RTS Washington Faculty Podcast

Episode 59: Today’s guest is Dr. Michael J. Kruger, president and Samuel C. Patterson professor of New Testament and Early Christianity at RTS Charlotte. Dr. Kruger addresses the question of the New Testament canon—why these 27 books? He answers five common misconceptions about the origins of the NT canon, and several related questions from the profs. He also tell us he knows who wrote Hebrews and then he tells us it’s a joke. Enjoy the episode! Canon Revisited. https://www.amazon.com/Canon-Revisited-Establishing-Authority-Testament/dp/1433505002/ Surviving Religion 101. https://www.amazon.com/Surviving-Religion-101-Letters-Christian/dp/1433572079/ More books by Dr. Michael J. Kruger: https://www.amazon.com/Michael-J-Kruger/e/B001JRX244/

Episode 58: Today’s guest is Dr. Vern Poythress, distinguished professor of New Testament, biblical interpretation, and systematic theology at Westminster Theological Seminary, PA, and author of books on pretty much every topic under the sun. Dr. Poythress and the faculty talk about the relationship between science and faith, particularly a Christian approach to science. Topics discussed include science and the interpretation of Scripture, the Bible and sociology, philosophy, history, and computer science; and how doctrine should inform our love for one another. Enjoy the conversation! https://frame-poythress.org Vern Poythress’s books. https://www.amazon.com/Vern-S-Poythress/e/B001HD38BM/ Ramm, Bernard. Christian View of Science and Scripture. https://www.amazon.com/Christian-View-Science-Scripture-Bernard/dp/0802814298/ Frame, John. The Doctrine of the Knowledge of God. https://www.amazon.com/Doctrine-Knowledge-God-Theology-Lordship/dp/0875522629/ Frame, John. The Doctrine of the Christian Life. https://www.amazon.com/Doctrine-Christian-Life-Theology-Lordship/dp/0875527965/

Episode 57: Today the profs tackle the Apostles’ Creed article on “the communion of saints”—its meaning, distinction from belief in “the catholic church,” and implications for the Christian life and ministry. Also, Dr. Keene explains why Christians aren’t special snowflakes. Vanhoozer, Kevin. Biblical Authority After Babel. https://www.amazon.com/Biblical-Authority-after-Babel-Christianity/dp/1587433931/ Gaffin, Richard. By Faith, Not By Sight. https://www.amazon.com/Faith-Not-Sight-Order-Salvation/dp/1596384433/ Gaffin, Richard. “The Mystery of Union with Christ.” https://www.monergism.com/legacy/mt/mp3/mystery-union-christ-mp3-series-richard-b-gaffin-jr Gaffin, Richard. Perspectives on Pentecost. https://www.amazon.com/Perspectives-Pentecost-Richard-Gaffin-Jr/dp/0875522696/

Episode 56: Is the church an epilogue to the gospel? A club for people of similar faith? A corporation? Today’s conversation centers on the Apostles’ Creed article on “the holy catholic church.” Topics include church vs. kingdom, catholicity, universality, de-churched spirituality, ethnic and theological diversity, the maturing/becoming of the church, and more. Enjoy the episode! Bavinck, Herman. Reformed Dogmatics: Prolegomena, Vol. I, p. 85. https://www.amazon.com/Reformed-Dogmatics-Vol-1-Prolegomena/dp/0801026326/ Hurtado, Larry. Destroyer of The Gods, https://www.amazon.com/Destroyer-gods-Early-Christian-Distinctiveness/dp/1481304747 Bavinck, Herman. The Catholicity of Christianity and The Church, https://bavinck.files.wordpress.com/2017/05/bavinck-catholicity.pdf Trueman, Carl. The Creedal Imperative, https://www.amazon.com/Creedal-Imperative-Carl-R-Trueman/dp/1433521903/ Allen, Michael. Reformed Catholicity, https://www.amazon.com/Reformed-Catholicity-Retrieval-Theology-Interpretation/dp/0801049792/ Clowney, Edmund. The Church, https://www.amazon.com/Church-Contours-Christian-Theology/dp/0830815341/ Robert’s Rules of Order, https://www.amazon.com/Roberts-Rules-Order-Newly-Revised/dp/1541736699/ Ferguson, Sinclair. The Holy Spirit, https://www.amazon.com/Holy-Spirit-Contours-Christian-Theology/dp/0830815368/

Today the profs have extended and very technical conversation on hesitation forms from a biblical, theological, systematic, and covenantal perspective. Enjoy!

