Welcome to the New York Theologian

Bible Teaching for All

Welcome to The New York Theologian! If you are either not a born again Christian or you are a Christian with some views different from mine, I want you to know you are welcome here.

I am Dr. A. Jacob W. Reinhardt. I recently completed by doctorate in Bible & Theology from Calvary University, Kansas City, MO. I did have a small blog on the web under two different iterations (one, Techie in Love with Jesus; the other, Biblical Worldview Musings). Most of the content from the more recent Biblical Worldview Musings is on this new website.

I have spent almost each of the last twenty-one years in college in some manner. This included six different institutions, and I have earned two associate degrees, one bachelor’s degree, one master’s degree, and a doctorate. All of it was spent in attending schools either in New York in person or online while living in western NY. The result of this education has led me to focus on several key Christian and Baptist emphases which I plan to write about. On the side, I do interact with cultural issues so I do expect to write on those from time to time.

These key ideas include the following:

1. Thomistic philosophy—the philosophy of medieval scholar Thomas Aquinas—of the Protestant variety (in the tradition of R. C. Sproul and Norman L. Geisler).

   This refers to realism, classical view of God, natural law, and pre-modern concepts of knowing truth and other aspects.

2. Traditional dispensationalism (in the tradition of Charles Ryrie and his forbears at Dallas Theological Seminary).
   This refers to a consistent literal interpretation of the Bible that leads to a distinction between Israel and the Church, that leads to an entirely future kingdom of God, and that God’s purposes are broader than just salvation.

3. Classic free grace theology (again, in the tradition of Charles Ryrie that is in the middle between the so-called hyper grace).
   This refers to a firm distinction between salvation and discipleship, an emphasis on faith plus nothing as the basis of salvation, and the security of salvation apart from final perseverance.

4. Fundamentalism.
   Two ideas are referred to here: (1) holding to the key essentials of Christianity against liberal theology and (2) separatistic fundametalism that recognizes a need to avoid partaking in serious errors that undermine the gospel and the goal of having the maximal level of Christian fellowship especially in the local church context.

5. Baptist distinctives for the way the church should operate.
   This includes such ideas as congregational government, believer’s baptism, local church autonomy, and liberty of conscience.

I hope to prepare content that will be understandable for the average person. I want you to go deeper in your understanding of the Christian faith. I want you to be converted if you have not recevied Christ as savior. I want you to walk with me in understanding these five key doctrinal categories. I want you to be living your life, having been saved, in a way that will lead to your being rewarded for good works in this life as you wait for the imminent return of Jesus Christ.

Welcome as I get into a cadence of writing on The New York Theologian!