Biblical Spirituality Press

Category: Spirituality

  • The Reformed Theology of Grace and Its Influence on Puritan Spirituality

    The Reformed theology of grace, as articulated in the Canons of Dort, informed and influenced the spirituality of the Puritans. These Canons of Dort, also called the Five Articles against the Remonstrants, consist of doctrinal statements adopted by the Synod of Dort in 1618–19 against the Five Articles of the Remonstrants (conditional election based on…

  • Seminary Professors as Christian Intellectuals

    At first glance the term Christian scholar may sound like an oxymoron. Can these two words really be placed together? Some may say no and argue that academic study belongs to non-Christian minds only. Several years ago, while studying for my bachelor of arts in history at the University of the Philippines in Quezon City,…

  • Early Christian Spirituality

    Before I survey the various facets of early Christian spirituality (a period which runs from around A.D. 100 to A.D. 600), let me first define the word “spirituality,” especially as this term is understood in diverse ways. Spirituality “is the outworking in the real life of a person’s religious faith—what a person does with what…

  • An Interview with Adam McClendon about his book Paul’s Spirituality in Galatians

    An Interview with Adam McClendon about his book Paul’s Spirituality in Galatians

    Paul’s Spirituality in Galatians: A Critique of Contemporary Christian Spiritualities. Eugene, OR: Wipf & Stock, 2015, 208 pp., paperback.      Brother, congratulations on your well-researched book. I read it with delight.  Here are some of my questions for you about your book:   1. What do you think is your book’s unique contribution to the…

  • A Brief Purpose of “The Very Heart of Prayer”

    The purpose of my book is twofold:  first, to demonstrate that while John Bunyan (1628-1668) historically belonged to the sectarian world, he can still rightly be considered a Puritan; and second, to reclaim Bunyan from scholars who not only dispute his identity as a Puritan but also overlook his rich and peculiar spirituality. The volume…

  • A Sketch of Christian Spirituality: From the Patristic Period to the Evangelical Era (Part 5 of 5)

    Evangelical Spirituality Ian Randall—currently Director of the Institute of Baptist and Anabaptist studies of International Baptist Theological Seminary, Prague, Czech Republic—has written a book titled What a Friend We Have in Jesus: The Evangelical Tradition, a fine and succinct study on evangelical spirituality. Randall’s book is part of the Traditions of Christian Spirituality Series, which…

  • “Which Disturbs You Most?”

    I would like to share this thought-provoking piece—”Which Disturbs You Most?”—that I used last Sunday in my sermon on James 1:27b—“Keep Yourself Pure from the World.”  Our answer to this question will tell us something about our spiritual condition.   Which Disturbs You Most? A soul lost in Hell…or a scratch on your new car?…

  • A Sketch of Christian Spirituality: From the Patristic Period to the Evangelical Era (Part 4 of 5)

    Puritan Reformed Spirituality The problem with medieval Catholic spirituality is that it does not purely stem from God’s Word. Consequently, it often produces unscriptural mysticism. In contrast, Puritan Reformed spirituality is essentially based on the Bible and in dependence on the Holy Spirit. The by-product is biblical piety. Anyone who studies Puritan Reformed spirituality should…

  • A Sketch of Christian Spirituality: From the Patristic Period to the Evangelical Era (Part 2 of 5)

    Different Forms of Spirituality The discourse of Christian spirituality may be grouped denominationally into four categories: Roman Catholic, Orthodox, Protestant, and Evangelical spiritualities. In this essay however, the following historical approach will be followed: patristic, medieval, Protestant, and Evangelical spiritualities.   Patristic Spirituality   William Harmless, a member of the Society of Jesus and professor…

  • A Sketch of Christian Spirituality: From the Patristic Period to the Evangelical Era (Part 1 of 5)

    Christian Spirituality: An Introduction, by Alister E. McGrath (Oxford, UK: Blackwell Publishers, 1999); 204 pages. The Spirit of Early Christian Thought: Seeking the Face of God, by Robert Louis Wilken (New Heaven: Yale University Press, 2003); 368 pages. The Law of Love: English Spirituality in the Age of Wyclif, ed. and trans., David Lyle Jeffrey…