Archive for January 2023
Podcast Throwback: What hath Greek Philosophy to do with Christianity?
It was the church father Tertullian who famously quipped, “What hath Athens to do with Jerusalem?” Many Christians today have joined Tertullian in pondering this question, and have concluded that the answer must be “nothing.” Greek Philosophy, it is assumed, offers nothing whatever to Christianity, and the Christian faith is obscured and tarnished by direct…
Read MoreThe Sight of Love
Few doctrines are as “standard” in the history of theology, while being minimized in contemporary theological reflection, as the doctrine of the beatific vision.[1] While there are encouraging signs of a reversal in this trend, Protestant theologians and biblical scholars have neglected this theme in recent memory, leading some to think that the beatific vision…
Read MoreTheologically Fueled Three-Directional Love
God is love. Christ demonstrated God’s love by laying down his life for us while we were still his enemies. Theology helps faith become understanding as we explore the details of this life-giving love in the doctrine of the atonement, which, as we study it, helps us be increasingly transformed into a loving people. Here,…
Read MoreReflections on God and Christ
Gregory of Nazianzus begins On God and Christ by situating his readers within the context of a devastating critique “against the Eunomians.” Who were these Eunomians? According to Gregory, they were a heretical sect within early Christianity who “robbed the Son of [deity]” (89). The Eunomians enjoyed entertaining high-flung speculations about the Divine, and especially in public…
Read MoreThe Regulative Principle and the Corporate Recitation of Creeds
Recently I was paid one of the best compliments I could hope to receive. A colleague told me, “Sam, I know that you are a systematic theologian, but when I think of you, I think: historical theology guy.” This interaction summarizes in a nutshell the kind of systematic theologian I hope to be: one who…
Read MorePodcast Throwback: Why did R.C. Sproul think Classical Theism was his legacy?
From his books to the chalkboard, R.C. Sproul communicated the deep things of God in an accessible way. When asked what the core of his legacy was all about he exclaimed, “Classical Theism!” But Sproul’s commitment to classical theism was foundational to his defense of the faith as well, which explains why Sproul was so…
Read MoreReckoning with the Vision of God
It was one of those moments of true insight, a penetrating flash of understanding that could change one’s perspective. Some seminary colleagues and I were taking part in a roundtable on theology and science. We were gathered for dinner in a pub in Cambridge, Massachusetts. It was a pretty impressive group of scholars, of various…
Read MoreHow the Book of Revelation Teaches the Trinity
While many people rightly think of John’s Gospel or Pauline epistles as clear articulations of Trinitarian theology in Scripture, the book of Revelation is often less cited. This is understandable at some level—Revelation’s apocalyptic language is often difficult for readers to navigate. However, I argue that Revelation’s distinct apocalyptic elements actually help add color to…
Read MoreKeeping a Close Watch: On Cultivating and Maintaining Godliness in Pastoral Ministry
In March 2020, the world was rocked by COVID, its physiological consequences, and the compounded political upheaval that was already present in the country. At the time, I was not yet voted in as an elder at Emmaus but was in the applicant stage. So, I was in conversation with the elders on a few…
Read MoreDid I Explain the Text?
When I evaluate a sermon or my own preaching the second key question I ask is whether I adequately explained the biblical text. This is a distinct issue from the first question, namely, Did I exegete the biblical text? Exegesis is foundational to a solid sermon—it ensures that you accurately represent the text in your…
Read MoreGod Himself in His Very Substance
Michael Allen laments, “A survey of the vast terrain of modern Protestant divinity evinces a deep abyss: the doctrine of the beatific vision has dropped into oblivion.”[1] Furthermore, he observes, “While eschatology has moved front and center in twentieth-century Protestant theology, the beatific vision appears to have exited stage right.”[2] Hans Boersma similarly laments the…
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