The Hardest Truth in All of Theology - R.C. Sproul Message

The Hardest Truth in All of Theology - R.C. Sproul Message
Robert Charles "R. C." Sproul (February 13, 1939 – December 14, 2017) was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. His father worked as an accountant and his mother was a teacher. As a youth, he played sports — briefly pursuing baseball and football — but gave that up to help support his family.

Sproul came to Christian faith in 1957, during his freshman year at Westminster College. This conversion marked the beginning of his deep exploration into biblical theology.

His academic achievements include:

B.A. from Westminster College (1961)

M.Div. from Pittsburgh Theological Seminary (1964)

Doctorandus from Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam (1969), where he studied under G. C. Berkouwer while teaching himself Dutch

Ph.D. from Whitefield Theological Seminary (2001)

John Gerstner deeply influenced Sproul’s theological outlook and mentored him. Though he initially resisted Calvinism, Sproul eventually embraced it and co-authored Classical Apologetics with Gerstner.
Throughout the 1960s and 70s, Sproul taught at several institutions:

Westminster College (PA)

Gordon College

Conwell Theological Seminary

Reformed Theological Seminary (Jackson & Orlando)

Knox Theological Seminary (Ft. Lauderdale)

He was admired for breaking down complex theology into practical, everyday language.
In 1971, Sproul founded the Ligonier Valley Study Center, later renamed Ligonier Ministries after relocating to Orlando in 1984. Under his leadership, the ministry launched:

Tabletalk magazine (1977)

Daily devotionals

The Renewing Your Mind radio program (began in 1982, launched nationally in 1994)

Conferences, teaching series, books, and videos

Reformation Bible College (established 2011), where he served as the first chancellor
From 1997 until his death, Sproul served as Senior Minister at Saint Andrew’s Chapel in Sanford, Florida. He combined preaching, teaching, and pastoral care in a vibrant church community.
3.1 Emphasis on God’s Holiness
In his bestselling book The Holiness of God (1985), Sproul explored God's absolute purity and transcendence — ideas that reshaped contemporary Christian understanding of the divine.

3.2 Biblical Inerrancy
Sproul was a principal drafter and signer of the Chicago Statement on Biblical Inerrancy (1978). He further defended scriptural authority in works like Can I Trust the Bible? (originally Explaining Inerrancy).

3.3 Reformed Theology Advocate
A leading voice in the “Young, Restless, and Reformed” movement, Sproul championed classic Calvinist doctrines such as unconditional election, limited atonement, and perseverance of the saints.


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