Your Favorite Popular Theologian

[Mr Peabody]

Alas, Tom Lyon is a humble local pastor who beats a straight path between study and pulpit and avoids publicity or distribution of his sermons. He's certainly not a "popular" theologian. He's properly pale from lack of sun, and his neighbors refer to his study as "the cave". Do you know where your pastor is right now? Our church's website is:

http://prbc-wa.org/index.htm

I've probably followed the same reading path as many: Martyn Lloyd-Jones to John Calvin to John Owen (and the other puritans) to Jonathan Edwards to Charles Spurgeon. Who would have thought we would have things like BibleWorks and CCEL? Hundreds (thousands?) of dollars of books are now in my laptop.

But I like Sunday morning the best. I am quite blessed to have my favorite theologian live and gray-haired and well-prepared, explaining the articles of the London Baptist Confession the first hour, exegeting Romans the second, and gleaning observations from the life of David at 5pm. He has kept his hand to the plow and is my favorite theologian.

 

[RamistThomist]

Probably Joe Morecraft. I was a young history student and heard, almost by accident, some of his lectures on early American history. I was amazed at his theological grasp of thorny topics and his easy rebutting of compromising views. His passion in the pulpit was also moving. He is one of hte few people I know who can preach electrically from a manuscript. His stuff is at sermonaudio and boy did I plunder it back in the day. Now, I probably don't agree with him in a few areas, but that's fine.

Van Til might be a close second, but I didn't think he was too popular.

Then, Iain Murray. His book The Puritan Hope was excellent. Also go to sermonaudio and find his sermon on "The Conditions for Powerful Preaching."

 

[MeanieCalvinist]

Originally posted by Mr Peabody
Alas, Tom Lyon is a humble local pastor who beats a straight path between study and pulpit and avoids publicity or distribution of his sermons. He's certainly not a "popular" theologian. He's properly pale from lack of sun, and his neighbors refer to his study as "the cave". Do you know where your pastor is right now? Our church's website is:

http://prbc-wa.org/index.htm

I've probably followed the same reading path as many: Martyn Lloyd-Jones to John Calvin to John Owen (and the other puritans) to Jonathan Edwards to Charles Spurgeon. Who would have thought we would have things like BibleWorks and CCEL? Hundreds (thousands?) of dollars of books are now in my laptop.

But I like Sunday morning the best. I am quite blessed to have my favorite theologian live and gray-haired and well-prepared, explaining the articles of the London Baptist Confession the first hour, exegeting Romans the second, and gleaning observations from the life of David at 5pm. He has kept his hand to the plow and is my favorite theologian.

Hey Mike!

I have visited PRBC quite a few times and I would have to agree with you concerning Pastor Lyon. I have learned a lot listening to him preach..

As far a my favorite theologian... Just one???? hmmmm

Well, for me that would be a toss up between Geerhardus Vos and John Owen.

However, Tom Lyon would not be far behind!

In Christ,

Brian Karger

 

[Semper Fidelis]

Mike Horton
John Calvin

 

[Presbyrino]

Living: RC Sproul, John Piper
Dead: Francis Schaeffer, Greg Bahnsen, Jonathon Edwards

 

[Philip A]

As far as the living are concerned, my favorite at this point is Carl R. Trueman, or his alter ego, A Cruel TR Man.

 

[yeutter]

Church Fathers: Augustine of Hippo

Post Reformation: John Owen

20th Century: John H. Gerstner

Living: J. I. Packer

 

[VirginiaHuguenot]

Contemporary: Joel Beeke

 

[RamistThomist]

Ken Gentry

 

[beej6]

RC Sproul

Does DG Hart count?

I'd love to say Calvin, but I'm just not sure how popular he is outside this board

 

[Cuirassier]

Dr. Robert Schuller - hands down.

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OK, now that we're all awake .... just kidding


Matthew Henry
Jonathan Edwards

 

[MeanieCalvinist]

Originally posted by Cuirassier
Dr. Robert Schuller - hands down.

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OK, now that we're all awake .... just kidding


Matthew Henry
Jonathan Edwards

I am glad you shared that because my "true" favorite theologian in the Great Charles Finney.

