Friday, May 23, 2008

A Brief Introduction

Although I have been registered for this blog for some months I must apologise that this is the first time I have got round to posting anything here. I notice that a few people have looked at my profile already so I thought I would give a brief introduction to myself.

I am actually an impostor, having studied Natural Sciences at University, however after graduating I came to my senses and made a switch to the Queen of Sciences. My initial research at Masters level was on Edward Hyde, the Earl of Clarendon, the famous author of the 'History of the Rebellion'. Clarendon, as I am sure many will know, was far from being a Puritan. Through him I gained an interest in seventeenth century Theology and also neo-Stoicism.

My original plan was to pursue a PhD looking into the theology of conscience and duty. However after rather a large number of very small changes my topic has transformed completely and I am now studying Richard Baxter and his Trinitarian Theology.

Baxter is a fascinating figure and seemingly much misunderstood. In academic circles there has been a tendency to attach a large number of contradictory labels to his name, while among Christians although often admired as a pastor his theology is usually treated as an embarrassing lapse. I hope to address some of these issues and to demonstrate the Trinitarian character of Baxter's much vaunted 'Mere Christianity'.

I think that is enough of an introduction for the present. On a personal level I have many sympathies with the Puritans, but as an Anglican and Royalist cannot quite bring myself to agree with their politics...

It is also worth noting that I am fanatical about dogs.

2 comments:

Chris Ross said...

Thanks, Simon! Good to have you 'officially' on board. Keep us abreast of your research discoveries, even if they're not really new to the world of scholarship, but only new to you! Chances are they'll be new to us as well . . .

Bridges said...

Thanks, Simon. I look forward to learning from you about Baxter...and dogs. If you buy a dog and name him Baxter, that would be the perfect synthesis of your passions. Just a thought.

Tim

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