Standing for Orthodoxy: The Historical Endeavour in the Service of God’s People

Standing for Orthodoxy celebrates the life and legacy of Peter Barnes, aptly described as ‘one of Australia’s ablest defenders of theological orthodoxy,’ whose tireless dedication to Scripture, pastoral care, and historical theology has profoundly impacted generations within the global Reformed community. Spanning pastoral, historical, biblical, and systematic theology, the essays within this volume reflect the diverse yet unified commitment of Barnes’s ministry—to uphold biblical orthodoxy in a changing world.

Contributions from esteemed Australian and international scholars and pastors—such as Joel R. Beeke, Michael A. G. Haykin, Jared Hood, John McClean, Carl R. Trueman, Geoffrey Thomas, and Rowland S. Ward—engage crucial questions of pastoral care, confessional integrity, historical interpretation, and theological fidelity. From discussions on the Early Church Fathers and John Calvin, to explorations of Abraham Kuyper, A.W. Pink, and contemporary issues facing the church today, these essays illustrate the rich interplay between historical depth and practical pastoral insight.

This volume serves as both a tribute and an urgent call, reminding readers of the enduring necessity of standing firmly for biblical truth, the power of historical theology to inform contemporary challenges, and the essential role of the pastor-scholar in guiding God’s people toward faithfulness in every generation.

414 pages

 

Table of Contents

Foreword – Iain H. Murray
Editor’s Preface – Brett Lee-Price
Peter Barnes: A Biography – Graham Barnes

Part 1: The Outworking in Pastoral Theology
1. Keeping the Faith in Pastoral Care – David A. Burke
2. Preaching Christ in Early Reformation Bern – John McClean
3. The Importance of Confessional Sufficiency – Carl R. Trueman
4. Functional Deism: The Challenges in the Pew – Noel K. Weeks

Part 2: The Outworking in Historical Theology
5. The Later Latin Fathers & Calvin on the Cross: Convergence or
Divergence? – Andrew M. Bain
6. The Life and Vision of Abraham Kuyper – Joel R. Beeke
7. ‘Most God-beloved Father’: Eusebius of Samosata in the Letters of Basil of
Caesarea – Michael A. G. Haykin
8. A.W. Pink and the Quest for Reformed Identity – Brett Lee-Price
9. ‘Fighting Larry’: The Life of J. Laurence Rentoul (1845–1926) – Rowland S.
Ward

Part 3: The Outworking in Biblical Theology
10. The Age of Augustus and the Age of Jesus Christ: Reading Luke 1–4 in its
Historical Pastoral Context – Wesley Redgen
11. The Structure of Old Testament Revelation – R. Todd Stanton
Part 4: The Outworking in Systematic Theology
12. Limited or Universal Atonement? Why Not Have Both? – Jared Hood
13. Covenant, Church, Baptism – Mark Jones
14. Common Grace in John Calvin and Later Calvinist Theologians – Geoffrey
Thomas