Gary Neal Hansen

Theology. It's good for you.

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You are here: Home / Archives for Theology

How Do You Make Sense of Theology? (Letters to a Young Pastor)

June 2, 2016 by Gary Neal Hansen 6 Comments

making sense of theology

Dear ______: After my last couple of letters I’m shocked (shocked) to find you are not yet convinced of the value of your Church history course. Okay, I’m no more shocked than Captain Renault was to find there was gambling going on in Rick’s Café Américain. (If you don’t know the reference, watch Casablanca. You […]

Filed Under: Ministry, Theology

Most Influential Christian Nominee: Constantine

May 20, 2016 by Gary Neal Hansen 3 Comments

On May 21 the Eastern Church celebrates the memory of my nominee for “Most Influential Christian”: Emperor Constantine the Great (272-337) Why, you may ask, is the Roman Emperor venerated as a saint? This guy who had the audacity to move the capital away from Rome, humbly renaming the city after himself? This guy who set […]

Filed Under: Saints, Theology Tagged With: Constantine the Great, Council of Nicaea, Post-Constantinian Era, St. Constantine

Why Did Jesus Have to Die? (Heidelberg Catechism Q. 40)

April 5, 2016 by Gary Neal Hansen 5 Comments

Why did Jesus have to die?

We are in the season of Easter. This is when, of all seasons of the year, our attention needs to focus on the resurrection of Christ. But we find our selves asking instead “Why did Jesus have to die?” Ours tends to be a “Good Friday” faith. We see the empty tomb and we think […]

Filed Under: Bible, Heidelberg Catechism, Theology Tagged With: Heidelberg Catechism Question 40, Why did Jesus have to die?

Sources of the Faith We Love: St Athanasius and St Cyril

January 18, 2016 by Gary Neal Hansen 4 Comments

We American Christians have a funny way of acting like we invented the faith. Or maybe it fell out, like an old letter, from between the pages our Bibles. We don’t know what we owe to people like St Athanasius and St Cyril. If we are aware that Christianity has a past, we often see it […]

Filed Under: Saints, Theology

St Basil the Great

January 1, 2016 by Gary Neal Hansen Leave a Comment

It is New Year’s Day. Most of us are celebrating with a quiet day off. But there are two holy days today that I’m guessing most of my readers are not giving too much attention to. The first is “The Circumcision of Jesus.” It is the eighth day of Christmas, and the eighth day is […]

Filed Under: Church Year, Saints, Theology Tagged With: Circumcision of the Lord, Eighth Day of Christmas, St. Basil of Caesarea, St. Basil the Great, The Holy Spirit

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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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