Category Archives: Systematic Theology

Science and Faith: What’s Wrong with the Comparison?

Posted on July 9, 2010 by

This post is a continuation of some of my thoughts on science and the Christian faith. Recently, I responded to a common objection posed by secular critics: the claim that humanity needs science and not theology. I concluded that without orthodox Christian theology we … Continue reading →

Posted in Church History, History of Science, Inerrancy, Philosophy, Philosophy of Science, Science, Scripture, Theology, Worldviews | 4 Comments

Inerrancy in Church History According to Kenton Sparks

Posted on July 5, 2010 by

Kenton Sparks is an Evangelical scholar who has made waves in evangelical scholarship with his book God’s Word in Human Words: An Evangelical Appropriation of Critical Biblical Scholarship. Sparks says little to nothing that is new in biblical scholarship. What … Continue reading →

Posted in Church History, Inerrancy, Infallibility, Martin Luther, Scripture, Systematic Theology, Theology | 2 Comments

Which Would You Rather Do Without: Science or Theology?

Posted on June 27, 2010 by

I recently read an article in The Guardian  by Terry Sanderson who claimed: I look at it this way. If science disappeared from human memory, we would soon be living in caves again. If theology disappeared from human memory, no one would notice. Theology … Continue reading →

Posted in Church History, History of Science, Philosophy of Science, Science, Systematic Theology, Theology, World Religions, Worldviews | 4 Comments

Inerrancy and Inspiration

Posted on June 15, 2010 by

[This post comes to us from guest blogger Michael Neal. Michael is a good friend of mine with a sharp mind and a willingness to rethink the common answers to common problems. Long-time readers of this blog with a sharp … Continue reading →

Posted in Inerrancy, Infallibility, Inspiration, Scripture, Systematic Theology, Theology | 1 Comment

Human Machines, Free Will, and Moral Evil

Posted on June 4, 2010 by

There’s a popular view on love and free will that I regularly encounter. It goes something like this: In order for love to be genuine, the agent has to have the ability to choose not to love. Unless there is freedom of … Continue reading →

Posted in Action Theory, Apologetics, Free Will/Determinism/Compatibilism, Problem of Evil, Theology, Trinity | 10 Comments

A Quick and Dirty Argument for Infant Baptism

Posted on September 17, 2009 by

1. Infants inherit original sin and thus need salvation. 2. Throughout the history of the church several means have been proposed by which the work of salvation can be applied to infants: baptism, salvation for (elect?) infants who die, a gift … Continue reading →

Posted in Lutheranism, Systematic Theology, Theology | Tagged , , | 22 Comments

Was Christ Forsaken by His Father?

Posted on March 20, 2008 by

If you are a Christian you most likely hold a belief that goes something like this: during his crucifixion, Jesus Christ was forsaken by God the Father who, due to his intoleration of sin, “turned his back” on Christ as Christ took … Continue reading →

Posted in Biblical Theology, New Testament Exegesis, Old Testament Exegesis, Scripture, Systematic Theology, Theology, Trinity | 25 Comments

Karl Barth Audio Lecture

Posted on February 17, 2008 by

I recently stumbled across this English audio lecture by Karl Barth on Evangelical theology. It’s moving. It’s inspiring. It’s profound. It’s convicting. It’s comforting. It’s powerful. Enjoy!

Posted in Karl Barth, Systematic Theology, Theology | 6 Comments

The Noetic Effects of Salvation in Presuppositional Apologetics

Posted on August 8, 2007 by

It has become standard fare in any method of Christian apologetics to give a place to what theologians call the noetic effects of sin. How does sin affect our minds? In what way is one’s ability to reason corrupted by … Continue reading →

Posted in Apologetics, Epistemology, Systematic Theology, Theology | 12 Comments

Sifting Through Church Tradition

Posted on May 28, 2007 by

After several off-blog conversations about my post “What Evangelicals Can Learn From Francis Beckwith’s Conversion to Roman Catholicism,” the necessity of a post on identifying church tradition became expedient. Though no one (not even the Catholic commentators) raised the issue … Continue reading →

Posted in Canon, Church History, Scripture, Theology | 34 Comments

What Evangelicals Can Learn From Francis Beckwith’s Conversion to Catholicism

Posted on May 15, 2007 by

The Events (can be skipped by those familiar with the story)  The news of prominent evangelical scholar Francis Beckwith’s conversion to Roman Catholicism is not a breaking news story anymore (though some of you may be learning about it for the first … Continue reading →

Posted in Church History, Ecclesiology, Scripture, Theology | 16 Comments

What Is the Place of Church Tradition?

Posted on February 27, 2007 by

For some who read this, “church tradition” might mean what their local church has typically done in the past. This is not what I have in mind. By church tradition I am referring to what the majority of Christ’s church has … Continue reading →

Posted in Church History, Scripture, Theology | 8 Comments

What Karl Barth Really Said

Posted on July 31, 2006 by

There’s a certain arrogance in a title like that (reminds me of the arrogance revealed in a similar title on St. Paul). The title implies that Barth interpreters of the past have got him all wrong or mostly wrong, and … Continue reading →

Posted in Church History, Karl Barth, Philosophy, Scripture, Systematic Theology, Theology | 16 Comments