Theology on the Go

Old Testament Use of Old Testament - Part 2 Jonathan Master and James Dolezal are beginning the new year with one of their favorite chats of 2021! So, Gary Schnittjer returns this week to conclude a fascinating and vital conversation about his book Old Testament Use of Old Testament. Released just a few months ago, the book has already proven to be an essential tool in the hands of Bible scholars, pastors, and students of theology.   One tragic issue in the Church today is that great portions of the Old Testament are viewed as "non-essential" at best or even embarrassing for Christians. Gary demonstrates why reading scripture with Old Testament authors and walking with them is crucial. He encourages pastors to not shy away from using the Old Testament to help their congregations answer the difficult questions we face today. He also guides us through the structure of his book and offers helpful suggestions for use.    We are thrilled to be able to offer our listeners one final opportunity to win a free copy of Old Testament Use of Old Testament. Register! The books are a generous gift from our friends at Zondervan.

Old Testament Use of Old Testament - Part 1 NOTE: To begin the new year, Jonathan and James have chosen to repost one of their favorite interviews of 2021. This two-part conversation concludes on our next episode on 1/24/22.     Our hosts are delighted to welcome a friend and former colleague Gary E. Schnittjer. Gary joins them to discuss one of the most anticipated books of the year, Old Testament Use of Old Testament.    You’re likely familiar with how New Testament writers used the Old Testament. Gary explains that the New Testament authors modeled their interpretation based on how later Old Testament authors interpreted earlier Old Testament authors. His book is designed to help students and ministers make this connection and align their perspectives with the Old Testament authors as they study Scripture.    We’re giving away a copy of Old Testament Use of Old Testament. Register for the opportunity to win this great work published by Zondervan Academy.

Manual of Christian Doctrine   Working in close proximity for years provided many opportunities for conversation between Jonathan and James. An annual topic of concern: choosing the theology curriculum for undergraduate students, particularly those in their first year at the university. What’s the best single-volume introduction to theology? On this, our professors would agree: Manual of Christian Doctrine, published in 1933 by theologian Louis Berkhof. Our hosts regard the book as not just an academic resource for undergraduates but also a theological manual for all Christians.   Jonathan and James discuss the manageability, accessibility, clarity, and richness of content in this early 20th-century work. Listen to their compelling argument for a work that will surely enrich every Christian’s life. We have a few copies of Manual of Christian Doctrine that we are giving away. Register for the opportunity to win a free one. The copies are a complimentary gift from Eerdmans Publishing.

Do Calvinists believe in free will? Jonathan and James point to the Westminster Confession of Faith chapter 9 to help us tackle this turbulent topic. The Confession is very careful to qualify what it means for man to have free will while establishing the boundaries of human freedom. What does it mean to be “bound,” or to experience the loss of free will? If we affirm that man is free, well…what is man free from? What is he free for? This mind-expanding conversation will help calibrate your thinking! Show Notes ·  The Bondage of the Will by Martin Luther The following listeners received a copy of The Way of Life by Charles Hodge thanks to our friends at Banner of Truth: Jonathan G. from Shippensburg, PA Mark L. from Altoona, PA Cindy B. from Borger, TX

Jonathan and James welcome Caleb Cangelosi. He’s the senior pastor of Pear Orchard Presbyterian Church in Ridgeland, MS, and the director and curator of Log College Press, an online archive of mostly 18th and 19th century documents of American Presbyterian writings. Log College Press is a free resource offering thousands of PDFs written by more than seventeen hundred authors from all flavors of American Presbyterianism. Caleb gives us insights on what prompted him to launch the project, on how he tracks down original works, and offers a sampling of the documents that are available at Log College Press.  The growing popularity of the site gave birth to the Dead Presbyterians Society! Tune in to discover the Society’s many benefits, and to learn how you can join.  We are pleased to offer our listeners the opportunity to win a free copy of Presbyterianism: Its History, Doctrine, Government and Worship. Register now!

