Theology Project | The Podcast

Can Christians be perfect? John Wesley believed they could. But he didn’t mean sinless perfection.In this episode of Theology Project, Dr. Chris Lohrstorfer joins me to discuss John Wesley’s Sermon 40, “Christian Perfection,” and one of the most distinctive—and often misunderstood—doctrines of the Wesleyan tradition.What did Wesley actually mean by Christian perfection? Can Christians be free from sin in this life? What is the difference between Christian perfection and sinless perfection? And how does Wesley’s understanding of holiness shape the way Christians think about salvation, spiritual growth, and the Christian life?We dig into Wesley’s sermon, clarify some common misconceptions, and explore why Christian perfection remains central to Wesleyan theology today.Visit our Sponsor - https://wbs.eduClick Here to Read "Christian Perfection" by John WesleyVisit Theology Project on SubstackIf Theology Project has been helpful to you, here are a few ways you can support the work:* Subscribe on Substack to receive new free articles.* Share an article with a friend or post it on social media.* Become a paid subscriber to help sustain and expand this ministry while gaining access to exclusive content.Every subscription, share, and recommendation helps more people rediscover the Bible they didn’t know they had.Theme music: “Steps” by Anno Domini Beats. Used with permission. Get full access to Theology Project at theologyprojectonline.substack.com/subscribe

Is John Wesley enough to sustain the tradition he started? What's the difference between studying John Wesley's theology and doing theology as a Wesleyan? How much must Wesleyan theology agree with John Wesley?Those are the questions up for discussion in this episode of Theology Project. Thomas McCall and Jason Vickers join Matt O'Reilly to discuss how these questions and others are worked out in their new book Love Divine: A Wesleyan Systematic Theology.Along the way, we'll explore what makes theology distinctly Wesleyan, why the tradition needs constructive theology rather than simply the study of Wesley, and how holy love provides a framework for understanding the Christian faith as a whole.Love Divine offers a beautiful vision of the Christian faith that builds on the Great Tradition that formed John and Charles Wesley, the Wesley brothers own works, and the major theologians that inherited the Wesleyan tradition.Visit our sponsor - Wesley Biblical Seminary - and apply for your Doctor Ministry degree now: https://wbs.edu/dminGet Love Divine:A Wesleyan Systematic Theology on Amazon.As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. Thanks for supporting Theology Project through the Amazon links in this post.Take the next stepIf Theology Project has been helpful to you, here are a few ways you can support the work:>Subscribe to receive new free articles.>Share an article with a friend or post it on social media.>Become a paid subscriber to help sustain and expand this ministry while gaining access to exclusive content.Every subscription, share, and recommendation helps more people rediscover the Bible they didn’t know they had.Theme music: “Steps” by Anno Domini Beats. Used with permission.v Get full access to Theology Project at theologyprojectonline.substack.com/subscribe

In this clip, Jason Vickers and I consider the everyday example of road rage in order to explore a much bigger question: How should Christians think about demonic influence and human responsibility? If the devil or demonic forces can tempt, influence, or provoke us, does that lessen our responsibility for how we respond? Drawing on John Wesley and the categories of captivity and complicity, they discuss why taking spiritual warfare seriously doesn’t mean surrendering human agency—or excusing sin.Check out the whole conversationIf you enjoyed this clip, listen to the full conversation on Theology Project | The Podcast or watch it on YouTube.Dr. Jason Vickers serves as professor of Christian theology and the Wesley Endowed Chair of Christian Theology. A popular teacher, prolific author, and ordained elder in the Global Methodist Church, Vickers holds a PhD from Southern Methodist University. Prior to joining Truett Seminary, Vickers taught at Asbury Theological Seminary in Wilmore, Kentucky. He also has taught at Austin College in Sherman, Texas, Hood Theological Seminary in Salisbury, North Carolina, and United Theological Seminary in Dayton, Ohio. Professor Vickers is a past president of the Wesleyan Theological Society and current member of the Discipleship, Doctrine, and Just Ministry Commission of the Global Methodist Church. Vickers is editor of the Wesleyan Theological Journal, and co-author with Thomas H. McCall of Love Divine: A Wesleyan Systematic Theology.An InvitationI’m interviewing Preston Sprinkle on an upcoming episode of Theology Project. Our conversation will focus on his new book From Genesis to Junia: An Honest Search for What the Bible Really Says about Women in Leadership, and I want to hear what you think I should ask him.Take the next stepIf Theology Project has been helpful to you, here are a few ways you can support the work:* Subscribe to receive new free articles.* Share an article with a friend or post it on social media.* Become a paid subscriber to help sustain and expand this ministry while gaining access to exclusive content.Every subscription, share, and recommendation helps more people rediscover the Bible they didn’t know they had. Get full access to Theology Project at theologyprojectonline.substack.com/subscribe

