diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index e75ecd71..f3884c16 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -1,6 +1,11 @@
 master
 ===
 
+* Remove `page` template local. Use `current_resource` instead.
+* Dropped support for `page` & `proxy` blocks.
+* Dropped support for instance variables inside templates.
+* Moved all rendering into `TemplateRenderer` and `FileRenderer`
+* Placed all template evaluation inside the `TemplateContext` class
 * Remove deprecated `request` instance
 * Remove old module-style extension support
 * Placed all `config.rb` evaluation inside the `ConfigContext` class
diff --git a/middleman-cli/lib/middleman-cli/templates/default/source/layouts/layout.erb b/middleman-cli/lib/middleman-cli/templates/default/source/layouts/layout.erb
index 7bdfeb1e..365985b7 100644
--- a/middleman-cli/lib/middleman-cli/templates/default/source/layouts/layout.erb
+++ b/middleman-cli/lib/middleman-cli/templates/default/source/layouts/layout.erb
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@
     <meta content="IE=edge,chrome=1" http-equiv="X-UA-Compatible">
     
     <!-- Use title if it's in the page YAML frontmatter -->
-    <title><%= current_page.data.title || "The Middleman" %></title>
+    <title><%= data.page.title || "The Middleman" %></title>
     
     <%= stylesheet_link_tag "normalize", "all" %>
     <%= javascript_include_tag  "all" %>
diff --git a/middleman-core/features/instance_vars.feature b/middleman-core/features/instance_vars.feature
deleted file mode 100644
index ef240c57..00000000
--- a/middleman-core/features/instance_vars.feature
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,9 +0,0 @@
-Feature: Instance Variables
-  Scenario: A dynamic page template using instance variables
-    Given the Server is running at "instance-vars-app"
-    When I go to "/a.html"
-    Then I should see "A: 'set'"
-    Then I should see "B: ''"
-    When I go to "/b.html"
-    Then I should see "A: ''"
-    Then I should see "B: 'set'"
diff --git a/middleman-core/features/proxy_pages.feature b/middleman-core/features/proxy_pages.feature
index 522f1eb8..4a22727c 100644
--- a/middleman-core/features/proxy_pages.feature
+++ b/middleman-core/features/proxy_pages.feature
@@ -15,8 +15,6 @@ Feature: Proxy Pages (using proxy rather than page)
       | fake2/two.html                                |
       | fake3/one.html                                |
       | fake3/two.html                                |
-      | fake4/one.html                                |
-      | fake4/two.html                                |
       | target_ignore.html                            |
       | target_ignore2.html                           |
       | target_ignore3.html                           |
@@ -35,8 +33,6 @@ Feature: Proxy Pages (using proxy rather than page)
     Then I should see "I am real"
     When I go to "/fake3.html"
     Then I should see "I am real"
-    When I go to "/fake4.html"
-    Then I should see "I am real"
     
   Scenario: Preview proxy with variable one
     Given the Server is running at "proxy-pages-app"
@@ -49,9 +45,6 @@ Feature: Proxy Pages (using proxy rather than page)
     When I go to "/fake3/one.html"
     Then I should see "I am real: one"
     
-    When I go to "/fake4/one.html"
-    Then I should see "I am real: one"
-    
   Scenario: Preview proxy with variable two
     Given the Server is running at "proxy-pages-app"
     When I go to "/fake/two.html"
@@ -62,9 +55,6 @@ Feature: Proxy Pages (using proxy rather than page)
     
     When I go to "/fake3/two.html"
     Then I should see "I am real: two"
-    
-    When I go to "/fake4/two.html"
-    Then I should see "I am real: two"
 
   Scenario: Build proxy with variable one
     Given a successfully built app at "proxy-pages-app"
diff --git a/middleman-core/fixtures/dynamic-pages-app/config.rb b/middleman-core/fixtures/dynamic-pages-app/config.rb
index 161b0761..8f62dd0a 100644
--- a/middleman-core/fixtures/dynamic-pages-app/config.rb
+++ b/middleman-core/fixtures/dynamic-pages-app/config.rb
@@ -15,38 +15,16 @@ page "target_ignore3.html", :proxy => "should_be_ignored7.html", :ignore => true
 page "/target_ignore4.html", :proxy => "should_be_ignored8.html", :ignore => true
 
