Here are seven sets of resources for pastors, professors, and students who wish to build their “theology and culture” library. I’ve included a variety of resources, some of which represent views I oppose. However, the majority of the resources fit my preferred “Reformational” model. 1. Surveying Different Views of Christianity and Culture Richard Niebuhr’s Christ [ Read More ]
There is no shortage of reasons a person might think Christianity and science are intrinsically opposed to one another. The Galileo ordeal. The Scopes trials. The global warming debate. Richard Dawkins. “Et,” as they say, “cetera.” But none of those reasons are sufficient to demonstrate that Christianity and science are opposed. In fact, the opposite [ Read More ]
At Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary, where I serve as Professor of Theology & Culture and Provost / Dean of the Faculty, we want to provide gospel-centered contextual theological education for gospel ministers in our own American context and in international contexts. There are many options for ministry training today, but I still believe that the [ Read More ]
In this essay, I wish to reflect on the question, “What will it profit a seminary to gain thousands of students but lose its soul?” What will our seminary gain if we develop a world-class faculty, build an efficient administration, receive a clean bill of health from our accreditors, enroll thousands of students and fill [ Read More ]
I will never forget my first day of seminary. At 8:00 a.m., I walked into a classroom for the first time for a course in Systematic Theology taught by Paige Patterson. I sat on the back row with J.D. Greear and several other embryonic theologues. As Dr. Patterson began class, he announced that he would [ Read More ]
It’s sad, but true. I had already graduated with a Ph.D. before I really learned to get the most out of a book. It’s not that I hadn’t read many books or hadn’t read them with serious intent. I had been a serial reader since I was a small child. I had studied books in [ Read More ]
This week, I had the privilege of interviewing with Tony Merida for the Acts 29 podcast. We discussed my time as a missionary and church planter. We also talked about what pastors, church planters, and everyday Christians can learn from Abraham Kuyper about bringing the West into a “missionary encounter” with the gospel through an interface with culture [ Read More ]
Please allow me to serve advance notice of a major event: Craig Bartholomew’s Contours of the Kuyperian Tradition: A Systematic Introduction will be published by IVP Academic on April 24, 2017. I’ve read the rough draft manuscript in its entirety; it is a fine systematic introduction to Kuyper’s thought that draws upon the rich archive [ Read More ]
Here are twelve books I recommend to persons who wish to better understand the rise and development of Western thought. Together, the books form a sort of “starter” course. I will describe each book and then rank its level of difficulty on a scale of 1-5, with 5 being the most difficult. Level 1 is the category for a [ Read More ]
Please allow me to serve advance notice: if Christians in the United States are going to keep their moorings in the 21st century, they will need to return continually to their roots in Christian Scripture and the Great Tradition. This is true in every sphere of culture, including the arts and sciences, business and entrepreneurship, [ Read More ]