in the midst of thisquotes

I know of nothing else to do than to pray humbly to God to give us such real Doctors of Theology as we have in mind. Pope, Emperor, and universities may make Doctors of Arts, of Medicine, of Laws, of the Sentences; but be assured that no man can make a Doctor of Holy Scripture except the Holy Spirit in heaven. As Christ says in John 6: ‘They must all be taught by God himself.’ Now the Holy Spirit does not ask for red caps or brown, or any other pomp. Nor does he ask whether a person is young or old, lay or cleric, monk or secular, virgin or married. In fact, in ancient times he actually spoke through a donkey against the prophet who was riding it. Would to God that we were worthy to have such Doctors given to us….

–Martin Luther, Address to the German Nobility (1520 AD).

Side Note: Karl Barth uses this quote to support the idea that an authentic theologian of the Church ought to be a regenerated Christian, not merely a “mystical” (or “spiritual” in today’s terms) theologian (Church Dogmatics I.1, 18-19).

Thanks to William Molenaar for providing the quote and the link to Barth on his blog.

∞10:26 am, by davidlindell

[barth] [luther] [reformation] [theology] [theologians] [quotes]

The truth which I have proposed to handle, and whose defence I have undertaken in the ensuing discourse, is commonly called THE PERSEVERANCE OF SAINTS; a doctrine whereof nothing ordinary, low, or common, is spoken by any that have engaged into the consideration of it. To some it is the very salt fo the covenant of grace, the most distinguishing mercy communicated in the blood of Christ, so interwoven into, and lying at the bottom of, all that consolation which “God is abundantly willing that all the heirs of the promise should receive,” that it is utterly impossible, it should be safe-guarded one moment without a persuasion of this truth, which seals up all the mercy and grace of the new covenant with the unchangeableness and faithfulness of God. To others it is no grace of God, no part of the purchase of Christ, no doctrine of the gospel, no foundation of consolation; but an invention of men, a delusion of Satan, an occasion of dishonour to God, disconsolation and perplexity to believers, a powerful temptation unto sin and wickedness in all that do receive it.

John Owen, Doctrine of the Saints’ Perseverance

What say you?

∞04:54 pm, by davidlindell

[John Owen] [Perseverance] [Theology] [quotes]

If, of course, postmodernism, with all of its disdain for history in any traditional sense, is the ideology of advanced consumerism, then it can just as easily be described as the quintessential ideology of modern America; indeed, in modern America, and in the West which follows America’s social and economic lead, it is surely interesting to note that just about anything can be believed, however absurd, and any moral precedent can be overturned, however well-established, provided that such action be successfully marketed as enhancing the American consumerist dream.

carlTRUEMAN, Minority Report: Unpopular Thoughts on Everything from Ancient Christianity to Zen-Calvinism

∞09:15 am, by davidlindell ∩1

[theology] [postmodernism] [culture] [America] [quotes]

The gospel is not moral conformity, which is religion, nor is it self-discovery, which is secularism. The gospel is something else altogether - a grid through which we see the world. There are three results of the gospel: the restructuring of our hearts, the removal of our sin, and the reversal of our values.

timKELLER (via paradoxum)

∞11:11 am, reblogged by davidlindell ∩8

[theology] [quotes]

When the heart is cast indeed into the mould of the doctrine that the mind embraceth,—when the evidence and necessity of the truth abides in us,—when not the sense of the words only is in our heads, but the sense of the thing abides in our hearts—when we have communion with God in the doctrine we contend for—then shall we be garrisoned by the grace of God against all the assaults of men.

John Owen (1616-1683)

∞11:01 am, by davidlindell ∩1

[theology] [quotes] [Religion] [historical theology] [Owen]