Today’s guest is Dr. Joshua Ralston, Reader in Christian-Muslim Relations at the School of Divinity, University of Edinburgh and director and co-founder of the Christian-Muslim Studies Network. Dr. Ralston and the profs talk about diversity within Islam, conceptions and misconceptions of shari’a, anti-secularist discourse in Islam, Muslim critiques of Christianity and its relation to the state, as well as friendships and constructive approaches to dialogue with Muslims. Ralston, Law and the Rule of God: A Christian Engagement with Shari’a, https://www.amazon.com/Law-Rule-God-Christian-Engagement-dp-1108489826/dp/1108489826/ Siddiqui, Christians, Muslims, and Jesus, https://www.amazon.com/Law-Rule-God-Christian-Engagement-dp-1108489826/dp/1108489826/ Ayoub, A Muslim View of Christianity: Essays on Dialogue, https://www.amazon.com/Muslim-View-Christianity-Essays-Dialogue/dp/1570756902 Goddard, A History of Christian-Muslim Relations, https://www.amazon.com/History-Christian-Muslim-Relations-Hugh-Goddard/dp/1566633400/ Accad, Reynolds, Sacred Misinterpretation: Reaching across the Christian-Muslim Divide, https://www.amazon.com/Sacred-Misinterpretation-Reaching-across-Christian-Muslim-ebook/dp/B07SW8HZ5B/ Ralston, Islam as a Christian Trope: The Place and Function of Islam in Reformed Dogmatic Theology, https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/muwo.12220

Episode 53: In the first episode of our second year as a podcast—woot, woot!—we take time to reflect on the things we’ve learned and enjoyed so far. Listen as we give all honor and praise to our producer and editor, and discuss some of our favorite interviews, the ubiquity of uhms, ahhs, and duhs, and why we love RTS. Enjoy!

Episode 52: The profs begin to unpack the third and final section of the Apostles’ Creed. Why does the creed give special attention to the Holy Spirit? And why should we? Topics include the trinitarian structure of the creed, God’s indivisible works, the expansiveness of the Spirit’s work, humility in ministry, OT backgrounds, grieving and walking in step with the Spirit, the OT temple and the church, inspiration, the focus of the creed, and more.

The profs welcome Dr. J. Nicholas Reid, associate professor of Old Testament and Ancient Near Eastern Studies at RTS Orlando, to the podcast. Dr. Reid is one of the editors and contributors to the recent volume Covenant Theology: Biblical, Theological, and Historical Perspectives (Crossway, 2020). Topics include the importance of a solid covenant theology, the importance of biblical backgrounds, why Scott Swain is the boss, whether Reformed covenant theology is an imposition on the text of Scripture, imprisonment in the ancient world, as well as how and why one goes from studying fine arts to becoming an Assyriologist. Waters, Muether, Reid (eds.), Covenant Theology: Biblical, Theological, and Historical Perspectives, https://www.amazon.com/Covenant-Theology-Theological-Historical-Perspectives/dp/1433560038/ Currid, Barrett, ESV BIble Atlas, https://www.amazon.com/Crossway-Bible-Atlas-Currid-2010-06-10/dp/B017YCGTU6/ Younger, Context of Scripture, https://www.amazon.com/Context-Scripture-4-Supplements/dp/9004166742/

Episode 50: On this episode, the profs talk about the Apostles’ Creed article on the final judgment. Why is this doctrine important? Does God just “forgive and forget”? Topics discussed include OT background to this doctrine, its now-and-not-yet aspects, how it should give us hope, inspire humility, and shape the way we live today. Enjoy!