Thankful Thursday

Today I’m thankful 

• for a perfect sledding hill for my preschool grandchildren.
  
  
• for ice cream. I’m stuck eating only soft foods for a week or so—no meat, crunchy cereals, or crisp fruits and vegies—so my food choices are boring, boring, boring. Except for the ice cream, which is allowed and encouraged.
  
  
• for more work for my youngest son. He’s employed project to project, so when one project stalls or ends, he needs new projects to take on. Work for him is a constant petition when I pray, and so far, the “yes” answers keep coming.
  
  
• for this Bible study and time to listen while I work. 

Also thankful today:

• At Out of the Ordinary
• Kevin Sorensen

What are you thankful for? Leave a comment with your thanksgiving, post your thanksgiving on your blog, or tweet it. Give me the link by email or in a comment and I’ll add your thanksgiving to the list in the post.

Theological Term of the Week

Historical Theology
The study of the history and development of Christian doctrine; the study of the history of what the church has believed. 

• From Historical Theology: An Introduction to Christian Doctrine  by Gregg Allison, eight benefits to understanding historical theology:

1. Historical theology helps the church distinguish orthodoxy from heresy.

2. Historical theology provides sound biblical interpretation and theological formulations.

3. Historical theology presents stellar examples of faith, love, courage, hope, obedience and mercy.

4. Historical theology protects against the individualism that is rampant today among Christians.

5. Historical theology not only helps the church understand the historical development of its beliefs, but enables it to express those beliefs in contemporary form.

6. Historical theology encourages the church to focus on essentials, that is, to major on those areas that have been emphasized repeatedly throughout the history of the church.

7. Historical theology gives the church hope by providing assurance that Jesus is fulfilling his promise to his people [to build his church].

8. Historical theology [enables us] to enjoy a sense of belonging to the church of the past.1

Learn more:

1. GotQuestions.org: What is historical theology?
2. Theopedia: Historical theology
3. Tim Chester: Why study historical theology
4. Sam Storms: What is Historical Theology?
5. Sam Storms: Historical Theology Series

Related terms:

• Biblical Theology
• Systematic Theology

Filed under Theology

1From Why study historical theology by Tim Chester

Do you have a a theological term you’d like to see featured here as a Theological Term of the Week? If you email it to me, I’ll seriously consider using it, giving you credit for the suggestion and linking back to your blog when I do.

Clicking on Theological Terms in the navigation bar above will take you to a list of all the previous theological terms in alphabetical order.

Status Report: November

Sitting…on the couch in the living room.

Drinking…an after supper cup of Lady Grey tea.

Watching…the Raptors game. When the game is over, I’ll switch over to American election results. You see my priorities.

Thanking…God that the gum surgery I had yesterday went well, that I have no pain or swelling. This was minor surgery to take away a bit of gum tissue so I can have a crown fitted on a tooth that broke off, but still, I expected to feel things more than I have. 

Feeling…pleased that acetaminophen works so well as a painkiller for me. I discovered recently that I’m allergic to ibuprofen, and it’s nice to know that there’s an adequate substitute for me. (My little grandson had a bad reaction to ibuprofen a few weeks ago, too. I just get rash, he got rash and a swollen lip, too. So the Advil allergy might be genetic.) 

Getting...used to snow on the ground. Yes, winter is here and won’t be leaving until April or May.

Sharing…my thanksgiving this month at Out of the Ordinary. Read the details here.

Reading…The Intolerance of Tolerance by D. A. Carson and Seeing Beauty and Saying Beautifully: The Power of Poetic Effort in the Work of George Herbert, George Whitefield, and C. S. Lewis by John Piper. I’m reminded that these are both men that I enjoy more as speakers than writers. 

Anticipating…the birth of my fourth grandchild in one month. I’m thinking it’s time to start freezing dinners for the family to use during the early days with the new baby. But they have to be dairy-free, nut and peanut-free, with no onions, peppers or cooked veggies except spinach, carrots and tomatoes. These limitation make the task much more difficult. Any suggestions? 

Wishing…you a November filled with thanksgiving to our heavenly Father.