Stephen Nichols

Dr. Stephen J. Nichols is president of Reformation Bible College, chief academic officer for Ligonier Ministries, and a Ligonier Ministries teaching fellow. He is host of the podcasts 5 Minutes in Church History and Open Book. He is author of numerous books, including For Us and for Our Salvation, Peace, A Time for Confidence, 5 Minutes in Church History, and volumes in the Guided Tour series on Jonathan Edwards, Martin Luther, and J. Gresham Machen. He is coeditor of The Legacy of Luther and Crossway’s Theologians on the Christian Life series. He is on Twitter at @DrSteveNichols.

  • Setting a Course for Faithfulness by Stephen Nichols

    FROM TABLETALK | January 2011

    TT: What are your responsibilities in your role as president of Reformation Bible College and chief academic officer for Ligonier Ministries? SN: Under the supervision and direction of the board of directors, the president of Reformation Bible College governs all …Read More

  • A Time for Confidence by Stephen Nichols

    FROM TABLETALK | August 2017

    Paul was likely one of the most intelligent people to have ever lived. He certainly is one of the best writers. He was extremely ambitious. He knew adversity, yet he persevered. If anyone “thinks he has reason for confidence in …Read More

  • Biblical Authority by Stephen Nichols

    FROM TABLETALK | May 2017

    It’s one of those moments we wish we could have seen firsthand. It took place in the square before the Water Gate. At daybreak, Ezra brought out the law. He unrolled the scroll and began reading. He kept on until …Read More

  • The State of Theology by Chris Larson

    FROM TABLETALK | December 2016

    Tabletalk: Why did Ligonier do the State of Theology survey? Stephen Nichols: One of the cardinal rules of giving a speech is “Know your audience.” Back in 2014, we partnered with LifeWay Research to conduct a survey of the theological …Read More

  • The Doctrine of Scripture by Stephen Nichols

    FROM TABLETALK | October 2016

    Martin Luther confessed, “The Scriptures are our vineyard in which we should all work.” And work in that vineyard he did. Luther’s formal education initially took him into the fields of the arts and sciences. He was schooled in …Read More

  • The Roots of Legalism by Stephen Nichols

    FROM TABLETALK | June 2016

    One of Martin Luther’s many contributions concerns the Latin word incurvitas. This sounds like something a dentist might say to you as he pokes and prods in the molars. But it’s not. It means “turned inward.” It means …Read More

  • An Apology for Apologetics by Stephen Nichols

    FROM TABLETALK | January 2016

    My professor of apologetics in seminary told stories of odd reactions he received when he would tell people what he did for a living. The best story involved a bank loan officer. When he told the loan officer that he …Read More

  • The History of Study Bibles by Stephen Nichols

    FROM TABLETALK | September 2015

    In 1560, an exiled group of pastors and theologians made history. They published the first full edition of the Geneva Bible. It was a remarkable feat on many fronts. These scholars who worked on the Geneva Bible had been leaders …Read More

  • The Spanish Inquisition by Stephen Nichols

    FROM TABLETALK | July 2015

    In 1492, Ferdinand and Isabella of Spain sponsored Christopher Columbus and his voyage to the New World. But in 1477, they were behind something far more infamous. In that year, the Spanish monarchs petitioned Pope Sixtus IV to revive the …Read More

  • How We Got Here by Stephen Nichols

    FROM TABLETALK | March 2015

    If you read church history, you have seen it all. That’s not entirely hyperbole. Many of the challenges and questions we face in the church today have been met by past generations of believers. Did not a wise man …Read More

  • Christology in Context by Stephen Nichols

    FROM TABLETALK | December 2014 | Matthew 16

    Nestled along the eastern shores of Lake Iznik in Turkey lies the ancient city of Nicea. As Camp David provides the president of the United States with a place of retreat from the bustle of Washington, D.C., and the …Read More

  • Setting a Course for Faithfulness: An Interview with Stephen J. Nichols by Stephen Nichols

    FROM TABLETALK | October 2014

    Tabletalk: What are your responsibilities in your new roles as President of Reformation Bible College (RBC) and Chief Academic Officer for Ligonier Ministries? Stephen J. Nichols: First, I need to say how humbling these appointments are. And, it’s also …Read More

  • The Morning Star of the Reformation by Stephen Nichols

    FROM TABLETALK | July 2014 | Colossians 1

    He had been dead and buried for a few decades, but the church wanted to make a point. His remains were exhumed and burned, a fitting end for the “heretic” John Wycliffe. Wycliffe once explained what the letters in the …Read More

  • The Scottish Reformation by Stephen Nichols

    FROM TABLETALK | March 2014

    His name was Patrick Hamilton. He was born into nobility. His mother’s father was the second son of the king. As a young man of only thirteen, he was given a position of abbot, which supplied a handsome income …Read More

  • Youth-Driven Culture by Stephen Nichols

    FROM TABLETALK | March 2013

    Maybe it began earlier than the 1950s and 60s, but those decades seem to mark the rise of the fascination with youth in American culture. The famous line that celebrates all things young, often wrongly attributed to James Dean, declares …Read More