Blogging Professors
This morning I have spent a considerable amount of time reading, researching and rehashing some of my Puritan notes from this past semester. Since I have written on the SBC a lot lately, I thought I'd change the programming a bit. (I have at least three more articles, however, concerning the SBC and will probably post them shortly.) As some of you know, I have been posting a series called "Addressing Omnibenevolence." I am sharing some of my research on the topic of omnibenevolence, the central thesis of Ergun and Emir Caner's debate with James White and Tom Ascol. I have scheduled at least 15 more posts on this series, including how it relates to hyper-Calvinism, Universalism, Pluralism, Hell, Intent of the Atonement, Open Theism, Anthropopathism, and a few other issues. Hopefully, I will be able to blog a couple more series before the summer is over.
One of the encouraging things I have noticed over the past year of blogging is the number of professors who have joined the blogosphere. This is encouraging because I know that in the minds of some professors the blogosphere is an unacceptable medium for communication as it does not carry the legitimacy of a theological journal or academic paper. However, those who have realized what blogging can offer are reaping the benefits of it with more students and readers than they could ever imagine from a classroom setting. While I disagree with some of these professors on many points, I applaud their efforts to bring academia where it should be--among the masses.
Although I have searched the blogosphere carefully to find evangelical professors, I know that I have left out some. If you know of one I missed, please include the name and blog in the comment section. Here are the blogging professors I have rounded up thus far:
- Scot McKnight – Jesus Creed Religious Studies @ North Park University
- Denny Burk – Denny Burk
New Testament @
- Jim Hamilton – for his renown Biblical Studies @ Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary
- Ardel Caneday – Biblia Theologica and Wood Chips & Text Musings New Testament & Biblical Studies @ Northwestern College
- Doug Wilson – Blog and Mablog
Senior Fellow @ New
- Andreas Kostenberger – Biblical Foundations New Testament @ Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary
- Darrell Bock – Darrell Bock
New Testament Studies @
- Michael Haykin – Historia Ecclesiastica Principal @ Toronto Baptist Seminary
- William Dembski – Uncommon Descent Philosophy @ Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary
- Mark Devine – Theology Prof Christian Theology @ Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary
- Ray Van Neste – Oversight of Souls Christian Studies @ Union University
- David Allen Black – daveblackonline New Testament and Greek @ Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary
- Douglas Groothuis – Culture Watch Philosophy @ Denver Seminary
- John Frame and Vern Poythress – Vern-Poythress Blog Frame: Systematic Theology & Philosophy @ Reformed Theological Seminary Poythress: New Testament Interpretation @ Westminster Theological Seminary
- Ben Witherington III – Ben Witherington New Testament Interpretation @ Asbury Theological Seminary
- Ryan Bolger – The BolgBlog Church in Contemporary Culture @ Fuller Theological Seminary
- Michael Bird – Euangelion
New Testament @ Highland Theological College (
- Mark D. Roberts - Mark D. Roberts
Fuller Theological Seminary and
- Alan Streett – Already/Not Yet
Evangelism and Pastoral Theology @
- Nathan Finn – The Fullness of Time Adjunct Instructor @ Southeastern College
- Clint Humfrey – Cowboylogy NT Greek @ Toronto Baptist Seminary
- Spencer Haygood – View from the Hill
- Kirk Wellum – Redeeming the Time Theology @ Toronto Baptist Seminary
- Barry Joslin – Barry Joslin
Greek @
- Alvin Reid – Books, Culture and the Gospel Evangelism @ Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary
- Brad Reynolds – Guardian Ministries @ Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary
- Ergun Caner – Beyond the Pulpit
Theology and Church History @
posted by Timmy Brister at 6/20/2006 05:45:00 AM
7 Comments:
Dr. Hershael York blogs at Confessions of a Pastor.
-LB
6/20/2006 01:24:00 PM
Thanks Laura Beth!
6/20/2006 02:00:00 PM
Great list. Your right about Southern Profs MIA. Maybe you can provoke them.
Does Dr. Mohler's and Dr. Moore's commentaries count?
6/20/2006 04:08:00 PM
Tony,
I thought about adding Drs. Mohler and Moore to the list, but my only deal is that their "blogs" are more articles on a website than actually blogs. I think what differentiates blogs with simple articles on the web is the ability to interact with the author and dialogue with others about the issue being raised. I am not saying that a blog must have a comments section to be considered a blog, but it sure would help.
I just checked out Dr. York's blog as well. His last blogpost was dated Wednesday, April 19, 2006. I don't know how active his blog is either. He was under some pressure back during the IMB Baptism issue as he weighed in on it as well as provided arguments from Ergun Caner (I wouldn't write much either after having done that). Also, Dr. Sills has a metablog/blogs but I am not sure how active he is either.
Trust me, I am trying with some of our profs. They are in my estimation some of evangelical Chrisitianty's greatest thinkers and writers. It's too bad that the only outlet they have is an occasional journal article or book release. So far I have talked to at least five professors, all of whom I know read blogs but do not blog themselves. Maybe while Dr. Haykin is in town this week he can put a word in for blogging! He is fine example of how blogging and excellent scholarship can work together.
6/20/2006 04:46:00 PM
I wonder if the PC gap is partly the issue. Many profs still have use handwritten notes when they lecture.
6/20/2006 05:05:00 PM
I think a list of blogging pastors would be interesting as well. (Not to imply you are my personal research assistant - but . . . )
6/20/2006 05:08:00 PM
Well, technology might have something to do with it, but if it does, I don't think it is a major factor. Rather, I think there may be some other reforms of restraint or restriction to professors blogging (not just SBTS profs).
Also, some think that if they start blogging it will legitimize blogging and bring greater credibility to bloggers, resulting in the leveling of the playing field. We are uncredentialed without degrees, dissertations, or an impressive curriculum vitae. To join the conversation is to elevate the status of the person you are talking to. This is, in my opinion, a great plague in the theological beltway. Too many profs are reading and writing to other profs and relegating their arguments to those of similar stature intellectually. Therefore, theology and scholarship becomes an intellectualize of one-upmanship and discovering the latest nuance in a theological position. It will be a great day when more profs take off their robes and put on some worn out jeans and get into the thick of it with the Average Joe who is just as passionate about knowing God and declaring the truth as they are.
Ironically, what is interesting about blogging is that 99% of the bloggers I know earn their readership and influence by what and how they write. In other words, if your posts are substantive, relevant, and profitable to the discussion, they will read. If you just ramble about what color Froot Loops you ate this morning, people will probably not be coming back.
Concerning blogging pastors, I think that list would be too large to compile (although it would be helpful nonetheless). But then again, these guys would be the whipping boys for not baptizing more people because of their blogs.
I have been working on finishing up a list of SBC bloggers. Eventually, I am looking to update my sidebar and blogroll. I have just been too busy shooting weddings, writing papers, preaching, etc. One of these days I will get around to it!
6/20/2006 05:39:00 PM
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