K. Scott Oliphint

Covenantal, Not Classical

Special Edition — Wed, 18 Oct 2017 04:00:28 +0000

The Reformation of Apologetics, Session #2
Reformed Forum 2017 Theology Conference
Hope Presbyterian Church (OPC)

Download the handouts.

Participants: K. Scott Oliphint

The Problem of Thomistic Foundations for Apologetics

Special Edition — Mon, 16 Oct 2017 04:00:23 +0000

The Reformation of Apologetics, Session #1
Reformed Forum 2017 Theology Conference
Hope Presbyterian Church (OPC)

Download the handouts.

Participants: K. Scott Oliphint

The Majesty of Mystery

Christ the Center — Fri, 24 Mar 2017 04:00:42 +0000

K. Scott Oliphint speaks about the incomprehensibility of God as detailed in his book, The Majesty of Mystery: Celebrating the Glory of an Incomprehensible God (Lexham Press). As creatures, we will never and can never comprehend fully God’s mysteries. Indeed, this must even be an epistemological and methodological starting point. Standing upon this biblically-based notion of mystery, Dr. Oliphint drives us to doxology—to worship our glorious God.

Participants: Camden Bucey, Jeff Waddington, K. Scott Oliphint

Christian-Theistic Evidences

Christ the Center — Fri, 18 Mar 2016 04:00:51 +0000

K. Scott Oliphint, Professor of Apologetics and Systematic Theology at Westminster Theological Seminary, explains the role of evidences in a Reformed apologetic by turning to Cornelius Van Til’s book Christian-Theistic Evidences. Dr. Oliphint provides a foreword and explanatory notes in this re-typeset syllabus, originally from Cornelius Van Til’s Christian Evidences class at Westminster Seminary. As he addresses unbelieving philosophies of science, Van Til presents an uncompromising Christian philosophy and methodology for defending the faith that presupposes the absolute authority of the triune God of Scripture.

Participants: Camden Bucey, Jared Oliphint, K. Scott Oliphint

Van Til’s Common Grace and the Gospel

Christ the Center — Fri, 21 Aug 2015 04:00:39 +0000

Today we speak with Dr. K. Scott Oliphint, Professor of Apologetics and Systematic Theology at Westminster Theological Seminary in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania about Cornelius Van Til’s book Common Grace and the Gospel (P&R Publishing). Dr. Oliphint has annotated a new edition of Van Til’s important work. In the trajectory of other recently annotated volumes of Van Til, such as The Defense of the Faith and An Introduction to Systematic Theology, this edition will help readers to understand the ecclesiastical and theological context of Van Til’s work and its enduring value.

Participants: Camden Bucey, Jared Oliphint, K. Scott Oliphint

Theological Principles from Van Til’s Common Grace and the Gospel

Special Edition — Mon, 20 Oct 2014 04:00:18 +0000

Dr. K. Scott Oliphint explains three key theological principles from Van Til’s Common Grace and the Gospel.

Unedited and Unprocessed Recording of the Livestream

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EJF0CkuHbrY

Participants: K. Scott Oliphint

The Aseity of the Son

Special Edition — Tue, 14 Oct 2014 02:10:28 +0000

Dr. K. Scott Oliphint examines the Reformed tradition’s understanding of the Son as a se. In his assessment, much of the tradition relies upon unsatisfactory formulations offered by Thomas Aquinas. Oliphint encourages Reformed theologians to “tear away the tares of Thomism” in this first plenary address at Reformed Forum’s 2014 Theology Conference.

Unedited and Unprocessed Recording of the Livestream

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F0f5c61qCRs

Participants: Camden Bucey, K. Scott Oliphint

[Review] Logos Reformed Base Package

Reformed Media Review — Wed, 26 Mar 2014 05:00:04 +0000

K. Scott Oliphint, Jared Oliphint, and Camden Bucey review the Logos Reformed Base Package.

Participants: Camden Bucey, Jared Oliphint, K. Scott Oliphint

Covenantal Apologetics (ETS 2013)

Special Edition — Tue, 14 Jan 2014 23:49:08 +0000

K. Scott Oliphint gives an address at the annual meeting of the Evangelical Theological Society on November 19, 2013. Dr. Oliphint speaks about covenantal apologetics, a Reformed approach to apologetics indebted to Cornelius Van Til. Dr. Oliphint previously joined us on Christ the Center to speak about his book on the subject titled, Covenantal Apologetics: Principles and Practice in Defense of Our Faith.

