I appreciate J Baldwin's clarifying remarks regarding the article on Reformed traditionalism I posted. I also make it clear, contrary to Matthew's impression of my article, that the Reformers did attempt to maintain as much as possible a continuity with the past. For instance, I wrote, "The Protestant Reformers were not opposed to all tradition. If you read their writings, you’ll find that they occasionally cite the church fathers and earlier church tradition in a positive light. For instance, both Luther and Calvin had a deep appreciation for the writings of Augustine. They sometimes quoted Augustine to demonstrate that what they were teaching was not entirely novel. But we do not seem to find among the Reformers a pronounced concern or preoccupation to be identified with the Augustinian tradition. We do not find Protestant churches springing up with the name, “The Augustinian Church of Wittenburg,” or “Grace Augustinian Church.” We do not find Luther and Calvin calling the church to return to the writings of Augustine. Rather, the Reformers were primarily concerned to take the church back not to Augustine, not to Athanasius, not to Irenaeus, but all the way back to Jesus, and to Paul, and to John, and to the other biblical writers."

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Bob Gonzales Jr., Dean
Reformed Baptist Seminary
Easley, South Carolina

"Persons need not and ought not to set any bounds to their spiritual and gracious appetites." Jonathan Edwards