Though they now reside thousands of miles from one another, Jonathan and James are face-to-face today, broadcasting from the West Coast and discussing the Donatist Controversy.  In the early fourth century, the Roman emperor authorized a final wave of persecution of the Church that caused some bishops and pastors to leave their churches, while some gave in to pressure from Rome. When Constantine became emperor and stopped the persecution, the bishops who fled returned to duty and encountered their replacements. And here we have the crux of the issue. Were these returning pastors and bishops legitimate? What about those that gave in to Rome? Is the efficacy of the sacraments dependent upon the holiness of the bishop? Were the sacraments invalid if performed by an “illegitimate” bishop? Are the issues raised by the Donatist Controversy still present in the Church today?

Chief Scottish Man Jonathan's and James' special guest is a friend with whom they share good memories. Sandy Finlayson is library director and professor of Theological Bibliography at Westminster Theological Seminary and the author of Chief Scottish Man: The Life and Ministry of Thomas Chalmers.  What makes this 18th-century man such an extraordinary figure, both then and today? As a recently converted minister—and, at a very young age—Chalmers was able to diagnose the problems plaguing his parish and effectively address them. He would eventually become the leader of the Evangelical Party in the Church of Scotland, which was later to become the Free Church of Scotland. Join us as our guest recounts Chalmers' fascinating life and ministry.    We would like to offer our listeners the opportunity to win a free copy of Chief Scottish Man. Sign up! The books are offered compliments of Evangelical Press.

Questions Women Asked (and Might Still Be Asking)   Simonetta Carr returns to the podcast to share highlights from her new book. Simonetta is a contributor at PlaceForTruth.org through her column Cloud of Witnesses and an acclaimed author known for the series Christian Biographies for Young Readers published by Reformation Heritage Books.    In her latest book, Simonetta shares the stories of women in church history, framing their biographies around important questions being raised during their lifetimes–questions pertaining to theology, philosophy, societal norms, and more. Some are still being raised today. Join Simonetta, Jonathan Master, and James Dolezal for this intriguing conversation.    We are pleased to offer our listeners the opportunity to win a free copy of Simonetta’s Questions Women Asked. Sign up! The copies are offered as compliments of Reformation Heritage Books.

What Hath Athens to Do With Jerusalem? What does philosophy have to do with theology, the Church, and Christian doctrine? Should Christians be interested in philosophy, and—if so—why? To address these questions, Jonathan and James invited a good friend and former colleague. Bob LaRocca is an assistant professor of Liberal Arts and Science at Cairn University where he teaches Introduction to Philosophy and Apologetics. Bob sets the foundation for the discussion by defining philosophy and its purpose. What can philosophy teach us about faith that hasn’t already been addressed and explained in Scripture? In a simple but eloquent way, Bob provides an introduction as to how philosophy applies to many areas of life, whether your interests lie in politics, the environment, theology, or elsewhere. Listen in—you may discover that you’re already a philosopher! We are happy to recommend the book The Consequences of Ideas by the late R. C. Sproul and are pleased to offer you the opportunity to win a free copy. The books are a gift from our friends at Crossway. Sign-up to enter!

Gary Schnittjer returns this week to continue the fascinating and vital conversation about his book Old Testament Use of Old Testament. Released just a few weeks ago, it has already proven to be an essential tool in the hands of Bible scholars, pastors, and students of theology. One tragic issue in the Church today is that great portions of the Old Testament are viewed as "non-essential" at best or even embarrassing for Christians. Gary demonstrates why reading scripture with Old Testament authors and walking with them is crucial. He encourages pastors to not shy away from using the Old Testament to help their congregations answer the difficult questions we face today. He also guides us through the structure of his book and offers helpful suggestions for use.  If you haven’t listened to part one of this helpful conversation we encourage you to do so! We are thrilled to be able to offer our listeners the opportunity to win a free copy of Old Testament Use of Old Testament. Register! The books are a generous gift from our friends at Zondervan.