Participants: K. Scott Oliphint

Highlights from 2013

Christ the Center — Fri, 03 Jan 2014 05:00:12 +0000

We begin the New Year with a look at some of our best clips from 2013. Listen to the full episodes of the clips we’ve chosen to include by using the following links:

Participants: Camden Bucey, Carl Trueman, Carlton Wynne, Darryl G. Hart, David Gibson, David Murray, James White, Jared Oliphint, Jim Cassidy, John Currid, Jonathan Gibson, K. Scott Oliphint, Lane G. Tipton, Michael Emlet, Nick Batzig, Scott Manetsch, Scott R. Wright, Timothy Brindle, Vern Poythress, William Edgar

The Aseity of the Son

Christ the Center — Fri, 23 Aug 2013 05:00:14 +0000

Scott Oliphint speaks about the aseity of the Son of God, following up on a review of Brannon Ellis’ book Calvin, Classical Trinitarianism, and the Aseity of the Son. The thesis of the book, which Dr. Oliphint takes up, is that Calvin’s teaching on the Son’s aseity was a way of maintaining orthodoxy but also of advancing and clarifying orthodoxy. The question was, if God the Son is “God of God,” as the Nicene Creed teaches, is he therefore not God of himself? Listen and hear how Calvin answered that question.

Dr. Oliphint’s full-length review of Ellis’ book is in the Spring 2013 issue of the Westminster Theological Journal. For more on the doctrine of God, see Dr. Oliphint’s book God with Us: Divine Condescension and the Attributes of God.

Participants: Camden Bucey, Deryck Barson, Jared Oliphint, K. Scott Oliphint

Covenantal Apologetics

Christ the Center — Fri, 12 Jul 2013 05:00:24 +0000

Dr. Scott Oliphint returns to Christ the Center to discuss his recent book, Covenantal Apologetics. Oliphint’s forthcoming book is an accessible treatment of Van Tilian presuppositional apologetics, the fruit of years of teaching apologetics at Westminster Theological Seminary in Philadelphia, PA. We discuss with Dr. Oliphint the significance of the book’s title, namely, that the covenantal theology of the Reformed confessions underlies a covenantal apologetic approach. Oliphint explains the “quicksand quotient,” the role of common grace in apologetics, and discusses the motivation behind the example apologetic conversations found in the book.

Other Books on Apologetics

This selection is taken from our suggested reading list. For more information on how to use this list as well as books in other disciplines, please look at our list.
Level 1

Machen, J. Gresham. Christianity and Liberalism. Grand Rapids, Michigan: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 2009.
Oliphint, K. Scott. The Battle Belongs to the Lord. Phillipsburg, New Jersey: Presbyterian and Reformed Publishing Company, 2003.
Pratt, Richard. Every Thought Captive: A Study Manual for the Defense of Christian Truth. Phillipsburg N.J.: Presbyterian and Reformed Pub. Co., 1979.
Bahnsen, Greg L. Always Ready: Directions for Defending the Faith. Covenant Media Press, 1996.

Level 2

Van Til, Cornelius and Greg L. Bahnsen, ed. Van Til’s Apologetic: Readings and Analysis. P&R Publishing, 1998.
Van Til, Cornelius with annotations by K. Scott Oliphint. The Defense of the Faith. Phillipsburg, New Jersey: Presbyterian and Reformed Publishing Co., 2008.
Oliphint, K. Scott, and Lane G. Tipton, (eds.) Revelation and Reason. Phillipsburg, New Jersey: Presbyterian and Reformed Publishing Company, 2007.
Bahnsen, Greg. Presuppositional Apologetics: Stated and Defended. Powder Springs Ga.; Nacogdoches Tex.: American Vision Inc.; Covenant Media Press, 2008.

