# Pastor/Theologian Pick For Lifetime Study



## Brother John (Jan 26, 2011)

If you were to pick one pastor/theologian above all the rest to become your lifetime study who would it be and why?


----------



## Wayne (Jan 26, 2011)

Many would and have picked either Owens or Edwards. I'm not up to such challenge. Edwards is too philosophical, and Owens, while great, is too obtuse. Even if you do understand what he's saying, who else you gonna find to discuss it with? 

For me, it used to be Flavel, but of late I'm finding Sibbes to be much more edifying.


----------



## Pergamum (Jan 26, 2011)

Andrew Fuller, Willliam Carey, Patrick of Ireland or some obscure guy who hasn't been written on too much, like Angskar (missionary to the Norse, "Apostle of the North").


----------



## Scott1 (Jan 26, 2011)

John Calvin; the greatest theologian of all time

contemporary- Dr RC Sproul; ability to communicate the profound doctrines of Scripture to both seminary and the layman


----------



## MLCOPE2 (Jan 26, 2011)




----------



## Pergamum (Jan 26, 2011)

If you were studying for the sake of the wider church and not merely personal benefit, there would be a greater need for us to pick neglected theologians or unpublished theologians who really impacted the church and let the world know more about them.


----------



## lukeh021471 (Jan 26, 2011)

Jonathan Edwards


----------



## Jack K (Jan 26, 2011)

My first thought was Edwards.

But upon reflection, it might be either Sibbes or Horatius Bonar. Both of those guys have a way of drawing us out of morbid introspection and into seeing Christ and relying solely on him.


----------



## CharlieJ (Jan 26, 2011)

Well, right now I seem to be on the Augustine/Calvin path. Both of them delight me and refresh my soul as I read.


----------



## Marrow Man (Jan 26, 2011)

Ebenezer Erskine


----------



## bpkantor (Jan 26, 2011)

I would pick Edwards or Charles Simeon.


----------



## py3ak (Jan 26, 2011)

Pergamum said:


> If you were studying for the sake of the wider church and not merely personal benefit, there would be a greater need for us to pick neglected theologians or unpublished theologians who really impacted the church and let the world know more about them.



Doesn't that depend on the presupposition that there were such? No doubt there are many theologians who are less well known and who were valuable in their own way. But for all their usefulness, did a Melanchthon, Amsdorf, Bugenhagen or Chemnitz really have an impact comparable to Luther's? No doubt Luther's impact would have been less, or different, without them; but that doesn't mean that their table talk would have been worth preserving. Not everyone ought to be consulted beyond their own time.



Jack K said:


> Horatius Bonar



Dabney, in his "Theology of the Plymouth Brethren" takes Dr. Bonar to task for a few points. I'm a mere neophyte in Bonar, but though I found his little booklet, "Not Faith but Christ" to be an amazing cordial, in a book of selections I also found points that made me consider Dabney's criticisms well founded. 

Overall, I think taking _one_ person for perpetual study may tend to make such a person the ruler of our faith, instead of the helper of our joy. And some theologians are better in small doses than in large. As with composers, there are very few who can be listened to every day without ever inducing weariness. But what Bach is to music, Calvin is to theology: someone you are never sorry to hear, and someone you miss when you're away too long, no matter how much you've enjoyed the other offerings. Other theologians, to vary the figure, may provide fascinating and stimulating dishes, but Calvin is your bread, your tortillas, your potatoes, your rice: the staple that never grows old and without which all meals seem unfinished.


----------



## JennyG (Jan 26, 2011)

Pergamum said:


> Angskar (missionary to the Norse, "Apostle of the North").



just thought I'd tell you, his claim to the title Apostle of the North may not be uncontested. Dr M'Donald in the Scottish Highlands is the one I knew of, but there's also Bishop Bompas (Canada I think) David Brainerd and maybe some more. Pere Lacome, or is that a mountain...?

Of contemporaries at least, I would choose Martyn Lloyd-Jones or Schaeffer


----------



## Notthemama1984 (Jan 26, 2011)

I would pick either Calvin or Owens. I truly feel that I would grow the most studying one of these two men.


----------



## Ulster Puritan (Jan 26, 2011)

Wow... what a really unfair question! However, I could see how putting this into practice could help a lot of us grow spiritually. We tend to jump from book to book in reference rather than trying to understand one line of thought. Maybe that's just me!?

I assume we are talking about a desert Island kind of scenario; stranded there with no-one but one theologian to keep you refreshed and at the same time your mind active in deep theological endeavour. I take it we have our pocket sized Bible there already!

