What is the future of Reformed theology? Or what might we pray and hope that it will be? In Episode 75 of Greystone Conversations, we continue to mark the 10th anniversary of the Institute with another special episode. From the beginning, Greystone has endeavored to commend and advance the tradition of confessional Reformed catholicity, and much of that effort has been a work of recovery, not only of the richness of the theological tradition of the Church in terms of content, but the richness...
As Greystone celebrates 10 years, listen in to this unscripted, unusually personal episode as Pastor Jesse Crutchley asks Greystone founding President Dr. Mark A. Garcia questions about the Institute’s origin story, challenges and blessings, and next steps. Also, be the first to hear the big announcement of Greystone’s inaugural capital campaign, “Further Together.”
Once more we ask: how might it affect our perception and appreciation of the Anglican Formularies and the Anglican tradition if we were to ask what contribution that tradition makes to the one, holy, catholic, and apostolic church, instead of thinking of it as a relatively isolated, even insulated church tradition? At Greystone, we embrace our confessional Reformed identity and practice, but we do so somewhat differently than what has become conventional. Some in the Reformed tradition speak...
How might it affect our perception and appreciation of the Continental Reformed tradition if we were to ask what contribution that tradition makes to the one, holy, catholic, and apostolic church, instead of thinking of it as a relatively isolated, even insulated church tradition? At Greystone, we embrace our confessional Reformed identity and practice, but we do so somewhat differently than what has become conventional. Some in the Reformed tradition speak so stridently, confidently, and ev...
How might it affect our perception and appreciation of Westminster Presbyterianism if we were to ask what contribution Presbyterianism makes to the one, holy, catholic, and apostolic church, instead of thinking of it as a relatively isolated, even insulated church tradition? At Greystone, we embrace our confessional Reformed identity and practice, but we do so somewhat differently than what has become conventional. Some in the Reformed tradition speak so stridently, confidently, and even tri...
What are the roles of church councils in the overall faith and life of God’s people? Is there more to say than simply to note their importance for the history of theology? Are they infallible or fallible, antiquated or still viable options for resolving disagreements in the church? To discuss these questions and more, Dr. Mark A. Garcia is joined by Dr. Todd Rester, associate professor of church history at Westminster Theological Seminary in Philadelphia, PA.
What would you write to your adult children about the good life? Would it strike the modern notes of making the most of yourself and your abilities, seizing every opportunity, making a difference in the world? Or would it focus on the beauty and goodness of our created and providentially given limits, personally and relationally? This is the question that prompted Ephraim Radner’s most recent book, Mortal Goods: Reimagining Christian Political Duty. In today’s Greystone Conversation, Greyston...
In our day, while biblical and theological studies certainly continue to abound, questions about the traditional Christian understanding of the atonement are not primarily focused on the question is it biblical. Nor are they focused on whether it is theologically coherent. Instead, they are driven by a concern that it may be violent, and whether that is or is not biblical or theologically coherent is less important than the fact that it is unacceptable. Why? Because a bloody atonement funds o...
What if preaching is not only to be carried out with humility, but is also itself a humble form of the Word of God in power? Augustine is known mostly for his large and profound theological treatises, but how can this most influential of theologians also teach us about the urgency of humility as a mode of preaching to humble people? In today's Greystone Conversations episode, Dr. Mark A. Garcia sits down with Greystone’s Associate Fellow in Christian Tradition, Dr. Charles (Chad) Kim of St Lo...
What might it look like to refuse generalizations about faithful pastoral ministry and allow the people and context of actual ministerial labor to inform the measure of faithfulness? At Greystone, we make much of the ordinary sources of wisdom in God’s Word and ways. But by “ordinary” we don’t mean something less valuable or less important. In fact, we mean the opposite. It is in the ordinary (and in that sense mundane) contexts of life that God, in his ordering and sustaining providence, sur...
