Category: Historical Perspective: Biography and Stories

A Personal Spiritual Heritage

Gates, Grant – Spiritual Heritage Timeline

For my historical theology class last semester I had to make a personal timeline of important events from the time of the reformation to the present that directly influenced my spiritual history. (To see it click the link above.) Let me recount the story told by that timeline. I ask you to forgive the melodramatic effects created by any narrative that begins with “In 1517 Martin Luther nailed 95 these to a church door in Wittenberg” and ends with “In 2016 Grant Gates started classes at The Master’s Seminary.”

Continue reading “A Personal Spiritual Heritage” →

Why Should I Read a Biography?

The majority of my readers will think that they are busy.  That’s the world we live in these days; everyone keeps themselves very busy, moving constantly from activity to activity.  In all this craziness, then, when I or someone else recommends a book to you about a person who died several hundred years ago that you’ve never heard of before or haven’t really thought about ever, you ask, “Why should I take the time to read this book?  Why should I read a biography?”  Today I’m going to try to answer that question!  Biographies, particularly Christian ones, benefit you by providing examples, challenging your life, honoring those to whom honor is due, and illustrating the gospel. Continue reading “Why Should I Read a Biography?” →

Jonathan Edwards on Antonin Scalia

On Saturday, after almost thirty years of public service on the high court, Justice Antonin Scalia passed away unexpectedly.  Shortly thereafter, so called writers at Buzzfeed and various other worldly, secular outlets under the domain of the prince of the power of the air started gleefully dancing on his grave.  The response from evangelicals has naturally been quite different.  For example, Al Mohler proclaimed “A Giant has Fallen.”  For the first time ever, I spent my Valentine’s Day more saddened by the death of a political figure than my own singleness. Continue reading “Jonathan Edwards on Antonin Scalia” →

All Glory Be to Christ

Shockingly, other kids used to make fun of me.  Who would have thought a kid who could recite all the monarchs of England from 1066 to the present and who learned Riemann integration before how to throw a football would draw so much ire?  Doesn’t everyone use a straightedge to aim their putts in minigolf?  In high school I frequently used expressions no one else does, e.g., “What in Bonnie Prince Charlie’s name is going on?”  This would prompt the question, “Who’s Bonnie Prince Charlie?”  I shall now tell you. Continue reading “All Glory Be to Christ” →

As Saints of Old Still Line the Way

Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

I want to learn from the pattern of Hebrews 11 and the logical flow into the next two verses.   Continue reading “As Saints of Old Still Line the Way” →