Writing

Recent Writing

Last month, Stephen had a couple of articles published , dealing with seeing Jesus in the Psalms, as well as the Westminster Divines’ use of a newly discovered Biblical manuscript.

Key quotes from both articles - and links to read more - are below:

The Psalms: Are They Maximally or Minimally Messianic? (Logos Word by Word blog)

“New Testament quotations from Psalms are not intended to set limits as to which are Messianic; rather, they're to demonstrate how we should interpret the rest.”

The Westminster Divines and the Alexandrian Codex (Affinity Foundations journal)

“…despite all the advances in textual criticism since the Annotations were published and despite all the new manuscripts that have been discovered, a straight line can be drawn from half of the ‘various readings observed’ in a single manuscript by a Westminster Divine in the 1640s right through to the latest scholarly edition of the Greek New Testament in use today.”

Stephen joins the Gentle Reformation team

After having contributed a couple of guest articles in recent years, our minister Stephen was recently invited to become a regular contributor to the blog Gentle Reformation.

As the ‘About’ page states:

‘Gentle Reformation is a cooperative effort by friends in the R&P faith (Reformed and Presbyterian) to speak the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ in its many applications through the media of the internet. Our blog is intentionally styled:

  • to be persuasive rather than polemical (seeking to avoid the condescending pride that is, sadly, too often seen in R&P circles among those who, of all people, should be able knowledgeably to say “by the grace of God I am what I am”);

  • to speak in a tone that is pastoral rather than pejorative (though Biblical faithfulness demands that we cry “Wolf!” on occasion (see Matthew 7:15; Acts 20:29-31), we will be sure to do it only when warranted and not so often that we start sounding like that proverbial boy);

  • and to consider the people in the pews rather than professors and pastors as our primary audience (though many of us, being such ourselves, love pastors and professors and invite them to read along!).’

Since joining the team, Stephen has contributed 3 articles:

You can find all his past and future articles here. The initial plan is to contribute at least one article every two months, but more often as time allows.

Stephen contributes to new (old!) book

Houston cover - front.png

Our minister, Rev. Stephen Steele, has contributed a historical introduction to the republication of a book by 19th century Reformed Presbyterian Thomas Houston. The book is on the subject of Adoption and has been described by Joel Beeke as ‘unduly neglected’ and superior to all other books on the topic written in the same century.

Originally published in 1872 (and then again in 1876), it has now been republished by Ettrick Press and is available to buy from their website. Stephen completed his MA thesis on Houston in 2009 and has previously contributed an article on him to the Reformed Theological Journal (2010), as well as the chapter about Houston in the 2016 book Preachers of the Covenants.

Houston BC.jpg

The new book also has a preface by Rev. Ian Macleod, originally from Scotland but currently ministering in Grand Rapids. You can download a sample of the book here.

'A Special Relationship'

Earlier this year the BBC screened a 3-part documentary entitled A Special Relationship, exploring the connections between Scotland and Northern Ireland. They were originally planning to do some filming in Stranraer, both at the RP church and the Football Club, but had to pull out a few weeks before due to scheduling conflicts.

However a recent book, Preachers of the Covenants, does highlight many of the connections between the RP Churches in the two countries - including quite a few links to Stranraer in particular.

Scottish Connections

David Houston, who 'firmly established the cause of Reformed Presbyterianism in Ulster', was born in Paisley in 1633 and educated at Glasgow University. William Martin, an Irish minister who emigrated with 460 families to America in 1772 was also a Glasgow University graduate, who completed his theological training in Dumfries. At this time Covenanters in Ireland were under the oversight of the Scottish Presbytery, who ordained Martin in 1757 - the first minister of the RP Church to be ordained in Ireland.

Stewart Bates, the son-in-law and biographer of John Paul, who is quoted frequently in the chapter on his father-in-law, was born in Co. Londonderry, received a doctorate from Glasgow university, and served congregations in Kelso and Glasgow. Alexander McLeod Stavely was born near Cloughmills, graduated from Edinburgh university, and as was required of all ministry students at the time, studied for three terms at the Scottish Theological Hall in Paisley under Dr Andrew Symington (brother of Stranraer's most famous minister). J. A. Chancellor also studied under Symington in Paisley.

Torrens Boyd was born in Ireland and ordained to Penpont near Dumfries. Some of his members walked 17 miles to get to church. He resisted calls for unity with other denominations which had begun to embrace liberalism, warning that such a union would be like chaining two ships together - when the waves begin to roll 'they will rasp each other's sides off, tear open each other's hearts and go down together'. The subsequent history of the churches in question would prove him right.

Penpont communion token in use during Boyd's time - on display at Dumfries Museum

Penpont communion token in use during Boyd's time - on display at Dumfries Museum

A. C. Gregg was a Donegal man who served congregations in Loanhead (south of Edinburgh) and Greenock. He served the church through writing as well as preaching: editing the church's magazine, the Reformed Presbyterian Witness, and helping put together the biography of the famous J. P. Struthers of Whithorn and Greenock.

F. S. Leahy, another Donegal man, studied at the Free Church College in Edinburgh and initialled ministered in the Irish Evangelical Church before his increasingly Presbyterian convictions led to him joining the RPCI.

Stranraer Connections

Part of the sermon A. C. Gregg preached at the ordination of Moffett Blair (twice minister of Stranraer, 1932-44 and 1969-78) is quoted. There is also a whole chapter devoted to Moffett's brother Hugh Blair, who began his ministry in Loanhead and served as edited of the R. P. Witness. He spent the majority of his ministry in Ballymoney and wrote the commentary on the book of Joshua in the New Bible Commentary.

Willie Young (pictured below) who was minister of Stranraer from 1946-56 also gets a mention for the role he played in organising a convention of the Reformed Presbyterian Churches of Scotland, Ireland and North America, which was held in Scotland in 1938.

There are also connections to Stranraer in the authors of some of the chapters. Tim Donachie (who contributed the chapter on David Houston) was the moderator of the RPCS when our current minister Stephen Steele was ordained, and preached the ordination sermon. Samuel Ferguson, whose biography of William Stavely is republished in the book, was minister of Stephen's home congregation of Faughan for 47 years. Sam Cromie baptised Stephen's wife Carla. Then Stephen himself has a chapter on Thomas Houston of Knockbracken.

Preachers of the Covenants is available to buy from James Dickson Books in Kilsyth, or the Covenanter Bookshop in Belfast.

Related articles: New book traces history of RP churches in Galloway
Related audio: Sermons on Psalm 23 by Dr Hugh J. Blair.