Reformed Forum

The great Reformer, Martin Luther, once said that prayer is the breath of the soul. Christians pray! We are a people called to live and to walk in close fellowship and communion with our Savior and King. And as He speaks to us in his word, so we speak and enjoy fellowship with the Lord through prayer. In Ephesians 3:14–21, we see the Apostle Paul at prayer. What moves him to prayer? What sustains his prayer life? What does he pray for? What is Paul's burden for the church? What is the Lord's burden for you and for me? Join us as we listen in and learn from the great Apostle as he goes to the throne of grace to receive mercy and find grace to help in our time of need.

On today's episode of Theology Simply Profound, Rob and Bob continue to walk through the Book of Daniel. In chapter 5, the scene changes from Nebuchadnezzar's praise and extolling of the King of heaven to a new king, Belshazzar. King Belshazzar does not honor the King of heaven as seen in the desecration of the "golden vessels that had been taken out of the temple, the house of God in Jerusalem."

This is the third lesson in Dr. Lane G. Tipton's Reformed Academy course, The Theology of Heaven in the Book of Hebrews. This lesson covers the following topics:
00:00 The Biblical Account of the Ascension in Acts 1:9–11
03:31 The Ascended and Enthroned Christ in Colossians 3:1–2, Hebrews 8:1 and Revelation 4 10:14 Christ's Exaltation and the Outpouring of the Spirit in Acts 2:32–33
Register for this free on-demand course on our website to track your progress and assess your understanding through quizzes for each lesson. You will also receive free access to dozens of additional video courses in covenant theology, apologetics, biblical studies, church history, and more: https://reformedacademy.org/course/th...
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In this episode we welcome church historian Stephen Presley to explore the life, theology, and enduring relevance of Irenaeus of Lyons. Writing in the latter half of the second century, Irenaeus emerges not merely as a polemicist against Gnosticism but as a deeply pastoral theologian—one whose doctrine, biblical interpretation, and ecclesial commitments were inseparably bound to the life of the church.
Presley highlights Irenaeus's vision of Scripture as a unified, Christ-centered story, summed up in his doctrine of recapitulation: all things find their meaning, coherence, and redemption in Christ, the true head of humanity. Against both ancient Gnosticism and modern disembodied spiritualities, Irenaeus affirms the goodness of creation, the integrity of the human person, and the necessity of catechesis rooted in the rule of faith. For today's church—navigating doctrinal confusion, cultural fragmentation, and questions of discipleship—Irenaeus offers a compelling model of theological method that is biblical, confessional, pastoral, and profoundly Christ-centered.
Dr. Stephen O. Presley is Director of Education and Engagement and Senior Fellow for Religion and Public Life at the Center for Religion, Culture and Democracy and Associate Professor of Church History at Southern Seminary.
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Chapters
00:07 Introduction
01:47 The Center for Religion, Culture, and Democracy
04:48 How to Pronounce Irenaeus
08:48 The Early Church
13:31 Irenaeus as a Church Theologian
16:00 The Rule of Faith
20:36 Reading Scripture
26:11 Recapitulation
30:18 Against Gnosticism
33:38 Christ as the New Adam
44:07 Surprises While Writing the Book
46:39 Conclusion

On today's episode of Theology Simply Profound, Rob and Bob continue to walk through the Book of Daniel. In chapter 4, we read of the dream given to Nebuchadnezzar wherein a large protective tree bearing much fruit is chopped down, it's branches lopped off, it's leaves stripped, and it's fruit scattered. What's all this about? Well, Daniel provides yet another interpretation for Nebuchadnezzar.