On this week's episode of Theology Simply Profound, from Acts 28, Rob and Bob discuss everything from snake handling to saving faith...in reality, the discussion lands primarily on the nature of faith. How does saving faith differ from the belief that UFOs will one day arrive to wisp the faithful away to a better place? Hmm. Essentially, is the faith of a Christian the same kind of faith we find in a cult?

On the heels of a tremendous victory, Abram has a choice to make. Not necessarily an easy one if his focus was on earthly things. Here's Abram's chance to make it big in Canaan. Or is he looking for some other city? What will he do? What should we do as we follow in his footsteps?

With Rob on assignment at the T4G conference, this week's episode of Theology Simply Profound provides a reading of J. Gresham Machen's essay, "The Responsibility of the Church in Our New Age." This remarkably relevant work originally appeared in Annals of the American Academy of Political and Social Science in 1933.

Alan Strange speaks about the doctrine of the spirituality of the church in the ecclesiology of Charles Hodge and how it was formed in the years leading up to and during the American Civil War. Dr. Strange's dissertation on the topic has been published in P&R Publishing's Reformed Academic Dissertations series as The Doctrine of the Spirituality of the Church in the Ecclesiology of Charles Hodge. Dr. Strange previously addressed the topic in episode 443 of Christ the Center, but in this episode, we focus more on the Presbyterian General Assemblies and how they wrestled with the theological and political issues surrounding the war.

Here are some clear cut commands—not therapeutic suggestions. Paul is not only explicit about the standard to which Christians are called, he is also explicit about why we are to obey that standard.

Vos Group takes an excursus to discuss Vos's Reformed Dogmatics. In this series, like all of his works, Vos presents the "deeper Protestant conception" of covenantal union and communion with the Triune God. We discuss how the immutable Creator does n

In this episode, we answer questions from our listeners and discuss a few things we've been contemplating recently. We discuss a proposed reading list for the works of Cornelius Van Til, worshiping in Sunday, Evangelicals and Catholics Together, and African worldview and theology. It's a wide-ranging conversation and one we hope you enjoy.

Dissertations/Theses Mentioned

• Leonardo de Chirico, Evangelical theological perspectives on post-Vatican II Roman Catholicism
• Trevor H. G. Smith, Christian Theology Emerging from the Akan Single-Tiered Unitive Perspective on Reality

In a book written to a church full of problems, what is there for which to be thankful? Explore the Apostle Paul's passionate and pastoral tone as he tackles the problems in the Corinthian church.

On this week's episode of Theology Simply Profound Rob and Bob explore the providence of God. Continuing to make our way through the Acts of the Apostles, we are at chapter 23-26 where Paul goes before Felix, Festus, and Agrippa. In what way do we see God working through these various circumstances in the life of Paul in order to bring about the salvation of his people to the ends of the earth.

Eden and Canaan are earthly projections that both reveal yet veil the glory of the heavenly dwelling place of God. Had Adam passed probation, he would have been translated into the highest heavens in the presence of God where he would enter Sabbath Rest (Genesis 2/Ez. 28:14 and the mountain of God). When Christ finished his wilderness sojourn, he ascended into that very reality of Sabbath Rest—rest the first Adam did not enter (Heb. 1:3; 8:2, 5; 9:23–24; 10:12; 12:24; 4:9–10). Christ, as ascended, has entered rest—a rest he in the process of conferring on the church in this age (4:3) and will bring to consummation in the age to come (4:9–11).

The whole point of the land of Canaan in Hebrews—the way it relates to this big-picture creational concern—is that it was a place of rest (Psalm 95:7–11 is quoted in Hebrews 3:7–11). Israel was seeking to leave the wilderness and enter into the “rest” of God in Canaan. Canaan was a local, earthly expression of a corresponding heavenly Sabbath Rest (95:11/Genesis 2:2 as the two theme texts in Hebrews 3 and 4).

Canaan was an earthly type of Sabbath Rest, and some in Israel failed to enter the earthly typical land of rest because they lacked faith in the promised Messiah (Heb. 3:19). In a parallel way, the author of Hebrews grounds his exhortation that the church in this age press on to Sabbath Rest by faith in the ascended Messiah, so that none of us fail to enter that Rest.

After deliverance from Egypt, God’s people head back to the promised land. Nevertheless, they continue to stand in need of deliverance, for their warfare has not ended.

