An appreciation of the turnaround of Southern Seminary
Todd Pruitt writes about Southern Baptist Theological Seminary:
“Southern is the oldest and largest of the SBC seminaries. It was also the great bastion of theological liberalism within the denomination.”
“I was raised in a large Southern Baptist church in Houston, Texas. I was educated in Southern Baptist institutions. I was ordained in a Southern Baptist church. Coming of age in the 1980’s I remember well overhearing the discussions at home and church about the conservative resurgence within the SBC. It may surprise some of you to know how liberal the Southern Baptist seminaries had become and, as a consequence, its clergy and churches. But, by God’s grace, the Southern Baptists did not go the way of the PCUSA, Disciples of Christ, or United Methodists.
One of the key moments in this mega-shift away from liberalism was the reformation of the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Kentucky. Southern is the oldest and largest of the SBC seminaries. It was also the great bastion of theological liberalism within the denomination. But in 1993, after a change in the balance of power among the trustees, Southern Seminary hired a young theologian and journalist named Albert Mohler [pictured] as the new President of the seminary. At that point that point the battle was joined. Ultimately, Southern Seminary returned wholeheartedly to its founding confession and vision. But the fight was brutal and is, in my mind, one the great stories of the church in the 20th century.
This year marks the 20th anniversary of Dr. Mohler’s presidency of the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. So I offer enthusiastic gratitude to the Lord for Albert Mohler and his unswerving loyalty to God’s Word, his tenacity in leadership, his willingness to be ridiculed for what is right, and his enthusiasm for the gospel of Jesus Christ.
I encourage you to read this account of the turnaround of Southern Seminary. It is truly a harrowing story.”
And Southern Seminary has released a 25 minute documentary on the history of SBTS with a focus on the turnaround of the last 20 years.
Well worth watching.
The Importance of the Printing Press for the Protestant Reformation, Pt 1
“This article is the first of two that will consider the importance of Johann Gutenberg’s movable type printing technology for the Protestant Reformation and how the new technology was employed effectively by Martin Luther in Germany. Part one will deal with the technology, and part two will consider how it was used by Luther in Germany.”
– with Reformation Sunday coming up, this article is a fascinating insight into an often-overlooked aspect of the Reformation.
The Puritans: John Bunyan
“John Bunyan, author of The Pilgrim’s Progress and undoubtedly the most famous of all Puritans, was born on November 28, 1628 in Bedfordshire, England. His father was a brazier (a brass worker) and it was intention that his son would take over the family business. …”
– In his latest post on The Puritans, Tim Challies introduces the author of Pilgrim’s Progress.
Related: Kel Richards introduces Pilgrims Progress in the introduction to his Aussie adaptation of the story (sadly now out of print).
Richard Baxter
Tim Challies has continued his thumbnail sketch of key Puritans with this on Richard Baxter, author of The Reformed Pastor.
The Puritans
Over the the last few weeks, Tim Challies has published biographical sketches to introduce several of the key English Puritans. Each includes a list of their most important works.
They include Matthew Henry (author of the much-loved Bible commentary), and Richard Sibbes (from whom Mark Dever has been reading in public at Capitol Hill Baptist Church).
So far in this series:
John Owen (1616–1683)
Jeremiah Burroughs (1600–1646)
Richard Sibbes (1577–1635)
Thomas Brooks (1608–1680)
Matthew Henry (1662–1714)
William Perkins (1558–1602).
J.C. Ryle’s Evangelistic Strategy
“In April 1880, at the age of 64, John Charles Ryle was consecrated as the first Bishop of Liverpool, a new urban diocese carved out of the diocese of Chester. At a stage in life when many clergymen eagerly await retirement, he was launched into a fresh and demanding field of ministry.
He was already well-known on the national stage as a conference speaker and a prodigious writer of evangelistic tracts which sold in their millions. Since 1844 Ryle’s regular parish ministry had been in rural Suffolk, first in the village of Helmingham (with a population of only 287) and then at Stradbroke (one of the largest and wealthiest parishes in Norwich diocese, with a population of 1500). Liverpool was a completely new challenge…
Taking all the Christian denominations together, eighty per cent of the population still remained unchurched. …”
– Church Society has republished Andrew Atherstone’s terrific article “J.C. Ryle’s Evangelistic Strategy” (PDF file) from Churchman.
It’s full of encouragement and challenges for all Sydney Anglicans. Take the time to read it – and learn from John Charles Ryle. (And don’t forget the coming ‘Jesus Brings’ campaign.)