I have only noticed a couple of problems with his Systematic Theology.


1. It is not systematic

2. It is not theology

Otherwise, he is the "best" of the heritics I have read.

Now as my favorite living theologian, I would have to say

Dr C. Matthew McMahon! ofcourse
Followed by Iain Murray/John Gerstner

In Christ,

MeanieCalvinist

[Edited on 3-15-2006 by MeanieCalvinist]

 

[Larry Hughes]

Long Dead:

Luther
Calvin

Recent Dead:

J. Gresham Machen
Gehard Forde

Still Living:

Michael Horton
Rod Rosenbladt
RC Sproul

 

[Cuirassier]

Originally posted by MeanieCalvinist

I have only noticed a couple of problems with his Systematic Theology.


1. It is not systematic

2. It is not theology

Otherwise, he is the "best" of the heritics I have read.

- touche' that was brilliant.

I figured someone would eventually see the humour in my post!

dl

 

[Will]

Is it possible for a human to understand God by only reading the Bible?

Must a Christian read Augustine, Edwards and other humans in order to understand God?

Is the Holy Bible enough?

 

[mgeoffriau]

I don't think it's an issue of obligation or necessity, but rather a case of opportunity.

My favorites?

Edwards. Dabney. Bavinck. Turretin. Warfield. Gerstner.

[Edited on 3-16-2006 by mgeoffriau]

 

[Peter]

Yes. Every thing we need to know about God is set down in scripture and the important things necessary for salvation are clear to all. However there are many hard things to understand 2 Pe 3:16 which is why God has appointed elders to explain the bible to us that we may move past the milk and first principles of the gospel to strong meat Heb 5:12-6:2.

 

[srhoades]

Originally posted by Will
Is it possible for a human to understand God by only reading the Bible?

Must a Christian read Augustine, Edwards and other humans in order to understand God?

Is the Holy Bible enough?

I'll give a crack at responding to that. If you understand the Biblical doctrine of inspiration and its claims (2 Tim 3:16), then the word of God is sufficient and adequete. (I use those words in the historical context which bear a much stronger meaning) However, I believe God has providentially given us learned men to explain the deeper things of God's word.

However, this does not mean that each person can interpret the word of God as he sees fit. The reformed position is that the Bible is the sole infallible source of authority, but that does not mean it is the only authority. The tradition of the apostles, (the doctrine that they taught which was eventually written in scripture) and the church guide us in interpreting Scripture.

For an excellent book on this topic see James White's Scripture Alone.

 

[WrittenFromUtopia]

Jean Cauvin.

 

[Larry Hughes]

Gabe,

That means we Calvinist are really Cauvinist. Does that make us Male Calvinist Pigs. ;-)

L

 

[beej6]

You mean male cauvinist pigs

 

[Larry Hughes]

BJ,

It was a play on the words.

Sorry my mistake at humor.

 

[fivepointcalvinist]

wow, hard to say but i think bahnsen was definitely a truly gifted man. i think he certainly was a man few could contend with in his time and even now. i tend to lean towards jonathan edwards too. Sproul is good as well; cant forget calvin...

 

[DTK]

Originally posted by Peter
Yes. Every thing we need to know about God is set down in scripture and the important things necessary for salvation are clear to all. However there are many hard things to understand 2 Pe 3:16 which is why God has appointed elders to explain the bible to us that we may move past the milk and first principles of the gospel to strong meat Heb 5:12-6:2.

Yes, the risen Lord Jesus Christ has given gifts to His church with appointed elders. But we need to be careful that we don't cite 2 Peter 3:16 to say what it doesn't say. 2 Peter 3:16 says: As also in all {his} epistles, speaking in them of these things; in which are some things (dusno,hta, tina) hard to be understood, which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest, as {they do} also the other scriptures, to their own destruction.

I have grown fond of quoting Ambrose on this subject...

