@Birdie Maybe it's different here in Australia, but that's just not how I hear the terms used. They're pretty much complete synonyms here.
What specific differences do you think is implied, or included in the historic confessions?
Maybe that's because of the small presence of Dutch Reformed here, so without any very prominent denominations with Reformed in their names, the term isn't associated with adherence to all their distinctives
So I wouldn't include polity in the definition of Reformed Theology, even though some polities are associated with the movement more than others
BTW, I think Covenant Theology is non-covenantal / a betrayal of true covenantalism, what does that make me :P
I do hear people use Reformed in a loose sense to mean basically just Calvinist but not anyone in a good Reformed or Presbyterian church, so I would argue it's incorrect to use Reformed to mean just Calvinist, given the people who actually have the historic Reformed faith don't use it in that way.
@curiousdannii Not necessarily differences, but Calvinistic soteriology is only one part of what the confessions typically cover.
E.g. doctrine of God, man, sin, church, covenants, prayer, law, gospel, discipline, sacramenta are typically covered.
I still think it's wise to not assume your readers will know what you mean by distinguishing them though. They're treated as synonymous too much for any kind of safe assumption
@Birdie I'm New Covenant Theology ish, but it's too caught up in American debates, particularly the applicability of the decalogue. That's not much of an issue here
Regarding Korvin's question, either tag would work but with the reformed-theology tag it's easier for me at least to assume the confessions and Reformers are acceptable, whereas with the calvinism tag you could use people like John MacArthur or John Piper, who aren't strictly speaking Reformed, even though they are Calvinistic in their soteriology.
The idea of a promise is not a promise. So I reject the idea of the Covenant of Grace being an actual covenant. And it gives no real benefit to doctrine over simply saying that God's MO is grace.
Other than propping up paedo baptism, which isn't a benefit IMO :P
A promise is a speech act, it comes into existence when it is spoken. Thinking about promising something to someone doesn't mean you have promised it. The CoG is outside time, between God and his amorphous people, which unspecified terms other than God would be gracious.
I've never heard a satisfactory explanation of the first of the Biblical covenants from a CT adherent. God makes that covenant with all the land animals. They're either a party of the covenant, or they're not, and if they are then they must also be a party of every other administration of the covenant, for there is only one people of God
I hadn't heard of 1689 Federalism before, but after a brief look at it I don't think I'd agree enough with it
I've got to stop being distracted and finish this essay. Keen to chat another time though!
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