Links
Reformed Internet Discussion Groups Links
Reformed Internet Discussion GroupsReformed Internet discussion groups (also called e-mail conferences, mailing lists, message boards, and listserves) allow people to ask questions, exchange opinions, and discuss various aspects of the Reformed faith. Most of these conferences rely on e-mail messages sent out from a computer server to a group of people on its subscription list. Hence, the names "listserve," "mailing list", and "list."
A few Reformed Internet discussion groups are Web-based, but most of them rely on e-mail listserve technology to distribute messages to every one of the group's participants. In an e-mail conference, someone may want to write something about some topic. If that person is a subscriber to a listserver devoted to that topic, that person can write his or her message as an e-mail message and then send that message to the computer handling that subscription list. That listserver computer receiving the message then forwards copies to everyone on its list. The recipients of that message are free to send replies through the listserver to everyone else on the list. In this way, a group discussion can proceed and may continue for many days.
The process of a listserve computer forwarding messages to those on it's list is often very fast (usually taking only a few seconds). Because of this, list participants are able to, and sometimes actually do, exchange a dozen or more messages in an hour.
Those who wish to learn more about the Reformed faith may wish to join one or more of the following discussion groups. Much can be learned about the Reformed faith simply by "lurking" and reading other peoples' messages. Those who wish to can join in the discussions. Reformed Internet discussion groups also allow those with questions about anything related to the Reformed faith to ask their questions and receive assistance.
Reformed Internet Discussion Groups
Biblical Theology
Discussion
Conferences
Sponsored by The Christian Observer
Covie-Net
CO-URC
CRTA Discussion Rooms
CRTA-L
GenevaNet
L'Abri Lists
Ref-Net
Reformed Faith and Worship
Reformed Theology Discussion
VANTIL
Westminster
Theological Seminary Discussion Boards
The Biblical Theology Discussion list is dedicated to the discussion of Biblical Theology and Redemptive Historical preaching. It follows in the footsteps of Dr. Geerhardus Vos, who is widely considered to be the father of Reformed Biblical Theology. In the word of Dr. Vos himself at his inaugural address, "Biblical Theology, rightly defined, is nothing else than the exhibition of the organic progress of supernatural revelation in its historic continuity and multiformity." The Biblical Theology Discussion list hopes to provide a community forum for those who are in agreement with the hermeneutic (method of biblical interpretation) of Dr. Vos and other Biblical Theologians such as Herman Ridderbos and Meredith Kline. Although all interested parties are encouraged to join, it is meant especially to provide a connection for the preachers of Christ to encourage each other. Further information and the list archives are located at http://www.egroups.com/list/btdisc/.
Covie-Net is an unmoderated e-mail conference for the purpose of sharing prayer requests and items of general interest to members and friends of the Reformed Presbyterian Church of North America ("Covenanter"). In order to subscribe, send the message "SUBSCRIBE COVIE-NET" (without the quotes) to majordomo@mark.geneva.edu.
The Center for Reformed Theology and Apologetics sponsors Web-based discussion boards on various topics, including apologetics, ethics, theology, art and poetry, politics, and eschatology (the doctrine of last things). Unlike most other Reformed Internet discussion groups, the CRTA Discussion Rooms do not use mailing list technology, but instead use Web-based message boards. All messages comprising these groups' discussions are posted on Web pages. Information on these discussion boards is posted at http://www.reformed.org/discuss_rooms.html.
GenevaNet, which was established at the beginning of October 1997, is an unmoderated list for the discussion of issues relating to faith and practice within the context of Reformed Evangelical Christianity, with a particular emphasis on the European scene. It was not intended to duplicate the functions of Reformed e-mail lists based in other parts of the world. Discussions related to the world scene, and to Reformed theology (which knows no geographical boundaries) are, however, encouraged. To subscribe, send the message "subscribe" (without quotation marks) to genevanet@grace.org.uk, with a blank "Subject:" line and with no signature lines attached. If your software does not allow you to send a message with a blank "Subject:" field, please e-mail adrian@grace.org.uk with your subscription request and you will be added to the list manually. Further information on GenevaNet is available at http://www.grace.org.uk/geneva/index.html.
