theological method

Erik Lundeen on Biblical Interpretation in the Reformation

/ Brandon D. Smith / Leave a comment

This episode is a conversation with Dr. Erik Lundeen of Christ Our Redeemer Seminary. We discuss the literal sense in the Reformation era (3:49), Christian and Jewish commentaries’ impact on the Reformation (13:35), Calvin and other Reformers as bridges to the modern period (34:11), and more. Read Erik’s book.

Church Grammar is presented by the PhD and ThM programs at Gateway Seminary, which seek to blend the best of American and British programs by balancing a broad, robust education through seminars with close, one-on-one mentoring during the writing phase.

Producer: Ryan Modisette. Intro music: Purple Dinosaur by nobigdyl.

Brandon D. Smith is Chair of the Hobbs School of Theology & Ministry and Associate Professor of Theology & Early Christianity at Oklahoma Baptist University, a co-founder of the Center for Baptist Renewal, and writes things. You can follow him on Twitter at @brandon_d_smith.

Check out his recent books: The Trinity in the Book of Revelation (IVP Academic, 2022), The Biblical Trinity (Lexham, 2023), The Trinity in the Canon (B&H Academic, 2023), and Taught by God: Ancient Hermeneutics for the Modern Church (B&H Academic, 2024), and Beholding the Triune God (Crossway, 2024).

*** This podcast is designed to discuss all sorts of topics from various points of view. Therefore, guests’ views do not always reflect the views of the host, his church, or his institution.

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Steven Duby on Habakkuk and Theological Commentary

/ Brandon D. Smith / Leave a comment

This episode is a conversation with Dr. Steven Duby of Phoenix Seminary. We discuss writing a theological commentary with various disciplines involved (2:30), insights from biblical studies and authorial intent(s) (9:50); history of interpretation and theological debates in Habakkuk (16:54); tips for preaching Habakkuk (39:40), and more. Buy Steven’s new commentary on Habakkuk.

Church Grammar is presented by the PhD and ThM programs at Gateway Seminary, which seeks to blend the best of American and British programs by balancing a broad, robust education with close, one-on-one mentoring during the writing phase.

Check out Brandon’s recent books: The Trinity in the Book of Revelation (IVP Academic, 2022), The Biblical Trinity (Lexham, 2023), The Trinity in the Canon (B&H Academic, 2023), and Taught by God: Ancient Hermeneutics for the Modern Church (B&H Academic, 2024).

You can also order his latest, Beholding the Triune God, written with Matthew Emerson.

Producer: Ryan Modisette. Intro music: Purple Dinosaur by nobigdyl.

Brandon D. Smith is Chair of the Hobbs School of Theology & Ministry and Associate Professor of Theology & Early Christianity at Oklahoma Baptist University, a co-founder of the Center for Baptist Renewal, and writes things. You can follow him on Twitter at @brandon_d_smith.

*** This podcast is designed to discuss all sorts of topics from various points of view. Therefore, guests’ views do not always reflect the views of the host, his church, or his institution.

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Kevin Vanhoozer on Hermeneutics, Theology, and the Transfiguration

/ Brandon D. Smith / Leave a comment

This episode is a conversation with Dr. Kevin Vanhoozer of Trinity Evangelical Divinity School. We discuss his new book on hermeneutics (2:24), reflections on decades of studying hermeneutics (26:57), issues that still need to be tackled in the study of hermeneutics (35:36), and more. Buy Kevin’s books.

Check out Brandon’s recent books: The Trinity in the Book of Revelation (IVP Academic, 2022), The Biblical Trinity (Lexham, 2023), The Trinity in the Canon (B&H Academic, 2023), and Taught by God: Ancient Hermeneutics for the Modern Church (B&H Academic, 2024).

You can also preorder Beholding the Triune God by Brandon and Matthew Emerson.

Church Grammar is presented by the PhD and ThM programs at Gateway Seminary, which seeks to blend the best of American and British programs by balancing a broad, robust education with close, one-on-one mentoring during the writing phase.

Producer: Ryan Modisette. Intro music: Purple Dinosaur by nobigdyl.

Brandon D. Smith is Chair of the Hobbs School of Theology & Ministry and Associate Professor of Theology & Early Christianity at Oklahoma Baptist University, a co-founder of the Center for Baptist Renewal, and writes things. You can follow him on Twitter at @brandon_d_smith.

*** This podcast is designed to discuss all sorts of topics from various points of view. Therefore, guests’ views do not always reflect the views of the host, his church, or his institution.

