My heart desires thy peace (7): Loving the church
This concluding article in Brian Huizinga's series on church peace emphasizes the centrality of Christian love for the church as the foundation for resolving conflicts and maintaining unity. Drawing on Reformed ecclesiology, Huizinga presents a theological vision of the church as the glorious bride and body of Christ, arguing that genuine love for this institution motivates believers to address serious issues like abuse and division within the congregation. The article synthesizes practical church discipline with pastoral theology, calling Reformed believers to embody sacrificial love in their commitment to the visible church community.
Prof. Brian Huizinga, professor of Dogmatics and Old Testament in the Protestant Reformed Theological Seminary and member of Grandville PRC in Grandville, Michigan The previous six articles touched on topics that are crucially important for peace in the church. We have considered (1) the desire itself and why it is so urgent that we pray for the peace of the church in these perilous days; (2) the foundation of unity in the doctrinal truth of the Three Forms of Unity (Reformed confessions); (3)...
Full article available on sb.rfpa.org