DEFINITION Historical theology refers to the discipline of narrating the development of Christian theology. SUMMARY Historical theology is closely related to but distinct from the discipline of Church History, which is more interested in the institutional history of the church and its . . . Continue reading →
Church History
What The Reformed Can Learn From A 1532 Synod: Christ Our Wisdom
But what need is there of many words? “All the treasures of wisdom and knowledge lay hidden in Christ” (Col. 2). Why should a Christian preacher seek wisdom in other histories and in supplementary books, without displaying those riches and that treasury . . . Continue reading →
Doubts About Political Theology And The Church As A Lever Of Cultural Influence
Tish Harrison Warren, a priest in the ACNA (a denomination in the Anglican tradition), writes in Christianity Today, We have an impoverished and inadequate political theology. It took us generations to get here, and this one election, regardless of the results, will . . . Continue reading →
In Defense Of Labels
Imagine going to a supermarket where none of the groceries was labeled and where none of the aisles was marked. For that matter, imagine trying to figure out which of the buildings in the strip mall is the grocery or telling one . . . Continue reading →
Heidelcast 203: A Christmas Story (With A Santa Clause)
We’re interrupting our series on the Apostles’ Creed to talk about Christmas. Usually at this time of year I post or repost some of the essays on the Heidelblog about Christmas but this year I thought it might be useful to talk . . . Continue reading →
Peace And Purity Provided By Authority: John Thomson’s Defense Of Presbyterian Church Polity
The footnote at the beginning of the Minutes of the Presbyterian Church in America states, “Unfortunately, the first leaf of the minutes of this presbytery is missing… The date of organization is generally accepted as 1706, in Philadelphia.”1 The absence of the . . . Continue reading →
Peace And Purity Provided By Authority: John Thomson’s Defense Of Presbyterian Church Polity (Part 7): Ministerial Authority
The Presbytery of New Brunswick’s Apology in 1739 addressed two proposals made to Synod the previous year. While these acts had limited itinerant preaching and required the examination of candidates for ministry by a committee of Synod, the Presbytery of New Brunswick disregarded these acts . . . Continue reading →
New Podcast: Kids Talk Church History
Simonetta Carr sent this to us to share with you. Kids Talk Church History is a new podcast from our friends at the Alliance of Confessing Evangelicals. It is hosted by kids of various ages. This episode focuses on the persecution of . . . Continue reading →
Ridley, Latimer, And Cranmer: The Oxford Martyrs
One of the most interesting bits of Oxford history is the story of the Oxford Martyrs and the statue by which they are remembered. The history of the monument itself is fascinating. In 1833, John Henry Newman (1801‑90), an Anglican priest, began . . . Continue reading →
Review: Doing Theology with The Reformers by Gerald Bray
It would take a sizable monograph to catalog all the books written about the Protestant Reformation. Many Reformed Christians undoubtedly have more than a few of these books on their shelves and could likely name at least a few more. Speaking of . . . Continue reading →
Review: Theodore Beza: The Man and the Myth by Shawn D. Wright
If a survey were to be taken of Christians in America, a vast majority would probably never have heard of the French Reformer, Theodore Beza (1519–1605). For those actually familiar with him, they would likely fall into one of three camps. For . . . Continue reading →
Why You Should Care About The Christian Past
Church History Is Family History
The value of church history is not always immediately obvious to everyone. In particular, Americans seem generally allergic to history. This is true of American Christians who are influenced by the American prejudice against history. Look at the History Channel (but only . . . Continue reading →