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Daniel Treier on Christology and Scripture

/ Brandon D. Smith / Leave a comment

This episode is a conversation with Dr. Daniel Treier of Wheaton College. We discuss Christology in Scripture and the Christian Tradition (2:20), Christology and communion with God (11:18), union with Christ and adoption (21:43), the incarnation and its implications (24:45), Christ and his relationship to the Holy Spirit (31:34), the relationship between Christ’s two natures (37:57), Christ and catholicity in the church (45:26), and more. Buy Dan’s books.

Check out Brandon’s recent books: The Trinity in the Book of Revelation (IVP Academic, 2022), The Biblical Trinity (Lexham, 2023), and The Trinity in the Canon (B&H Academic, 2023).

Church Grammar is presented by the Christian Standard Bible. Get 40% off on up to 3 full price CSB Bibles at LifeWay.com with promo code CGCSB.

Producer: Ryan Modisette. Intro music: Purple Dinosaur by nobigdyl.

Brandon D. Smith is Chair of the Hobbs School of Theology & Ministry and Associate Professor of Theology & Early Christianity at Oklahoma Baptist University, a co-founder of the Center for Baptist Renewal, and writes things. You can follow him on Twitter at @brandon_d_smith.

*** This podcast is designed to discuss all sorts of topics from various points of view. Therefore, guests’ views do not always reflect the views of the host, his church, or his institution.

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Craig Bartholomew and Heath Thomas on Reading the Minor Prophets Theologically

/ Brandon D. Smith / Leave a comment

This episode is a conversation with Dr. Craig Bartholomew of the Kirby Laing Centre and Dr. Heath Thomas of Oklahoma Baptist University. We discuss a theological reading of the Minor Prophets (1:27), problems with interpreting the Minor Prophets (16:40), Jesus and Jonah (22:36), the Trinity in the OT and the Minor Prophets (30:24), and more. Buy their new book, The Minor Prophets: A Theological Introduction (IVP Academic, 2023).

Check out Brandon’s recent books: The Trinity in the Book of Revelation (IVP Academic, 2022), The Biblical Trinity (Lexham, 2023), and The Trinity in the Canon (B&H Academic, 2023).

Church Grammar is presented by the Christian Standard Bible. Get 40% off on up to 3 full price CSB Bibles at LifeWay.com with promo code CGCSB.

Producer: Ryan Modisette. Intro music: Purple Dinosaur by nobigdyl.

Brandon D. Smith is Assistant Professor of Theology & New Testament at Cedarville University, a co-founder of the Center for Baptist Renewal, and writes things. You can follow him on Twitter at @brandon_d_smith.

*** This podcast is designed to discuss all sorts of topics from various points of view. Therefore, guests’ views do not always reflect the views of the host, his church, or his institution.

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Fred Sanders on the Holy Spirit and the Trinity in Salvation (Repost)

/ Brandon D. Smith / Leave a comment

This episode is a repost of a conversation with Dr. Fred Sanders of Biola University. We discuss the names for the Holy Spirit in Scripture (2:16), the seeming “silence” of the Spirit in major moments in the biblical narrative (5:17), the Spirit in the OT (15:40), the Trinity in salvation (20:34), theological retrieval (24:30), the Trinity and theological education (31:30), and more. Buy Fred’s books.

Church Grammar is presented by B&H Academic and the Christian Standard Bible. Intro music: Purple Dinosaur by nobigdyl. Producer: Katie Larson.

Brandon D. Smith is Assistant Professor of Theology & New Testament at Cedarville University, Editorial Director for the Center for Baptist Renewal, and writes things. You can follow him on Twitter at @brandon_d_smith.

*** This podcast is designed to discuss all sorts of topics from various points of view. Therefore, guests’ views do not always reflect the views of the host, his church, or his institution.

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Todd Hains on Luther and Biblical Interpretation

/ Brandon D. Smith / Leave a comment

This episode is a conversation with Dr. Todd Hains of Lexham Press. We discuss what the Reformation was all about (4:28), Luther’s relationship to the church fathers and the rule of faith (15:44), Luther’s interpretive instincts and his doctrine of the Word (35:02), Lutheranism’s contribution to the church today (59:42), and more. Buy Todd’s books.

Check out Brandon’s recent books: The Trinity in the Book of Revelation (IVP Academic, 2022) and The Biblical Trinity (Lexham, 2023).

Church Grammar is presented by the Christian Standard Bible and Cedarville University’s Graduate School. Producer: Ryan Modisette. Intro music: Purple Dinosaur by nobigdyl.

Brandon D. Smith is Assistant Professor of Theology & New Testament at Cedarville University, a co-founder of the Center for Baptist Renewal, and writes things. You can follow him on Twitter at @brandon_d_smith.