The St. James’ Massacre remembered
On Thursday evening, the congregation of St. James’ Kenilworth in Cape Town met to remember the terrible massacre of Sunday 25th July 1993.
The sermon preached by the current Rector, the Rev Dr Mervyn Eloff, is now available. Well worth hearing and passing on.
And a ten minute video, made shortly after the massacre, can be seen here (h/t George Athas).
Earlier post by David Manfield.
Why you can rely on the Canon
“When it comes to the canon of Scripture, are 66, 39, and 27 the right numbers? How can we be sure which books belong and which do not?
Mark Mellinger recently sat down with Michael Kruger, president of Reformed Theological Seminary in Charlotte, to discuss this ever-relevant issue of Scripture and canon.”
– Read the article and watch the video here.
Related: 10 Basic Facts about the NT Canon Every Christian Should Memorize.
Remembering the St. James’ Massacre
“Man’s evil trumped by God’s good – always!
Today (July 25) marks the 20th anniversary of the 1993 massacre at St James Kenilworth in suburban Cape Town. A commemorative service will be held at St James today to mark the occasion.”
– David Mansfield writes at SydneyAnglicans.net.
The 1933 Election
The Australian Church Record takes a look back at one of the key Archbishop’s elections – that of Howard West Kilvinton Mowll in 1933.
Moore College Library Day — 27 July
Some think of him as “the flogging parson”, but across the Tasman, he is remembered as “The Apostle to New Zealand” and a missionary statesman. In January 1814, the Rev. Samuel Marsden brought the good news of Christ to the Bay of Islands.
As the Bicentenary approaches, Moore College’s 2013 Library Day will focus on the start of Marsden’s mission.
Update: College Principal Mark Thompson adds:
“Come to the 2013 Moore College Library Day and hear of the real Marsden and his lifelong passion to see the lost won for Christ.”
“In a few week’s time there will be a celebration of Samuel Marsden and particularly his involvement with the earliest Christian mission to New Zealand two hundred years ago this year. He will be the subject of a day conference at Moore College on Saturday 27 July. I must confess this is an aspect of the great man’s life of which I was blissfully unaware until recently.
Marsden is sometimes misunderstood and his enormous positive contribution to the cause of Christ in Australia and New Zealand overshadowed by such less than flattering epithets as ‘the flogging parson’.
Come to the 2013 Moore College Library Day and hear of the real Marsden and his lifelong passion to see the lost won for Christ. Hear too of his ceaseless efforts to overturn one of the most horrendous miscarriages of justice in those early years. Here was a man of integrity and courage who sought above all else to diligently serve his Lord.
Details of the Library Day can be found on this advertisement. See you there!”
Calvin’s chair
“Calvin’s original pulpit is no longer there within St. Pierre’s, though a similar one has been built on the spot he preached. Not many relics can survive nearly 500 years of history, but one remains: his chair.”
– Tim Challies continues his series on the history of Christianity in 25 objects.
The Billy Graham of the 19th Century
“Dwight L. Moody was to the 19th century what Billy Graham was to the 20th century.
Both spent the better part of their life as itinerant evangelists, travelling the world preaching Christ and calling upon people to repent and put their trust in him.
There were differences between the two men and differences between the two centuries in which they preached, but it is unlikely that anybody preached Christ to more people in the last two centuries than these two men…”
– Phillip Jensen gives some key background to the Men’s Collegiate Choir of the Moody Bible Institute, who are in Sydney this weekend.
The Indulgence Box
In his “History of Christianity in 25 objects”, Tim Challies uses an Indulgence Box to introduce readers to Martin Luther and his great discovery.
“It is a plain and unadorned box, notable only for a coin slot in the lid. Its significance is found far more in what it represents than it what it actually is. The pennies that slid through the slot and into the coffer represented a gospel of salvation by works, a gospel foreign to the Bible, a false gospel. Luther had recovered the great doctrine of justification by grace alone through faith alone, and there would be no place for indulgences and no place for meritorious good works.”
The Gutenberg Bible
“The Harry Ransom Center at the University of Texas in Austin contains a copy of what many people consider the most valuable book in the world. The Gutenberg Bible is not only the oldest surviving book to be printed using moveable type, but also the first complete book to be produced with that technology…”
– Canadian Tim Challies has been surveying the History of Christianity in 25 Objects. This week, he turns to the Gutenberg Bible.
An introduction to the series, and a list of the posts so far, is here.
What we believe
The message at the heart of Christianity is really quite simple…