Ambrose (c. 339-97): In most places Paul so explains his meaning by his own words, that he who discourses on them can find nothing to add of his own; and if he wishes to say anything, must rather perform the office of a grammarian than a discourser. See William Goode, The Divine Rule of Faith and Practice 2nd ed.,(London: John Henry Jackson, 1853), Vol. 3, p. 262; Martin Chemnitz, An Examination of the Council of Trent, Part 1, trans. Fred Kramer (St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1971), p. 167, and William Whitaker, A Disputation on Holy Scripture Against the Papists, Especially Bellarmine and Stapleton, trans. and ed. William Fitzgerald (Cambridge: The University Press, reprinted 1849),pp. 398, 492, who all render plerisque as "œmost."
Latin text of Ambrose: In plerisque ita se ipse suis exponat sermonibus, ut is qui tractat, nihil inveniat quod adjiciat suum; ac si velit aliquid dicere, grammatici magis quam disputatoris fungatur munere. Epistola XXXVII.1, PL 16:1084.

DTK

 

[MeanieCalvinist]

Originally posted by fivepointcalvinist
wow, hard to say but i think bahnsen was definitely a truly gifted man. i think he certainly was a man few could contend with in his time and even now. i tend to lean towards jonathan edwards too. Sproul is good as well; cant forget calvin...

Bahnsen was definitely gifted in his field. He had a great teacher and what is even more amazing is how he understood what his professor taught.(Van Til)

I find Van Til very difficult to understand and prefer reading Brahnsen for sure!



In Christ,

MeanieCalvinist

[Edited on 3-18-2006 by MeanieCalvinist]

 

[fivepointcalvinist]

Originally posted by MeanieCalvinist

Originally posted by fivepointcalvinist
wow, hard to say but i think bahnsen was definitely a truly gifted man. i think he certainly was a man few could contend with in his time and even now. i tend to lean towards jonathan edwards too. Sproul is good as well; cant forget calvin...

Bahnsen was definitely gifted in his field. He had a great teacher and what is even more amazing is how he understood what his professor taught.(Van Til)

I find Van Til very difficult to understand and prefer reading Brahnsen for sure!



In Christ,

MeanieCalvinist

[Edited on 3-18-2006 by MeanieCalvinist]

bahnsen was the cornerstone for me understanding how i knew what i knew (epistemology) in regards to philosophy and how our Christian worldview should and does shape what we presuppose. i have 3 debates of his on cd along with the dvd set put out my covenant media. it really helped me address the philosophical implications of my faith and humbled my intellect!

[Edited on 3-18-2006 by fivepointcalvinist]

 

[tmckinney]

Originally posted by ChristopherPaul
With some of you, it seems very apparent who your favorite popular teachers are (e.g: JohnV is to Francis Schaeffer as crhodes is to Greg Bahnsen).

If you had to pick one popular theologian as your favorite, which may not necessarily be the one you most agree with (we all have our reasons), then who would it be?

Feel free to use this time as a tribute or commercial for your pick with links, biographies, etc. BUT NO DEBATES.

I specified "popular" to avoid the inevitable, but very appropriate submissions of unknown personal pastors, spouses, parents, friends etc.).

I look forwards to the responses.

I think for me it would be a hard decision between John MacArthur and R. C. Sproul.

 

[nicnap]

Non-contemporary (Dead):
Dabney
Machen
Calvin
Bahnsen
VanTil

Contemporary (Living):
Beeke

There are a few others on each list, but to begin naming them would defeat the whole one or two thing...which apparently I have already done.

[Edited on 3-21-2006 by nicnap]

[Edited on 3-21-2006 by nicnap]

 

[JasonGoodwin]

Dead: Arthur Pink (I'm surprised no one brought him up here)

Living: Oh, that's a tough one. How about Jeff Pollard from Mount Zion Bible Church in Pensacola, FL? I would have picked MacArthur if he wasn't a premil Dispensational. Let's not forget Dr. McMahon here (considering his razor-sharp observations as noted on WBNP, etc.)

 

[BuddyOfDavidClarkson]

David Clarkson (what would you expect with my handle???)

David had a keen grasp of scripture and really understand the human condition. His sermons on worry are dead on!


Charles Spurgeon. Here's a man that can feed your soul like no other!