Archive for June 2019
Eavesdrop on a Theological Conversation: Recent Episodes of the Credo Podcast
Are you looking to deepen your understanding of theology? In the last several episodes of the Credo Podcast, a range of doctrinal issues have been covered, including justification in the Old Testament, the relationship between biblical and systematic theology, Sovereign grace according to the Canons of Dort, the Trinity according to Augustine, theo-drama, and systematics…
Read MoreWhy Pastors Should Engage Charles Spurgeon
Consecrate’: “1. To make sacred; to appropriate to sacred uses….2. To dedicate inviolably to some particular purpose or person.”[1] Charles Haddon Spurgeon is an evangelical figure of titanic proportions, and the more one knows about his life the more incredible it becomes. I first met Spurgeon while working at The Spurgeon Library in 2015 and…
Read MoreNot Served by Human Hands: Why God is Life in and of Himself
The new issue of Credo Magazine focuses on The Aseity of God. The following is an excerpt from Liam Goligher’s feature article, Not Served by Human Hands: Why God is Life in and of Himself. Liam Goligher (D.Min., Reformed Theological Seminary), a native of Scotland, is Senior Minister of Tenth Presbyterian Church in Philadelphia, PA. Liam…
Read MoreWhat’s Your Church’s Real Philosophy of Ministry? Ask Your Budget.
To understand what really matters to your church, look past its vision statement, past its website, past its glossy brochures, past what your pastor says your church cares about—and look at your budget. Follow the money. As Jesus said, “Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also” (Matt. 6:21). Jesus spoke those words…
Read MoreJohn Broadus and the Importance of Doctrinal Preaching
John Albert Broadus (1827-1895) was one of the most dynamic American Baptist preachers of the nineteenth century. The pastor-turned-professor preached consistently for over forty years and developed a reputation for being a powerful communicator. A. T. Robertson, the famous Greek grammarian and son-in-law of Broadus, heard “Beecher and Phillips Brooks, Maclaren, Joseph Parker and Spurgeon,…
Read MoreA First Primer on the Doctrine of Divine Revelation
Most fundamentally, what distinguishes Christianity from all other religions is that Christianity is a revealed religion. That is, it is not in any sense the result of our making our way to God. It is in its entirety the result of God making himself known to us. Christianity therefore is marked by its message, a…
Read MoreWhy Pastors Should Engage the Greek New Testament
If pastors think back to their time at seminary or Bible college, they probably remember many of their classmates, one or two of the most inspiring instructors, some hilarious situations, the odd embarrassment, and, perhaps, the hours apparently wasted on learning Greek. Getting the alphabet was OK, as it provided us with some boasting rights,…
Read MoreDoctrine Is Heaven: New Credo Podcast with Joel Beeke
What does it mean for systematic theology to be reformed? Why is it important that we understand reformed systematic theology as creedal in nature? Why is covenant so critical to how we do systematic theology? Is systematic theology antithetical to spirituality? Why is anti-intellectual biblicism not helpful to systematic theology? In this new episode of…
Read MoreDoctrine is Heaven: Systematics for the Whole Man
What does it mean for systematic theology to be reformed? Why is it important that we understand reformed systematic theology as creedal in nature? Why is covenant so critical to how we do systematic theology? Is systematic theology antithetical to spirituality? Why is anti-intellectual biblicism not helpful to systematic theology? In this new episode of…
Read MoreThe Necessity of Doing “Christology From Above”
Throughout the ages, the Church has always confessed that Jesus is God the Son incarnate and thus the exclusive Lord and Savior. Why? For this reason: because the Church’s confession is grounded in specific theological convictions, warranted from the entire canon of Scripture. To know who Jesus is and to speak of him rightly, the…
Read MoreA First Primer on Inerrancy
Definitions The doctrine of the inerrancy of Scripture asserts that the Bible is truthful and accurate, and therefore without error, in all that it affirms. Theological Reasoning The theological ground of inerrancy is established in the following steps: 1) Error arises from deceit and/or ignorance. 2) God is a God of truth; he is omniscient,…
Read MoreGod’s Being and Man’s Becoming: Herman Bavinck and God’s Aseity
The new issue of Credo Magazine focuses on The Aseity of God. The following is an excerpt from Ron Gleason’s feature article, God’s Being and Man’s Becoming: Herman Bavinck and God’s Aseity. Dr. Ron Gleason is a 1975 graduate of Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary (M.Div., magna cum laude, member of the Phi Alpha Chi academic honor society) and…
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