Christ the Center

Jason Helopoulos joins us to speak about his book A Neglected Grace: Family Worship in the Christian Home . The discussion covers what family worship is, its elements, and its relationship to private and corporate worship. Pastor Helopoulos also provides practical advice about how to practice family worship especially for those who have neglected it in the past. Jason is the Assistant Pastor at Un...

Dr. Michael Emlet discusses the recent fifth edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM). The DSM is the official diagnostic manual used by mental health professionals and published by the American Psychiatric Association. Dr. Emlet explains the origin and purpose of the DSM and the questions this new edition raises for Christian believers. He outlines the way Christ...

Today we discuss the story and message of the book of Ruth in light of the book’s place in redemptive history. This brief story of an unassuming young Gentile woman develops the important biblical themes of the promised land, the inclusion of Gentiles in redemption, and the line of the seed of the woman. In these ways and others, the book of Ruth is a story of redemption, redemption which cu...

Dr. Scott Oliphint returns to  Christ the Center to discuss his recent book,  Covenantal Apologetics . Oliphint’s forthcoming book is an accessible treatment of Van Tilian presuppositional apologetics, the fruit of years of teaching apologetics at Westminster Theological Seminary in Philadelphia, PA. We discuss with Dr. Oliphint the significance of the book’s title, namely, that the co...

Reformed theologians have approached the discipline of apologetics from several different vantage points. Proponents of presuppositional, classical, and evidential approaches differ with one another on several important apologetic questions. One primary subject is the nature and proper use of evidences. Should the apologist use historical arguments for the creation, the truthfulness of Scriptures,...

In this episode, Jared Oliphint speaks with Owen Strachan, the Executive Director for the Council on Biblical Manhood and Womanhood . The council exists, “to set forth the teachings of the Bible about the complementary differences between men and women, created equally in the image of God, because these teachings are essential for obedience to Scripture and for the health of the family and t...

On today’s episode we talk about what kind of preparation is helpful for someone thinking about seminary; which college majors are most helpful, what kind of readings lists should someone be looking at, what to look for in professors, and the level of involvement in the local church. Preparing for seminary is preparing for a lifetime of learning. Participants: Camden Bucey , Jared Oliphint ,...

How can Catholic theologians seemingly contradict the official teaching of the Catholic Church? Many commentators believe that, in a recent homily, Pope Francis did just that. While the Vatican has since “clarified” his remarks, the question remains for many other Catholic theologians, who seem to promote doctrinal views in sharp contrast to previous declarations of the Catholic Church...

We welcome Matthew Patton to the program to speak about the nature and use of typology using Jehoiachin as an extended example. Mr. Patton is Visiting Assistant Professor of Old Testament at Wheaton College and a PhD candidate in Old Testament at the Wheaton Graduate School. This Mr. Patton’s second time visiting Christ the Center , having spoken with us previously about restoration prophecy...

Today we welcome Dr. Michael J. Kruger to speak about New Testament textual criticism and the early text of the New Testament. Dr. Kruger has co-edited an excellent book with Dr. Charles E. Hill, titled   The Early Text of the New Testament   and published by Oxford University Press. The book aims to examine and assess from our earliest extant sources the most primitive state of the New Testament...

Chris Brauns visits  Christ the Center  to speak about covenant solidarity through his book  Bound Together: How We Are Tied to Others in Good and Bad Choices  published by Zondervan .  Chris is the pastor of The Red Brick Church in Stillman Valley, Illinois and has also written  Unpacking Forgiveness: Biblical Answers for Complex Questions and Deep Wounds , an excellent treatment and call to retu...

Scholars disagree on the relationship between portions of the Old Testament and similar ancient Near Eastern accounts. Many believe Moses simply plagiarized material from existing literature. In this episode, we welcome Dr. John Currid to speak about his book Against the Gods: The Polemical Theology of the Old Testament . In this book, Dr. Currid questions the higher critical trend by highlighting...

The Christ the Center panel gather for an informal discussion about Jonathan Edwards and his treatment of the question of how Adam, who was created in righteousness and holiness and knowledge could ever fall into sin. Historically this has been a problematic issue and proves to be a challenge even to Edwards. Jeff Waddington has written a dissertation on Edwards’ anthropology as it pertains...