Why does Christianity sometimes seem to have so little effect on the lives of Christians? Why hasn’t it had a greater effect on the world?John Wesley asked that question more than two centuries ago. In his sermon “Causes of the Inefficacy of Christianity,” Wesley wrestled with a troubling reality: if Christianity is true and the gospel has the power to transform people, why do so many Christians seem largely unchanged?In this episode of Theology Project, I’m joined by Dr. Chris Bounds to explore Wesley’s answer. We discuss what Wesley believed was keeping Christianity from having its intended effect, the role of Christian doctrine and discipline, the importance of holiness, and number one problem that minimizes the effectiveness of the church.Along the way, we consider whether Wesley’s diagnosis still applies to the church today, and what he might say needs to change if Christianity is going to produce the kind of people the Bible envisions.Visit our Sponsor - Wesley Biblical SeminaryWant to engage even more?* Read the sermon: “Causes of the Inefficacy of Christianity”* Get Holiness: A Biblical, Historical, and Systematic Theology co-authored by Chris BoundsAs an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. Thanks for supporting Theology Project through the Amazon links in this post.If Theology Project has been helpful to you, here are a few ways you can support the work:* Subscribe to receive new free articles.* Share an article with a friend or post it on social media.* Become a paid subscriber to help sustain and expand this ministry while gaining access to exclusive content.Every subscription, share, and recommendation helps more people rediscover the Bible they didn’t know they had.Theme music: “Steps” by Anno Domini Beats. Used with permission. Get full access to Theology Project at theologyprojectonline.substack.com/subscribe

What role do doctrinal standards play in the life of the church? In this episode, Dr. Joel Chopp explains why confessions matter, how the proposed Articles of Faith would function in the Global Methodist Church, and what faithful Wesleyan confessionalism looks like.The discussion develops from Joel’s brand new article “Wesleyan Confessionalism and Theological Education,” which was just published in the most recent edition of the Asbury Herald. We discuss:* What doctrinal standards are* Who doctrinal standards are for* Why some Methodists reject confessionalism* Why other Methodists are committed to normative doctrines* What we can learn about confessions from other Protestants* Why not all the articles in the proposed Articles of faith should not be distinctly Wesleyan* The guardrail function of doctrine* How we know what Scripture affirms* And more!At the end of our conversation, Joel recommended two books for anyone who wants to dig in deeper to the way doctrine functions in the church. Here they are:* Doctrine, Spirit, and Discipline: A History of the Wesleyan Tradition in the United States by Kevin Watson* Doctrinal Standards in the Wesleyan Tradition by Thomas OdenAs an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. Thanks for supporting Theology Project through the Amazon links in this post.If Theology Project has been helpful to you, here are a few ways you can support the work:* Subscribe to receive new free articles on Substack.* Share an article with a friend or post it on social media.* Become a paid subscriber to help sustain and expand this ministry while gaining access to exclusive content.* Buy me a coffee to drink while I’m writing my next article (use this link).Every subscription, share, and recommendation helps more people rediscover the Bible they didn’t know they had.Theme music: “Steps” by Anno Domini Beats. Used with permission. Get full access to Theology Project at theologyprojectonline.substack.com/subscribe