An Ortlund Update

A lot of you have asked about our plans this summer, so I thought I’d share an update on our blog to catch everyone up to speed.

This summer we will be moving to the Chicago area where I have been awarded a resident fellowship for the 2017-2018 school year at the Carl F.H. Henry Center for Theological Understanding at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School in connection to The Creation Project. I will be conducting research with a view to writing a book on Augustine’s doctrine of creation, particularly in terms of how it can be retrieved to help contemporary discussion of creation. I’ve been following the development of the Creation Project from its inception, and the doctrine of creation is an area of personal interest, so I’m thrilled to be a part of it. We feel like God has been very kind to us to give us this “sabbatical” season of sorts to rest from pastoral ministry, have an adventure in the Chicago area (excited to explore the city!), and engage an important doctrine facing the church today. You can read more about my work here.

In September we will be moving from “man-to-man” to “zone” defense as we welcome our third child into the world. It’s a boy. We are thrilled. Both Isaiah and Naomi are very excited to have a little brother. God has been good to us.

During the remainder of the spring I will continue to serve as a visiting scholar at Reasons to Believe where, in addition to doing some lectures and interviews, I will be finishing up a couple of book projects, Lord willing. The first is an updated version of my doctoral dissertation, which has been accepted at Brill as part of the newly formed series Anselm Studies and Texts. It is titled Ascending Toward the Beatific Vision: Heaven as the Climax of Anselm’s Proslogion. The other two are personal projects I’ve been dreaming about for several years and finally have time to write—one a more academic book on theological retrieval, and the other a popular-level book on ministry from the Elijah narrative of 1 Kings 17-19. You could join me in praying that God would help me in my writing and use it to advance His kingdom.

God has been very good to us, and we are grateful for his kindness, provision, and guidance. “For the Lord is good; his steadfast love endures forever, and his faithfulness to all generation” (Psalm 100:5).