Roman Catholicism and historic Protestantism both claim Augustine as one of their own. On one hand, his theological views concerning the nature of the church and the sacraments (arising from the Donatist controversy) significantly influenced the development of Roman Catholic theology. On the other hand, his theological perspective of the nature of original sin, the absolute necessity of grace in…
Category: Salvation
The Restless Soul Finds Rest and Peace in Christ: St. Augustine, Part 6
Augustine’s dramatic conversion to Christianity came in the summer of AD 386, after much sorrowful reflection concerning his sinful state before God. He describes the experience in Confessions:
The Grace of God Closes In: St. Augustine, Part 5
There are six important apologetics-related factors that can be identified as paving the way for Augustine’s conversion to Christianity.1 Augustine would later credit the sovereign grace of God’s work behind the scenes of his life as the source of these factors. From these six aspects, we can draw a broad apologetics model for how God, through His grace, prepares people…
God to the Rescue: Getting into Heaven by Grace, Not Works
Excerpted from chapters 9 and 10 of my new book, 7 Truths That Changed the World, now available at shop.reasons.org. **** “God helps those who help themselves.” “God knows I’m only human.” “I’m trying my best; God will understand.”
Thinking about Suffering and Death, Part 4
Christians often talk about what it means to live well but seldom do they discuss what it means to die well. So what is a “good death”? In the context of hospice, the concept of a good death involves the easing of a dying person’s suffering. But in the broader scope of life, what constitutes a good death?
Podcast Review: Digging Deep into Doubt, the Problem of Evil, and Salvation
In addition to blog posts, I also address Christian worldview issues and critical thinking on a couple of RTB podcasts. Straight Thinking, my primary podcast, highlights the importance of the life of the Christian mind. I also make appearances with my fellow RTB scholars on I Didn’t Know That!, where we offer unscripted answers to listener questions. Here are some…
