RTS Washington Faculty Podcast

Episode 43 We are taking a break in this episode to talk through the tragic and unsettling events of the last few weeks. How can Christians find peace amidst unrest? How do we "seek first His Kingdom" while seeking good in this world? What does pastoral ministry look like when everyone's mind is elsewhere? Join our conversation.

Episode 42 It's that time of year when some of us are resolving to do better. We want to pray more, eat less, learn a new skill, or finish what we started. Why do we resolve, and what makes the new year a particularly appropriate time for such resolutions? The faculty engages these questions from a biblical and theological perspective.

Episode 41 As 2020 comes to an end, we take time to reflect on lessons we have learned and things we are grateful for over the course of this wild year. Highlights: God, pastors, fear, this podcast, and YOU our listeners.

Episode 40 Continuing our series through the Apostles’ Creed, today we talk about the other side of the incarnation: the Son was not only “conceived of by the Holy Spirit“ but also “born of the Virgin Mary.” What’s the significance of this uniquely miraculous birth? We touch on other miraculous births in the Bible, the Magnificat, Mary as theotokos, and Jesus’ qualifications as our Savior. Merry Christmas!

Episode 39 We return to our series on the Apostles’ Creed, rounding into the Christmas season with a discussion of the Spirit's work in the conception, birth, life, and death of our Lord. The Spiritual conception of Jesus is more than just proof that he is a Divine person—it does that, but it is also the climactic moment in which God fulfills his promise to be with his people in a new and and perfect way.

Episode 38 We welcome Dr. D. Blair Smith, Associate Professor of Systematic Theology at RTS Charlotte, for a discussion on the Fatherhood of God as it relates to the doctrines of the Trinity and redemption. What’s the value of reading patristic writings in this connection? What does the Old Testament teach us about the Fatherhood of God? And how can a fuller understanding of God as Father enrich our worship and everyday lives? Also, don’t miss Blair’s excellent, climactically articulated 4-point “ramble” in response to Tommy’s question.

Episode 37 We welcome Chris Watkin to the podcast to discuss how Christianity helps us think about the crucial philosophical and cultural issues of the day. Our faith resists a binary appropriation of ideas, as if we must either affirm or reject the culture around us. Rather, it "diagonalizes" issues by bringing God's word to bear on everything we address. Show notes Watkin, Thinking Through Creation. https://www.amazon.com/Thinking-through-Creation-Cultural-Critique/dp/1629953016/ Thinking Through The Bible, https://www.thinkingthroughthebible.com

Episode 36 Each word describing Jesus in the creed is rich with significance. He is "Son" and "Messiah" and "Lord." How do these three interact? What is their biblical and theological significance? How do they relate to the ministry of the church, both theologically and practically?

Episode 35 The doctrine of the Trinity is at the heart of the Christianity. "When Scripture wants to summarize salvation," says Dr. Scott Swain, "it summarizes it in a Trinitarian way." We are pleased to welcome Dr. Swain, President and James Woodrow Hassell Professor of Systematic Theology at RTS Orlando, to this week's discussion. Allen & Swain, eds., The Oxford Handbook of Reformed Theology, https://www.amazon.com/Oxford-Handbook-Reformed-Theology-Handbooks/dp/0198723911 Swain, The Trinity: An Introduction, https://www.amazon.com/Trinity-Introduction-Studies-Systematic-Theology/dp/1433561212/ Holmes, The Quest for the Trinity: The Doctrine of God in Scripture, History and Modernity, https://www.amazon.com/Quest-Trinity-Doctrine-Scripture-Modernity/dp/0830839860/

Episode 34 The doctrine of creation is at the heart of the Christian religion and confession. We can't understand the work of Christ without first understanding the Trinitarian work of creation. This week the faculty discusses how creation ex nihilo shapes our witness and message.