by Robby McAlpine | Feb 8, 2017 | Charismatic Theology, Christology, Church History, Ecclesiology, Epistemology, Gospel, The Kingdom of God, Theological Studies
“Watch your life and doctrine closely. Persevere in them, because if you do, you will save both yourself and your hearers.” (1 Timothy 4:16) Some people don’t like doctrinal statements, viewing them as a tool of oppression and exclusion. They would...
by Luke Geraty | Jan 29, 2015 | Church History, Ecclesiology, Epistemology, Philosophy, Systematic Theology, Theological Studies, Theology Proper
Been reading Carl R. Trueman’s The Creedal Imperative. I love Trueman… even when I totally and completely disagree with him (which seems like 50% of the time). He makes so many wonderful points that are historically informed and hilariously obvious,...
by Luke Geraty | Oct 18, 2013 | Across the Web, Charismatic Theology, Church History, Epistemology, Pneumatology, Scripture, Why I am "Charismatic"
I already wrote a long post on Strange Fire, so this will be a little shorter. Tim Challies has posted Tom Pennington’s case for Cessationism. It probably has the most substance for Continuationists to consider out of all that has been shared thus far at...
by Luke Geraty | Oct 16, 2013 | Church History, Evangelicalism, Reformed Theology, Soteriology, Wesleyan-Arminian
Randall Balmer writes in The Making of Evangelicalism: “… Evangelicals have understood better than anyone else how to communicate to the masses. The message they propagate is simple, straightforward, and utterly indebted to Charles Finney. Come to Jesus....
by Luke Geraty | May 15, 2012 | Church History
Bruce Shelley writes, “Once the Romans discovered what the Christians were up to they were confronted by the problem of toleration in a more exhasperating form than even the Jews had presented. The Jews, after all, were “a sort of closed corporation, a...
by Luke Geraty | May 7, 2012 | Church History, Leadership, Practical Theology
Polemics are increasingly avoided these days. This is most likely due to the reality that much “polemical” theology is often done in unloving and prideful ways. Post-moderns hate that. Yet I don’t think we should so quickly dismiss the role that...
by Luke Geraty | Dec 8, 2011 | Church History, Conflict Resolution, Reformed Theology
You can’t really talk about the Protestant Reformation without thinking about Martin Luther, right? And even though he stood on the shoulders of others who went before him (Tyndale, Wycliffe, etc.), he most assuredly changed the world. Europe was not the same...
by Luke Geraty | Nov 19, 2011 | Church History
Marc Cortez reports that there was an ETS paper presented by Dr. Sean Lucas (First Presbyterian Church) on how every pastor needs to take church history as a pastoral discipline. Marc gives us Lucas’ four characteristics of church history that every pastor needs...
by Luke Geraty | Jul 13, 2011 | Biblical Theology, Church History, Gospel, Reformed Theology, Systematic Theology
Yesterday my copy of the latest JETS came in the mail and I was pleasantly surprised to find an article by Michael J. Bird – “What is There Between Minneapolis and St. Andrews? A Third Way in the Piper-Wright Debate” (pp. 299-309). It is one of the...
by Luke Geraty | Jun 11, 2011 | Charismatic Theology, Church History, Revival
Often, before God sovereignly chooses to pour out His Spirit upon His people, they must become broken and in such despair that their only hope is for God’s presence to come. Nothing else matters. But that desperation rarely is the default position of humanity....
by Luke Geraty | May 11, 2011 | Church History
As I’ve been reading through Metaxas’ Bonhoeffer, I’ve been increasingly intrigued by the “mob mentality” that seemed to be sweeping through Germany shortly after Hitler was made Führer (a German concept for supreme leader)....
by Luke Geraty | Mar 16, 2011 | Christian Hedonism, Church History, Gospel, New Testament, Old Testament, Reformed Theology
“Sometimes scholars say that the Old Testament does not demand perfect obedience to the law. We must address this matter carefully because there is a sense in which the Old Testament requires perfect obedience and a sense in which it doesn’t. Let me...
by Luke Geraty | Feb 16, 2011 | Apologetics, Church History, Reformed Theology
Dr. Keith Mathison has written a detailed response to the claims of Rome in what I’d consider to be perhaps one of the best responses ever (article here). I know that’s saying a lot, but the biblical, theological, and historical detail is simply...
by Luke Geraty | Feb 4, 2011 | Apologetics, Christology, Church History, Systematic Theology
Awhile ago a lot of chatter occurred on the blogosphere due to a sermon that Rob Bell preached and something he wrote in Velvet Elvis. Bell basically suggested that the truthfulness of the Virgin Birth didn’t really affect his faith. In other words, if he found...
by Luke Geraty | Dec 30, 2010 | Church History, Hermeneutics, Reformed Theology
I have been reading through some chapters in Rediscovering Expository Preaching and found a very intriguing quote from William Tyndale, the great English scholar who, in many ways, spearheaded the Reformation and prepared the way for Martin Luther’s work. He is...
by Luke Geraty | Nov 24, 2010 | Church History, Systematic Theology
Paul Poppe wrote why he likes catechisms. There is much to commend in what he writes. I especially appreciate the four reasons that he lists that favor the use of catechisms in the training of our children. However, though Paul rightly corrects some of the common...
by Luke Geraty | Nov 1, 2010 | Biblical, Christian Living, Church & Pastoral, Church History, Reformed Theology, Reviews, Theology
As 2009 marked the 500th birthday of John Calvin, a great deal of treatment was given to this Protestant reformer. Desiring God participated in this treatment with their 2009 national conference, With Calvin in the Theater of God. John Piper was joined by Julius Kim,...
by Luke Geraty | Oct 29, 2010 | Church History
St. Athanasius (c. 293-373), , a bishop of Alexandria, wrote what is often regarded as the “Mere Christianity” of the church fathers – On the Incarnation. In fact, C.S. Lewis stated that it was a “masterpiece” in the introduction for an...
by Luke Geraty | Mar 17, 2010 | Church History, Reformed Theology
John Calvin’s Institutes of the Christian Religion is considered a classic by most theologians. Regardless of whether one is Reformed or not, Calvin is one of the greatest theologians that the Reformation produced. His influence spans from the realm of theology...
by Luke Geraty | Jan 14, 2010 | Church History
“Ask Mary and Joseph, the Magi and the Shepherds [what they thought of the Child]. They will tell you that they found in this extreme poverty an indescribable tenderness, and an infinite dignity worth of the majesty of God.” – Jean-Pierre De Caussade...
