Higher criticism of the late 1800s questioned the Bible's authorship and reliability, fueling liberal theology and provoking the fundamentalist response through Spurgeon's Downgrade Controversy and R. A. Torrey's The Fundamentals.
Month: November 2025
Lesson 13: Called unto Holiness — 1 Thessalonians 4:5-8
Paul warns believers: God called you to holiness, not uncleanness. Explore 1 Thessalonians 4:5-8 on defrauding, God as avenger, and the Holy Spirit's role.
Christ Is the End of the Law for Believers
Romans 10:4 declares Christ is the telos -- the end and fulfillment -- of the law. Redemption is complete. There is no need to reinspect the lamb after the sacrifice has been made.
Supplemental Study: Building a Healthy Church
Paul’s closing instructions in 1 Thessalonians form a blueprint for healthy church life, from respecting leaders to rejoicing always.
What Happened to Jewish Christianity?
The first Christians were overwhelmingly Jewish, yet within two centuries Jewish Christianity had virtually disappeared. Explore how the Jewish revolts of AD 70, 115, and 132-135 shattered Jewish-Christian leadership and shifted the church to Gentile dominance.
Supplemental Study: Hope Beyond the Grave
Paul's teaching on the return of Christ and the resurrection of believers offers comfort, hope, and clarity for every generation of Christians.
Why You Cannot Understand Christianity without the Intertestamental World
The four hundred years between the Testaments shaped the language, theology, and world into which Jesus was born. Persian mystery, Greek philosophy, and Roman law still shape Christian thought today.
Why Scotland Embraced the Reformation So Quickly
Scotland's rapid embrace of the Reformation was no accident. Celtic Christianity had planted deep instincts for local governance and scriptural authority that made John Knox's Reformed teaching feel like a homecoming.