Christology is at the heart of the gospel for it is the study of the God-man, the savior of sinners. In this episode, Jim Cassidy and Camden Bucey speak about several fundamental doctrines of Christology and uncover a number of different approaches to its questions. As they describe formulations of theologians such as Karl Barth and Karl Rahner, Jim and Camden expose how alterations to the basic d...

For this in-house episode, we speak about different aspects of presbyterian government. While church polity may seem like a tedious and perhaps arbitrary task, Scripture lays out a structure for how Christ chooses to rule his church in the present age. Camden Bucey, Jim Cassidy, and Jeff Waddington speak about offices in the church and key features of presbyterianism such as plurality, parity, and...

Today we welcome Dr. James R. White to the program to speak about his book What Every Christian Needs to Know About the Qur’an . In the book, Dr. White presents Islamic beliefs about Christ, salvation, the Trinity, the afterlife, and other important topics. White shows how the sacred text of Islam differs from the teachings of the Bible in order to help Christians engage in open, honest disc...

Today we welcome Melissa Kruger to the program to speak about her book  The Envy of Eve: Finding Contentment in a Covetous World  published by Christian Focus. Melissa is on staff in women’s ministry at Uptown Church (PCA) in Charlotte, NC, a mom to three kids and the wife of Dr. Michael Kruger , President and Professor of NT at Reformed Theological Seminary Charlotte . Participants: Camden Bucey...

Nelson Kloosterman speaks about Herman Bavinck’s theology of marriage and the family. Kloosterman recently translated Bavinck’s book The Christian Family . Though he wrote in early 20th century Netherlands, Bavinck’s book is relevant for the present day. In distinction from so many contemporary works, Bavinck establishes a theology of marriage and the family that can be applied t...

Rev. Dr. Lane Tipton walks us through the soteriological taxonomy offered by B.B. Warfield in his book The Plan of Salvation . In the book, Warfield asks a series of questions designed to distinguish biblically-consistent Christianity from other accounts of salvation. Who saves? How? And on what basis? As Dr. Tipton rehearses and adds to Warfield’s argument, we come to see how Calvinism is d...

We welcome William Edgar, Professor of Apologetics at Westminster Theological Seminary in Philadelphia, PA, to the program to reflect upon Francis Schaeffer’s life and thought. Dr. Edgar focuses on Schaeffer’s Christian spirituality in Schaeffer on the Christian Life: Countercultural Spirituality , a unique and welcome addition to the literature on Schaeffer. Having spent time with Sch...

On the heels of our previous discussion  with Rev. Dr. Scott Wright, the panel discusses the doctrine of regeneration by looking to Jesus’ teaching in John 3. Adam York, Deryck Barson, and Camden Bucey look at features of regeneration pertaining to both the accomplishment and the application of redemption. Through the lenses of God’s typological son, the nation of Israel, and the escha...

On this episode, we welcome Dr. Sam Waldron to speak about the family-integrated church movement, which seeks to recover a biblical understanding of the family, especially in its relationship to the local church. You can read more about the movement from The National Center for Family-Integrated Churches . Dr. Waldron explains several features of the movement, critically examining several strength...

Christ the Center  is pleased to welcome  Dr. Scott Manetsch  to the program to speak about Reformed pastoral ministry and his book  Calvin’s Company of Pastors: Pastoral Care and the Emerging Reformed Church, 1536-1609 , which is published by Oxford University Press. Dr. Manetsch is Professor of Church History at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School and his scholarly expertise is in the area of la...

Dr. Diane Poythress joins us to speak about the important reformer of Basel, Johannes Oecolampadius. Though Oecolampadius’ influence was extraordinary, many English-speaking historians and theologians are not familiar with his life and work. Dr. Poythress introduces us to Oecolampadius and his great significance for the present day. Dr. Poythress’ dissertation, “Johannes Oecolamp...

In this episode of Christ the Center,  Rev. Dr. Scott R. Wright develops a redemptive-historical understanding of the doctrine of regeneration. Rev. Wright is senior pastor of  Redeemer Church (PCA)  in Hudson, Ohio. His dissertation, “Regeneration and Redemptive History,” is a thoroughgoing treatment of regeneration in the tradition of Geerhardus Vos. Often, regeneration is treated st...