Sinclair Ferguson

Sinclair Ferguson
Born (1948-02-21) February 21, 1948 (age 76)
Alma mater
Occupation(s)Professor, Author, Public Speaker
Notable work
  • Reformed Confessions Harmonized
  • In Christ Alone: Living the Gospel Centered Life
  • The Christian Life: A Doctrinal Introduction
Theological work
Era20th and 21st century
Tradition or movementReformed

Sinclair Buchanan Ferguson (born 21 February 1948) is a Scottish theologian known in Reformed Christian circles for his teaching, writing, and editorial work. He has been Chancellor's Professor of Systematic Theology at Reformed Theological Seminary since 2017,[1] commuting from Scotland, where he was an assistant minister at St. Peter's Free Church of Scotland, Dundee. He is currently a preaching associate at Trinity Church, Aberdeen.[2]

Career

Ferguson studied at the University of Aberdeen for all of his university education, earning first a Master of Arts, then a bachelor of divinity, before gaining his Ph.D. During his days as a student, he worshiped at Gilcomston South Church, under the ministry of William Still.[3]

Ferguson was ordained as a minister in the Church of Scotland in 1971, becoming the minister of St. John's, Baltasound, the most northerly parish in Scotland, on the island of Unst, Shetland.[4] He was the pastor there for 10 years. After his service on Unst, he was offered a teaching position as a part-time Professor of Systematic Theology at Westminster Theological Seminary, Philadelphia.

He then moved back to his native Scotland in 1997, filling the pulpit at St George's-Tron Church, Glasgow, where he served as Assistant Minister to George B. Duncan, succeeding the 20-year ministry of Eric Alexander.

In the mid-2000s, he then transferred back to the US to the Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church, serving as the senior pastor of historic First Presbyterian Church of Columbia, South Carolina.

From 25 August 2013, he served as a preacher and elder at St. Peter's Free Church of Scotland in Dundee.[5] In recent years, Sinclair has become the preaching associate at Trinity Church in Aberdeen.

In 2022, a Festschrift was published in his honor. Theology for Ministry: How Doctrine Affects Pastoral Life and Practice includes contributions from Joel Beeke, Ligon Duncan, W. Robert Godfrey, Michael Horton, Douglas Kelly, Robert Letham, Philip Ryken, and Chad Van Dixhoorn.

Other roles

Ferguson has served as an editor with the Banner of Truth Trust.

He was also a professor of systematic theology at Redeemer Seminary in Dallas.

He has held the Charles Krahe Chair for Systematic Theology at Westminster Theological Seminary.

He also previously served as a council member of the Alliance of Confessing Evangelicals.

He serves as a Teaching Fellow for Ligonier Ministries.

Personal life

Ferguson was born and raised in the East End of Glasgow, although his family originated from the north of Scotland.[6] It wasn't until going to Aberdeen University that he left Glasgow. He was converted to Christianity before he turned 15.[6]

He is married to Dorothy. Together they have three sons and a daughter, and 12 grandchildren.[7]

Works

Ferguson speaks at numerous conferences worldwide. Books he has written, edited, or contributed to include:

  • Know Your Christian Life (1981) ISBN 0-87784-371-6
  • Kingdom Life in a Fallen World - Living Out the Sermon on the Mount (1986) ISBN 0-89109-194-7
  • John Owen on the Christian Life (1987) ISBN 0-85151-503-7
  • New Dictionary of Theology (Master Reference Collection) (1988) ISBN 0-8308-1400-0, editor with David Wright and J. I. Packer
  • Daniel (Mastering the Old Testament, Vol 19) (1988) ISBN 0-8499-3557-1
  • Grow in Grace (1989) ISBN 0-85151-557-6
  • Children of the Living God (1989) ISBN 0-85151-536-3
  • A Heart for God (1996) ISBN 0-85151-502-9
  • The Christian Life (1996) ISBN 0-85151-516-9
  • Discovering God's Will (1996) ISBN 0-85151-334-4
  • Sermon on the Mount (1996) ISBN 0-85151-519-3
  • The Pundit's Folly (1996) ISBN 0-85151-676-9
  • Big Book of Questions and Answers (1997) ISBN 1-85792-295-6
  • The Holy Spirit (1997) ISBN 0-8308-1536-8
  • Let's Study Philippians (1998) ISBN 0-85151-714-5
  • Reformed Confessions Harmonized (1999) ISBN 0-8010-5222-X, editor with Joel Beeke
  • Let's Study Mark (1999) ISBN 0-85151-755-2
  • The Big Book of Questions & Answers about Jesus (2000) ISBN 1-85792-559-9
  • The Grace of Repentance (Today's Issues) (2000) ISBN 1-58134-165-2
  • The Preacher's Commentary - Vol. 21 - Daniel (2002) ISBN 0-7852-4795-5
  • John Owen: The Man and His Theology (2003) ISBN 0-87552-674-8, contributor about John Owen
  • Let's Study Ephesians (2005) ISBN 0-85151-907-5
  • Faithful God - An exposition of the book of Ruth (2005) ISBN 978-1-85049-216-0
  • In Christ Alone: Living the Gospel Centered Life (2007)
  • By Grace Alone: How the Grace of God Amazes Me (2010) ISBN 978-1567692020
  • The Grace of Repentance (Redesign) (Today's Issues) (2011) ISBN 978-1433519833
  • The Christian Life: A Doctrinal Introduction (2013) ISBN 978-1848712591
  • Name above All Names (2013) with Alistair Begg ISBN 978-1433537752
  • Deserted by God (2013) ISBN 978-1848711532
  • The Whole Christ: Legalism, Antinomianism, & Gospel Assurance--Why the Marrow Controversy Still Matters (2016) ISBN 978-1433548000
  • In The Year of Our Lord: Reflections on Twenty Years of Church History (2018) ISBN 978–1567699708
  • Maturity

References

  1. ^ "Dr. Sinclair B. Ferguson Appointed as Chancellor's Professor of Systematic Theology". Reformed Theological Seminary. 14 June 2017. Archived from the original on 9 October 2018.
  2. ^ "Trinity Church Aberdeen - Who". Trinity Aberdeen. Retrieved 8 May 2024.
  3. ^ Old, Hughes Oliphant (2010). The Reading and Preaching of the Scriptures in the Worship of the Christian Church, Vol. 7: Our Own Time. Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing. pp. 135–136.
  4. ^ "Dr. Sinclair B. Ferguson". Reformed Theological Seminary. Retrieved 3 November 2019.
  5. ^ "Sinclair Ferguson to Join St Peter's Free Church in Dundee". The Aquila Report. 19 July 2013. Retrieved 3 November 2019.
  6. ^ a b theosebes (24 November 2019). "[Transcript] Dr Sinclair Ferguson: The Scottish Reformed theologian reflects on 50 years of ministry". Yirah Group. Retrieved 8 May 2024.
  7. ^ Ferguson, Sarah Eekhoff Zylstra • Sinclair (3 October 2022). "Why Sinclair Ferguson Moved Back to Scotland's Most Secular City". The Gospel Coalition. Retrieved 8 May 2024.