A Little Book for New Theologians (Kelly Kapic)
In 2012 I intended to write an essay commemorating the 50th anniversary of a useful little book that many young theologians don’t read anymore: Helmut Thielicke’s A Little Exercise for Young Theologians. Published originally in 1959, the English edition hit shelves in 1962. It quickly became a useful primer in helping students to reflect on the nature of theological study. A number of remarks from Thielicke still resonate today:...
F. Leroy Forlines: Theology for All of Life
Few people have had more influence over the theological commitments of Free Will Baptists than Leroy Forlines (1926-present). While the inclusion of a living person in FWB Heritage month will strike some as odd, it is certainly appropriate when one considers Forlines’ impact on the Free Will Baptist denomination and Arminian theology at large. His multi-generational impact will be considered in this essay. Personal Background Franklin...
Life, Liberty, and Luther
Since the Helwys Society Forum’s beginning, we have sought to encourage Christians to engage with the greater Christian tradition. Serious theological is reflection both concerned about the Church’s present as well as her past. For this reason, though there are many who deserve our attention, four figures will be examined this month: Martin Luther, Abraham Kuyper, C. S. Lewis, and Francis Schaeffer. We intend not only to introduce...
Arminius on the Sanctification of the Believer
While Arminius is often known for his disagreements with Calvinism’s five points, many other aspects of his theology are often neglected. One such issue is the doctrine of sanctification. Both Arminians and Calvinist ignore his teachings as if he never spoke of it at all. Yet this issue defines much of so-called Arminianism today. So what does Arminius teach about sanctification? To answer this question, let us first examine what...
Desire: A Missing Link In Our Theology
What happens when right beliefs don’t lead to right behavior? Using New Testament language, we might simply call this “hypocrisy.” In my previous essay, I addressed the problems with separating theology (doctrine) from ethics (practice). Because these two belong together biblically, effectively divorcing them renders Christianity incoherent. They flow in and out of one another. Once we accept this, it is only reasonable to ask, “Why...
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