Most Influential

[JM]

Which theologian (outside of scripture) has had the most impact and influence over your Christian life and thinking?

Yours in the Lord,

jm

 

[nonaeroterraqueous]

Strangely enough, Descartes got the ball rolling, for me. I won't say I agree with everything he wrote, but he got me thinking.

1. The first premise
2. Evidence for the existence of the human soul.
3. The essential nature of the human soul.
4. The dualistic interaction between the soul and the body.
5. The idea of approaching philosophy and theology through math.

 

[Apologetic_Warrior]

1.) Cornelius Van Til and 2.) Robert Charles Sproul. A host of others have proved helpful over the years, too many to list here. Van Til had the most influence in causing me to become Reformed, one of his most famous students the late Dr. Greg Bahnsen also helped me immensely to understand Van Til much much more clearly. Other students of Van Til like Dr. John Frame and Francis Schaffer have helped in other ways with seeing a broader picture and perspective, and that one need not be a Van Til clone to be a Van Tillian. The love of Christ in evangelism was a major emphasis for Dr. Schaffer.

 

[JustAsIam77]

Martin Luther.

 

[JM]

No Gill-ites?

John Gill and A. W. Pink are pretty much my spiritual fathers. Sure, I get off on rabbit trails and end up in theological swamps (too often to count) but I always end up siding with Gill and Pink when pushed.

Recently, I went through a spiritual crisis so to speak. When challenged by an unbeliever about God and the Bible, I went right back to Reformed theology, and not because it was old hat but because it was the deepest conviction I've had. Ever.

Yours in the Lord,

jm

 

[twin1954]

Gill for me to be sure. A. W. Pink as well. His book the sovereignty of God is still the one I give away.

My struggle was never with predestination and election but what it truly means concerning the Gospel of Christ. Personal study with light given by the Spirit opened my eyes to the truth about them.

I must also give credit to Don Fortner, my pastor for over 25 years, for helping me understand how to put shoe leather to my theology.

 

[Hazelelponi]

I have to say it was my husband.

Also, right after I was saved I was browsing for scriptural teachings once, and I came across a sermon by a Pastor who taught in England in the 1800's or something - I absolutely don't remember his name, but in reading his sermon I knew in my heart that he knew what I knew about God, that this teacher had experienced the same God as I did..

I asked my husband about the Pastor, because even though it's terribly difficult for me to understand that form of English, I understood everything that man said very easily.

My husband then told me that was some famous reformed Pastor, and I knew God put me in the exact place He wanted me to be in, and gave me the husband He wanted me to have.

So although I try to figure things out most the time without my husband, I have him to fall back on always. He is my greatest teacher, in the living human category..

 

[twin1954]

I have to say it was my husband.

Also, right after I was saved I was browsing for scriptural teachings once, and I came across a sermon by a Pastor who taught in England in the 1800's or something - I absolutely don't remember his name, but in reading his sermon I knew in my heart that he knew what I knew about God, that this teacher had experienced the same God as I did..

I asked my husband about the Pastor, because even though it's terribly difficult for me to understand that form of English, I understood everything that man said very easily.

My husband then told me that was some famous reformed Pastor, and I knew God put me in the exact place He wanted me to be in, and gave me the husband He wanted me to have.

So although I try to figure things out most the time without my husband, I have him to fall back on always. He is my greatest teacher, in the living human category..

Was the pastor Charles Spurgeon?

 

[Hazelelponi]

Was the pastor Charles Spurgeon?

I honestly don't remember the name. I've never been good with names.

 

[twin1954]

I honestly don't remember the name. I've never been good with names.

Ok. I just wondered. There are others that it could have been.

 

[JM]

Now let's look at the other side of the coin.

We find a lot of pop Reformed and Calvinistic preachers available to us today.

Who has had the least influence on you?

For me it would be Spurgeon, Piper, MacArthur and Grudem.

 

[New Birth]

My own Pastor has had the greatest impact and influence on my Christian life.

