Dr. R. Scott Clark: Implicit Faith and the Cult of Personality | The Heidelblog

 It would appear that irrationalism and skepticism take precedence over explicit faith.  The "Reformed" churches, according to R. Scott Clark, advocate a similar doctrine to the same doctrine of implicit faith espoused by Rome:

The connection with superstar pastors is this: when evangelicals make the transition to the Reformed confession it is not uncommon for them to go through a period of implicit faith. On this question, however, the difference between Rome and the Reformed is that we are not (or should not be) content with implicit faith. I mean to say that when Christians begin consciously to adopt the Reformed faith it is usually through the influence of some visible teaching figure. People begin to see that the theology, piety, and practice they’ve accepted hitherto is inadequate. When they see the doctrines of free acceptance with God through faith alone in Christ alone, his sovereignty in salvation, covenant theology, Christian liberty, orderly and reverent worship, Word and sacrament ministry as a means of grace and the other doctrines and practices that distinguish the Reformed confession from broad evangelicalism they only see a part of the elephant, as it were.   Implicit Faith and the Cult of Personality | The Heidelblog

 Of course, this "implicit faith" that R. S. Clark speaks of is Arminianism.  Most Reformed denominations no longer require the study of a catechism prior to an adult or child becoming a communicant member of a local congregation.  Most Reformed congregations do not require catechesis for membership.   As long as someone makes a valid profession of faith--whatever that is--they can be accepted as members after an "inquirers" class.  It is indeed odd that Clark would concede to ignorance and implicit faith when nowhere do any of the Reformed standards espouse that view.  I guess this is an "exception" he takes with his self-avowed commitment to Reformed confessionalism?

It seems to me that there is no such thing as "implicit faith."  The wording of the Roman Catholic doctrine implies believing the ecumenical creeds while other doctrines are consider adiaphora until one becomes a Catholic:

Thomas (Aquinas) wrote:

Therefore, as regards the primary points or articles of faith, man is bound to believe them, just as he is bound to have faith; but as to other points of faith, man is not bound to believe them explicitly, but only implicitly, or to be ready to believe them, in so far as he is prepared to believe whatever is contained in the Divine Scriptures. Then alone is he bound to believe such things explicitly, when it is clear to him that they are contained in the doctrine of faith (Summa Theologiae 2a2ae 2.5).  (Clark).

It seems to me that a person should not be called a "Christian" based solely on some vague profession of faith but rather on his or her subscription to a basic doctrinal statement, namely a solid Reformed catechism and/or confession of faith.  That would mean the Larger Catechism for adults and the Shorter Catechism for children in regards to the Westminster Standards.  In the Dutch Reformed churches it would mean the Heidelberg Catechism.  Anglicans might do better to require subscription to the Thirty-nine Articles of Religion as well as the Catechism of the 1662 Book of Common Prayer.

Accepting untaught persons into membership as "implicit" Christians is a bit much, in my opinion.  Of course, even after accepting someone into membership there is no guarantee that the person will continue to grow in the knowledge and grace of Jesus Christ and the Reformed understanding of Scripture.  But we can say that at least they understand the doctrines of grace if they have been catechized properly prior to being accepted as a communicant member.

The other issue is that laypersons have some input into what is taught in the church and denomination.  For that reason alone membership and admission to the Lord's table should be restricted to those who are in agreement with Reformed teaching, including infant baptism and the doctrines of sovereign grace.  Separation is necessary in order to maintain the Reformed distinctives (2 Corinthians 6:17).