Peter James Leithart (born 1959) is an American
author
An author is the writer of a book, article, play, mostly written work. A broader definition of the word "author" states:
"''An author is "the person who originated or gave existence to anything" and whose authorship determines responsibility f ...
,
minister, and
theologian
Theology is the systematic study of the nature of the divine and, more broadly, of religious belief. It is taught as an academic discipline, typically in universities and seminaries. It occupies itself with the unique content of analyzing the ...
, who serves as president of Theopolis Institute for Biblical, Liturgical, & Cultural Studies in Birmingham, Alabama. He previously served as Senior Fellow of Theology and Literature as well as
Dean
Dean may refer to:
People
* Dean (given name)
* Dean (surname), a surname of Anglo-Saxon English origin
* Dean (South Korean singer), a stage name for singer Kwon Hyuk
* Dean Delannoit, a Belgian singer most known by the mononym Dean
Titles
* ...
of Graduate Studies at
New Saint Andrews College.
He was selected by the
Association of Reformed Institutions of Higher Education to be one of the organization's 2010–2012 Lecturers. He is the author of
commentaries on the
Book of Kings, the
Book of Samuel, the
Books of Chronicles
The Book of Chronicles ( he, דִּבְרֵי־הַיָּמִים ) is a book in the Hebrew Bible, found as two books (1–2 Chronicles) in the Christian Old Testament. Chronicles is the final book of the Hebrew Bible, concluding the third sec ...
, the
Book of Revelation
The Book of Revelation is the final book of the New Testament (and consequently the final book of the Christian Bible). Its title is derived from the first word of the Koine Greek text: , meaning "unveiling" or "revelation". The Book of ...
, as well as a Survey of the
Old Testament. Other works include books on topics such as
Dante
Dante Alighieri (; – 14 September 1321), probably baptized Durante di Alighiero degli Alighieri and often referred to as Dante (, ), was an Italian people, Italian Italian poetry, poet, writer and philosopher. His ''Divine Comedy'', origin ...
's
''Inferno'',
Shakespeare
William Shakespeare ( 26 April 1564 – 23 April 1616) was an English playwright, poet and actor. He is widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist. He is often called England's natio ...
,
Jane Austen, and a biography of
Constantine
Constantine most often refers to:
* Constantine the Great, Roman emperor from 306 to 337, also known as Constantine I
*Constantine, Algeria, a city in Algeria
Constantine may also refer to:
People
* Constantine (name), a masculine given name ...
. He is also the author of a book of children's
bedtime stories titled ''Wise Words'' based on the
Book of Proverbs.
Early life and education
Leithart was born on July 20, 1959, and grew up in a suburb of
Columbus
Columbus is a Latinized version of the Italian surname "''Colombo''". It most commonly refers to:
* Christopher Columbus (1451-1506), the Italian explorer
* Columbus, Ohio, capital of the U.S. state of Ohio
Columbus may also refer to:
Places ...
,
Ohio
Ohio () is a state in the Midwestern region of the United States. Of the fifty U.S. states, it is the 34th-largest by area, and with a population of nearly 11.8 million, is the seventh-most populous and tenth-most densely populated. The sta ...
.
He received a
Bachelor of Arts
Bachelor of arts (BA or AB; from the Latin ', ', or ') is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate program in the arts, or, in some cases, other disciplines. A Bachelor of Arts degree course is generally completed in three or four year ...
degree in English and history from
Hillsdale College, a
Master of Arts
A Master of Arts ( la, Magister Artium or ''Artium Magister''; abbreviated MA, M.A., AM, or A.M.) is the holder of a master's degree awarded by universities in many countries. The degree is usually contrasted with that of Master of Science. Th ...
degree in religion from
Westminster Theological Seminary
Westminster Theological Seminary is a Protestant theological seminary in the Reformed theological tradition in Glenside, Pennsylvania. It was founded by members of the faculty of Princeton Theological Seminary in 1929 after Princeton chose to ...
in 1986, a
Master of Theology
Master of Theology ( la, Theologiae Magister, abbreviated MTh, ThM, or MTheol) is a post-graduate degree offered by universities, divinity schools, and seminaries. It can serve as a transition degree for entrance into a PhD program or as a sta ...
