Into Theology

In this conversation, Wyatt and Jon Cleland delve into the London Baptist Confession, focusing on its implications for worship, the nature of Christ, and the significance of the virgin birth. They explore the sufficiency of scripture for worship, the distinction between worship and ceremony, and the theological importance of Christ's dual nature as both God and man. The discussion also touches on the role of Christ as mediator and the historical context of the confession.

Ian is hiking in Peru to find the perfect coffee bean, and he should be there for one week until he goes on another wild adventure. In the meantime, I have asked Matthew Hoskin to be a special guest to introduce a new series on Boethius and his Consolations of Philosophy. In this conversation, Wyatt Graham and Dr. Matthew Hoskin delve into Boethius's 'The Consolation of Philosophy,' exploring its themes, historical context, and relevance today. They discuss the contrast between philosophy and poetry, the nature of happiness, and the role of Lady Philosophy in guiding Boethius through his despair. The conversation highlights the enduring wisdom found in Boethius's work and its application to modern life, emphasizing the importance of philosophical thought in navigating suffering and finding true happiness.

Do I need to share the commands of God before giving the Good News? Must we hear the bad news before we hear the Good News? We here take a look at the First London Baptist Confession to find out how early Baptists answered that question.

Join us on "Into Theology" as Wyatt and guest co-host Reverend Dr. Jon Cleland delve into the profound themes of the First London Baptist Confession. This episode explores the kingly office of Christ, the intricacies of faith as a divine gift, and the perseverance of the saints. Through engaging discussions, they unravel theological insights, drawing connections to scripture and historical perspectives. Tune in for a thought-provoking journey into the depths of reformed theology. #Theology #Faith #ReformedTradition

In this conversation, Wyatt and Dr. John Cleland delve into the threefold office of Christ as prophet, priest, and king, as outlined in the 1646 London Baptist Confession. They explore the significance of Christ's role as a prophet who reveals God's will, the nature of his priesthood and sacrifice, and the implications of his kingship. The discussion emphasizes the importance of understanding Christ's dual nature as both divine and human, and how this informs Christian theology and practice.

In this conversation, Wyatt and John Cleland explore the theological concepts surrounding the mediatorship of Christ as outlined in the London Baptist Confession of 1646. They discuss the nature of the new covenant of grace, the role of Christ as mediator, and the implications of his offices as prophet, priest, and king. The dialogue delves into the significance of Christ's sacrifice for sin, the concept of election, and the necessity of grace in salvation, providing a comprehensive understanding of these foundational theological principles.

In this conversation, Wyatt and Reverend Dr. John Cleland delve into the London Baptist Confessions of 1644 and 1646, exploring themes of God's providence, election, and the nature of free grace. They discuss the distinctions between Baptists and Anabaptists, the implications of original sin and free will, and the theological underpinnings of creation and the fall. The dialogue emphasizes the historical context of these confessions and their relevance to contemporary discussions on salvation and obedience.

In this conversation, Drs. Wyatt Graham and Jon Cleland explore the significance of Baptist identity through the lens of the London Baptist Confessions. They discuss the historical context, theological foundations, and key figures that shaped Baptist beliefs. The dialogue delves into the distinctions between Particular and General Baptists, the purpose of confessions, and the nature of God as articulated in the confessions. The conversation emphasizes the importance of understanding Baptist heritage and its implications for contemporary faith.

In this conversation, Wyatt and Matthew explore the philosophical and theological insights of Boethius, particularly focusing on the nature of God, eternity, free will, and divine knowledge. They discuss how God's eternal nature allows for a unique understanding of time and how this relates to human free will and divine providence. The conversation emphasizes the importance of philosophy in understanding theology and the comfort it brings in the face of suffering.

In this episode, Wyatt Graham and Matthew Hoskin delve into Boethius's 'Consolation of Philosophy,' focusing on the nature of goodness and evil, the consequences of pursuing virtue versus vice, and the transformative power of choices. They explore the concepts of providence and fate, the strength of goodness compared to the weakness of evil, and how adversity serves as a test of virtue. The discussion culminates in reflections on happiness and the moral order, emphasizing that true happiness is found in the pursuit of goodness.Chapters00:00 Introduction to Boethius's Philosophy03:10 The Nature of Goodness and Evil06:08 Transformation Through Virtue and Vice09:09 The Pursuit of Happiness and the Role of Will12:03 The Consequences of Sin and Weakness15:00 The Illusion of Power in Wickedness18:02 The Order of Desire and Divine Purpose23:29 Understanding Providence and Fate27:10 The Moral Order and Chaos30:51 Adversity as a Path to Virtue35:30 The Nature of True Happiness

In this conversation, Dr. Wyatt Graham and Dr. Matthew Hoskin delve into Boethius's philosophical arguments in 'The Consolation of Philosophy,' particularly focusing on the nature of evil and its existence. They explore the idea that evil is not a positive force but rather a lack of good, leading to the conclusion that evil men, despite their actions, do not truly exist in a meaningful sense. The discussion also touches on the weakness of those who pursue evil, the relationship between goodness and happiness, and the illusion of power held by evil individuals. Literary references, including characters from Tolkien's works, are used to illustrate these philosophical points, culminating in a rich exploration of the themes of power, goodness, and the nature of existence.

