# Top areas of need in Reformed research?



## steadfast7 (May 17, 2011)

What do you guys think are the areas of greatest need in Reformed academic research (Biblical studies, theology, history, practical theology, missions, etc.) at the PhD level, _that would most serve the Church_?


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## torstar (May 17, 2011)

Seems kind of thin in Biblical Theology from a Reformed perspective.

Probably a few reasons why.


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## Pergamum (May 18, 2011)

Member care and missions mobilization for Asia. 

How to mobilize and train church structures and denominations from the Two-thirds world in screening, training and sending out their own misssionaries (i.e. Indonesian churches screening and training and sending Indonesian Christians to complete the great Commisssion in their own country). The base of misssions has changed and missions is no longer merely "from the west to the rest" but is becoming "from everywhere to everywhere" and many vital sending centers are emerging throughout the world.

The Workers are in the Harvest, and as Asia is reached, we can multiply our efforts through these new Asian believers being gathered in so that our ministries are "multiplicational."


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## steadfast7 (May 18, 2011)

Pergamum said:


> Member care and missions mobilization for Asia.
> 
> How to mobilize and train church structures and denominations from the Two-thirds world in screening, training and sending out their own misssionaries (i.e. Indonesian churches screening and training and sending Indonesian Christians to complete the great Commisssion in their own country).
> 
> The Workers are in the Harvest, and as Asia is reached, we can multiply our efforts through the new believers being gathered in so that our ministries or "multiplicational."


 
Pergy, sounds like this sort of research wouldn't be done in a library, but on the field - perhaps it's something you should consider?? I agree, this would be a huge help to the church!


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## Pergamum (May 18, 2011)

I am working on my disseration now (between dealing with village crises and evangelist-courses, and sick people, and trying to learn the local language, and trying to support their efforts to build na airstrip and a school...see TandTfamily for updates), it deals with the efforts of one of the indigenous church structures here as they send highland Christians to help reach these lowland tribes further south (Melanesians trying to reach Melanesians). 

But, I am sure similar research needs to be done regarding similar works in India.


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## steadfast7 (May 18, 2011)

Pergamum said:


> I am working on my disseration now (between dealing with village crises and evangelist-courses, and sick people, and trying to learn the local language, and trying to support their efforts to build na airstrip and a school...see TandTfamily for updates), it deals with the efforts of one of the indigenous church structures here as they send highland Christians to help reach these lowland tribes further south (Melanesians trying to reach Melanesians).
> 
> But, I am sure similar research needs to be done regarding similar works in India.


 
Is this dissertation for a research degree somewhere? How exactly does research work, when there's likely no primary/secondary source material to work with? Is it just from observation?


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## Pergamum (May 18, 2011)

Interviews with locals, church denominational documents, transcribed sermons and notes from church meetings can be used. These are even better than secondary sources since these are the direct quotes from the inidgenous church-members themselves. Yes, it is a research degree (D.Miss.).


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## CharlieJ (May 18, 2011)

I would love to see a Reformed historian study something other than the history of the Reformation and Reformed churches.


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## FCC (May 18, 2011)

A good study of history would definately be helpful! As far as missions go I think a good study and report on mission work to the lost here in our own country would be highly regarded. I deal wtih people everyday, whose lives are basically pagan and that here in "Christian" America. What has the influence of pop culture, the media and other cultural sources been on both the churched and the unchurched? Just a thought.


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## greenbaggins (May 18, 2011)

All areas of theology need more Reformed research. And all of those areas would directly serve the church. Maybe it's just a matter of impression, but it seems to me that history is being fairly well served by Reformed scholarship at the moment, although it is true that Medieval and Early Church history have often received short shrift. Also, there needs to be more translation of great Latin texts of the 16-17th centuries, especially the commentaries. This is a crying need. I think that systematics is also receiving good attention (Reformed scholars have always been good at this discipline, indeed, they have always been the best). Biblical studies is gradually becoming more populated with Reformed authors, but there is definitely room for more. We have a lot of practical stuff. That area is actually the closest to being too crowded. We have a book on practically everything practical, even from a Reformed perspective.


