Church History
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The Surprising Sharp Humor of John Calvin
Many thoughts spring forth at the mention of John Calvin. Many, like myself, think of a measured, Scripture-focused, historically minded codifier of Reformed theology. Others may think of a symbol of a theology they strongly dislike. Whatever your opinion of him may be, you likely do not immediately associate Calvin with humor. While reading his
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Portraits From the Past: Athanasius of Alexandria
Historical Context The fourth century would mark the end of the open persecution of Christianity. The Edict of Milan in 313 A.D. would make it a legal religion to practice in the Roman Empire. Surviving persecutions from both Jewish authorities in the first century and later Roman emperors such as Nero and Diocletian, the early
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Why Loving Scripture Requires Knowing Church History
Some people have a natural interest in history. Digging deeply into past wars, empires, and ancient civilizations is an enjoyable pastime for them. For others, studying history may only be considered useful as a sleep aid. Most people would fall somewhere in the middle of this spectrum. Regardless of whether history is of natural interest
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Sola Scriptura: A Historical Case
In my prior blog post on Sola Scriptura (that can be found here), I offered a brief overview of the doctrine, making both a biblical and historical case for it. I did not attempt to prove either point exhaustively, as the aim of that post was—true to its title—an overview. I also noted that the
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What Does Sola Scriptura Mean? A Biblical and Historical Overview
“The Old Testament in Hebrew (which was the native language of the people of God of old), and the New Testament in Greek (which at the time of the writing of it was most generally known to the nations), being immediately inspired by God, and by his singular care and providence kept pure in all
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Homoousios & the Precision of Providence
The Holy Scriptures of the Old and New Testament are the only infallible rule for Christian doctrine (2 Tim 3:16–17; 2 Pet 1:21). Everything we are to believe about God is found in the Scriptures. Yet, the Church’s understanding and articulation of what Scripture teaches has grown in clarity through the centuries. When we look