Scripture and Worship: Biblical Interpretation and the Directory for Public Worship

by Richard A. Muller, Rowland S. Ward

Rare book

Genres: Theology, History, Church History

192 pages, Paperback

First published August 1, 2007

About the author

Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.

Richard A. Muller (PhD, Duke University) is P. J. Zondervan Professor of Historical Theology at Calvin Theological Seminary in Grand Rapids, Michigan, and the author of numerous books, including The Unaccommodated Calvin and Post-Reformation Reformed Dogmatics. He also edits the Texts and Studies in Reformation and Post-Reformation Thought series.

Reviews

[Gary · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was expecting great things from Muller and not so much from Ward. As it turned out Muller only just met my expectations (though they were very high) and Ward seriously exceeded those for his part. In fact, Ward shows himself in this book to be extremely well informed and remarkably balanced--even though I wouldn't agree him at every point. His introduction to the distinction between the parts, forms, circumstances and rubrics of Divine service is especially helpful. Much fruitful thinking needs to be done on just which of the above have the RPW apply to them and which are to be guided by Scriptural principle and natural prudence.

I would have liked the book to be about twice as long.

Loved it.

[Michael · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a great volume in the series. The first half of the book dealt with Scripture and the Westminster Confession and the second focused on the Directory for Public Worship; "The directory is a much neglected but extremely valuable part of the work of the Westminster divines."

This book, and this series, places the Confession in historical context that helps determine how to interpret and apply this rich confession and its accompanying documents. The historical work in this volume is fantastic.


September 2nd, 2011 I am through the first portion, on scripture. It was very good. Learning how to exegete using the proof texts, the history and writing the first Chapter of the WCF, a comparison of the WCF and the English annotations done around the same time by some of the Westminster Divines. The last essay on supralapsarianism and accommodation of those who did not prefer the Works-grace distinction of the Covenant

[Emmanuel Njoroge · Rating 5 out of 5]

What we do in our corporate gatherings matter because God has revealed himself to us. He has also revealed how we are to approach him as a people not just individually but also corporately. This book establishes our practice of corporate worship in the rich reformed exegetical tradition. It is a polemic for the Westminster worship directory showing how it upholds and is founded in reformed exegetical tradition. Our doxology must be exegetically derived from Scriptures.

[Tim Miller · Rating 5 out of 5]

Insightful look into the Directory of Worship and the Westminster Divines.

[Taylor Rollo · Rating 3 out of 5]

A good historical reference to the Westminster Standards. It shows how they fit in the greater stream of reformed thought from the Reformation onward. It also helpfully expounds and explains the Directory for Public Worship while noting its contemporary relevance and datedness.

[Benjamin Glaser · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent little book delineating the particular thoughts of the Westminster Divines on Scripture, the Decrees, and Worship from two well-regarded authorities on these subjects. Muller's section requires a fair bit of background knowledge on the subjects he takes on whereas Ward's is much more approachable for the layman.

Richard Muller, who takes the first part, destroys yet again the beast that never seems to go away (that is the misguided and anachronistic "Calvin vs. the Calvinists" school).

Rowland Ward has a fascinating and balanced read on the differences and similarities between the English and Scottish men during the Westminster Assembly and days after. Ward's section could have used some more fleshing out of some his points to make a stronger case. That being said Ward in a paragraph shows as absurd R.J. Gore's (and by extension John Frame) RPW case as being incoherent.

Highly recommend.