Level 3

Oliphint, K. Scott. Reasons for Faith: Philosophy in the Service of Theology. Phillipsburg, N. J.: Presbyterian and Reformed Publishing Company, 2006.

Participants: Camden Bucey, David Filson, K. Scott Oliphint

Calvin, Classical Trinitarianism, and the Aseity of the Son

Reformed Media Review — Tue, 09 Jul 2013 05:00:30 +0000

Dr. K. Scott Oliphint reviews Calvin, Classical Trinitarianism, and the Aseity of the Son by Brannon Ellis and published by Oxford University Press. In this excellent volume, Ellis investigates the various Reformation and post-Reformation responses to Calvin’s affirmation of the Son’s aseity (or essential self-existence). Listen as Dr. Oliphint, who wrote a more detailed review of the book for the Spring 2013 issue of The Westminster Theological Journal, describes the book’s salient features and provides his assessment of its worth.

Participants: Camden Bucey, K. Scott Oliphint

Reasons for Faith

Christ the Center — Fri, 18 Jan 2013 05:00:01 +0000

K. Scott Oliphint, Professor of Apologetics and Systematic Theology at Westminster Theological Seminary, speaks about the relationship of philosophy to theology. Dr. Oliphint has written Reasons for Faith: Philosophy in the Service of Theology, and he takes us through a number of important sections in his book.

Nature and Scripture

Christ the Center — Fri, 03 Aug 2012 05:00:43 +0000

In 1946, the faculty of Westminster Theological Seminary published a symposium on the doctrine of Scipture titled The Infallible Word. Cornelius Van Til’s contribution, an essay titled “Nature and Scripture,” is an important work describing the relationship of general and special revelation. In this episode, Dr. K. Scott Oliphint, Professor of Apologetics and Systematic Theology at Westminster, expounds on this essay and connects it to contemporary issues in philosophy and theological methodology.

Engaging Philosophy as a Christian

Philosophy for Theologians — Tue, 27 Mar 2012 05:00:04 +0000

Jared Oliphint sits down with Dr. K. Scott Oliphint to speak about how Christians should approach the subject of philosophy. They speak about the necessity of the Christian position, the questions asked and answers offered by secular philosophers, and the worldviews communicated in popular culture.

Participants: Jared Oliphint, K. Scott Oliphint

Apologetics and Counseling

Special Edition — Wed, 15 Feb 2012 17:40:03 +0000

Following Christ the Center episode 205, we kept the recording running and spoke with Dr. K. Scott Oliphint about counseling, apologetics, and the doctrine of God. Throughout the discussion, Dr. Oliphint and the panelists reference CCEF, the Christian Counseling and Educational Foundation, in Glenside, PA.

Participants: Camden Bucey, Jared Oliphint, Jonathan Brack, K. Scott Oliphint

Highlights from 2011

Christ the Center — Fri, 30 Dec 2011 05:00:38 +0000

We celebrate another year of Christ the Center by bringing to you a number of highlights from 2011.

Episode 156 – Darryl Hart on Machen, Westminster Theological Seminary in Philadelphia, and the OPC
Episode 160 – Carl Trueman on historiography
Episode 161 – Winston Smith on marriage as a picture of Christ’s relation to the Church
Episode 162 – Mark A. Garcia on the justification landscape
Episode 163 – K. Scott Oliphint on Gordon Clark, Cornelius Van Til, the Trinity, and logic
Episode 185 – James Dolezal on the doctrine of divine simplicity
Episode 192 – Sandy Finlayson on the founding of the Free Church of Scotland
Episode 200 – Lane Tipton on various Lutheran theologies of justification
Episode 203 – Jim Cassidy on Van Til’s criticism of Barth
Episode 206 – Kevin DeYoung on holiness, antinomianism, and neo-nomianism

Participants: Camden Bucey, Carl Trueman, Darryl G. Hart, James Dolezal, Jim Cassidy, K. Scott Oliphint, Lane G. Tipton, Mark Garcia, Sandy Finlayson, Winston Smith

God… With Us

Christ the Center — Fri, 02 Dec 2011 05:00:03 +0000

Dr. K. Scott Oliphint speaks about the doctrine of God and his book God with Us: Divine Condescension and the Attributes of God. Dr. Oliphint is Professor of Apologetics and Systematic Theology at Westminster Theological Seminary in Glenside, PA. In this episode, he entertains several general questions about the doctrine of God before moving to a more pointed discussion of how an infinite, eternal, and immutable God can create and then relate to that creation.

