Throughout the centuries, great theologians have thought long and hard and deep about the wonders of God and the great gospel of Jesus Christ. If we are to be both far-sighted and refreshing today, we need to stand on the shoulders of these giants, with the clean sea breeze of the centuries blowing through our minds.
To give you a leg up, we’re going to read and record for you short excerpts from the greats. May they be pure fresh air for you! Subscribe via iTunes or come back here each month for more.
Listen to the first chapter of Calvin's Institutes, and discover just how accessible and easy to read it is! (And then, read it!)
Click on the links below for more of Calvin. Note: the easiest translation of the Institutes to read in English is the Ford Lewis Battles translation (John T McNeill - editor), but the version that is freely available online is the older Beveridge translation. The Beveridge translation is very accurate, but a good bit more difficult to read. So best advice: splash out on the hard copies of the Battles translation - thoroughly worth it!
Gregory Nazianzen is one of the most influential theologians ever to have lived; his formulation of the doctrine of the Trinity has been foundational to trinitarian thought throughout the centuries - scroll down to hear him preach it! (NB. This is not actually Gregory preaching, but, of course, he was a Scot).
Click here for to read the whole of Gregory's Oration XL.
For a really accessible introduction to the Trinity that shows how
relevant and life changing the knowing the triune God is, get yourself a
copy of Mike Reeves' new book, The Good God: Enjoying Father, Son and Spirit.
Hear the introduction to Thomas Goodwin's forgotten classic, The Heart
of Christ in Heaven Towards Sinners on Earth to whet your appetite for the full thing!
Goodwin was once ranked as a theologian alongside Augustine and Athanasius, but at his heart he was a pastor. The Heart of Christ is a theological treatise full of pastoral heart, it's message much needed in today's church. Enjoy!
Sit yourself in a pew in Augustine's church and listen to the great church father preach to you the soaring beauty of the first epistle of John. There's a whole lot of lovliness here!
Read the whole of Augustine's ninth homily on 1st John here!
Mike Reeves reads excerpts from one of the earliest surviving Christian writings: "For what else could cover our sins except his righteousness? In whom could we, lawless and impious as we were, be made righteous except in the Son of God alone? O sweetest exchange!" Awesome!
Jonathan Edwards’ classic sermon series ‘Charity and its Fruits’ is a meditation on 1 Corinthians 13. Listen to Mike Reeves read some extracts from the first in the series, ‘Love, the sum of all virtue’.