 %w(one two).each do |num|
-  page "/fake/#{num}.html", :proxy => "/real/index.html", :ignore => true do
-    @num = num
-  end
-  page "fake2/#{num}.html", :proxy => "/real/index.html", :ignore => true do
-    @num = num
-  end
-  page "fake3/#{num}.html", :proxy => "real/index.html", :ignore => true do
-    @num = num
-  end
-  page "/fake4/#{num}.html", :proxy => "real/index.html", :ignore => true do
-    @num = num
-  end
+  page "/fake/#{num}.html", :proxy => "/real/index.html", :ignore => true, :locals => { :num => num }
+  page "fake2/#{num}.html", :proxy => "/real/index.html", :ignore => true, :locals => { :num => num }
+  page "fake3/#{num}.html", :proxy => "real/index.html", :ignore => true, :locals => { :num => num }
+  page "/fake4/#{num}.html", :proxy => "real/index.html", :ignore => true, :locals => { :num => num }
 end
 
 page "明日がある.html", :proxy => "/real.html", :layout => false
 
-page "f*/*" do
-  @all_glob = "I am all glob"
-end
-
-page "fake/*" do
-  @glob_var = "I am one glob"
-end
-
-page "fake2/*" do
-  @glob_var = "I am two glob"
-end
-
-page "fake3/*" do
-  @glob_var = "I am three glob"
-end
-
-page "fake4/*" do
-  @glob_var = "I am four glob"
-end
+page "f*/*", :locals => { :all_glob => "I am all glob" }
+page "fake/*", :locals => { :glob_var => "I am one glob" }
+page "fake2/*", :locals => { :glob_var => "I am two glob" }
+page "fake3/*", :locals => { :glob_var => "I am three glob" }
+page "fake4/*", :locals => { :glob_var => "I am four glob" }
diff --git a/middleman-core/fixtures/dynamic-pages-app/source/real/index.html.erb b/middleman-core/fixtures/dynamic-pages-app/source/real/index.html.erb
index 6e24c740..df64a7cc 100644
--- a/middleman-core/fixtures/dynamic-pages-app/source/real/index.html.erb
+++ b/middleman-core/fixtures/dynamic-pages-app/source/real/index.html.erb
@@ -2,8 +2,8 @@
 layout: false
 ---
 
-I am real: <%= @num %>
+I am real: <%= num %>
 
-Global: <%= @glob_var %>
+Global: <%= glob_var %>
 
-All: <%= @all_glob %>
\ No newline at end of file
+All: <%= all_glob %>
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/middleman-core/fixtures/i18n-force-locale/config.rb b/middleman-core/fixtures/i18n-force-locale/config.rb
index 08ee30e5..4058360e 100644
--- a/middleman-core/fixtures/i18n-force-locale/config.rb
+++ b/middleman-core/fixtures/i18n-force-locale/config.rb
@@ -1,7 +1,5 @@
 [:en, :es].each do |locale|
-  proxy "/#{locale}/index.html", "index.html", :ignore => true do
-    ::I18n.locale = locale
-  end
+  proxy "/#{locale}/index.html", "index.html", :ignore => true, :lang => locale
 end
 
