Gary Neal Hansen

Theology. It's good for you.

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You are here: Home / Archives for Gary Neal Hansen

Presbyterian G.A. Approves New Translation of Heidelberg Catechism!

June 21, 2014 by Gary Neal Hansen Leave a Comment

I am so very happy to share the news that Friday night, the 221st General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church (USA) gave final approval to the new translation of the Heidelberg Catechism! In 2008 I was called to participate in a national committee to resolve five translation problems in the version used by the PC(USA) since […]

Filed Under: Heidelberg Catechism Tagged With: Book of Confessions, heidelberg catechism, PC(USA) General Assembly

6 Key Things to Know About the Holy Spirit

June 17, 2014 by Gary Neal Hansen Leave a Comment

A week ago was Pentecost. This week was Trinity Sunday. A great time to continue blogging about the Holy Spirit. It took a while for Christians to become clear that the Holy Spirit is really and truly God. Father? Check. Son? Check. Spirit? Some ambiguity — for centuries actually. Once that was clear, though, we joyfully proclaimed and […]

Filed Under: Heidelberg Catechism, Theology Tagged With: Holy Spirit, Paraclete, Trinity, Trinity Sunday

Is Pentecost “The Birthday of the Church”? (Heidelberg Catechism, Q54)

June 13, 2014 by Gary Neal Hansen Leave a Comment

Here’s a question for you: How many of you have heard or preached a Pentecost sermon proclaiming it “the birthday of the Church”? That seems to be the understanding today among Christians. What really happened in Acts chapter 2? Was it “the first Pentecost”? No. Jews from around the world were gathered in Jerusalem to […]

Filed Under: Heidelberg Catechism, Theology, Vocabulary Tagged With: Birthday of the Church, Church, Feast of Weeks, Pentecost

Want to Improve Your Praise Band? Consider St. Ephrem the Syrian

June 10, 2014 by Gary Neal Hansen Leave a Comment

Ephraim the Syrian Ephrem, by Ted on Flikr under CC license

It seems like every church has a praise band leading worship these days, or wants to have one. But let’s face it: a lot of modern worship music, whether praise songs or hymns, is theologically and spiritually shallow. A lot of it focuses on us and our feelings rather than on the glory of God. When it points beyond […]

Filed Under: Music, Saints, Theology, Worship Tagged With: Contemporary hymns, Ephrem Syrus, Ephrem the Hymnode, Ephrem the Syrian, Praise band, Praise songs

St. Boniface: Monk, Missionary, Martyr

June 5, 2014 by Gary Neal Hansen Leave a Comment

Today the Church remembers St. Boniface who died at the hands of a violent mob on this day in 754. He is called the “Apostle to the Germans” for his work as a missionary bishop. I want to highlight three things worth learning from his life today. First, Boniface shows us the counter-intuitive power of medieval […]

Filed Under: Community, Monasticism, Saints Tagged With: Apostle to the Germans, Missionary Strategy, Oak of Jupiter, Oak of Thor, Saint Boniface

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Theology. It’s good for you.

I'm a Church historian by trade. My writing, speaking, and teaching explores the Christian past to equip today's disciples. Join me here for regular posts on the best of theology, spirituality, community, and ministry. read more…

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