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## Fly Caster (May 18, 2011)

greenbaggins said:


> We have a book on practically everything practical, even from a Reformed perspective.


 
There is one "practical" topic that I would like to see get more attention-- Vocation. I've looked a long time for a modern, Reformed work dealing with calling and vocation. 

Not that the old ones are bad, but something up-to-date would be nice.


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## Peairtach (May 18, 2011)

The VanTillians need to write a book on each of the major religions.


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## Christopher88 (May 18, 2011)

Living a Christian life under the Reformed Church. 

I know there are a million books out there on how to live a Christian life but with a million differnt views. Lets get one solid book out there with solid Christian living truth. What should a Christian watch at the movies? Should a Christian go to the movies? It it healthy for a Christian to learn other areas of life outside of scripture? (IE math, history etc) 

There are questions being asked all around and too many carnal or self opionted books on living the pilgrims jounrey. Books that contain little to no scripture just ideas about God. 

Another area is prayer. There are good decent books on prayer but not enough reformed books on prayer. Prayer in the daily life is forgotten and a struggle for Christians. Why? Prayer should be the heartbeat of a Christian, it should be what pumps the blood. I think because in American Christianity we do not know the importance or impact of prayer, the theology of prayer we struggle with praying. 

Those are my two thoughts. I know its not so much research but it does matter to the laymen.


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## bookslover (May 18, 2011)

greenbaggins said:


> All areas of theology need more Reformed research. And all of those areas would directly serve the church. Maybe it's just a matter of impression, but it seems to me that history is being fairly well served by Reformed scholarship at the moment, although it is true that Medieval and Early Church history have often received short shrift. Also, there needs to be more translation of great Latin texts of the 16-17th centuries, especially the commentaries. This is a crying need. I think that systematics is also receiving good attention (Reformed scholars have always been good at this discipline, indeed, they have always been the best). Biblical studies is gradually becoming more populated with Reformed authors, but there is definitely room for more. We have a lot of practical stuff. That area is actually the closest to being too crowded. We have a book on practically everything practical, even from a Reformed perspective.


 
Lane: About those translations that need to be done - Calvin is an obvious example here. There is so much stuff by Calvin to read that there are lots of folks who may not realize that there are still many thousands of pages of his writings that have, 500 years on, never been translated, much less published. It's expensive and labor-intensive work, though.


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## he beholds (May 18, 2011)

Science--especially concerning Intelligent Design matters.


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## cih1355 (May 18, 2011)

Philosophy of science and philosophy of mind


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## Philip (May 18, 2011)

CharlieJ said:


> I would love to see a Reformed historian study something other than the history of the Reformation and Reformed churches.



Ditto---a reformed history of Eastern Orthodoxy and/or the "Nestorian" Church of the East (this latter is just neglected period).

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cih1355 said:


> Philosophy of science and philosophy of mind



And ethics---we need good Reformed ethicists (I guess that's my cue).


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## Peairtach (May 18, 2011)

> And ethics---we need good Reformed ethicists (I guess that's my cue).


We need (more) intelligent Reformed thinking on crime, punishment and social and economic policy.


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## Reformed Thomist (May 18, 2011)

A few Reformed medievalists would be nice -- scholars of medieval theology, philosophy. As R.C. Sproul (like his mentor, John Gerstner) would tell us, the medieval period wasn't quite the theological 'black hole' that evangelical and Reformed theologians (such as Gordon Clark) have often made it out to be.


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## steadfast7 (May 18, 2011)

Just a thought, but how might a Reformed perspective on ancient or medieval church history look different from what's produced by others?


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## Rufus (May 18, 2011)

Reformed Thomist said:


> A few Reformed medievalists would be nice -- scholars of medieval theology, philosophy. As R.C. Sproul (like his mentor, John Gerstner) would tell us, the medieval period wasn't quite the theological 'black hole' that evangelical and Reformed theologians (such as Gordon Clark) have often made it out to be.


