This paper will compare and contrast five distinct models of union with Christ in 16th and 17th century Reformed theology. The “models” to be discussed will be restricted to the various understandings of what the union actually is, rather than the more commonly-discussed benefits of the union. The models discussed will be those of John … Read more
Historical and theological inquiry into the eighteenth-century pastor-theologian John Gill has taken a sharp turn from the critical reproachments of the mid-twentieth century to appreciative assessments with calls for retrieval. Whereas previous interpreters made much of Gill’s Hyper-Calvinism, treating it as an utterly compromising facet of his theology, the newer scholarship has tended to either … Read more
Interest in the thought of Andrew Fuller (1754–1815), British Particular Baptist pastor and theologian, has enjoyed a renaissance in recent years. Energized by the ongoing publication of the critical edition of his works as well as a journal devoted to his theology, scholars are finding in Fuller’s thought a rich source for historical research. To … Read more
According to one award-winning biography, Sam Houston remains the singular figure “standing like a colossus astride the middle decades of the 1800s.” Remembered by Texans for his leadership during the war for independence, he was also a man with complex and developing understandings of Christianity and religious devotion. He carried misunderstandings of Christian theology and … Read more
I am arguing in this paper for the historically-rooted designator “pastor-theologian” to be used in examining the life and ministry of Charles Haddon Spurgeon, and, by implication, a useful framework for modern pastoral identity construction. Precisely stated, a pastor-theologian is a biblically-educated, theologically-grounded intellectual who makes disciples in and through the local church by the … Read more
Dotting the landscape of eastern Virginia are historic churches with churchyards containing the mortal remains of their people. Epitaphs and funerary inscriptions abound in these cemeteries, and they offer a look into a variety of societal, economic, historic, and religious lives and times of the people they represent. During the colonial period (1607-1783), it was … Read more
Based on a chapter from a forthcoming book to be published by Cascade, this paper will focus on the essentials and earmarks of sermons that play out in a sacramental (encounter-enabling) manner. In the first half of the paper I outline what I consider to be the essentials of a theology of preaching that can … Read more
William Carey is widely regarded as the “Father of Modern Missions” for his pivotal role in establishing a movement that continues to shape global missions to this day. However, while Carey has garnered significant attention, the contributions of his fellow missionaries on the field have often been overlooked and only more so with the passing … Read more
The purpose of this paper is to examine the catechism’s opening statement from a historical and biblical perspective. Was comfort a critical element of concern for the Reformers and those who preceded them? Why did the author(s) of Heidelberg give such prominence to comfort that the topic precedes the doctrine of God and the authority … Read more
The concept of a “new covenant” (Luke 22:20) in early Christianity naturally brought to the fore a host of questions concerning the nature of the church, Israel, and how to interpret Scripture—questions that remain relevant to this day. This paper will examine the approach to this problem in the fourth century writer known as “Macarius.” … Read more