This is how I see it: you need someone who has written enough to keep you occupied, but also someone who can drift from devotional to more complex doctrine. I can think of one who fulfills this and is a man after my own heart in his views. That man is Thomas Boston!


----------



## goodnews (Jan 26, 2011)

If you included all his theological works, sermons, etc., it would have to be Calvin. He's still the greatest mind in the last few hundred years. I doubt you could ever read it all.

But, I owe a great debt of gratitude to John Murray and his works for helping me understand the great themes of the Reformed doctrine.

I also very much like, Edwards, John Frame, Lloyd-Jones, Owen (as long as you're not in a hurry), Horton, Keller, Eugene Peterson.


----------



## py3ak (Jan 26, 2011)

Wayne said:


> Owens





Chaplainintraining said:


> Owens





goodnews said:


> Owens



Surely all of you are speaking of John *Owen*?



Wayne said:


> Edwards





lukeh021471 said:


> Jonathan Edwards





Jack K said:


> My first thought was Edwards.





bpkantor said:


> I would pick Edwards



Why? It doesn't seem like Edwards is the best in any given area.


----------



## Ivan (Jan 26, 2011)

Wow! No Osteen?! Amazing!


----------



## CharlieJ (Jan 26, 2011)

py3ak said:


> Why? It doesn't seem like Edwards is the best in any given area.



Because that's who John Piper picked, and who wouldn't want to be John Piper?


----------



## Ulster Puritan (Jan 26, 2011)

Yes, that's what I was thinking. Is "Owens" on of your weird American spellings?


----------



## greenbaggins (Jan 26, 2011)

> Doesn't that depend on the presupposition that there were such? No doubt there are many theologians who are less well known and who were valuable in their own way. But for all their usefulness, did a Melanchthon, Amsdorf, Bugenhagen or Chemnitz really have an impact comparable to Luther's? No doubt Luther's impact would have been less, or different, without them; but that doesn't mean that their table talk would have been worth preserving. Not everyone ought to be consulted beyond their own time.



I can agree with you, Ruben, about the danger of making one theologian the ruler of your faith. However, I don't know that I can go with you on your assessment of Melanchthon and Chemnitz, especially Melanchthon. His Loci Communes was the first systematic theology of the Reformation period. It greatly influenced Calvin's own Institutes. The LC was the single most reprinted Lutheran dogmatics. In its time, it was more forming than Luther's own writings were, even though Luther was the spark. Melanchthon was the systematizer who "cleaned up" what Luther left behind and didn't deal with. Chemnitz was probably the most incisive critic of Trent who ever lived. His Loci Communes were nearly as influential as Melanchthon's.


----------



## Jared (Jan 26, 2011)

George Whitefield, even though he seems to be rough around the edges in a way that I can't quite put my finger on.


----------



## PuritanCovenanter (Jan 26, 2011)

I am loving *Jeremiah Burroughs* right now. I vote reading him and studying him. I also have loved *William Symington* the Reformed Presbyterian for his work theologically and as a Pastor. The great Missionary *John G. Paton* was a disciple of his. I just bought his autobiography so I will read it this year along with Burroughs.


----------



## py3ak (Jan 26, 2011)

greenbaggins said:


> I can agree with you, Ruben, about the danger of making one theologian the ruler of your faith. However, I don't know that I can go with you on your assessment of Melanchthon and Chemnitz, especially Melanchthon. His Loci Communes was the first systematic theology of the Reformation period. It greatly influenced Calvin's own Institutes. The LC was the single most reprinted Lutheran dogmatics. In its time, it was more forming than Luther's own writings were, even though Luther was the spark. Melanchthon was the systematizer who "cleaned up" what Luther left behind and didn't deal with. Chemnitz was probably the most incisive critic of Trent who ever lived. His Loci Communes were nearly as influential as Melanchthon's.


 
Lane, I didn't mean to undervalue the impact of Melanchthon or Chemnitz (or anyone, really): I was just drawing a few examples present to my mind from reading Steinmetz's _Reformers in the Wings_. And of course a subtle influence may be all the more pervasive for its subtlety. They don't seem like they have the bombshell impact of Luther or Calvin, or like they enjoy the same kind of enduring status as a persistent influence and catalyst beyond confessional/organizational/local/temporal associations that might give someone a particular interest in them. But I can limit my examples to Bugenhagen and Amsdorf, and I think the point still stands that just because someone was very useful in his own time, or very influential in certain structural ways (as Bugenhagen certainly was) doesn't mean that their thought will be a fountain of theological dynamism for all time.


