Christ the Center

We welcome David Schrock to discuss his book The Royal Priesthood and the Glory of God in which he presents a biblical theology that explores the theme of priesthood throughout the Bible. The book demonstrates that the concept of priesthood, starting with Adam in the Garden of Eden, is central to understanding God’s plan for humanity and the overarching narrative of Scripture. Schrock argues that...

Join us for a compelling conversation with Dr. Matthew S. Harmon , Professor of New Testament studies at Grace College and Theological Seminary . Camden Bucey engages Dr. Harmon in an exploration of his book, The Servant of the Lord and His Servant People , which explores the theme of servanthood across the biblical canon, offering insightful perspectives on this pervasive and significant motif​​....

Since 2008, we have been taking time around New Year’s Day to bring you some of the top moments from the preceding year. We have several great clips lined up for you today. The Top Episodes of 2023 (by YouTube views) Dan Ragusa — Preterism and 2 Peter 3 ( YouTube ) Gray Sutanto and Cory Brock — A Theological Introduction to Neo-Calvinism ( YouTube ) Greg Beale — The New Testament Use of the Old Te...

Join us in this episode of Christ the Center , where host Camden Bucey engages in a free-flowing yet thoughtful discussion with Dr. Owen Anderson , philosopher and professor of religious studies at Arizona State University and pastor of Historic Christian Church in Phoenix . The conversation centers around the nuanced relationship between philosophy, religion, and the concept of free speech within...

In this episode, we’re excited to unveil the inaugural lesson of our new series, exploring the profound depths of the Pentateuch—the first five books of the Bible. Under the able guidance of Dr. Mark Winder, we’re providing a new course of study through six comprehensive, yet accessible, biblical-theological lessons, offering fresh insights into this foundational portion of Scripture....

In this installment of Vos Group, Lane Tipton and Camden Bucey discuss pp. 330–333 of Geerhardus Vos’ book,  Biblical Theology: Old and New Testaments . In this section, Vos focuses on the temptation of Jesus in the wilderness, a pivotal event in the Gospels. Vos examines various interpretations and challenges to the historicity and objectivity of this event, discussing theories that view it as my...

In this episode, Camden Bucey and Jim Cassidy dive into a variety of topics answering questions submitted by listeners and viewers of the program. Topics covered range from theological discussions, such as the role of Jesus’ intercession for the elect and non-elect within the visible church​​, to historical and exegetical considerations, like the understanding of the Old Covenant as the Mosaic adm...

Dr. Michael Beck joins us to speak about his book, Covenant Lord and Cultic Boundary: A Dialectic Inquiry Concerning Meredith Kline and the Reformed Two-Kingdom Project (Wipf and Stock), which is a theological exploration of the ideas of Meredith Kline and their impact on the Reformed Two-Kingdom Project. The book provides a literature review of relevant works on the topic and highlights the broad...

In this installment of Vos Group, Lane Tipton and Camden Bucey discuss pp. 322–329 of Geerhardus Vos’ book, Biblical Theology: Old and New Testaments . In this section, Vos discusses John’s testimony of Jesus after his baptism. The testimony of John the Baptist as depicted in the Gospel of John emphasizes Jesus’ unique divine nature and eternal preexistence, distinguishing him fr...

In the latest episode of Christ the Center, we explore the fascinating intersection of science, faith, and philosophy through the life and contributions of Robert Boyle, the seventeenth-century chemist often dubbed the father of modern chemistry. Our guest, Dr. Edward B. Davis, Professor Emeritus of the History of Science at Messiah University , shares his extensive knowledge on Boyle’s expe...

After recording a course on the subject for Reformed Academy, Dr. Carlton Wynne comes to the podcast studio to discuss John Calvin’s Institutes of the Christian Religion . Topics covered include Calvin’s theology, the right ordering of knowledge, general and special revelation, the effects of the fall on human reasoning, natural theology, and comparisons to the thought of Thomas Aquinas and...

Ryan Noha and Camden Bucey offer an update regarding several projects and initiatives at Reformed Forum including the launch of Kevin Chiarot’s course on 1 Peter. We include the first lesson of the course, which is available for free on reformedforum.org and on YouTube. In the first lesson, Dr. Chiarot teaches on the elect exiles Peter addresses in 1 Peter 1:1–2. Rev. Dr. Kevin Chiarot is pastor o...

