Selected Reading, April 24, 2021

 

Three—no four—recommendations.

Christian History

When Martyn Lloyd-Jones Confronted a Pastor Who Loved Controversy and Denunciation
I’d never heard of T. T. Shields until a few years ago when an older friend mentioned that her father had been involved in some dispute with him.

This piece from Justin Taylor contains a long quote from Iain Murray’s biography of Martyn Lloyd-Jones. Murray tells the story of of a time when Lloyd-Jones confronted Sheilds over his “wrong spirit” and “wrong methods,” which he believed spoiled Shields’ otherwise orthodox ministry.

Why Do We Say “Gospel-Centered”?
A short history of the term gospel-centered.

Basil of Caesarea
The latest important person from Christian history to get a theological terms entry. Other recent entries in this category includw Ambrose of Milan, Sabellius, and Origen.

Gospel

3 Things the Gospel Isn’t
From Ephesians 5:13-25, here are three things the gospel isn’t (Jared Wilson).

Theological Term of the Week: Basil of Caesarea

Basil of Caesarea
One of the Cappadocian fathers, the brother of Gregory of Nyssa, who was bishop of Caesarea, and “a mighty theologian.”1 He lived from 330-379. Also known as Basil the Great.

• From 2000 Years of Christ’s Power by N. H. Needham:

Basil lived the life of a hermit in Cappadocia for some years, but in 364 the bishop of Caesarea, Eusebius, persuaded him to accept ordination as a presbyter and help him in his battle with the Arians in the Caesarean church. In fact, Basil effectively ran the church as the presbyter in whom Eusebius placed the greatest confidence. On Eusebius’s death in 370, the church elected Basil as its new bishop. In the conflict against Arianism, Basil proved a hugely effective practical Church leader, organiser and administrator, as well as a superb preacher. He was also a mighty theologian who wrote a highly important treatise On the Holy Spirit in 375, in which he argued for the Spirit’s full diety. Many have praised Basil’s sermons and treatises as the clearest, most beautiful Christian writings in Greek from the entire patristic period.

Learn more:

1. Got Questions: Who was Basil of Caesarea? and Who were the Cappadocian Fathers?
2. Theopedia: Basil the Great
3. Michael Haykin: “A beacon of fire shining from afar”: Basil of Caesarea’s friendship with the Syrian Christian, Eusebius of Samosata
4. Christian Classics Ethereal Library: Basil the Great

Related terms:

• Ambrose of Milan
• Apollinarius
• Athanasius
• Augustine of Hippo
• Cappadocian fathers
• Columba
• Cyril of Alexandria
• Gregory of Nanzianzus
• Gregory of Nyssa
• Gregory the Great
• Hilary of Poitiers
• Irenaeus of Lyons
• Jerome
• John Chrysostom
• Justin Martyr
• Maximus the Confessor
• Monica
• Nestorius
• Origen
• Patrick
• Pelagius
• Sabellius
• Tertullian
• Venerable Bede, The

Filed under Christian History

1From 2000 Years of Christ’s Power by N. R. Needham.

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Do you have a a theological term you’d like to see featured as a Theological Term of the Week? Email your suggestion using the contact button in the navigation bar above. 

Clicking on the Theological Terms button will take you to an alphabetical list of all the theological terms.

Theological Term of the Week: Ambrose of Milan

Ambrose of Milan
A “Catholic provincial governor who became bishop or Milan in 374.”1 He lived from 239-297.

• From 2000 Years of Christ’s Power by N. H. Needham:

… Ambrose attained to fame as a magnificant preacher, a resolute enemy of Arianism, and a pioneer hymn-writer… . Ambrose also popularised in Western worship the Eastern practice of singing hymns. By “hymns” I mean newly written songs of worship, as opposed to the Old Testament psalms and other songs or poetic passages of Scripture set to music (e.g. the Manificant of Luke 1:46-55). Ambrose wrote his own hymns to teach his congregation the orthodox doctrine of Christ during the Arian controversy.  

Learn more:

1. Got Questions: Who was Ambrose of Milan?
2. Theopedia: Ambrose of Milan
3. Christian History: Ambrose of Milan
4. Christian Classics Ethereal Library: Ambrose

Related terms:

• Apollinarius
• Athanasius
• Augustine of Hippo
• Basil of Caesarea
• Cappadocian fathers
• Columba
• Cyril of Alexandria
• Gregory of Nanzianzus
• Gregory of Nyssa
• Gregory the Great
• Hilary of Poitiers
• Irenaeus of Lyons
• Jerome
• John Chrysostom
• Justin Martyr
• Maximus the Confessor
• Monica
• Nestorius
• Origen
• Patrick
• Pelagius
• Sabellius
• Tertullian
• Venerable Bede, The

Filed under Christian History

1From 2000 Years of Christ’s Power by N. R. Needham.

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Do you have a a theological term you’d like to see featured as a Theological Term of the Week? Email your suggestion using the contact button in the navigation bar above. 

Clicking on the Theological Terms button will take you to an alphabetical list of all the theological terms.