----------



## greenbaggins (Jan 26, 2011)

py3ak said:


> greenbaggins said:
> 
> 
> > I can agree with you, Ruben, about the danger of making one theologian the ruler of your faith. However, I don't know that I can go with you on your assessment of Melanchthon and Chemnitz, especially Melanchthon. His Loci Communes was the first systematic theology of the Reformation period. It greatly influenced Calvin's own Institutes. The LC was the single most reprinted Lutheran dogmatics. In its time, it was more forming than Luther's own writings were, even though Luther was the spark. Melanchthon was the systematizer who "cleaned up" what Luther left behind and didn't deal with. Chemnitz was probably the most incisive critic of Trent who ever lived. His Loci Communes were nearly as influential as Melanchthon's.
> ...


 
I can definitely go with that.


----------



## py3ak (Jan 26, 2011)

greenbaggins said:


> I can definitely go with that.


----------



## Joseph Scibbe (Jan 26, 2011)

Paul


----------



## LeeD (Jan 26, 2011)

Thomas Watson would be at the top of my list.


----------



## Curt (Jan 26, 2011)

Tough one, and I hope nobody is going to hold us to these opinions. As of now I would have to go with Farel or Bucer. These were pastor/theologians.


----------



## bookslover (Jan 26, 2011)

Ivan said:


> Wow! No Osteen?! Amazing!


 
Scandalous! Not picking Joel Osteen is like not picking Benny Hinn! Outrageous!!


----------



## jogri17 (Jan 26, 2011)

Oprah


----------



## JM (Jan 26, 2011)

Martin Luther...or maybe John Gill...or perhaps C.F.W. Walther...can't pick just one.


----------



## AThornquist (Jan 26, 2011)

Someone dead.


----------



## Ivan (Jan 26, 2011)

bookslover said:


> Ivan said:
> 
> 
> > Wow! No Osteen?! Amazing!
> ...


 
We could upscale it a bit...Barth!


----------



## Wannabee (Jan 26, 2011)

Perhaps M'Cheyne, because of his unbending pursuit of personal holiness for the benefit and blessing of the souls entrusted to his care. He was a true shepherd.

Currently I'm reading Ichabod Spencer's _Pastor's Sketches_. We have much to learn from a godly man such as him. Paul Washer comes to mind as well as a man who is focused on the souls of men and has good theology to back it.


----------



## 21st Century Calvinist (Jan 26, 2011)

I'm reading Bavinck at the moment so I am going to have to go with him- for the time being at least.


----------



## Backwoods Presbyterian (Jan 26, 2011)

Thomas Boston


----------



## AThornquist (Jan 27, 2011)

Wannabee said:


> Perhaps M'Cheyne, because of his unbending pursuit of personal holiness for the benefit and blessing of the souls entrusted to his care. He was a true shepherd.
> 
> Currently I'm reading Ichabod Spencer's _Pastor's Sketches_. We have much to learn from a godly man such as him. Paul Washer comes to mind as well as a man who is focused on the souls of men and has good theology to back it.



Pastor, I'm only aware of a few writings by M'Cheyne. What of his works would you suggest? And ditto on brother Paul; he is the real deal and a friend of our church. Of course, because of what he has published at the moment it would be difficult to follow him for lifetime study. There is still time.


----------



## Wannabee (Jan 27, 2011)

Thanks for asking Andrew,

The most well known work of his was compiled by Andrew Alexander Bonar, Horatius Bonar's brother. It was written a year after his death and includes many of his own writings as well as a biography. In addition M'Cheyne (M'Cheyne, depending on who's writing) has a 3 volume set published. You can read about them on the Logos website. Incidentally, the memoir that Bonar provided for us is available for free download at the Logos website right now. You can read more about him at Wholesome Words. I found this while looking for quotes. Here are a couple of his quotes.


> "A calm hour with God is worth a whole lifetime with man."





> "I feel there are two things it is impossible to desire with sufficient ardour, personal holiness, and the honour of Christ in the salvation of soul."





> "I think I can say I have never risen a morning without thinking how I could bring more souls to Christ."





> 'Get your texts from God - your thoughts, your words, from God... It is not great talents God blesses so much as great likeness to Jesus. *A holy minister is an awful weapon in the hand of God.* A word spoken by you when your conscience is clear, and your heart full of God's Spirit, is worth ten thousand words spoken in unbelief and sin.'





> When I stand before the throne,
> Dressed in beauty not my own,
> When I see Thee as Thou art,
> Love Thee with unsinning heart.
> ...





> "The greatest need of my people is my personal holiness."


Okay, more than a couple. Here are some more. 