Dr. Vern Poythress speaks with us about his book, Theophany: A Biblical Theology of God's Appearing, published by Crossway. Each time God appears to his people throughout the Bible—in the form of a thunderstorm, a man, a warrior, a chariot, etc.—he comes to a specific person for a specific purpose. And each of these temporary appearances— called theophanies—helps us to better understand who he is, anticipating his climactic, permanent self-revelation in the incarnation of Christ.

Describing the various accounts of God’s visible presence from Genesis to Revelation, Dr. Poythress helps us consider more deeply what they reveal about who God is and how he dwells with us today.

We also spoke about the upcoming Westminster Conference on Science & Faith to be held  April 6–7, 2018 at Proclamation Presbyterian Church in Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania (see map). They will explore the relationship between theistic evolution and the Christian faith. Register at wcosaf.com.

Dr. Poythress is Professor of New Testament Interpretation at Westminster Theological Seminary in Glenside, Pennsylvania.

This week on Theology Simply Profound, Rob had an opportunity to sit down with the Rev. Dr. Ryan M. McGraw to talk about John Owen and his major writings. Following this interview Rob and Bob take a few minutes to talk about their appreciation of Owen.

Dr. McGraw serves as Professor of Systematic Theology at Greenville Presbyterian Theological Seminary,  as well as a minister in the Orthodox Presbyterian Church. He is the author of several books including The Foundation of Communion with God: The Trinitarian Piety of John Owen.

In Episode 38 of Proclaiming Christ, our newest panelist, Jim Cassidy, provides our listeners with a model of biblical interpretation through an introduction to the book of Hosea.

Ryan Noha shares several rare books just added to the Reformed Forum online store.

Ken Jones, pastor of Glendale Missionary Baptist Church in Miami, Florida, as well as a former regular guest on The White Horse Inn, joins Rob and Bob on this week's episode of Theology Simply Profound. Rob and Bob talk with Ken about evangelicalism and the contemporary church as The Rafiki Foundation. The mission of The Rafiki Foundation is to help Africans know God and raise their standard of living with excellence and integrity. One way it accomplishes this task is through the establishment of Classical Christian Schools.

Michael J. Kruger joins us to speak about his book Christianity at the Crossroads: How the Second Century Shaped the Future of the Church.

Jim Cassidy discusses Darren O Sumner's book, Karl Barth and the Incarnation.

This week on Theology Simply Profound, for the very first time we are able to bring you an interview. Rob had an opportunity to sit down with the Rev. Dr. L. Michael Morales to talk about his book, Who Shall Ascend the Mountain of the Lord? A Biblical Theology of the Book of Leviticus (IVP Academic). Dr. Morales is an ordained minister in the PCA serving as Professor of Biblical Studies at Greenville Presbyterian Theological Seminary.

Following this interview Rob and Bob take a few minutes to discuss this book. Check out the links below to a few articles by Dr. Morales reflecting themes found in his book.

• Who Shall Ascend the Mountain of the Lord? (Part 1)
• Who Shall Ascend the Mountain of the Lord? (Part 2)
• Who Shall Ascend the Mountain of the Lord? (Part 3)

The Proclaiming Christ podcast is back with a new format, new panelist, and new biblical texts to explore. Look for a new episode each week.

We continue our #VosGroup series in pages 174–175 of Vos' book Biblical Theology: Old and New Testaments to consider totemism and Vos's deep critique of biblicistic modernism.

On this week's episode of Theology Simply Profound, Rob and Bob discuss Acts 21:17-26 and the seemingly strange things Paul does while at Jerusalem. Why does he offer sacrifices? What's going on? And somehow we end up talking about whether Paul's actions here shows the church that we have the freedom to follow things like the liturgical calendar and practice such things like Lent in order to be enhance our spiritual walk.

Dr. Eric Watkins, Pastor of Covenant OPC in St. Augustine, Florida, joins Jim Cassidy, Chris Hartshorn, and Dale Van Dyke for a discussion on his book, The Drama of Preaching: Participating with God in the History of Redemption. Dr. Watkins explains how the idea of drama informs our understanding of peaching. Preaching is the telling of God's drama of redemption in which believers find themselves as active participants. He further explains how the drama motif gives the church a ready entry point with a postmodern world in which story is so highly valued.

