We are pleased to welcome Dr. Douglas Kelly to speak about his Systematic Theology, Volume 1. Nick Batzig caught up with Dr. Kelly at the recent Twin Lakes Fellowship near Jackson, MS for this fascinating discussion. Dr. Kelly is the author of many written works including, If God Already Knows, Why Pray?, Preachers with Power: Four Stalwarts of the South, New Life in the Wasteland, Creation and Change, and The Emergence of Liberty in the Modern World.
Michael Horton, J. Gresham Machen Professor of Systematic Theology and Apologetics at Westminster Seminary California and host of the White Horse Inn radio program joins Christ the Center to discuss his book Christless Christianity. The group covers several topics including the state of the American church, approaches to culture and confessionalism. Listen in on a fascinating discussion. (more…)
Did you know that last things come first? If that sounds confusing, then you are in for a treat as the Christ the Center panel interviews Dr. R. Fowler White and Dr. Keith Mathison, president and dean respectively, of the brand new Ligonier Academy of Biblical and Theological Studies. We learn about this new educational endeavor of Dr. R. C. Sproul’s Ligonier Ministries. Additionally we discuss eschatological perspectives from Genesis to Revelation, focusing on Dr. Mathison’s new book From Age to Age. Dr. White is the editor or contributor to several books, including Whatever Happened to the Reformation? Dr. Mathison is a prolific author who has written, among many titles, When Shall These Things Be? and Given for You. Listeners will want to listen carefully to this episode in order to ascertain whether Dr. Mathison is an optimistic amillennialist or a pessimistic postmillenialist. (more…)
The Christ the Center panel had a fascinating conversation with Rev. Danny Olinger, general secretary for the Committee on Christian Education for the Orthodox Presbyterian Church and editor of The Geerhardus Vos Anthology, about all things Vos. Rev. Olinger gives the listener a brief biographical sketch of the life and ministry of Vos and gets to the heart of Vos’ contribution to Reformed theology: Biblical theology of a Reformed and orthodox variety. Several key aspects of Vos’ work are explained, including the expression “eschatology precedes soteriology.” By the end of the discussion, listeners will understand the importance of Vos for a proper grasp of Reformed theology in general.
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Rev. James O’Brien, pastor of Reedy River PCA, joins with the Christ the Center panel for a discussion of all things Puritan. Rev. O’Brien shares his wisdom gained from years of reading and wrestling with various Puritan authors. He highlights how the Puritans should be read, who should be read, and why they should be read. This is an episode you will not want to miss. (more…)
The Christ the Center panel had the distinct privilege of recently interviewing Dr. Michael A. G. Haykin, professor of church history and Biblical spirituality at Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Kentucky, about the importance of studying the early church fathers and reading them as the Protestant Reformers did. Dr. Haykin notes that Evangelicals are not known for their familiarity with the church fathers as they are often seen as the provenance of Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox scholars and theologians. But this would be wrong and would in fact be a declension. For instance the Reformers widely read the fathers as senior conversation partners in the interpretation of Scripture and in the exposition of theology. John Calvin, for instance, quoted from such fathers as the great Augustine and learned some of his preaching method from John Chrysostom. The contemporary church owes a deep debt of gratitude to the early church fathers, who wrestled with such significant matters as the doctrine of the Trinity, the two natures of Christ, and the full deity of Christ and the Holy Spirit. Dr. Haykin notes that unlike Scripture, the fathers are not inerrant and so must be read and wrestled with, with discernment. Dr. Haykin is also a respected Jonathan Edwards scholar and has written or edited numerous articles and books, including: The Christian Lover, The Advent of Evangelicalism, Jonathan Edwards: The Holy Spirit in Revival, The Revived Puritan: The Spirituality of George Whitefield, The Spirit of God: The Exegesis of 1 and 2 Corinthians in the Pneumatomachian Controversy of the Fourth Century, and the three volume British Particular Baptists. This is a must hear interview that will only deepen one’s theological understanding of the Reformed faith.