*** This podcast is designed to discuss all sorts of topics from various points of view. Therefore, guests’ views do not always reflect the views of the host, his church, or his institution.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Android | RSS

Daniel Treier on Evangelical Theology in Biblical, Trinitarian, and Creedal Perspective (Repost)

/ Brandon D. Smith / Leave a comment

This episode is a conversation with Dr. Daniel Treier of Wheaton College. We discuss sports heroes (3:29), defining evangelical theology (6:16), the Nicene Creed and theological method (9:10); the Ten Commandments as moral formation (12:00), the Lord’s Prayer as spiritual formation (14:16), the Trinitarian shape of theology (19:00), and more. Buy Dan’s books.

Check out Brandon’s new book: The Trinity in the Book of Revelation: Seeing Father, Son, and Holy Spirit in John’s Apocalypse (IVP Academic, 2022). You can also preorder his next one, The Biblical Trinity.

Church Grammar is presented by the Christian Standard Bible and Cedarville University’s Graduate School. Episode sponsor: Speak for the Unborn. Intro music: Purple Dinosaur by nobigdyl. Producer: Katie Larson.

Brandon D. Smith is Assistant Professor of Theology & New Testament at Cedarville University, a co-founder of the Center for Baptist Renewal, and writes things. You can follow him on Twitter at @brandon_d_smith.

*** This podcast is designed to discuss all sorts of topics from various points of view. Therefore, guests’ views do not always reflect the views of the host, his church, or his institution.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

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My 5 Favorite Books of 2022

/ Brandon D. Smith / Leave a comment

If you’re looking for a few ideas for last second Christmas money/gift card redemption, here’s a few ideas. You can also check out my past lists: 2015 and 2016 lists at my old Patheos blog, and my 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, and 2021 lists posted here at Biblical Reasoning.

Please forgive my shameless plug upfront, but beyond these five fantastic books below, I have two books to briefly plug:

  • Out tomorrow(!) is an academic monograph with IVP Academic entitled The Trinity in the Book of Revelation, which brings together pro-Nicene retrieval and engagement with modern biblical scholarship. Order here.
  • Out in May, you can preorder my next book with Lexham Press entitled The Biblical Trinity, which is an introductory book to the Trinity in Scripture for pastors and thoughtful laypeople. Order here.

Thanks for considering! And now, in no particular order, here are my five favorite books that I read in 2022.

Hermeneutics and the Rhetorical Tradition by Kathy Eden

This book was recommended to me by several friends as a necessary read for working in early Christian theology and exegesis, and I see why. It is an excellent introduction to the larger contextual influences on early reading cultures and their intersection with/influence on early Christian writings. Order here.

The Trinity by Thomas Joseph White

I simply do not have enough superlatives for this book. Just read it and reference it over and over. Listen to our conversation on tough Trinity questions here. Order here.

Jesus Becoming Jesus (vol. 2) by Thomas G. Weinandy

This three-volume series (see also: vol. 1 and vol. 3) is a treasure trove of theological interpretation of the Gospels. Aside from Jesus himself, of course, Weinandy’s prose is the star of this book. I devoured each volume rather quickly due to how effortlessly Weinandy blends beautiful writing with deeply engaging insights, but I especially enjoyed volume 2. I’ll be revisiting these often. Listen to our conversation on the trilogy here. Order here.

Post-Hellenistic Philosophy by G. R. Boys-Stones

This book is not an easy read, but well organized and gets straight to the point regarding the major philosophical developments in and around early Christianity. The discussion toward the end on Christian appropriations of philosophy is worth the price of the book. Order here.

Sprawlball by Kirk Goldsberry

I know everyone tells me to read more fiction, but I typically reserve my “free time” reading for sports books. I really enjoyed this one on the evolution of the modern NBA game by Kirk Goldsberry, a pioneer in NBA advanced analytics. Order here.

Darian Lockett on Reading the Catholic Epistles and the Biblical Canon

/ Brandon D. Smith / Leave a comment

This episode is a conversation with Dr. Darian Lockett of Talbot School of Theology. We discuss how the Catholic Epistles fit together in the biblical canon (1:22), faith and works in Paul and James (22:52), scholarship on James (28:05), scholarship on 2 Peter and Jude (34:17), and more. Buy Darian’s books.

Church Grammar is presented by the Christian Standard Bible. Intro music: Purple Dinosaur by nobigdyl. Producer: Katie Larson.

You can preorder Brandon’s new book, The Trinity in the Book of Revelation: Seeing Father, Son, and Holy Spirit in John’s Apocalypse (IVP Academic, 2022).

Brandon D. Smith is Assistant Professor of Theology & New Testament at Cedarville University, a co-founder of the Center for Baptist Renewal, and writes things. You can follow him on Twitter at @brandon_d_smith.

*** This podcast is designed to discuss all sorts of topics from various points of view. Therefore, guests’ views do not always reflect the views of the host, his church, or his institution.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Android | RSS