Participants: Camden Bucey, Jared Oliphint, Jonathan Brack, K. Scott Oliphint

The Clark/Van Til Controversy

Christ the Center — Fri, 25 Feb 2011 05:00:51 +0000

K. Scott Oliphint explores the issue of divine and human knowledge as it relates to the Clark/Van Til controversy. Dr. Oliphint is Professor of Systematic Theology and Apologetics at Westminster Theological Seminary and is the author of several books on apologetics including Reasons for Faith and The Battle Belongs to the Lord.

Participants: Camden Bucey, Jared Oliphint, K. Scott Oliphint

Highlights from 2010

Christ the Center — Fri, 31 Dec 2010 05:00:54 +0000

Today we finish our third full year of Christ the Center episodes. And to date we’ve been able to bring you a new episode every Friday since we began three years ago. It has become our tradition to close each year with a brief selection of highlights from the year’s episodes. And so today we’re bringing you clips from eight different episodes that we think provide a decent representation of the types of discussions we have on Christ the Center.

Participants: Camden Bucey, Carl Trueman, Chad Van Dixhoorn, Daniel Kunkle, Danny Olinger, Darryl G. Hart, Jared Oliphint, Jeff Waddington, Jim Cassidy, Jonathan Brack, K. Scott Oliphint, Nick Batzig, Peter A. Lillback, Richard B. Gaffin Jr.

Natural Theology

Christ the Center — Fri, 17 Sep 2010 05:00:11 +0000

The idea of natural theology has been much debated. One’s understanding regarding the project of natural theology will inevitably impact substantially one’s apologetic methodology and epistemology.

K. Scott Oliphint and James Dolezal visit the Reformed Forum studio to discuss natural theology. Michael Sudduth’s book The Reformed Objection to Natural Theology (Burlington: Ashgate, 2009) will act as the foil of the discussion. The book is in the Ashgate “Philosophy of Religion” series edited by Paul Helm and Linda Zagzebski.

In The Reformed Objection to Natural Theology Sudduth identifies three main categories in the world of Reformed objections to natural theology: objections from the immediacy of our knowledge of God, the noetic effects of sin, and the logic of theistic arguments. While recognizing various forms of natural theology, Sudduth argues that none of the main Reformed objections are successful against the project of natural theology itself.

The foundation for Sudduth’s book was laid in his 1996 D.Phil. dissertation at the University of Oxford. In that work, Sudduth attempted “to synthesize the Reformed epistemology of Alvin Plantinga and features of the evidentialist tradition with its emphasis on natural theology – rational arguments for the existence and nature of God.” (Sudduth, Preface) The book is even titled after Plantinga’s 1980 paper of the same title.

Apologetics and Systematic Theology in the Thought of Van Til

Kipton Bucey — Mon, 30 Aug 2010 05:00:06 +0000

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.

Panel

K. Scott Oliphint
Jeff Waddington
Jim Cassidy
James Dolezal
Camden Bucey

Bibliography

Bahnsen, Greg L. Van Til’s Apologetic: Readings and Analysis . P & R Publishing, 1998.

Bavinck, Herman. Reformed Dogmatics, Vol. 1: Prolegomena . Baker Academic, 2003.

—. Reformed Dogmatics, Vol. 2: God and Creation . Vol. 2. Reformed Dogmatics. Baker Academic, 2004.

—. Reformed Dogmatics, Vol. 3: Sin and Salvation in Christ . Baker Academic, 2006.

—. Reformed Dogmatics, Vol. 4: Holy Spirit, Church, and New Creation . Baker Academic, 2008.