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Why Can’t Johnny Preach? That is a good question. And it is a troubling question too. To try to get at an answer, the Christ the Center panel interviewed Rev. Dr. T. David Gordon, minister in the Presbyterian Church in America and professor of religion and Greek at Grove City College. Dr. Gordon is former pastor of Christ Presbyterian Church in Nashua, NH and associate professor of New Testament at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary in South Hamilton, MA. The panel discussed with Dr. Gordon the reasons why preaching has fallen on such hard times in our day and what can be done about it. Along the way, issues of media ecology are also discussed as they bear on the challenges various media present to the task of preaching and the task of listening to preaching. Listeners will find much food for thought in this provocative episode. (more…)
This is part 2 of a 2 part discussion with Guy Prentiss Waters. Part 1 is also available for download.
The Christ the Center panel had the distinct privilege of discussing N. T. Wright’s new book Justification: God’s Plan and Paul’s Vision with Guy Prentiss Waters, associate professor of New Testament at Reformed Theological Seminary in Jackson, MS. Dr. Waters is an ordained minister in Presbyterian Church in America and did his doctoral work under the supervision of E. P. Sanders at Duke University. Dr. Waters has written numerous books and articles, including The End of Deuteronomy in the Epistles of Paul, Justification and the New Perspectives on Paul, The Federal Vision and Covenant Theology, and he has co-edited with Gary Johnson By Faith Alone and has contributed a chapter to the recent publication The Law is Not of Faith. Dr. Waters and the panel discuss various features of Wright’s book, such as what is new in the book from what Wright has previously published, continuities with Wright’s past work, and the tone of the book. This a a fascinating and detailed discussion that we have divided into two episodes.
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The Christ the Center panel had the distinct privilege of discussing N. T. Wright’s new book Justification: God’s Plan and Paul’s Vision with Guy Prentiss Waters, associate professor of New Testament at Reformed Theological Seminary in Jackson, MS. Dr. Waters is an ordained minister in Presbyterian Church in America and did his doctoral work under the supervision of E. P. Sanders at Duke University. Dr. Waters has written numerous books and articles, including The End of Deuteronomy in the Epistles of Paul, Justification and the New Perspectives on Paul, The Federal Vision and Covenant Theology, and he has co-edited with Gary Johnson By Faith Alone and has contributed a chapter to the recent publication The Law is Not of Faith. Dr. Waters and the panel discuss various features of Wright’s book, such as what is new in the book from what Wright has previously published, continuities with Wright’s past work, and the tone of the book. This a a fascinating and detailed discussion that we have divided into two episodes.
Part 2 of this discussion is also available. (more…)
Dr. Richard B. Gaffin, Professor of Biblical and Systematic Theology, Emeritus at Westminster Theological Seminary in Philadelphia, joined the Christ the Center panel to discuss the nature of the gospel and the relation of the benefits of redemption to union with Christ. The significance of the contribution of John Calvin was delved into, especially his handling of the duplex gratia dei or two-fold blessing of justification and sanctification and how this relates to our union with the risen Lord.
Of special interest was the conversation about how justification and sanctification relate to each other within union. A discussion was also had regarding the distinction between definitive and progressive sanctification and the biblical basis for that distinction. The panel also discussed the relation of the historia salutis (the history of redemption or the accomplishment of redemption) to the ordo salutis (the order of salvation or its application).
Dr. Gaffin is the author of numerous articles and books, including Resurrection and Redemption, Calvin and the Sabbath, Perspectives on Pentecost, By Faith, Not By Sight and he has edited a collection of the shorter writings of Geerhardus Vos, Redemptive History and Biblical Interpretation. In May of 2008 Dr. Gaffin entered into honored retirement and was the recipient of a festschrift entitled Resurrection and Eschatology co-edited by Lane G. Tipton and Jeffrey C. Waddington.
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