Since Ian has followed his passions by travelling to the Antarctic to befriend the penguins, special cohost Dr. Matthew Hoskin joins Dr. Wyatt Graham to discuss book 3 of The Consolation of Philosophy by Boethius. In this conversation, Graham and Hoskin explore the philosophical insights of Boethius, particularly focusing on the nature of true happiness and its relationship with God. They discuss how worldly pursuits such as wealth and power often lead to misery rather than fulfillment, emphasizing that true happiness is found in the divine. The dialogue delves into the concept of participation in the divine nature and how virtues contribute to a deeper understanding of happiness. Ultimately, they conclude that God is the unchanging source of goodness and happiness, and that true contentment comes from aligning oneself with this divine reality.Chapters00:00 Introduction and Context of Boethius02:44 The Nature of True Happiness05:37 The Illusion of Earthly Goods08:12 The Pursuit of Virtue and God10:46 God as the Source of Happiness13:00 The Connection Between Philosophy and Scripture20:09 Exploring Happiness and God24:34 Pleasure and Participation in God29:18 Divine Participation and Theosis34:28 The Nature of God and the Problem of Evil

Ian Clary cannot make it today. He's fulfilling his boyhood dream of making it to space. He's a passenger on a flight to the International Space Station. He'll be there for the next week. And he's finally become the astronaut that he's always dreamed that he could be. So his joy is actually our pleasure. His sort of Beatitude we might say is our Felicitas, if we will, if I'm able to use that, so that we can jump back into Boethius with Matthew Hoskin, who has much more capability in this literature than I do. In this conversation, Wyatt Graham and Matthew Hoskin explore the philosophical insights of Boethius, particularly focusing on the nature of happiness, fortune, and the internal versus external sources of contentment. They discuss the importance of aligning one's internal state with external realities, the role of providence and love in the universe, and the contrasting characters of Theoden and Denethor from Tolkien's works. The conversation emphasizes the need for unchangeable sources of happiness and the significance of relationships and love in achieving true contentment.

Wyatt is joined not by Ian Clary, but by someone entirely different because Ian is on a self-discovery journey in Mexico travelling with a band of yogis in the mountains right now. We hope that he is fully limbered and stretched and ready to return in several weeks. In this conversation, Wyatt Graham and Dr. Matthew Hoskin delve into the work of Boethius, particularly his 'Consolation of Philosophy.' They explore the historical context of Boethius, his philosophical inquiries into fate and providence, and the role of Lady Wisdom in guiding Boethius through his despair. The discussion highlights the importance of memory, the nature of philosophy as a way of life, and the contrast between Stoicism and Boethius's views on happiness and divine governance.

In this episode, Ian Clary and Wyatt Graham discuss divine persons in Thomas Aquinas's Summa. They talk through why Thomas thinks the word person eminently applies to God, and how it is fitting to use of God, even if the Bible does not use that term. Here is a link to the article I wrote on God's processions, relations, and persons to clarify things from the last episode: https://wyattgraham.com/god-two-processions-four-relations-three-persons/.

In this episode, Wyatt and Ian stumble along trying to keep up with Thomas Aquinas as he explains how the Father, Son, and Spirit relate to one another while remaining the one God of Israel. The Bible tells us that the Father is the Father of the Son, and the Son of the Father. So they are distinct yet both remain the one God. How can we talk about this? Thomas summarizes the theological explanation of this reality through his discussion on relations in God. The key is that the word "generation" refers to the procession of the Son, while filiation and paternity describe the relation of Father and Son. But for the Spirit, there is no proper name for the relation. Both the procession and relation use a common word. So the pairing for the Spirit if spiration from the Father and Son and procession (the common term) of the Spirit from both.  Emery writes: "It gives us paternity (the relation of the Father to the Son), filiation (the relation of the Son to the Father), the spiration of the Holy Spirit (the relation of the Father and the Son in respect to the Holy Spirit), and the procession of the Holy Spirit (the relation of the Holy Spirit in respect to the Father and the Son)" (Aquinas, 99–100). He further explains: “Thomas comes back to the linguistic problem which we have in talking about the procession of the Holy Spirit: we must use a common name (‘procession’) to designate both the origin proper to the Holy Spirit and the relations springing from this origin. Whereas, when we are speaking about the mutual reference of the Father and the Son, we can make a linguistic distinction between the procession (‘generation’) and the relations which it founds, (‘paternity’ and ‘filliation’), linguistic constraints compel us to designate the relations by the procession and the action themselves (‘procession’ and ‘spiration’)” (Aquinas 101).

In this episode, Ian and Wyatt talk about the procession of the will in God, namely, that Love of God which we call the Holy Spirit.

In this episode, Wyatt and Ian discuss divine processions, which refer to the how the Father, Son, and Spirit relate to one another. This section of the Summa Theologiae prepares us to talk about the "relations of origin" in God as well as the persons of God: Father, Son, and Spirit.

In this episode, Ian and Wyatt discuss Providence and Predestination in Thomas Aquinas's Summa Theologiae---Book 1, Questions 22 to 23.

In this episode, Wyatt and Ian (who pretends to be Matthew Mcconaughey) talk about the Love and Mercy of God in Thomas Aquinas's Summa Theologiae---Book I.Q20-21.