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Wyatt Graham

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Natural Theology

One Reason Why Pettiness Is Regarded as Piety

March 9, 2022 by wagraham 1 Comment

Herman Bavinck once wrote, “There is so much narrow-mindedness, so much pettiness among us, and the worst thing is that this is regarded as piety.” Bavinck was referring to two Christian groups the separatist churches of the Grievers and Seceders. Both groups left the state church, but they could not get along. 

Why? Not because of matters of orthodox doctrine. Both had it. But because of pettiness and narrow-mindedness. It is the old problem of Donatism, of a drive for purity that that cuts itself off from other people. We often feel holier than the body of Christ. 

But Jesus accepts us just as we are by faith. And so the body of Christ should welcome one another just as Christ welcomed us (Rom 15:7). To do anything less is to miss the mark of Christ’s love and formation of his body, the church.   

One reason why we often become petty and narrow-minded as Bavinck says is because we do not understand how God’s Spirit gifts the created world and people in it, even of unbelievers or believers whom we disagree with. We think we are at the centre of it all. We are not because any truth or goodness that we find in this world has its origin in God.  [Read more…] about One Reason Why Pettiness Is Regarded as Piety

Filed Under: Culture, Theology Tagged With: Holy Spirit, Natural Theology, Reformed 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

Filed Under: Theology Tagged With: Natural Theology, Reformed Theology

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. 

[Read more…] about Episode 22: Steven Wedgeworth on Masculinity Gurus

Filed Under: Podcast Tagged With: anthropology, Complementarianism, Natural Theology

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.

[Read more…] about Episode 19: David Haines on Reformed Thomism and Natural Knowledge

Filed Under: Podcast Tagged With: Natural Theology, Thomas Aquinas

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

Filed Under: Theology Tagged With: Natural Theology, Theology

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

Filed Under: Theology Tagged With: Natural Theology

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Wyatt is the Executive Director of The Gospel Coalition Canada. He enjoys his family and writing. You'll generally find him hiding away somewhere with his nose in a book.

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