 proxy "/fr/index.html", "index.html", :lang => :fr
diff --git a/middleman-core/fixtures/instance-vars-app/config.rb b/middleman-core/fixtures/instance-vars-app/config.rb
deleted file mode 100644
index 76367d3f..00000000
--- a/middleman-core/fixtures/instance-vars-app/config.rb
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,7 +0,0 @@
-page "a.html", :proxy => 'content.html', :ignore => true do
-  @a = "set"
-end
-
-page "b.html", :proxy => 'content.html', :ignore => true do
-  @b = "set"
-end
diff --git a/middleman-core/fixtures/instance-vars-app/source/content.html.erb b/middleman-core/fixtures/instance-vars-app/source/content.html.erb
deleted file mode 100644
index 58b6399d..00000000
--- a/middleman-core/fixtures/instance-vars-app/source/content.html.erb
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,2 +0,0 @@
-A: '<%= @a %>'
-B: '<%= @b %>'
diff --git a/middleman-core/fixtures/instance-vars-app/source/layout.erb b/middleman-core/fixtures/instance-vars-app/source/layout.erb
deleted file mode 100644
index cd9bb66d..00000000
--- a/middleman-core/fixtures/instance-vars-app/source/layout.erb
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1 +0,0 @@
-<%= yield %>
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/middleman-core/fixtures/proxy-pages-app/config.rb b/middleman-core/fixtures/proxy-pages-app/config.rb
index 0cd260cf..26afbc7a 100644
--- a/middleman-core/fixtures/proxy-pages-app/config.rb
+++ b/middleman-core/fixtures/proxy-pages-app/config.rb
@@ -13,9 +13,6 @@ proxy "/target_ignore4.html", "should_be_ignored8.html", :ignore => true
   proxy "/fake/#{num}.html", "/real/index.html", :ignore => true, :locals => { :num => num }
   proxy "fake2/#{num}.html", "/real/index.html", :ignore => true, :locals => { :num => num }
   proxy "fake3/#{num}.html", "real/index.html", :ignore => true, :locals => { :num => num }
-  proxy "/fake4/#{num}.html", "real/index-ivars.html", :ignore => true do
-    @num = num
-  end
 end
 
 proxy "明日がある.html", "/real.html", :layout => false
diff --git a/middleman-core/fixtures/proxy-pages-app/source/real/index-ivars.html.erb b/middleman-core/fixtures/proxy-pages-app/source/real/index-ivars.html.erb
deleted file mode 100644
index 07563e7d..00000000
--- a/middleman-core/fixtures/proxy-pages-app/source/real/index-ivars.html.erb
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,6 +0,0 @@
----
-layout: false
----
-
-I am real: <%= @num %>
-
diff --git a/middleman-core/fixtures/stylus-preview-app/source/content.html.erb b/middleman-core/fixtures/stylus-preview-app/source/content.html.erb
index ade1f58b..375933bf 100644
--- a/middleman-core/fixtures/stylus-preview-app/source/content.html.erb
+++ b/middleman-core/fixtures/stylus-preview-app/source/content.html.erb
@@ -1 +1,5 @@
+---
+layout: false
+---
+
 Hola Mundo
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/middleman-core/fixtures/stylus-preview-app/source/layout.erb b/middleman-core/fixtures/stylus-preview-app/source/layout.erb
deleted file mode 100644
index cd9bb66d..00000000
--- a/middleman-core/fixtures/stylus-preview-app/source/layout.erb
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1 +0,0 @@
-<%= yield %>
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/middleman-core/lib/middleman-core/core_extensions/routing.rb b/middleman-core/lib/middleman-core/core_extensions/routing.rb
index c4171b78..8b9a58d6 100644
--- a/middleman-core/lib/middleman-core/core_extensions/routing.rb
+++ b/middleman-core/lib/middleman-core/core_extensions/routing.rb
@@ -12,9 +12,9 @@ module Middleman
           @layout_name = layout_name
         end
 
-        def page(url, opts={}, &block)
+        def page(url, opts={})
           opts[:layout] ||= @layout_name
-          @scope.page(url, opts, &block)
+          @scope.page(url, opts)
         end
 
         delegate :proxy, :to => :scope
@@ -41,10 +41,12 @@ module Middleman
       # @param [String] url
       # @param [Hash] opts
       # @return [void]
-      def page(url, opts={}, &block)
+      def page(url, opts={})
+        options = opts.dup
+
         # Default layout
-        opts[:layout] = @app.config[:layout] if opts[:layout].nil?
-        metadata = { :options => opts, :blocks => Array(block) }
+        options[:layout] = @app.config[:layout] if options[:layout].nil?
+        metadata = { :options => options, :locals => options.delete(:locals) || {} }
 
         # If the url is a regexp
         unless url.is_a?(Regexp) || url.include?('*')
@@ -55,11 +57,11 @@ module Middleman
           end
 