Bristley, Eric D. A Guide to the Writings of Cornelius Van Til, 1895-1987 . Chicago: Olive Tree Communications, 1995.

Johnson, Gary L. W., and Ronald N. Gleason. Reforming or Conforming? : Post-Conservative Evangelicals and the Emerging Church . Wheaton, Ill.: Crossway Books, 2008.

Kim, Seyoon. Christ and Caesar: The Gospel and the Roman Empire in the Writings of Paul and Luke . Grand Rapids, Mich.: William B. Eerdmans Pub., 2008.

Letham, Robert. The Holy Trinity: In Scripture, History, Theology And Worship . P & R Publishing, 2005.

Muether, John. Cornelius Van Til: Reformed Apologist and Churchman . Phillipsburg N.J.: P&R Pub., 2007.

Muller, Richard A. Post-Reformation Reformed Dogmatics: The Rise and Development of Reformed Orthodoxy, ca. 1520 to ca. 1725 . 2nd ed. Baker Academic, 2003.

Rehnman, Sebastian. Divine Discourse: The Theological Methodology of John Owen . Texts and studies in Reformation and post-Reformation thought. Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2002.

Sproul, R. C., John H. Gerstner, and Arthur. Lindsley. Classical Apologetics: A Rational Defense of the Christian Faith and a Critique of Presuppositional Apologetics . Grand Rapids, Mich.: Zondervan, 1984.

Turretin, Francis. Institutes of Elenctic Theology 3 vol. set . P & R Publishing, 1997.

Van Til, Cornelius. A Survey of Christian Epistemology . 2nd ed. Presbyterian and Reformed Pub. Co, 1980.

—. Christian Apologetics . 2nd ed. P & R Publishing, 2003.

—. Christian-Theistic Evidences . Philadelphia: Westminster Theological Seminary, 1961.

—. Common Grace and the Gospel . Presbyterian and Reformed Pub. Co, 1973.

—. Defense of the Faith . P & R Publishing, 1967.

—. â€œGod and the Absolute,â€ 1927.

—. Introduction to Systematic Theology: Prolegomena and the Doctrines of Revelation, Scripture, and God . 2nd ed. P & R Publishing, 2007.

—. The Defense of the Faith . 4th ed. Phillipsburg N.J.: P & R Pub., 2008.

Other Formats

Participants: James Dolezal, K. Scott Oliphint

Youth and Campus Ministry

Camden M. Bucey — Wed, 24 Feb 2010 15:00:23 +0000

Dr. Scott Oliphint explains his own experience in youth ministry and the practicality of a seminary education for youth and campus ministers.

Apologetics and Doctrine of Scripture, Part 3 of 3

Camden M. Bucey — Thu, 14 Jan 2010 11:00:49 +0000

Dr. Scott Oliphint, Professor of Apologetics and Systematic Theology at Westminster Theological Seminary, talks about how we are to relate philosophy, apologetics, and doctrine of Scripture to each other. This is the third of three parts. Parts one and two are also available.

Apologetics and Doctrine of Scripture, Part 2 of 3

Camden M. Bucey — Mon, 11 Jan 2010 03:01:21 +0000

Apologetics and Doctrine of Scripture, Part 1 of 3

Camden M. Bucey — Sat, 09 Jan 2010 17:28:28 +0000

Christian Essentialism

Christ the Center — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 05:00:37 +0000

K. Scott Oliphint returns to Christ the Center to discuss God’s attributes. Understanding God as He is related to creation is no doubt a complicated task. Traditionally, theologians have spoken of God’s attributes using the communicable/incommunicable distinction. While this remains a helpful distinction, Oliphint presents another distinction more closely tied to covenantal theology. Dr. Oliphint is Professor of Apologetics and Systematic Theology at Westmister Theological Seminary and is the author of Reasons for Faith: Philosophy in the Service of Theology.

Participants: Camden Bucey, K. Scott Oliphint, Nick Batzig

The Defense of the Faith

Christ the Center — Fri, 26 Sep 2008 05:00:01 +0000

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 the 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.

Panel

K. Scott Oliphint
Jeff Waddington
Jim Cassidy
James Dolezal
Camden Bucey