(I want to begin by saying that I'm not quite sure about what I've written and have gone back and forth many times on this issue, so forgive me if I mispoke) As I said yesterday, Bonhoeffer is laid claim to by Conservative Evangelicals and Liberal Protestants as 'theirs'. This is because in a sense he was both. What do I mean? A Conservative Evangelical is merely a … [Read more...]
Bonhoeffer -Part 2- Why Does He Matter?
For some 40 years after Bonhoeffer's death, scholars both historical and theological debated over the legacy of Bonhoeffer. Was he the property of Liberals? or of Conservatives? What really were his views on this or that topic. The problem was compounded by the fact that Bonhoeffer later cryptically wrote that almost all his writing was done while he wasn't even a Christian … [Read more...]
Feast of St. Augustine
Today the Latin / Western Church commemorates St. Augustine of Hippo. One great ecclesiastical historian around here has called him the grandfather of the Western Church. Jaroslav Pelikan said that the whole of catholic history was the church's struggle to understand and implement the doctrines of St. Augustine, and BB Warfield famously wrote that the Reformation was the … [Read more...]
Ethiopia, Warfare, and Divine Providence
In the early 20th century, when Italy was trying to pass for a second string Imperial power, it decided to invade Ethiopia. While no doubt, Britain, Germany, or France could’ve accomplished so pusillanimous a goal, Dante’s descendants could not, and were eventually driven back. In short, when the Ethiopian Emperor (and alleged Black Christ, see: Rastafarianism) and his forces … [Read more...]
St. Augustine the Monergist on Grace and Free Will
So what's Monergism anyway? According to my alma mater (wikipedia): "Monergism describes the position in Christian theology of those who believe that God, through the Holy Spirit, works to bring about effectually the salvation of individuals through spiritual regeneration without cooperation from the individual." This post will contend that the gracious doctor taught … [Read more...]