 
I once heard Mark Dever mention how him and his fellow majors in Medieval History would get angry everytime somebody called them the dark ages.


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## Pergamum (May 18, 2011)

I wish we were more future-focused. There are a number of issues being shaped now without much of a reformed voice because we sometimes dwell on the past. The missiological issues of globalization, Third World sending countries, contextualization, bible translation, member care, mission training, all could be focused on. Even Christian Just War theory from a reformed perspective in relation to America's War on Terror.


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## Grimmson (May 18, 2011)

steadfast7 said:


> Just a thought, but how might a Reformed perspective on ancient or medieval church history look different from what's produced by others?


Well for one there can be more of an exploration to covenant theology, with a compare/ contrasting of modern reformed covenant theologies, such as between Gregory Nazianzen and Meredith Kline.


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## Philip (May 19, 2011)

steadfast7 said:


> Just a thought, but how might a Reformed perspective on ancient or medieval church history look different from what's produced by others?



It might be good in looking for different themes and different concerns than are usually focused on (I guess I should read Schaff, see what he emphasizes).


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## Grimmson (May 19, 2011)

Schaff is a good place to start for reading translated primary works (ANF and NPNF); plus he is free online through ccel. CHURCH FATHERS: Home also has translated works by the Fathers of the Church series.


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## steadfast7 (May 19, 2011)

Pergamum said:


> I wish we were more future-focused. There are a number of issues being shaped now without much of a reformed voice because we sometimes dwell on the past. The missiological issues of globalization, Third World sending countries, contextualization, bible translation, member care, mission training, all could be focused on. Even Christian Just War theory from a reformed perspective in relation to America's War on Terror.



I'd have to agree. More thought given to how the Scriptures are to be read and applied in our current cultural context, and in light of the shift of Christianity to the non-western world.


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## E Nomine (May 19, 2011)

I'd like to see more reformed research/writing focusing on the ongoing work of the Holy Spirit.


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## Reformed Thomist (May 19, 2011)

steadfast7 said:


> Just a thought, but how might a Reformed perspective on ancient or medieval church history look different from what's produced by others?


 
A Reformed scholar/historian of medieval theology, for example, would probably be more likely to recognize that the soteriology of Thomas Aquinas, for instance, is essentially Calvinistic (as opposed to the official post-Trent Semi-Pelagianism of the Roman Catholic Church). The field is dominated by Roman Catholics (and, increasingly, secular scholars who follow their lead), who tend to have the handicap of bad theology (theological ignorance) and the ignorant, dogmatic assumption that the teaching of every 'Doctor' (Augustine, Aquinas, etc.) of the RCC is what the RCC currently teaches/has always taught.


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## FenderPriest (May 19, 2011)

Maybe it's not the most needed, but there is a large absence in current Reformed literature of understanding angels and "spiritual principalities". Jonathan Edwards has done a _lot_ of writing on this apparently, which is often neglected by scholars due to its obvious Christian Spiritualism. In an age where Todd Bentley's capture the attention of thousands of evangelicals worldwide, there's certainly some warrant to trying to buff up the Reformed communities' accessible literature and teaching on the subject.


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## py3ak (May 19, 2011)

I would like to see a collection of essays on the implications and applications of the text _of making many books there is no end_.


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## Pergamum (May 19, 2011)

py3ak said:


> I would like to see a collection of essays on the implications and applications of the text _of making many books there is no end_.


 
This would make a great 20-volume series.


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## py3ak (May 19, 2011)

Pergamum said:


> This would make a great 20-volume series.



And by the time it's finished, it will be time to start updating and replacing volumes: the series will become a living entity.


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## 3John2 (May 19, 2011)

Richard Tallach said:


> > And ethics---we need good Reformed ethicists (I guess that's my cue).
> 
> 
> We need (more) intelligent Reformed thinking on crime, punishment and social and economic policy.


 
Indeed.

---------- Post added at 01:40 PM ---------- Previous post was at 01:32 PM ----------




Richard Tallach said:


> > And ethics---we need good Reformed ethicists (I guess that's my cue).
> 
> 
> We need (more) intelligent Reformed thinking on crime, punishment and social and economic policy.


