Posts by Lance English
The Incorruptible Son has Clothed us with Incorruptibility
The passion of our Lord is nearly upon us, which has galvanized me to return to the incarnation and ask that ancient question, why did God become man? As you can imagine, this question is at the core of the Systematic Theology I am writing for Baker Academic. As I’ve chewed on this question, I…
Read MoreKeep It Simple
When new seminarians first begin their theological education I suspect they are overwhelmed with the tidal wave of new terminology that comes their way. Terms like eschatological, supralapsarian, kenotic christology, hapax legomenon, merism, and the like come flooding in and incites fear in the most intellectually stout-hearted students. In fact, when I first began reading…
Read MoreTruth Unites: Why Believe in Real Presence in the Eucharist?
In this video, Credo Fellow Gavin Ortlund offers three reasons in about 5 minutes to accept the real presence of Christ in the Eucharist, or the Lord’s Supper. Truth Unites has a dual purpose as both a theological resource to the church as well as an apologetics voice to our culture. In its inward-facing role,…
Read MoreHow Does the Doctrine of the Beatific Vision Shape the Life of the Local Church?
That we look forward to the blessed (or beatific) vision of God in the great hereafter means we are to live now in a heavenly-minded posture. Heavenly-mindedness follows in as much as the beatific vision trains our appetites ultimately to seek God and his presence above all else. We do well to ask how such…
Read MoreThe Grammar of Divinity (On Theology)
Gregory, a bishop of Nyssa in 371, was part of the Cappadocian trio, who was instrumental in the development of Trinitarian orthodoxy. His theological prowess proved vital in response to the Arian and Sabellian heresies. Key to Gregory’s theology we find “an emergence of a pro-Nicene ‘grammar’ of divinity through his developed account of divine…
Read MoreThe Giver of Life: The Biblical Doctrine of the Holy Spirit and Salvation
God’s Spirit unites believers to Christ, conforms them to his image, and equips them for witness and ministry. In The Giver of Life (Lexham), J. V. Fesko reflects on the person and work of the Holy Spirit in the application of Christ’s work for the salvation of sinners. Through a combination of biblical, historical, and…
Read MorePray Before You Study
One of the casualties of the modern theological curriculum is the division of the different theological disciplines. In the nineteenth-century theologians created the fourfold division of theology: biblical studies, church history, theology, and practical theology. While there are undoubtedly other factors at play, such as the distancing of the theological academy from the church, I…
Read MoreLectio Divina in a Distracted Age
I did not need Samuel James’ excellent book Digital Liturgies: Rediscovering Christian Wisdom in an Online Age to convince me I’m distracted. Like many of you, I feel the palpable pull toward consumption and triviality when waiting in line or stuck at a stoplight. What I did need, however, was James’ reminder that the distraction…
Read MoreNew Credo Alliance! Why We Retrieve Thomas Aquinas
You’ve most likely been told that Thomas Aquinas is off limits, a theologian who will corrupt Protestants and turn them into Roman Catholics. And yet, Protestant history tells a different story: many of our Protestant forefathers did not merely retrieve Aquinas but thought of him as part of the same tradition they belonged to in…
Read MoreCredo Alliance: Why We Retrieve Thomas Aquinas
You’ve most likely been told that Thomas Aquinas is off limits, a theologian who will corrupt Protestants and turn them into Roman Catholics. And yet, Protestant history tells a different story: many of our Protestant forefathers did not merely retrieve Aquinas but thought of him as part of the same tradition they belonged to in…
Read MorePoker Face
One of the most important elements of being a good pastor is maintaining a good poker face when you’re counseling, that is, showing no reaction. I promise, chances are you will sit down with people in your church and hear of some crazy things. One couple told me that the neighbors called the police because…
Read MoreIs Sola Scriptura Medieval? Most Definitely Yes.
In this video Credo Fellow Gavin Ortlund discusses views on the authority of the church and Scripture among Wessel Gansfort and other medieval theologians, suggesting there is medieval precedent for the Protestant view of sola Scriptura. See J.I. Packer’s Proclaiming Christ in a Pluralistic Age: https://www.crossway.org/books/procla… Truth Unites exists to promote gospel assurance through theological…
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