           # Setup proxy
-          if target = opts.delete(:proxy)
+          if target = options.delete(:proxy)
             # TODO: deprecate proxy through page?
-            @app.proxy(url, target, opts, &block)
+            @app.proxy(url, target, opts.dup)
             return
-          elsif opts.delete(:ignore)
+          elsif options.delete(:ignore)
             # TODO: deprecate ignore through page?
             @app.ignore(url)
           end
diff --git a/middleman-core/lib/middleman-core/sitemap/extensions/proxies.rb b/middleman-core/lib/middleman-core/sitemap/extensions/proxies.rb
index 933e7312..55a0a371 100644
--- a/middleman-core/lib/middleman-core/sitemap/extensions/proxies.rb
+++ b/middleman-core/lib/middleman-core/sitemap/extensions/proxies.rb
@@ -23,13 +23,14 @@ module Middleman
         # @param [Hash] opts options to apply to the proxy, including things like
         #               :locals, :ignore to hide the proxy target, :layout, and :directory_indexes.
         # @return [void]
-        def create_proxy(path, target, opts={}, &block)
-          metadata = { :options => {}, :locals => {}, :blocks => [] }
-          metadata[:blocks] << block if block_given?
-          metadata[:locals] = opts.delete(:locals) || {}
+        def create_proxy(path, target, opts={})
+          options = opts.dup
 
-          @app.ignore(target) if opts.delete(:ignore)
-          metadata[:options] = opts
+          metadata = { :options => {}, :locals => {} }
+          metadata[:locals] = options.delete(:locals) || {}
+
+          @app.ignore(target) if options.delete(:ignore)
+          metadata[:options] = options
 
           @proxy_configs << ProxyConfiguration.new(:path => path, :target => target, :metadata => metadata)
 
@@ -45,6 +46,7 @@ module Middleman
               config.path
             )
             p.proxy_to(config.target)
+
             p.add_metadata(config.metadata)
             p
           end
@@ -65,7 +67,7 @@ module Middleman
           @target = ::Middleman::Util.normalize_path(t)
         end
 
-        # Additional metadata like blocks and locals to apply to the proxy
+        # Additional metadata like locals to apply to the proxy
         attr_accessor :metadata
 
         # Create a new proxy configuration from hash options
diff --git a/middleman-core/lib/middleman-core/sitemap/resource.rb b/middleman-core/lib/middleman-core/sitemap/resource.rb
index a02485c6..fd87a0d6 100644
--- a/middleman-core/lib/middleman-core/sitemap/resource.rb
+++ b/middleman-core/lib/middleman-core/sitemap/resource.rb
@@ -48,7 +48,7 @@ module Middleman
         @source_file = source_file
         @destination_path = @path
 
-        @local_metadata = { :options => {}, :locals => {}, :page => {}, :blocks => [] }
+        @local_metadata = { :options => {}, :locals => {}, :page => {}}
       end
 
       # Whether this resource has a template file
@@ -64,30 +64,18 @@ module Middleman
         result = store.metadata_for_path(path).dup
 
         file_meta = store.metadata_for_file(source_file).dup
-        if file_meta.has_key?(:blocks)
-          result[:blocks] += file_meta.delete(:blocks)
-        end
         result.deep_merge!(file_meta)
 
         local_meta = @local_metadata.dup
-        if local_meta.has_key?(:blocks)
-          result[:blocks] += local_meta.delete(:blocks)
-        end
         result.deep_merge!(local_meta)
 
-        result[:blocks] = result[:blocks].flatten.compact
         result
       end
 
       # Merge in new metadata specific to this resource.
       # @param [Hash] metadata A metadata block like provides_metadata_for_path takes
-      def add_metadata(metadata={}, &block)
-        metadata = metadata.dup
-        if metadata.has_key?(:blocks)
-          @local_metadata[:blocks] += metadata.delete(:blocks)
-        end
-        @local_metadata.deep_merge!(metadata)
-        @local_metadata[:blocks] += [ block ] if block_given?
+      def add_metadata(meta={})
+        @local_metadata.deep_merge!(meta.dup)
       end
 
       # The output/preview URL for this resource
@@ -106,7 +94,7 @@ module Middleman
 
       # Render this resource
       # @return [String]
-      def render(opts={}, locs={}, &block)
+      def render(opts={}, locs={})
         if !template?
           return ::Middleman::FileRenderer.new(@app, source_file).get_template_data_for_file
         end
@@ -132,9 +120,6 @@ module Middleman
             app.data.store('page', md[:page])
           end
 