 
Indeed.


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## bookslover (May 19, 2011)

How about a volume on the Reformed view of baseball (especially since my Dodgers are doing lousy right now!)?


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## FenderPriest (May 20, 2011)

bookslover said:


> How about a volume on the Reformed view of baseball (especially since my Dodgers are doing lousy right now!)?


Been done:
Don't Waste Your Sports by C.J. Mahaney
The Reason For Sports: A Christian Fanifesto by Ted Kluck
Game Day for the Glory of God: A Guide for Athletes, Fans, and Wannabes by Stephen Altrogge


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## Scott1 (May 20, 2011)

It would be beneficial to the church universal to have a major work done on the life of Theodore Beza, who followed Mr. Calvin, with an emphasis on how he refined reformed theology.

Also, a biblical study of the role of ordinary revelation through Scripture, alone, contrast with the serious errors of charismatic/pentecostal teaching and practice. (This needs to be done without creating a narrow niche of "cessationism", but focusing on the role of sola scriptura, in line with central reformation doctrine).


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## puritan628 (May 21, 2011)

Sometimes it seems like the world at-large doesn't really even realize how many factions there are in Christianity. Do you think it would be beneficial to gauge the *perceptions* of what the reformed beliefs are as compared Christian beliefs that are contrary to reformed beliefs? An example might be the understanding of faith vs. works. Do people perceive all Christians are Armenian (the description of an Armenian, not that most people would know what an "Armenian" is)? Another example might be praying to saints. Do people perceive all Christians as those who pray to saints?

And are Christian beliefs perceived any differently now than during the time of the Reformation? 

Just some thoughts. I tend to be a "social scientist" by nature.


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## Philip (May 21, 2011)

puritan628 said:


> Sometimes it seems like the world at-large doesn't really even realize how many factions there are in Christianity. Do you think it would be beneficial to gauge the perceptions of what the reformed beliefs are as compared Christian beliefs that are contrary to reformed beliefs?



Dr. Ken Stewart of Covenant College has just written a book clarifying some of this: Ten Myths About Calvinism.


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## bpkantor (May 21, 2011)

I'm sure it has been dealt with but I would like to see deeper studies in
1) The NT use of the OT
2) The tripartite distinction of the law (real criteria, based on the scriptures for determining this, and just a real solid explained theology of the law)


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## greenbaggins (May 21, 2011)

bpkantor said:


> I'm sure it has been dealt with but I would like to see deeper studies in
> 1) The NT use of the OT
> 2) The tripartite distinction of the law (real criteria, based on the scriptures for determining this, and just a real solid explained theology of the law)



As to the first, Greg Beale and D.A Carson have done an enormous amount of work in this field, including the Commentary on the NT use of the OT, which is surely as comprehensive a resource as one could wish. 

As to the second, this volume seems to fit the bill nicely.


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## bpkantor (May 21, 2011)

greenbaggins said:


> bpkantor said:
> 
> 
> > I'm sure it has been dealt with but I would like to see deeper studies in
> ...


 
Thanks! Appreciate it.

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greenbaggins said:


> bpkantor said:
> 
> 
> > I'm sure it has been dealt with but I would like to see deeper studies in
> ...


 
Thanks! Appreciate it.


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## jgrant1118 (Jun 4, 2011)

I'm dropping in a little late on this thread, but I thought I'd toss a question out there and see if any would like to respond. As I have read through this thread, I've seen some comment on the need for more research in missiology. I think this area has much more to be looked into. What are your thoughts on doing more research in world religions?


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## Brother John (Jun 4, 2011)

jgrant1118 said:


> I'm dropping in a little late on this thread, but I thought I'd toss a question out there and see if any would like to respond. As I have read through this thread, I've seen some comment on the need for more research in missiology. I think this area has much more to be looked into. What are your thoughts on doing more research in world religions?


 

I would be interested in reading commentaries from a reformed view of the major books of the world religions. For example a commentary of the koran that covered the entire book. Just a thought.


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