Dr. Marcus Mininger, Associate Professor of New Testament Studies at Mid-America Reformed Seminary, speaks about the theme of revelation in the book of Romans. In his book, Uncovering the Theme of Revelation in Romans 1:16–3:26: Discovering a New Approach to Paul's Argument (Mohr Siebeck), Dr. Mininger argues for approaching Romans 1–3 through a new interpretive paradigm that features revelation over reading Paul's words primarily through a soteriological or sociological framework. In this fourth episode of a brief series with Dr. Mininger, we look into a revelation-historical interpretation of Romans 3:21–26 and draw several conclusions in summary to our entire discussion.

Listen to the Series

• Uncovering the Theme of Revelation in Romans 1:16–3:26
• A Revelation-Historical Interpretation of Romans 2:1–29
• A Revelation-Historical Interpretation of Romans 3:1–20
• A Revelation-Historical Interpretation of Romans 3:21–26

Danny Olinger speaks about the life of E. J. Young, long-time Professor of Old Testament at Westminster Theological Seminary.

This week on Theology Simply Profound, Rob and Bob discuss the riot that place in Ephesus. From Acts 19, we see the conflict between this present evil age and the age which is to come. Among other things, we talk about whether the Christian is to try to make the same kind of impact on our cities as Paul and his company did in Ephesus. What should our posture be in this world and what should we expect from the world that we live within?

Camden and Erica Bucey discuss several helpful books for parents as they disciple their children and women in a variety of study group settings.

We continue our #VosGroup series in pages 173–174 of Vos' book Biblical Theology: Old and New Testaments to consider uncleanness and purification, a deep structure of Scripture, what Vos says, "forms a fundamental conception, which . . . has entered into the permanent fabric of biblical religion."

This week on Theology Simply Profound, Rob and Bob discuss preaching in the context of Paul's ministry of the word when Eutychus fell asleep at the window, fell to ground dead, and was raised up to life again (Acts 20:7-12). Why is it that Paul would speak so long to these people? What is preaching? What is its purpose? We discuss these questions as well as many related and unrelated things, too!

Camden Bucey and Ryan Noha speak about a biography of Martin Bucer and several new books from P&R Publishing.

Ryan Noha speaks about several rare books to be added to the Reformed Forum online store.

Dr. Marcus Mininger, Assistant Professor of New Testament Studies at Mid-America Reformed Seminary, speaks about the theme of revelation in the book of Romans. In his book, Uncovering the Theme of Revelation in Romans 1:16–3:26: Discovering a New Approach to Paul's Argument (Mohr Siebeck), Dr. Mininger argues for approaching Romans 1–3 through a new interpretive paradigm that features revelation rather than reading Paul's words primarily through a soteriological or sociological framework. This is part three of our discussion.

This week on Theology Simply Profound, Rob and Bob take up the subject of exorcisms, yeah really! From Acts 19:11-20, we discuss everything from Jesus and Paul freeing people from demons to Star Wars and the new spirituality of this present evil (pagan) age that we live within. So, may a Christian be demon possessed? Should pastor be trained to perform exorcisms? Oh, and Rob really geeks out on Sci-Fi...so you're in for a treat!

Dr. Marcus Mininger, Assistant Professor of New Testament Studies at Mid-America Reformed Seminary, speaks about the theme of revelation in the book of Romans. In his book, Uncovering the Theme of Revelation in Romans 1:16–3:26: Discovering a New Approach to Paul's Argument (Mohr Siebeck), Dr. Mininger argues for approaching Romans 1–3 through a new interpretive paradigm that features revelation rather than reading Paul's words primarily through a soteriological or sociological framework. This is part two of our discussion.

Dr. Marcus Mininger, Assistant Professor of New Testament Studies at Mid-America Reformed Seminary, speaks about the theme of revelation in the book of Romans. In his book, Uncovering the Theme of Revelation in Romans 1:16–3:26: Discovering a New A

On this week's episode of Theology Simply Profound, Rob and Bob discuss the topic of discipleship as it arises out of Acts 18. Should the church disciple? If so, how and in what way? What does God say about discipleship?

We continue our #VosGroup series starting on page 170–172 of Vos' book Biblical Theology: Old and New Testaments to consider the variety of Old Testament offerings and sacrifices. Vos addresses the different types of offerings and how they relate to one another and to the eschatological plan of salvation in Jesus Christ.