Southern Seminary

“But more importantly than that is for church leaders, Christian people, to think virtuously about the past. To apply the virtues, the theological virtues of faith, hope and love, the classical virtues of temperance, justice, wisdom, and courage. We get virtue from the study of history, but we also have to bring virtue to the practice and to the craft in order to understand the past. We can have knowledge of the past, but we can't have understanding of the past until we bring virtue to the project.” Dr. John Wilsey is Professor of Church History and Philosophy, and Chair of the Church History Department. He teaches various classes on Church History including Church History I & II, Christianity and Romanticism, Christianity & the Enlightenment, American Patriotism & Theology, and more.

“When you go to a foreign country, you have to adapt yourself to its culture and its ways, its language, their food and everything else, and it's something similar with the history. In the world of the 19th century, they had a different way of thinking about things. They had a different way of understanding reality. They had different patterns of behavior in life, and some of those things are very foreign to us, and we would be very uncomfortable with those things. How many of us would be comfortable with living without running water, not knowing anybody that ever had it, and not even being able to imagine it? It’s foreign.”

For Dr. John D. Wilsey, church history helps Christians understand who they are and how the church has come to believe and practice what it does today. He teaches that Christianity is a historical faith, and that thoughtful engagement with the past deepens theological understanding. In the classroom, Dr. Wilsey trains students to think historically, learning not only the events of the past but also how to interpret them with care, humility, and virtue. His goal is to help students approach the past with wisdom and apply its lessons faithfully in the present. Get to know Dr. Wilsey, whose work equips students to study the church’s past with clarity, gratitude, and thoughtful reflection.

A strong matchup. A simple entry. SBTS Madness Giveaway Matchup: • A Concise Guide to Islam by Ayman S. Ibrahim — @BakerAcademic • The Gospel for Disordered Lives by Robert D. Jones — @BHpub To enter: Repost this tweet. Want a shot at the full Faculty Library giveaway? Go to vist.ly/4wbff

Which one are you sending forward? SBTS Madness Giveaway Matchup: • In the Beginning was the Word by James M. Hamilton Jr. — @BakerAcademic • Pastor Well by Hershael W. York — @SBTS To enter: Repost this tweet. Want a shot at the full Faculty Library giveaway? Go to vist.ly/4wbdj

This round starts with your call. SBTS Madness Giveaway Matchup: • 40 Questions about Prayer by Joseph C. Harrod — @KregelAcademic • Susannah Spurgeon by Mary K. Mohler — @Christian_Focus To enter: Repost this tweet. Want a shot at the full Faculty Library giveaway? Go to vist.ly/4wb59

Who are you taking to advance? SBTS Madness Giveaway Matchup: • Typology by James M. Hamilton Jr. — @Zondervan • Resolutions of a Pastor by Michael E. Pohlman — @wipfandstock To enter: Repost this tweet. Want a shot at the full Faculty Library giveaway? Go to vist.ly/4wb37

“What is man that thou art mindful of him?” In chapel, Dr. R. Albert Mohler Jr., President of Southern Seminary, preached from Psalm 8 and confronted one of the most pressing questions of human existence. In light of the vastness of creation, our smallness becomes clear, yet Scripture reveals that God knows us, cares for us, and has given us dignity as image bearers. We are not accidents or abstractions. We are creatures made by God, known by Him, and called to live for His glory.

Grateful to be hearing @JoelBeeke lecture on Biblical Reformed Experiential Preaching here at @SBTS. We preach the Word to the whole heart and all of life. My jam.

Church planting in Colombia has not always been easy. Jaun Hernandez joins Dr. Paul Akin to talk about life and ministry on the Colombian coast. Listen today! #AmazontotheHimalayas #MissionsPodcast #Colombianchurch

True theology is experienced when one makes the move from knowing facts about the Scriptures to wondering at the beauty of the one to whom the Scriptures testify. —Peter Sanlon

“Never, never, never give up.” In chapel, Joel Beeke, Pastor of Heritage Reformed Congregation in Grand Rapids, Michigan, preached from Hebrews 12:1–2 and called us to run “the best race ever” with endurance. The Christian life is not a sprint but a lifelong race of perseverance, laying aside sin and pressing on through trial, affliction, and discouragement. We endure by looking to Jesus, the Author and Finisher of our faith, who endured the cross for the joy set before Him and now reigns at the right hand of God.

Paul's Gospel in Romans: Vertical, Horizontal, and Cosmic Dimensions by Dr. Jarvis J. Williams is available now! In his work on Paul’s gospel, Williams explains that the message begins with the cross and resurrection of Christ and unfolds in three directions. Vertically, God grants salvation to Jews and Gentiles through faith in Jesus, bringing justification, forgiveness of sins, and reconciliation with God. Horizontally, the Spirit transforms those who belong to Christ, enabling a life of righteousness, unity, and love between Jew and Gentile. Cosmically, the gospel promises the liberation of all creation from sin’s power, including the bodily resurrection of God’s people and the future renewal of the universe in the new creation. 📚Available now at The Bookstore at Southern.

Who wins this matchup for you? SBTS Madness Giveaway Matchup: • Magnifying God in Christ by Thomas R. Schreiner — @BakerAcademic • Faith Alone by Thomas Schreiner — @Zondervan To enter: Repost this tweet. Want a shot at the full Faculty Library giveaway? Go to sbts.edu/admissions/sbt…

Which book makes the cut? SBTS Madness Giveaway Matchup: • Jesus's Final Week by William F. Cook III — @BHpub • Augustine of Hippo by Bradley G. Green — @Christian_Focus To enter: Repost this tweet. Want a shot at the full Faculty Library giveaway? Go to vist.ly/4vrrk

Who are you sending to the next round? SBTS Madness Giveaway Matchup: • Sanctified by the Spirit by Colin R. McCulloch — @RHB_Books • Pastor Well by Hershael W. York — @SBTS To enter: Repost this tweet. Want a shot at the full Faculty Library giveaway? Go to vist.ly/4vrpn

Full court press. Don’t miss this entry. SBTS Madness Giveaway Matchup: • 40 Questions about Prayer by Joseph C. Harrod — @KregelAcademic • Anger: Calming your Heart by Robert D. Jones — @prpbooks To enter: Repost this tweet. Want a shot at the full Faculty Library giveaway? Go to vist.ly/4vrnm