Today’s Greystone Conversations episode is taken from Greystone’s upcoming Summer module, Domestic Violence in Theology & Pastoral Ministry—a module which, in many respects, might be among the most unexpected for a theology institute dedicated to the advancement of Reformed theology in the mode of Reformed catholicity. The unexpected topic of this module highlights one of the challenges the Church faces in giving this complicated topic the attention it deserves: we often treat this incred...
How might a thematic analysis of Jeremiah, particularly the theme of the faithless bride, help pastors better serve their churches? What can Christians learn about the futility and dangers of sin by studying the Book of Jeremiah, and how might this theme of the faithless bride lead us to a deeper appreciation of Jesus Christ? Jeremiah’s confrontation with Israel over their faithlessness is still valuable for those who confront sin today when we consider two key realities about sin. First, sin...
To an extent which must be amusing to some, surprising to others, and perhaps even a bit unsettling to still others, all year long Greystone seems to be asking the question, what time is it? Is this a question the Scriptures themselves invite us to ask? From Genesis forward, including the long history of the Church since Pentecost, the people of God have recognized, confessed, and taught the theological significance of marking time. This conviction and practice is rooted in the determination ...
In today’s episode of Greystone Conversations, we conclude to our conversation regarding craftsmanship and workmanship, and consider what might account for the resurgence of interest in craftmanship and the trades. This is the final episode in our five part series. For today’s Greystone Conversations episode, Dr. Mark A. Garcia is joined by Mr. Michael Sacasas and Mr. Joshua Klein, both fellows at Greystone who will be instrumental in the apprenticeship mode of Greystone new Mechanical Arts P...
In today’s episode of Greystone Conversations, we return to our conversation regarding craftsmanship and workmanship, and consider the ethics of workmanship in skill, perception, and habit. This is the forth episode in our five part series. For today’s Greystone Conversations episode, Dr. Mark A. Garcia is joined by Mr. Michael Sacasas and Mr. Joshua Klein, both fellows at Greystone who will be instrumental in the apprenticeship mode of Greystone new Mechanical Arts Program.
In today’s episode of Greystone Conversations, we return to our conversation regarding craftsmanship and workmanship, and consider today the ends in view of such a theory of workmanship we have endeavored to express. This is the third episode in our five part series. For today’s Greystone Conversations episode, Dr. Mark A. Garcia is joined by Mr. Michael Sacasas and Mr. Joshua Klein, both fellows at Greystone who will be instrumental in the apprenticeship mode of Greystone new Mechanical Arts...
In today’s episode of Greystone Conversations, we return to our conversation regarding craftsmanship and workmanship, and consider today the special significance of David Pye to our overall interest in this series. This is the second episode in our five part series, and today we want to consider the very definition of craftsmanship and the larger discussion that that has long been a part of and which bears—in increasingly relevant ways—upon how we think about theological education, about mini...
Welcome to Greystone Conversations and the first episode in this special series focused on explaining and commending an exciting new initiative at Greystone Theological Institute, which in one way is rather unique and in other ways is deeply traditional. And as you have perhaps come to expect, or at least we hope you have come to expect, the combination of something that is new with something that is in fact very old—making old things new—is very much a key concern for the Greystone Way. We c...
It is trendy these days to be disruptive. Though it is a word that may seem to refer to a negative reality, “disruptive” is a word used in business, academic, and in many other contexts to refer to an upset that is needed and salutary. Is there a sense in which the concept and language of disruption may help the Church capture something important about her identity and nature, and how does the answer to this question inform who Greystone is and what Greystone is doing? Culturally, we live in ...
The form of the Word belongs to the meaning of the Word, and this includes its providentially ordered literary presentation. How do the Church’s ways of dividing up the Scriptures inform the way the Church has heard and read the Scriptures? We at Greystone were very pleased to speak recently with Prof. Charles (Chuck) Hill, Professor Emeritus of New Testament and Early Christianity at Reformed Theological Seminary in Orlando. We’ve long benefitted from Professor Hill’s meticulous attention to...