degree from Westminster in 1987, and a
Doctor of Philosophy
A Doctor of Philosophy (PhD, Ph.D., or DPhil; Latin: or ') is the most common degree at the highest academic level awarded following a course of study. PhDs are awarded for programs across the whole breadth of academic fields. Because it is ...
degree from the
University of Cambridge
The University of Cambridge is a public collegiate research university in Cambridge, England. Founded in 1209 and granted a royal charter by Henry III in 1231, Cambridge is the world's third oldest surviving university and one of its most pr ...
in 1998.
Ministry
Leithart was ordained a
teaching elder
Presbyterian (or presbyteral) polity is a method of church governance ("ecclesiastical polity") typified by the rule of assemblies of presbyters, or elders. Each local church is governed by a body of elected elders usually called the session or ...
in the
Presbyterian Church in America
The Presbyterian Church in America (PCA) is the second-largest Presbyterian church body, behind the Presbyterian Church (USA), and the largest conservative Calvinist denomination in the United States. The PCA is Reformed in theology and presb ...
(PCA).
In June 2011, Leithart was tried by his
presbytery for
heresy
Heresy is any belief or theory that is strongly at variance with established beliefs or customs, in particular the accepted beliefs of a church or religious organization. The term is usually used in reference to violations of important religi ...
related to his views regarding the
Federal Vision. In October 2011 he was exonerated on all charges. Following his move to Birmingham in 2013, the presbytery with jurisdiction there denied his request to labor out of bounds (in a ministry not connected to the PCA) at Theopolis Institute.
He is now a minister in the
Communion of Reformed Evangelical Churches
The Communion of Reformed Evangelical Churches (CREC), formerly the Confederation of Reformed Evangelical Churches, was founded in 1998 as a body of churches that hold to Reformed (Calvinistic) theology. Member churches include those from Presbyte ...
and the Senior Theological Mentor for the St. Peter Fellowship of the Center for Pastor Theologians.
Scholarship
His first book, ''The Catechism of the New Age: A Response to Dungeons and Dragons'' (1987), co-authored with pastor
George Grant, was related to the
''Dungeons & Dragons'' religious controversies, when certain religious groups accused
the game of encouraging sorcery and the veneration of
demons.
Joseph P. Laycock wrote that their book condemned role-playing as allowing too much freedom, which the authors regard as a gateway to critical thinking which in turn may result in heretical thought.
In his 2010 book, ''
Defending Constantine: The Twilight of an Empire and the Dawn of Christendom,'' Leithart takes issue with fellow theologian
John Howard Yoder
John Howard Yoder (December 27, 1927 – December 30, 1997) was an American Mennonite theologian and ethicist best known for his defense of Christian pacifism. His most influential book was '' The Politics of Jesus'', which was first published in ...
's position that Constantine steered the Church in the wrong direction by abandoning Christ's doctrine of nonviolence, exemplified by his willingness to die rather than defend himself. Leithart argues that God did not want Christians to live as a powerless, oppressed minority. ''Constantine Revisited: Leithart, Yoder, and the Constantinian Debate,''
John D. Roth, editor, 2013, is a collection of essays by Christian pacifists criticizing Leithart's argument.
Publications
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verse-by-verse commentary, Leithart asserts that John, in
his epistles, is continuing themes that he began to write about in
his gospel, but which now have heightened in intensity and urgency as the
fall of Jerusalem in 70 AD approaches.
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References
External links
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Theopolis Institute for Biblical, Liturgical, & Cultural Studies
{{DEFAULTSORT:Leithart, Peter
American Calvinist and Reformed theologians
Presbyterian Church in America ministers
Westminster Theological Seminary alumni
Living people
1959 births
People from Moscow, Idaho
Hillsdale College alumni
Alumni of the University of Cambridge
Bible commentators
20th-century Calvinist and Reformed theologians
21st-century Calvinist and Reformed theologians
American bloggers
New Saint Andrews College faculty
21st-century American non-fiction writers
Christian reconstructionism