Additional Site and Additional Series!

                                                        Dearest Readership,

 This is your blog owner here. First, before I get started, let me thank so many of you who read my work on the Reformed Epistemology series this past three weeks. I felt like my posts could drag on forever, but I'm thankful that you all stuck with me through it. I don't know where I would be without my readership!!!

Along these lines, I would like to give a special thanks to Dr. Steve Lemke, Provost of New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary, for his work in promoting the blog as much as he can at SBC Today. I must also thank Peter Lumpkins over at SBC Tomorrow for his work in promoting my critique of Alvin Plantinga. I believe he labeled me "this young, talented Christian philosopher." Peter, I will remember this when I begin my Master of Theology studies :-) I thank God for you reading my work and never thought that day would come as soon as it did. Before I end this, I would also like to thank Roy Ingle, one of my avid, faithful followers here at The Center for Theological Studies. Roy has promoted me at his blog (Reformed Arminian, now at Wordpress), and I am so thankful for our friendship and partnership in the Lord. Roy has been a constant encouragement to me and is quite the writer himself. I think he's made more "top blog posts of the week" at SBC Today than I have (chuckle).

Now that I've gotten some awesome "kudos" out of the way, let me get on to the announcements. First, I would like to announce to the blog readership that I have created a new site. It will not replace this one---I plan to keep CTS going for as long as I live (at least the next several years, anyway). The new blog I created is devoted to book reviews. I feel called to spend more time this year than in the past on writing good, solid book reviews on theology books. The reason I've decided to create the new blog (called "Theology For Review") is because I've been searching for good book review sites over the weekend, sites that would allow someone to write reviews...and the only sites available out here on the world wide web are review sites for fiction books on suspense,  mystery, love, romance, etc. In other words, you will probably search in vain for a site (such as "Theology for Review") that is completely devoted to theology book reviews. I hope to meet this urgent need for believers by providing the new blog, "Theology for Review." You can access the site by going to the following page:

http://theologyforreview.blogspot.com/

Next, I am also starting a new series here at The Center for Theological Studies. I have spent the last two to three weeks on Reformed Epistemology and the analysis of the view itself. In the near future (beginning no later than next week), I plan to return to a subject that hasn't been discussed here for some time---the doctrine of eternal judgment (doctrine of hell). While reading Clark Pinnock's "A Wideness in God's Mercy" this past Spring for my independent study course with Dr. Ken Keathley, author of "Salvation and Sovereignty: A Molinist Approach," I noticed that Pinnock credits Edward Fudge for his turn from hell as eternal torment to annihilationism. As a result, I decided to read Edward Fudge to see if he could convince me to turn away from my view of the doctrine of hell. Fortunately for me (though unfortunate for annihilationists), my view has not changed on the doctrine of hell. Nevertheless...it is a good idea to spend time analyzing Fudge's argument. I want to say off the bat that Edward Fudge did a great trace of historical theology in his book on annihilationism. It showed me that in church history, debates are always complex and not so clear cut. That doesn't mean that I don't think the answer is:  I do believe in the perspicuity of Scripture, that the Bible is clear on everything it reports (though we may never understand all there is). Church history, unlike the Bible, is not so clear.

Last but never least, I would also like to announce that I'm starting my Master of Theology studies this coming Monday, August 22, 2011. My first class of the new degree is "Philosophy of History" with Dr. Ivan Spencer, teacher in the History of Ideas (HOI) program as well as Church History and Apologetics here at Southeastern Seminary. Dr. Ivan Spencer is a dear friend as well as an awesome professor...and I am so thankful to know him and have a lasting friendship with him. It's a 1pm-4pm class, but it's the only class I have all week! The remaining four days of each week will be devoted to compiling my bibliography for the new research project as well as writing here at the blog, researching, writing book reviews, etc. Now that I've come out of the Master of Divinity (what I like to call "The Great Tribulation"), I can find true rest in the work of the Lord :-)

Just wanted to update my readership with all the new events that are transpiring in my life. I am so blessed to have you all to read my work day in and day out. You have made the dream of a little country girl come true---who knew the day would come when I would have a voice in this world???

 Continue to pray for me; and, as always, know that as long as the sun stands, by God's grace, CTS will always be around. God bless.