Paul House lectures on gospel theology in Isaiah at Southeastern

Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary recently held its annual Adams Lectures, featuring Paul House, professor of divinity in Old Testament at Beeson Divinity School. House spoke to students, faculty and staff in two lectures, an informal luncheon and a library talk over the course of two days. 

The Adams Lectures Series honors the contribution to Christian ministry by Theodore F. Adams, who taught at Southeastern for over 10 years. Each spring, Southeastern brings in top theologians to deliver lectures to the Christian community.

House presented two lectures from his research on the book of Isaiah. In the first lecture, “Isaiah’s Gospel Theology: From Sin and Judgment to Life in Zion,” House discussed how the book of Isaiah tells the entire redemption story. “The literary shape of this book is one story from creation to the new creation through the redemptive work that is personal and comprehensive,” House said.

House’s second lecture, “Isaiah’s Gospel Theology: Sharing God’s Work for a New Creation,” encouraged listeners to join God in his work wherever he calls them. “He gives us work to do, which is good news,” House said. “[There will be] sorrow and struggle as we work for God to bring others and ourselves to God’s Zion.” 

House also reminded that God must be supreme in all of our lives. “He must be our primary ruler,” he said. “No Christian can truly say, ‘America first.’ We must say, ‘Yahweh first, Jesus first.’ This king humbles us.”

As he closed the second lecture, House gave a charge to do the work God has given. “We always have a job to do,” he said. “We don’t skimp on what we put into our people because of the size of the flock. Sheep are still sheep and in need of a shepherd.” 

In an afternoon library talk, House shared with students about his writing process and his experience writing commentaries and scholarly books. He encouraged students to learn the habits of writing and to contribute to evangelical scholarship.

“If we want evangelical scholarship, we’re going to have to act like we want an evangelical scholarship,” House said. “[We need to] encourage evangelicals to give good answers. We won’t convince young scholars by not having creative things. It’s going to take a culture of ideas in evangelical scholarship.”

House earned a Bachelor of Arts from Southwest Baptist University, a Master of Arts from the University of Missouri-Columbia and a Master of Divinity and Ph.D. from Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. He has written a number of books including, “The Unity of the Twelve,” “Old Testament Survey,” “Old Testament Theology” and “Bonhoeffer’s Seminary Vision.”

To watch House’s lectures, click here. 

To view photos from the event, click here.