westminster Seminary in California, and Grove City College in Pennsylvania, before returning to teach at Westminster Seminary in Philadelphia. He has written several books including: commentaries on the Song of Songs in the Tyndale Old Testament series (2015) and the Reformed Expository Commentary (2016). |
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David B. Garner is Associate Professor of Systematic Theology at Westminster Theological Seminary and Assistant Pastor of Teaching at Proclamation Presbyterian Church in Bryn Mawr, PA. A graduate of the University of North Carolina (BS, 1987), Dallas Theological Seminary (ThM, 1992) and Westminster Theological Seminary (PhD, 2002), he has served in pastoral ministry, theological education, and parachurch ministries since 1986. He has lived and taught in various parts of the world, including Europe, Africa, the Middle East and Asia. |
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Richard Phillips is chair of the Philadelphia Conference on Reformed Theology. Rev. Phillips also serves as senior minister of Second Presbyterian Church in Greenville, SC. An officer in the United States Army for thirteen years, Phillips commanded tank units and later served as assistant professor of leadership at West Point before resigning with the rank of major to enter the ministry. He is the author of numerous books, including, The Masculine Mandate: God's Calling to Men and I Samuel Reformed Expository Commentary. |
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Joe Thorn (MI Only) is the founding and Lead Pastor of Redeemer Fellowship in St. Charles, IL, and the author of Note to Self: The Discipline of Preaching to Yourself and Experiencing the Trinity: The Grace of God for the People of God. |
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Tim Geiger (All Locations) is Executive Director for Harvest USA, a ministry that partners with and equips the church in bringing the power of the Gospel to transform the lives of those affected by sexual sin. |
Hotels
Grand Rapids
Baymont Inn & Suites Grand Rapids SW / Byron Center
8282 Pfeiffer Farms Dr SW
Byron Center, MI 49315
Call 616-583-9535 by March 5th
$84 / night
2.9 miles from the church
Mention "Alliance of Confessing Evangelicals" when reserving your room
Philadelphia
Courtyard Philadelphia Devon
762 W Lancaster Ave
Wayne, PA 19087
Call 610-687-6633 by April 3rd
$119 / night
6.0 miles from the church
Mention "Alliance of Confessing Evangelicals" when reserving your room
The Radnor Hotel
591 E Lancaster Ave
Wayne, PA 19087
Call 610-688-5800 by February 22nd
$145 / night
3.9 miles from the church
Mention "Alliance of Confessing Evangelicals" when reserving your room
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