OpenTheo

Q&A#95 Must the Pastor be a Gifted Theologian?

Alastair Roberts

Q&A#95 Must the Pastor be a Gifted Theologian?

December 8, 2018
Alastair Roberts
Alastair Roberts

Today's question:

"What do you think the relationship is between depth of theological understanding and being a good pastor?

Is it a straight one to one correlation? Other things being equal, a better theological understanding will make a better church leader? Once you are over a certain threshold of theological understanding does it then become.more about preaching ability, love for people, management skills etc?

I think I default to thinking that there is a very strong correspondence (as the people whose books have greatly helped me have all been deep thinkers), but the more I think about it the more this seems wrong (most local church leaders are not going to have the time or money to train to a very deep level)."

Within the video, I mention this Mere Fidelity discussion of pastor theologians: https://mereorthodoxy.com/mere-fidelity-the-pastor-theologian/.

My new blog for my podcasts and videos is found here: https://adversariapodcast.com/.

If you have any questions, you can leave them on my Curious Cat account: https://curiouscat.me/zugzwanged.

If you have enjoyed these talks, please tell your friends and consider supporting me on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/zugzwanged.

The audio of all of my videos is available on my Soundcloud account: https://soundcloud.com/alastairadversaria. You can also listen to the audio of these episodes on iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/gb/podcast/alastairs-adversaria/id1416351035?mt=2.

Share

FacebookTwitterRedditCopy Link

Transcript

More on OpenTheo

A Fresh Look at Inerrancy: Part two
A Fresh Look at Inerrancy: Part two
Risen Jesus
September 3, 2024
What are compositional devices? How do they affect our view of inerrancy? What does the Bible say about inspiration and inerrancy? In this episode, Dr
How Is God Just If So Many Wrongs Go Unpunished?
How Is God Just If So Many Wrongs Go Unpunished?
#STRask
October 28, 2024
Questions about how God could be just if so many wrongs go unpunished, an objection to God punishing people in Hell, and whether God’s promise to meet
Does the Bible Explicitly Forbid Premarital Sex?
Does the Bible Explicitly Forbid Premarital Sex?
#STRask
September 30, 2024
Questions about whether the Bible explicitly forbids premarital sex and whether Song of Songs 2:4–6 promotes premarital sex.   * How should I respond
Guillermo Gonzalez: Earth is Designed for Discovery
Guillermo Gonzalez: Earth is Designed for Discovery
Knight & Rose Show
October 26, 2024
Wintery Knight and Desert Rose welcome Dr. Guillermo Gonzalez to discuss the new 20th anniversary edition of "The Privileged Planet". Guillermo explai
Isn’t It Better to Do Good for Goodness’ Sake?
Isn’t It Better to Do Good for Goodness’ Sake?
#STRask
September 2, 2024
Questions about it being better to do good for goodness’ sake rather than to earn approval and avoid punishment and a good initial approach to take wi
Do You Need to Forgive God?
Do You Need to Forgive God?
#STRask
November 11, 2024
Questions about whether we ever need to forgive God in order to heal our emotions, whether it’s unbiblical to tell someone he needs to forgive himself
What Instruments in Church? w/ Will Drzycimski
What Instruments in Church? w/ Will Drzycimski
For The King
October 2, 2024
What instruments should the Church use on the Lord's day? Brother Will helps us think about this in a helpful way. This conversation was prompted from
What Biblical Principles Should Guide How We Vote?
What Biblical Principles Should Guide How We Vote?
#STRask
October 21, 2024
Question about what biblical principles should guide how we vote.   * What biblical principles should guide how we vote?
Do We Always Need to Make the Case that Christian Morality Is the Best Way to Live?
Do We Always Need to Make the Case that Christian Morality Is the Best Way to Live?
#STRask
September 26, 2024
Questions about whether Christians can simply say that God’s moral requirements are a show of loyalty to him rather than argue they’re the best way to
Westminster Divines, Spiritual Warfare, and the Neglected Practice of Hospitality with Chad Van Dixhoorn
Westminster Divines, Spiritual Warfare, and the Neglected Practice of Hospitality with Chad Van Dixhoorn
Life and Books and Everything
September 25, 2024
It’s not everyday you get to hear from the world’s expert on the Westminster Assembly (and who among us does not wish to know more about the Westminst
Why Should We Treat Everyone Respectfully?
Why Should We Treat Everyone Respectfully?
#STRask
November 21, 2024
Questions about why we should treat everyone respectfully, how to reconcile Jesus calling the Pharisees a brood of vipers with the instructions in 1 P
Some Lessons from Richard Hooker
Some Lessons from Richard Hooker
Alastair Roberts
November 13, 2024
The following was first published over on The Anchored Argosy Substack: https://argosy.substack.com/p/17-the-judicious-hooker. Within the episode I me
What Can Be Learned From Contemporary, Non-Scriptural Greco-Roman writings?
What Can Be Learned From Contemporary, Non-Scriptural Greco-Roman writings?
Risen Jesus
August 26, 2024
In this episode, Dr. Mike Licona walks the listener through some of the discoveries revealed in his new book Jesus, Contradicted. By examining Greco-R
Your Religion Prohibits You, Not Me
Your Religion Prohibits You, Not Me
#STRask
August 26, 2024
Question about how to respond to a meme that says, “Your religion does not prohibit me from anything. It prohibits you. Learn the difference.” * How
What Would You Say in a High School Graduation Speech?
What Would You Say in a High School Graduation Speech?
#STRask
September 16, 2024
Questions about what we would say in a high school graduation speech if given the opportunity, how to talk to talk about eternity with a six-year-old