 

[Apologetic_Warrior]

Now let's look at the other side of the coin.

We find a lot of pop Reformed and Calvinistic preachers available to us today.

Who has had the least influence on you?

For me it would be Spurgeon, Piper, MacArthur and Grudem.

Probably run of the mill internet theologians, apologists, philosophers, in general. I put more stock in the known than the unknown, also more in the dead than the living. A reason behind more in the dead is because their lives are known, they have finished the race without being discredited. They may be slandered against after they passed away, but when and where there is a great cloud of witnesses even in writing contrary to the slander, it has a way of exposing the slander for what it truly is.

I'm surprised you mentioned C.H. Spurgeon, like you he was a mega reader, he owned quite a library, and even today people give weight to his reading recommendations. Certainly he's not the only one, but I find the situation with his wife touching, and thinking about it, cannot imagine being in his shoes. So much responsibility there, so many burdens to bear.

 

[twin1954]

Spurgeon has had quite an influence on me to be sure. He was soft on some things that I am not and his taking a single verse or topic for his sermons were not his best traits. His commentary on the Scripture is outstanding when you find it.

I would say that many of the Puritans I find to be legalists. There is much gold to be mined from them but having to dig through all of their legalism is tiring.

None of the modern NeoCalvinists have any influence on me. I consider MacArthur a heretic, Piper to be way off on the atonement, the fellow whose name escapes me right now (Paul Washer) but is very popular to be playing to his audience. I have no real argument against Sproul other than his Covenant theology.

The Hodges, Warfield and other Presbyterian theologians have also had no great influence on me though there is much in their writings that is very good.

James Petigru Boyce was the very first theologian I ever read. Gill came after and I actually came late to Dagg.

 

[JustAsIam77]

Amen, I can't believe legalists still exist in the Christian community to this day.

 

[JM]

Spurgy preached topically and I honestly dislike topical sermons. I like it when a preacher takes 5 years to get through a book like Jude! (kidding, that's extreme)

 

[twin1954]

Spurgy preached topically and I honestly dislike topical sermons. I like it when a preacher takes 5 years to get through a book like Jude! (kidding, that's extreme)

I prefer exposition as well. But connecting Scripture with Scripture gives a better understanding of the Bible as a whole. A mix of both is best. All preaching should be about how Christ Jesus is in a passage. Point me to Him and I am fed.

 

[Apologetic_Warrior]

Spurgeon has had quite an influence on me to be sure. He was soft on some things that I am not and his taking a single verse or topic for his sermons were not his best traits. His commentary on the Scripture is outstanding when you find it.

I would say that many of the Puritans I find to be legalists. There is much gold to be mined from them but having to dig through all of their legalism is tiring.

None of the modern Neo-Calvinists have any influence on me. I consider MacArthur a heretic, Piper to be way off on the atonement, the fellow whose name escapes me right now (Paul Washer) but is very popular to be playing to his audience. I have no real argument against Sproul other than his Covenant theology.

The Hodges, Warfield and other Presbyterian theologians have also had no great influence on me though there is much in their writings that is very good.

James Petigru Boyce was the very first theologian I ever read. Gill came after and I actually came late to Dagg.

Anymore, I prefer to reserve criticism for those outside of the Reformed/Calvinist camp. Sure we can have disagreements, but why beat up (figuratively) my own, when there are by far more outside the camp to beat up on theologically? Our little spats and nitpickings add nothing to furthering our cause for Christ. At some point we have to rise above our differences and look upward and outward as lights in great darkness. Although I cannot say I am in full agreement, I am not looking for debate or argument here, just the opposite. Who am I to be so critical? I am a nobody, like a pile of dust that God has blessed. The fallible men mentioned have done much to further the cause of Calvinism, me, not so much. I am curious, how does God view all of this? I do not know, but I do know there is strength in unity and numbers in furthering the Gospel of Christ while here on earth. Yours in Christ, A_W