Sources and Methods of Theology

On today's program I was joined by Pastor Daniel Emery Price and Pastor Lewis Polzin of Boars in the Vineyard to discuss the first chapter of Henry Eyster Jacobs' work A Summary of the Christian Faith. We talked about the different branches of theology, the role of apologetics, and the relationship between Scripture and tradition.

Here is the program

Justification and the Christian Life: A Response to Steve Lawson

On today's program I responded to a recent lecture by Calvinistic Baptist pastor, Steve Lawson from the 2014 Shepherd's Conference. The lecture was on sanctification in the Christian life, and I showed why his approach is mistaken. This led into a discussion of justification and its centrality in the Christian life.

Here is the program. 

Two Kinds of Election

On today's program I answered listener questions about the Lutheran doctrine of election as a follow up to the discussion about Arminianism last week. I spent time looking the Formula of Concord's discussion of the topic, the relevant Scripture texts, and Pieper's Christian Dogmatics. 

Here is the program.

Conditional Election and Prevenient Grace

On today's program I answered two listener questions. The first had to do with the idea of prevenient grace in Arminianism and Lutheranism. This led into a discussion of the intuitu fidei approach to election that developed in the scholastic period. I then dealt with some common proof texts for Arminianism.

Here is the program.

A Summary of the Christian Faith

"A Summary of the Christian Faith" is Henry Eyster Jacobs' magnum opus. It is a systematic theology of the Christian faith written in a catechetical format from a Confessional Lutheran perspective. The work is written in a series of questions and answers on various doctrinal topics. Throughout the work, Jacobs defends his views through use of Scripture and the Lutheran fathers. This text is readable enough to be studied by the layman but with enough depth to teach the learned pastor and scholar."

Available here.