As for Paul, it's rather difficult. We really have very little from witnesses. A physician turned historian wrote extensively about his travels and many of his encounters in volume two of his extensive historical account of the life of Christ and the early church. In addition many of Paul's own writings to fellow believers have been preserved for us and ordered mainly according to size in the New Testament, available in a book store near you or through internet search. Other than these sources you'll find a smattering here and there from early church fathers. I know Peter mentions him once in one of his epistles as well. If it was something more specific you were looking for I'll be more than pleased to assist you in any way I can.

Paul is by far more quotable. Perhaps one of his greatest quotes we can hear echoed in many of those from Brother M'Cheyne.


> 1 Timothy 1:15
> This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief.


----------



## AThornquist (Jan 27, 2011)

Thanks for the info on M'Cheyne! Your insight on this Paul fellow was helpful too; I think he is a friend of Paul Washer.


----------



## PastorTim (Jan 27, 2011)

Jonathan Edwards. His blend of philosophy and theology answers the question, "What has Athens to do with Jerusalem?". He literally unifies east and west. I also find in his theology a full recognition of the role of the Holy Spirit as the tie that binds the physical and spiritual. All to ofter we, in our awe of God, make him out to be a kin to Barth's "wholly other" God, or reside too squarely in a natural theology. Either slide slips toward deism. It is both Plato's universals and Aristotle's particulars that the HS illuminates. 
I believe Edwards view of the Trinity secured his spirituality, recognizing the role of he HS. Remember Edwards spoke of a "new" Christianity that lied on his horizon because of just these issues. He didnt know it but it was deism he saw. We see so much practical deism in our churches today, a transcendent God, but not an immanent..


----------



## Jack K (Jan 27, 2011)

py3ak said:


> Other theologians, to vary the figure, may provide fascinating and stimulating dishes, but Calvin is your bread, your tortillas, your potatoes, your rice: the staple that never grows old and without which all meals seem unfinished.



I love this observation, and agree. My deal, though, is that if I had to pick just one food to eat for the rest of my life, it wouldn't be potatoes. It'd be something more like ice cream. That choice wouldn't necessarily be well-rounded, complete or best for me. But it would be most delightful and interesting.

Likewise with theologians, Calvin is probably the "right" choice in terms of who's best and most complete. But I find some others more delightful and fascinating, even if they're best read as a dessert rather than the main dish.

The OP question is a fun one. It not only reveals our tastes, but also whom among us is inclined to eat our dessert first.


----------



## LeeD (Jan 27, 2011)

JC Ryle would be another one worthy of this lifelong study.


----------



## Jeffriesw (Jan 27, 2011)

I would choose RC Sproul, for someone like me with little or no education and a fairly new Christian, He is very to understand but at the same time he is straightforward with some depth to him..


----------



## Theogenes (Jan 27, 2011)

I would choose John Calvin for obvious reasons and plus I have a LOT of his books already!


----------



## Wannabee (Jan 27, 2011)

Calvin is an excellent choice as well. His personal letters show a true pastor's heart.


----------



## Rich Koster (Jan 27, 2011)

C.H.Spurgeon. I identify with him partly because we suffer from some of the same physical struggles. His sermons also show his love for God and love for his people. I also appreciate his wit and humor.


----------



## py3ak (Jan 28, 2011)

Jack K said:


> My deal, though, is that if I had to pick just one food to eat for the rest of my life, it wouldn't be potatoes.



I thought the question had to do not with picking just one to read, but picking one to become expert in. Either way, it is a fun question. The next one would be, "Which theologians most consistently spoil your dinner?"


----------



## TomVols (Jan 28, 2011)

I'm torn between Warfield, James P Boyce, and Calvin. Dabney is growing on me as well. If he had more theological or sermonic material out there, John Broadus would rank up there as well. For sheer volume, hard to beat Calvin and Warfield.


----------



## Particular Baptist (Jan 29, 2011)

What about a guy with whom we would all have many disagreements theologically with, but is yet, in my mind, the greatest living pastor-theologian: John MacArthur. Though I disagree with him on his dispensationalism and eschatology, I still think that he attempts to do all that he does from scripture alone. He has an almost Lloyd-Jonesian presence in the pulpit, and commands my respect and admiration on all that he has to say, whether or not I agree with him on everything. Also, his theology is gospel driven, which is most important. So, as far as contemporary men, I think MacArthur deserves some mention.


----------



## Jesus is my friend (Jan 29, 2011)

Seriously,my own Pastor,he is a personal hero in Christ,but if I couldnt pick him,it would be Edwards, he has the ability to translate for the simple and the learned,he has a Pastors heart as well as a theologian (a rare blessing) and he did it all here in Massachusetts,may the Lord again pour out His Spirit though the faithul preaching of His Word as He did with Edwards.


----------



## Rangerus (Jan 30, 2011)

Augustine of Hippo. I like his blog


----------

