We arrive now at the climax of our historical investigation. Of all the theologians cited by Owen Strachan in his 2021 defense of ERAS—and alluded to in his recent podcast appearance—none has been more directly influential in the American Reformed seminary context than Louis Berkhof. While it is perhaps an exaggeration to call Berkhof the… Continue reading Louis Berkhof and the Silver Bullet
Category: Apologetics & Polemics
The Subtle Serpent of Self-Sufficiency
In our last article, we drew a line in the sand regarding the doctrine of God. We rejected the cold, impersonal Logos of the Stoics in favor of the warm, sovereign fellowship of the Triune God. We established that we are not cogs in a machine, but sons of a Father. Now we must turn our gaze… Continue reading The Subtle Serpent of Self-Sufficiency
Geerhardus Vos and the Covenant of Redemption
Having examined Augustine and Hodge, we turn now to Geerhardus Vos, the father of Reformed Biblical Theology. Vos is a giant of the faith, known for his deep insight into the eschatological structure of Scripture. Owen Strachan appeals to Vos to demonstrate that the Reformed tradition has always held to the Son’s submission. However, Strachan’s… Continue reading Geerhardus Vos and the Covenant of Redemption
The Impersonal Logos vs. The Personal Trinity
For the past several weeks, we have been engaged in the delicate work of “plundering the Egyptians.” We have walked through the Stoic camp, identifying valuable tools—virtue, duty, the dichotomy of control, and the concept of things indifferent—and we have shown how, when rinsed in the waters of baptism, they can serve the Christian life.… Continue reading The Impersonal Logos vs. The Personal Trinity
Charles Hodge and the Nicene Taxis
In our previous installments, we examined the flawed methodology of “Research by Ctrl+F” and the misuse of Augustine. Now, we move forward to the 19th century and the towering figure of Princeton theology: Charles Hodge. Owen Strachan includes Hodge in his list of witnesses, citing his Systematic Theology to argue that the subordination of the Son is… Continue reading Charles Hodge and the Nicene Taxis
Things Indifferent? Paul, Adiaphora, and the Christian Conscience
In our study so far, we have established the theological warrant for engaging with Stoicism: the doctrine of Common Grace. We have argued that we should “plunder the Egyptians,” taking the gold of pagan insight and refining it in the fire of Scripture. We saw the Apostle Paul model this generally on Mars Hill in… Continue reading Things Indifferent? Paul, Adiaphora, and the Christian Conscience
Augustine and the “Hence” That Changes Everything
In Part 1, we established the high stakes of historical revisionism and the problematic methodology employed by Owen Strachan and others in the ERAS camp.[1] Now, we turn to the first of Strachan’s alleged witnesses: Augustine of Hippo. Strachan’s citation of Augustine is particularly significant because it appeals to the “Later Augustine.” By citing Answer to Maximinus… Continue reading Augustine and the “Hence” That Changes Everything
Living According to Nature, Created and Redeemed
We have spent the last few articles in the “gymnasium” of Christian Stoicism, learning to wield specific tools: the Dichotomy of Control to steady our hands and the Ordered Affections to steady our hearts. We have seen that the Christian life is not a retreat from reality, but a disciplined engagement with it, fueled by the Spirit and grounded… Continue reading Living According to Nature, Created and Redeemed
The High Cost of Historical Revisionism
The summer of 2016 was a strange season for the evangelical internet. For a few heated months, the blogosphere—usually preoccupied with cultural hot takes or political infighting—became an impromptu lecture hall for Patristic theology. The debate concerned the Trinity, specifically the doctrine of Eternal Functional Subordination (EFS), later rebranded as Eternal Relations of Authority and Submission (ERAS). At stake was a… Continue reading The High Cost of Historical Revisionism
Apatheia or Ordered Affections? A Christian View of Emotion
In our last article, we walked through the forest of virtue. We saw that the Stoic “stumps” of Wisdom, Justice, Courage, and Temperance are noble but dead until they are grafted into the living root of the Holy Spirit and watered by Faith, Hope, and Love. Now we must descend from the high ground of… Continue reading Apatheia or Ordered Affections? A Christian View of Emotion