Natural Theology

Know Nature to Know Scripture

May 21, 2021 by wagraham 1 Comment

“For no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it,” reasons Paul before saying, “just as Christ does the church, because we are members of his body” (Eph 5:29–30).

Paul here moves seamlessly from the nature of human bodies to the supernatural grace of Christ’s for the church. Paul then continues moving from nature to grace by defining the church as those who are “members of his body.” By members, Paul means parts of the body: a hand, a foot, an eye, and so on.

Nature explains grace. That’s why God made everything. [Read more…] about Know Nature to Know Scripture

Episode 22: Steven Wedgeworth on Masculinity Gurus

October 27, 2020 by wagraham Leave a Comment

Steven Wedgeworth and Wyatt Graham discuss the masculinity gurus (Jordan Peterson, Joe Rogan, etc.). I enjoyed talking with Steven. I hope you enjoy the conversation too!

Make sure to subscribe to the podcast on Spotify and/or Apple Podcasts. Also, see the host page at Anchor and the Youtube page. And bookmark this page to see every episode.

Episode 19: David Haines on Reformed Thomism and Natural Knowledge

October 16, 2020 by wagraham Leave a Comment

David Haines and I talk about reformed Thomism and natural knowledge. Check out the book that Haines edited here.

Make sure to subscribe to the podcast on Spotify and/or Apple Podcasts. Also, see the host page at Anchor and the Youtube page. And bookmark this page to see every episode.

Review of God in Himself by Steven Duby

January 18, 2020 by wagraham 1 Comment

Steven Duby has written a brilliant work that presents “a rational for the pursuit of theologia in the strict sense of the word: knowledge of God in himself without primary reference to the economy” (293). In other words, against those who think we can only know God in the incarnation (as an example), Duby responds that we can know God in ways that include incarnation but also includes natural revelation, the Old Testament, and so on. [Read more…] about Review of God in Himself by Steven Duby

A Biblical Case for Natural Theology

August 10, 2019 by wagraham 1 Comment

Christians have traditionally affirmed natural law or theology. The Belgic Confession (1561) represents one of the three from of unity for reformed churches and affirms, “We know God by two means”: creation and revelation (Art 2). This confession represents the opinion of a diverse group of Reformers (Richard Hooker, Franciscus Junius, Girolamo Zanchi, Peter Virmigli, Anthony Burgess, Francis Turretin, Petrus van Mastricht, and others).

But some 20th-century theologians have challenged this common notion (pun intended!). Karl Barth wrote his (in)famous response to Emil Brunner in which he said Nein! to natural theology. Elsewhere he wrote: “Christian theology has no use at all for the offer of natural theology, however it may be expressed.” (CD, 1.2 168). In the same century, Cornelius Van Til heavily qualified the prospects of natural theology.

In light of these recent challenges, ought we to affirm natural theology today? And how should we understand natural theology? I believe the answer to the first question is Yes. And the answer to the second question appears in Scripture because Scripture itself affirms the reality of natural theology. [Read more…] about A Biblical Case for Natural Theology

Review of Reformed Ethics (Vol 1) by Herman Bavinck

August 10, 2019 by wagraham 2 Comments

Baker Academic has published the first English translation of a nearly forgotten book. For 100 years (since 1921), Herman Bavinck’s 1,100-page manuscript remained at the Bavinck Archives (Vrije Universiteit) until Dirk van Keulen rediscovered it in 2008.

As John Bolt records, “Readers of this volume are, therefore, among the privileged first group to gain access to Bavinck’s systematic reflection on theological ethics since his own students who heard the lectures in the last two decades of the nineteenth century” (ix).

As the historical level, reading Reformed Ethics represents something of a privilege to read. In terms of editing, John Bolt has done an excellent job formatting and providing explanatory footnotes throughout the work. And lastly, when it comes to the argument, Bavinck’s Reformed Ethics ably sketches out a consistent Reformed view of, as the subtitle suggests, created, fallen, and converted humanity. [Read more…] about Review of Reformed Ethics (Vol 1) by Herman Bavinck