“Pilgrim Theology” is a broad category in which theological prolegomena (introduction to theology), the doctrine of God, Christology, and Christian ethics (the Christian life) intersect with eschatology (i.e., how we understand our current and future relationship to heaven and the final state), and biblical theology (i.e., how we understand the history of redemption) among other disciplines and questions.
The language of “pilgrim theology” may be unfamiliar to evangelical Christians from triumphalist traditions, e.g., Pentecostalism/charismatic, postmillennial/theonomic/theocratic, and neo-Kuyperian (transformationalist) but it is an old and integral Reformed way of thinking about the relations between God and man, Christian knowledge, eschatology and the Christian life between the ascension of Christ and his return. The great Reformed theologian Franciscus Junius (1545–1602) was an influential biblical scholar and theologian who taught in the University of Leiden and who published a seminal work on the nature of theology, [A Treatise] On True Theology (1594). It is in print and available through Reformation Heritage Books. In this work, he distinguished between theology as God knows it (archetypal theology) and theology as we know it (ectypal theology). He characterized as “pilgrim theology,” what Christians are able to know in this life.
Below are articles, books, and podcasts directly and indirectly on the topic of pilgrim theology.
- R. Scott Clark, Walking Two Miles With Roman Oppressors: Christ’s Pilgrim Ethic (1)
- R. Scott Clark, Walking Two Miles With Roman Oppressors: Christ’s Pilgrim Ethic (2)
- R. Scott Clark, Pilgrims Not Transformers
- Heidelcast Series: As It Was In The Days Of Noah
- R. Scott Clark, Reformed Worship Is For Pilgrims
- R. Scott Clark, Pilgrim Theology Versus Ethnic Theology
- Office Hours Podcast: S. M. Baugh On The Pilgrim’s Prayer (pt 1)
- Office Hours Podcast: S. Baugh: The Pilgrim’s Prayer (2)
- Office Hours Podcast: Mike Horton On Pilgrim Theology
- R. Scott Clark, Pilgrims (And Their Hosts)
- Michael Horton, The Christian Faith: A Systematic Theology for Pilgrims on the Way
- Derek Thomas on John Calvin: Pilgrim and Pastor
- New in Print Godfrey on Calvin as Pilgrim and Pastor (Updated)
- Resources For a Pilgrim Eschatology
- Resources On The Pilgrim Critique of Postmillennialism
- As It Was In The Days Of Noah: A Commentary On 1 and 2 Peter
- Audio: Suffering And Temptation (James 1:12–15)
- Resources On The Twofold Kingdom
- Resources On Christian Nationalism
- Heidelcast 168: As It Was In The Days Of Noah (14): Peter’s Theology Of Suffering
- Office Hours Podcast With John Fesko: Songs Of A Suffering King
- R. Scott Clark, Grace and Peace to Aliens and Strangers
- R. Scott Clark, What Is Wrong With The Theology Of Glory?
- R. Scott Clark, Church Growth, The Theology Of The Cross, And The Theology Of Glory
- Martin Luther, The Theologian of the Cross vs Theologian of Glory
- R. Scott Clark, Against the Theology of Glory
- R. Scott Clark, Of Calvin, Social Justice, And The Theology Of The Cross
- Guy de Bres’ Theology of the Cross
- Simon Jooste, Luther’s Theology of the Cross
- R. Scott Clark, The Unexamined Premise Behind Mars Hill: Transformationalism
- R. Scott Clark, Cultural Transformation Is Not The Article Of The Standing Or Falling Of The Church (But Justification Is)
- Paul Helm, Transformationalism Has Status Of A Private Opinion
- To Change the World: James Davison Hunter Challenges Transformationalism
- R. Scott Clark, Grace Neither Obliterates Nor Transforms Nature
- D. G. Hart, Paleos: Reforming the Church; Neos: Transforming Culture
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