-          blocks = Array(md[:blocks]).dup
-          blocks << block if block_given?
-
           locs[:current_path] ||= self.destination_path
 
           # Certain output file types don't use layouts
@@ -143,7 +128,7 @@ module Middleman
           end
 
           renderer = ::Middleman::TemplateRenderer.new(@app, source_file)
-          renderer.render(locs, opts, blocks)
+          renderer.render(locs, opts)
         end
       end
 
diff --git a/middleman-core/lib/middleman-core/sitemap/store.rb b/middleman-core/lib/middleman-core/sitemap/store.rb
index a8fcdd22..069c1e73 100644
--- a/middleman-core/lib/middleman-core/sitemap/store.rb
+++ b/middleman-core/lib/middleman-core/sitemap/store.rb
@@ -137,18 +137,12 @@ module Middleman
       # @param [String] source_file
       # @return [Hash]
       def metadata_for_file(source_file)
-        blank_metadata = { :options => {}, :locals => {}, :page => {}, :blocks => [] }
+        blank_metadata = { :options => {}, :locals => {}, :page => {} }
 
         provides_metadata.inject(blank_metadata) do |result, (callback, matcher)|
           next result if matcher && !source_file.match(matcher)
 
           metadata = callback.call(source_file).dup
-
-          if metadata.has_key?(:blocks)
-            result[:blocks] << metadata[:blocks]
-            metadata.delete(:blocks)
-          end
-
           result.deep_merge(metadata)
         end
       end
@@ -171,7 +165,7 @@ module Middleman
       def metadata_for_path(request_path)
         return @_cached_metadata[request_path] if @_cached_metadata[request_path]
 
-        blank_metadata = { :options => {}, :locals => {}, :page => {}, :blocks => [] }
+        blank_metadata = { :options => {}, :locals => {}, :page => {} }
 
         @_cached_metadata[request_path] = provides_metadata_for_path.inject(blank_metadata) do |result, (callback, matcher)|
           case matcher
@@ -183,8 +177,6 @@ module Middleman
 
           metadata = callback.call(request_path).dup
 
-          result[:blocks] += Array(metadata.delete(:blocks))
-
           result.deep_merge(metadata)
         end
       end
diff --git a/middleman-core/lib/middleman-core/template_renderer.rb b/middleman-core/lib/middleman-core/template_renderer.rb
index 65585c77..5a561fe9 100644
--- a/middleman-core/lib/middleman-core/template_renderer.rb
+++ b/middleman-core/lib/middleman-core/template_renderer.rb
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@ module Middleman
     # @param [Hash] locs
     # @param [Hash] opts
     # @return [String]
-    def render(locs={}, opts={}, blocks=[])
+    def render(locs={}, opts={})
       path = @path.dup
       extension = File.extname(path)
       engine = extension[1..-1].to_sym
@@ -43,10 +43,6 @@ module Middleman
         context.init_haml_helpers
       end
 
-      blocks.each do |block|
-        context.instance_eval(&block)
-      end
-
       # Keep rendering template until we've used up all extensions. This
       # handles cases like `style.css.sass.erb`
       content = nil
diff --git a/middleman-core/lib/middleman-more/core_extensions/i18n.rb b/middleman-core/lib/middleman-more/core_extensions/i18n.rb
index 24787a04..8047462b 100644
--- a/middleman-core/lib/middleman-more/core_extensions/i18n.rb
+++ b/middleman-core/lib/middleman-more/core_extensions/i18n.rb
@@ -124,19 +124,11 @@ class Middleman::CoreExtensions::Internationalization < ::Middleman::Extension
       lang = @mount_at_root
     end
 
-    instance_vars = Proc.new do
-      @lang         = lang
-      @page_id      = page_id
-    end
-
-    locals = {
-      :lang => lang,
-      :page_id => page_id
-    }
-
     {
-      :blocks => [instance_vars],
-      :locals => locals,
+      :locals => {
+        :lang => lang,
+        :page_id => page_id
+      },
       :options => { :lang => lang }
     }
   end