Were the Church Fathers Inspired in the Same Way as Scripture? A Preview of the Sizemore Lectures at Midwestern Seminary
A number of years ago, Everett Kalin wrote a well-known doctoral dissertation arguing that the early church fathers did not see inspiration as something that was uniquely true of canonical books. Why? Because, according to Kalin, the early Church Fathers saw their own writings as inspired. Ever since, a number of scholars have repeated this claim (Sundberg, Allert, MacDonald, et al.), insisting that the early fathers saw nothing distinctive about the NT writings as compared to writings being produced in their own time period.
Well, despite the popularity of this position, I find it to be highly problematic. Indeed, my rebuttal will be the topic for the Sizemore Lectures this … Continue reading...
Interested in Getting a Biblical Counseling Degree without Moving? You Can Do it @RTSCharlotte
A number of years ago, RTS Charlotte launched a two-year Master of Arts in Christian Counseling degree (MACC) and it has been wonderful to see how it has grown. We believe that solid, Christ-centered, biblical counseling is critical to the health of the church.
Two years ago we also announced that we are now offering the MACC degree in an exciting new Summer/Winter format. This means that students can now get the MACC degree over the course of four years without having to relocate.
We are rolling out this new structure because we know there are many people who want to benefit from the MACC program, but are not able … Continue reading...
So, What Did Jesus Think about the Old Testament?
The Old Testament has run into some hard times as of late. It’s seen by many as a curmudgeonly, legalistic, violent, confusing, and, maybe most of all, boring sort of book. As the atheist Richard Dawkins famously opined, “The God of the Old Testament is arguably the most unpleasant character in all of fiction.”
On top of these sorts of complaints are questions about the historical veracity of the Old Testament. Are we really supposed to believe in a literal Adam and Eve? A global flood? Sodom and Gomorrah? People struggle to believe these sorts of things really happened.
Sadly, however, the critiques don’t come from just non-Christians. Even believers, … Continue reading...
One of the Most Overlooked Reasons Why We Should Trust the Bible
When deciding what to believe about the Bible, who should we listen to?
That’s a rather basic question, and I suppose there are many possible answers. We could listen to our friends—maybe a roommate or a co-worker. Then there are family members, maybe our parents or siblings. Surely they would have an opinion. Or we could look to our leaders, a pastor or professor who seems to be an “expert.” And there’s always Google if we really want to know what to think!
But in the midst of all the options there is one person that, ironically, Christians (and non-Christians) overlook. Jesus.
Now, of course, Christians don’t overlook Jesus generally. … Continue reading...
My New Lay-Level Class on the Origins and Authority of the Bible
Note: This post is regularly updated with new handouts and MP3 recordings.
Have you ever had a time in your life when you really (I mean really) doubted the truth of the Bible? Maybe you wondered whether everything you ever believed was a lie. Anyone who’s gone through such an experience, and come out on the other side, knows how much their spiritual health is tied to their trust in Scripture.
In short, understanding the origins and authority of the Bible is a practical issue. It’s a spiritual issue. While I am convinced that most evangelicals believe the truth of the Bible, I think far fewer can articulate why… Continue reading...