Lane Tipton and Camden Bucey reflect on the recent Reformed Forum Theology Conference on J. Gresham Machen’s Christianity and Liberalism before turning to a discussion of their new booklet, Unfolding Redemption: Exploring the History and Order of Salvation . Chapters 00:00:07 Introduction 00:03:35 Reflecting on the 2023 Reformed Forum Conference 00:08:27 Machen and Denominational History 00:...

Richard Gamble and Jeff McDonald join us again. On this episode, McDonald introduces several significant points about William Jennings Bryan, including his early life and upbringing in a strong evangelical tradition, his belief that schools and universities posed a problem to religious freedom, and his concern that students could be led away from faith into unbelief if they fell under the influenc...

Camden Bucey recently lectured on “The Importance of Van Til for Today” for the OPC’s Presbytery of Michigan and Ontario at  Harvest OPC  in Wyoming, MI. Jim Cassidy and Camden discuss the main points of the lecture before we turn to a recording of the lecture and its accompanying Q&A session. Cornelius Van Til (1895–1987) has shaped the field of Reformed apologetics, drawing up...

We are pleased to welcome Dr. Bruce Baugus to our program to discuss his book, The Roots of Reformed Moral Theology , published by Reformation Heritage Books. In this comprehensive work, Dr. Baugus delves into the foundational elements that have shaped moral theology within the Reformed tradition. He provides both historical and theological contexts, covering a range of topics including the Old Te...

In this episode, we welcome back Michael Glodo, Associate Professor of Pastoral Theology at Reformed Theological Seminary in Orlando, Florida. Rev. Glodo has written The Lord Bless You and Keep You (Crossway), a new book on the Aaronic blessing of Numbers 6:24–26. We discuss several biblical-theological and practical implications for contemporary faith and practice including what it means to behol...

Today, we turn to pages 318–322 of Vos’ Biblical Theology: Old and New Testaments to explore the baptism of Jesus by John the Baptist. Our goal is to offer a nuanced understanding by identifying both the similarities and differences between John’s baptism of Jesus and the baptisms John performed upon the people. Vos aims to steer clear of two misconceptions: the first being that Jesus’ baptism and...

We welcome John Muether and Danny Olinger to discuss the seventh and final chapter of Machen’s classic book, Christianity and Liberalism . The chapter highlights the importance of the church as the most important social institution in Christianity. Machen argues that the church is not only concerned with saving individual souls but also with education and the maintenance of social life in th...

We welcome Dr. Lane Tipton back to the studio on the heels of teaching a new course on the theology of Thomas Aquinas. In this course, Dr. Tipton aims to provide an in-depth understanding of Thomas Aquinas’s trinitarian theology, emphasizing that his entire body of work is governed by the concept of exitus (departure) and reditus (return) in the context of divine and human processions. ...

In this episode, we sit down with Dr. A. Craig Troxel , Robert G. den Dulk Professor of Practical Theology at Westminster Seminary California . Dr. Troxel delves into his thought-provoking chapter on the communion of the saints from Theology for Ministry , a festschrift for Dr. Sinclair Ferguson. What does it mean to build a spiritual community within the church? How can pastors cultivate a cultur...

Danny Olinger and Camden Bucey discuss the sixth chapter of Machen’s classic book, Christianity and Liberalism . In this chapter, J. Gresham Machen explores the differences between the liberal and Christian views of salvation. He argues that liberalism finds salvation in man, while Christianity finds it in an act of God. Machen critiques the moral influence theory of the atonement, which den...

We welcome Chris Castaldo to the program to explore the Beatitudes. In his book, The Upside-Down Kingdom , Castaldo offers a fresh perspective on these familiar teachings of Jesus, showing how they reveal God’s heart for the poor, the meek, and the persecuted. He also provides practical guidance for how we can live out these values in our daily lives, both as individuals and as a community of beli...

We turn to pp. 315–318 of Geerhardus Vos’s book, Biblical Theology: Old and New Testaments to discuss revelation connected with John the Baptist. Our discussion examines the complexities of John’s role in the grand scheme of Biblical theology, unearthing profound insights about revelation and prophecy. We explore John’s unique connection with Elijah, and the significance of his testimo...

Explore the profound wisdom of 1 Peter in this episode of the Christ the Center podcast. Camden Bucey is joined by Ryan Noha, Reformed Forum’s Director of Education and Advancement, and Rev. Dr. Kevin Chiarot, pastor of Westminster PCA in Rock Tavern, New York. Together, they discuss the teachings of 1 Peter, unraveling its rich eschatological themes of exile, suffering, our heavenly inherit...