The Twelfth Salisbury Conference

Saturday 4th October 2008 (God willing)

Venue: Emmanuel Church, Wilton Road, Salisbury

Theme: John Calvin and Lessons for Today's Church

Chairman: Rev Malcolm H Watts (Salisbury)

Speaker: Richard Barcellos, who is the Lecturer in New Testament and Administrative Assistant to the Dean at the Midwest Center for Theological Studies.

Programme

• God willing, an opening meeting will be held in the church on Friday 3rd October at 7.30pm.
• The conference will then begin on Saturday 4th October 2008 at 10:30am, and conclude at approximately 4pm.
• If you arrive early there will be tea and coffee served from 9:30am to 10:15am, in the meeting room at the rear of the church building. This can be accessed via the door on the left hand side of the premises.
• 10.30am John Calvin on Antinomianism: Relevance for the Contemporary Church. Calvin had to tackle errors regarding the Christian's relationship to the Moral Law in his fight with the Libertines. This address will provide a summary of the problems Calvin faced and the ways in which he dealt with them, which will lead the way into making reference to the history of 'New Covenant Theology' (an increasing problem here in England) and how Calvin's biblical and theological response to that kind of teaching might help us today.
• Lunch, 12noon - 1pm. Please bring a packed lunch with you (tea and coffee will be provided).
• 1pm John Calvin on the Three-fold use of the Law. This will be a positive address on the great benefits of the Moral Law. New Covenant Theology impoverishes the Church; but using Calvin's full and balanced view of the Law will help us to see that New Covenant Theology is not within historic, mainstream, Reformed Theology. Such a treatment on the Reformed use of the Law in Society (or the State) and in Evangelism (to bring conviction of sin), as well as a Rule of Life for believers (being the standard of true holiness) will prove to be extremely helpful.
• 2.30pm John Calvin on Public Worship. Continuing the 'Calvin' theme, but on a different topic, this address will outline Calvin's view of Worship. This will be helpful in dealing with the chaos that we presently and often find in Evangelical Churches. Emphasis will be given to Calvin's teaching on the Regulative Principle, and this, from an historic perspective, will be instructive and helpful. Included in this outline of Calvin's approach to Worship will be his view of the Lord's Supper which will be compared with the views of the other Reformers, Zwingli and Luther.
• Following the conference light refreshments will be served.
• There will be a bookstall.
• All of the conference sessions will be recorded and made available on tape or CD. A form will be provided on the day to place an order, which will be dispatched promptly to the supplied address. Tapes or CDs of previous conferences are also available.

Parking

The cark park off Wilton Road which has been used in previous years is no longer available. We suggest that the Salisbury Park & Ride Service could be more convenient than trying to find parking in the immediate vicinity of the church. There is a Park & Ride car park situated at Wilton, just off the A36. From there the bus service (number 502) runs down Wilton Road, past Emmanuel Church. It is possible to alight at St Pauls Church, just a few minutes walk from Emmanuel. The parking and bus ticket is only £2.00 per car, for which the driver and up to six passengers can travel.

Click here for more details.