The Friends of L'Abri sponsor several lists to discuss the life, ministry, and teaching of Francis and Edith Schaeffer, L'Abri Fellowship and related topics. As such, most of those on these lists subscribe to most of the teachings of L'Abri and try to conduct discussion in the love and spirit that characterize L'Abri. Many subscribers, however, do not profess the Christian faith. As such, the various L'Abri lists provide meeting places for both believers and unbelievers to discuss the claims of Jesus Christ. Consequently, much of the discussion focuses on the Bible, theology, philosophy and current events. These lists include LABRI (Friends of L'Abri, the main L'Abri list) and LABRI-F (the Friends of L'Abri Forum). To subscribe, send a blank e-mail message to labri-subscribe@eGroups.com for the main list and labri-f-subscribe@eGroups.com for the Friends of L'Abri Forum. Additional information about these and other L'Abri lists is posted at http://www.egroups.com/group/folabri/info.html.
The Reformed Faith and Worship list discusses the sovereign God of the Bible in salvation, life and worship. Topics of discussion have included Psalmody, the Lord's Supper and the Regulative Principal of Worship. To subscribe, e-mail the moderator Brian M. Hanley (an Orthodox Presbyterian elder) at BrianMHanley@gracealone.com or register on the list's Web site at http://www.egroups.com/group/r-f-w/info.html.
The Reformed Theology Discussion list is the successor to the CRTA-L list. The CRTA-L list was sponsored by the Center for Reformed Theology and Apologetics, but ceased operations on April 1, 2000. The Reformed Theology Discussion list attempts to continue the friendships, discussions and atmosphere of the CRTA-L list. The discussion group is a mix of trained theologians and those new to Christianity and the Reformed faith. Topics of discussion include most categories of Reformed theology. To subscribe to Reformed Theology Discussion, send the message "subscribe" (without the quotes) in the subject line of the message to rtdisc-subscribe@yahoogroups.com. Further information on Reformed Theology Discussion can be obtained from the list owner, Barry Hofstetter at nebarry.bh@verizon.net.
The VANTIL mailing list is devoted to discussing the apologetics, philosophy and theology of Dr. Cornelius Van Til, late Professor of Apologetics at Westminster Theological Seminary in Philadelphia. Intended primarily for informed laymen, the aim of the list is to increase the participants' understanding of Van Til's thought and subsequently to apply it to the various forms of unbelief found in contemporary non-Christian worldviews. All are welcome to join the discussion provided that they heed the list guidelines and generally uphold the purposes of the list. It will be presupposed, however, that the active participants will affirm at least the major points of Van Til's teachings, i.e. Reformed theology and presuppositional apologetics. To join the mailing list, send a blank email message to vantil-request@sunnyday.ccir.ed.ac.uk with the word "subscribe" (without the quotes) as the subject of the message. Further information on the VANTIL list can be found at http://www.ccir.ed.ac.uk/~jad/vantil.html.
Westminster Theological Seminary in Philadelphia sponsors Web-based discussion boards open to the public to discuss various issues, including Christian apologetics (the defense of the Christian faith) and the theology of Jonathan Edwards, from a Reformed perspective. The technology underlying these discussion groups differs from most other Reformed discussion groups on the Internet in that these discussion groups do not use mailing list technology but instead use Web-based message boards. All messages comprising these groups' discussions are posted on Web pages indexed at http://www.wts.edu/forums/index.html. No e-mail accounts or software are required to send or receive messages to or from these discussion groups. The only software needed to participate in these groups' discussions is a Web browser. These discussion groups' Web pages include data entry forms that allows the sending of messages to these groups.
Information What's New Our Beliefs Sermons Literature U.R. Churches Classis Michigan Links Search Feedback Home