Christ the Center discusses some aspects of the life and thought of Medieval theologian Thomas Aquinas. Specifically Thomas’ doctrine of God and the nature/grace distinction come in for consideration. Especially useful is the discussion of the nature of Scholasticism and what value there is in reading Thomas. At the end of the day, the lesson is, do not throw the baby out with the bathwater. (more…)
Christ the Center discusses the theology of the influential Roman Catholic Karl Rahner. Rahner’s theology is a composite of Kantian, Hegelian and Heideggerian philosophies. The panel discusses these philosophic influences and compares Rahner’s approach to apologetics with a Reformed approach - particularly the system taught by Cornelius Van Til. This episode will prove useful not only for the philosophically-minded apologist, but also for anyone interested in seeing the influence of one’s theological system upon apologetic methodology. The discussion may also help listeners to realize that much of modern Roman Catholic theology is quite different from that which was taught during the Reformation.
This episode is brought to you in part by The Confessional Presbyterian, a journal for discussion of Presbyterian doctrine and practice. (more…)
Nick Batzig sat down with David Robertson pastor of St. Peters Free Church in Dundee, Scotland recently at Twin Lakes Fellowship where he lectured on Emergent Calvinism. David spoke with Nick about his book The Dawkins Letters: Challenging Atheist Myths. David has been actively debating Dawkins supporters throughout the UK and shares his experience. This is an interesting discussion about how apologetics hits the road. Later on Nick asks David about Awakening: The Life and Ministry of Robert Murray McCheyne another excellent book detailing the life of the well-known minister.
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The Christ the Center panel discussed the nature of philosophy and theology and how they relate to each other. Among the topics discussed were whether theology is a science and if so is it a theoretical or practical science. The guys even tackled the question of what science is. Like the discussion about the simplicity of God, this is not for the feint of heart, but is worth pondering. Remember this, at the end of the day, theology is the science of living blessedly to God.
Noted apologist Dr. James White joins the panel on Christ the Center to discuss the challenges of apologizing to Muslims. Dr. White is Director of Alpha & Omega Ministries and has authored several books on apologetics as well as having been involved in several formal debates on various issues. Listen in on a very interesting discussion of Christian apologetics and the challenge of Islam. (more…)
John Muether, professor of church history and director of the library at Reformed Theological Seminary/Orlando and historian of the OPC, talks with the Christ the Center panel about his recent book Cornelius Van Til: Reformed Apologist and Churchman, the latest volume in the American Reformed Biography series published by Presbyterian and Reformed Publishing. Professor Muether discusses various aspects of the life and thought of Van Til, including his involvement in the so-called Clark/Van Til controversy, his critical analysis of Karl Barth, his interaction with his Christian Reformed Church critics, and his involvement with the founding and first several decades of existence of Westminster Theological Seminary and the OPC. Like the book, our conversation with Professor Muether will leave the listener longing to hear more. (more…)
The Christ the Center panelists engage Dr. K. Scott Oliphint, professor of apologetics and systematic theology at Westminster Theological Seminary in Philadelphia, in a wide-ranging discussion about Cornelius Van Til and the recent publication of th fourth edition of his The Defense of the Faith . Dr. Oliphint, who is arguably the most authoritative expert on Van Til, shares about the historical context which gave rise to this book, including disputes with individuals connected with Calvin College, Calvin Theological Seminary, and what is now Kuyper College, in the 1950s concerning common grace and philosophical idealism. Much of the material in the original edition of the book that evinced this debate was removed in subsequent editions and has now been restored and amply expanded with a helpful introduction and explanatory notes. Of special interest is the discussion of Van Til’s connection with Reformed Scholasticism and Herman Bavinck through his doctrine of analogy. When all is said and done, it comes down to this: Van Til was simply applying orthodox Reformed theology to apologetics. (more…)
The year nineteen hundred and ninety-eight saw the 100th anniversary of the Dutch theologian-statesman Abraham Kuyper’s presentation of his justly famous Stone Lectures on Calvinism at Princeton Theological Seminary. In that series of six lectures, Kuyper strove to demonstrate that Calvinism was not simply a religious dogma that some might argue was relevant for confessional purposes only, but was a thoroughgoing “life-system.” Kuyper himself described the life-system of Calvinism as “all embracing,” “comprehensive,” and “far-reaching.”
Augustine is the most influential theologian in the Western church. His works have become the foundation for much of the Western church’s thinking. Join us as we sit down for a discussion of this immense figure in church history. (more…)
The group continues their discussion of Cornelius Van Til by examining Van Til’s critique of the theology of Karl Barth. Van Til’s two books The New Modernism and Christianity and Barthianism were extremely influential in developing an understanding of Barth among English-speaking theologians. The discussion brings the critique to the foreground particularly in the light of Barthianism’s dominance in the current evangelical landscape.
Other Formats
Barth, Karl. Church Dogmatics. T&T Clark Ltd, 2005.
Brunner, Emil. Natural theology : comprising “Nature and grace” by Professor Dr. Emil Brunner and the reply “No!” by Dr. Karl Barth. Eugene OR: Wipf & Stock Publishers, 2002.
Colyer, E. “How to Read T. F. Torrance.” THEOLOGICAL STUDIES 63 (2002): 400-401.
Gaffin, Richard B., Jr. God’s Word in Servant-Form. Reformed Academic Press.
Grenz, Stanley. Beyond foundationalism : shaping theology in a postmodern context. 1st ed. Louisville Ky.: Westminster John Knox Press, 2001.
Gunton, Colin. Becoming and being : the doctrine of God in Charles Hartshorne and Karl Barth. Oxford [Eng.] ;;New York: Oxford University Press, 1978.
Hunsinger, George. How to read Karl Barth : the shape of his theology. New York: Oxford University Press, 1991.
Machen, J. Gresham. Christianity and Liberalism. Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1923.
McCormack, Bruce. Karl Barth’s critically realistic dialectical theology its genesis and development, 1909-1936. Oxford: Clarendon, 1997.
Muether, John. Cornelius Van Til : Reformed apologist and churchman. Phillipsburg N.J.: P&R Pub., 2007.
Muller, Richard A. “The Barth Legacy: New Athanasius or Origen Redivivus.” The Thomist 54 (1990): 673-704.
Oliphint, K. Revelation and reason : new essays in reformed apologetics. 1st ed. Phillipsburg N.J.: P&R Pub., 2007.
Oliphint, K. Scott. Reasons (for Faith): Philosophy in the Service of Theology. P & R Publishing, 2006.
Van Til, Cornelius. Christianity and Barthianism. P & R Publishing, 2004.
Van Til, Cornelius. Defense of the Faith. P & R Publishing, 1967.
Van Til, Cornelius. The new modernism an appraisal of the theology of Barth and Brunner, Philadelphia Pa.: Presbyterian and Reformed Pub. Co., 1946.
Webster, John. The Cambridge Companion to Karl Barth. Cambridge University Press, 2000.
White, William. Van Til, defender of the faith : an authorized biography. Nashville: T. Nelson Publishers, 1979.
