W. Robert Godfrey

Dr. W. Robert Godfrey is a Ligonier Ministries teaching fellow and chairman of Ligonier Ministries. He is president emeritus and professor emeritus of church history at Westminster Seminary California. He is the featured teacher for the six-part Ligonier teaching series A Survey of Church History. His many books include God’s Pattern for Creation, Reformation Sketches, An Unexpected Journey, Learning to Love the Psalms, and Saving the Reformation.

  • The Church and Islam Media Resource by

    We live in an age that is marked by the revitalization of Islam, and as in all ages, the church must triumph. In this lesson, Dr. Godfrey sketches the development of Islam, explaining its view of Christianity and providing its gospel remedy. View Resource

  • The Church in Europe Media Resource by

    Revival spread throughout Europe by men who faithfully preached the gospel. In this lesson, Dr. Godfrey introduces us to these men and perhaps the most important thinker for the Christian in the modern day, Abraham Kuyper. View Resource

  • Church Power & Dissent Media Resource by

    As the Middle Ages progressed, the Roman Catholic Church became one of the most powerful institutions in Western Europe. People responded to the church’s growing influence in a number of ways. Many supported the church, considering it to be God’s ordained means of governing medieval society. Certain political figures voiced opposition to the church’s influence, contending that the Pope’s authority was over spiritual matters and that he had no right to interfere in politics and other societal affairs. Others, especially the common people, expressed their concern over corrupt practices and mistaken beliefs that were becoming increasingly common within certain sectors … View Resource

  • Constantine & the Church Media Resource by

    Emperor Constantine the Great has received much attention throughout the history of the church—and rightfully so. His conversion to Christianity and the sweeping changes it brought to the church and the empire instituted a new era in history, one that would change the church forever. Whether for good or for ill, the combination of church and state has created a lasting impact on the people of God, and this lesson explores the beginning of the transition and illuminates the motives and historical context behind this monumental shift in Western history. View Resource

  • Continuing the Reformation Media Resource by

    The Reformation was a turning point in the history of the church. And in its aftermath, Protestants wanted to continue along the trajectory set by the Reformers. They sought to further develop a theology which was reformed according to Scripture, and to continue to purify, discipline, and grow the church. Accordingly, there were many internal challenges facing the fledgling Reformed church. And in addition to these internal challenges, there were many external challenges. In this lesson, Dr. Godfrey will explain the major challenges that faced the Reformed church as it sought to be a faithful witness in an ever-changing world. View Resource

  • The Crusades Media Resource by

    Few incidents in the history of the church are as controversial as the Crusades. The tragic loss of life that resulted from this movement has, sadly, discredited the Christian faith in the eyes of many. Today, Christians are sometimes uncertain about how they should view or react to this chapter in history. In this lecture, Dr. Godfrey will offer valuable insight about how Christians can best understand and learn from this dramatic period in the church’s past. View Resource

  • Defending the Faith Media Resource by

    Heresies, in a real way, are just repetitions of similar sinful, rebellious worldviews presented earlier in time. As the author of Ecclesiastes says, “What has been is what will be, and what has been done is what will be done, and there is nothing new under the sun” (Eccl. 1:9). Nonetheless, the historical contexts into which heresies enter change, and each new generation of God’s people must deal with these accordingly. View Resource

  • Developing Theology Media Resource by

    Protestants often times scoff at the hierarchical nature of the Roman Catholic Church, particularly the concept that a special class of saints wields greater influence over Jesus than others. Yet, before we point the finger too quickly, we should evaluate our own hearts and rid ourselves of our own proclivity to find ways to garner favor from our Lord Jesus that are not advocated in Scripture. As this lesson shows, it is not a long leap from well-meaning activity to self-promoting ritual, and history shows us that our Enemy finds no small amount of ways to prey on this human … View Resource

  • Doctrinal Distinctives Media Resource by

    Evangelicalism is commonly used as a synonym for conservative Protestantism, but evangelicalism is its own brand of Protestant Christianity. In this lesson, Dr. Godfrey examines the characteristics of evangelicalism and its dangers. View Resource

  • The Dutch Reformation Media Resource by

    The success or failure of the Reformation in a particular region often depended on whether the ruler of the region supported or opposed it. However, the Dutch Reformation was an exception to this tendency. Though bitterly opposed by the Habsburg monarchs, Protestantism attracted a large following in the Low Countries. As religious and political tension led to upheaval and war, the courage and persistence of the Dutch people prepared the way for a free Dutch Republic and the rise of the Dutch Reformed Church. View Resource

  • The East and The West Media Resource by

    The multitude of denominations within the Christian church today leads many to view the church as schismatic and contentious. A large contingent of these people calls for a reunification of Christianity, resembling the church of ancient times. While unity should always be a primary goal amongst the people of God, it must be a unity in and for the glory of Christ. As this lesson demonstrates, different emphases, historical circumstances, and other factors played a large role in the widening gap between the church of the East and West, but they still remained united on key elements, particularly the supremacy … View Resource

  • Empires & Missions Media Resource by

    It was an age in which empires rose and fell and in which the reach of the gospel spread. In this lesson, Dr. Godfrey examines a century of great missionary endeavor and those who made it possible. View Resource

  • The Enlightenment Media Resource by

    The Enlightenment had a profound effect on Western thought. During this period, some sought to reconcile the Christian faith with modern thought, while others tried to cut themselves completely from their Christian moorings. But even those who set out to uproot the Christian influence upon society ended up adopting suspiciously similar ideas. In this lecture, Dr. Godfrey will show us how the church navigated through the Enlightenment, pointing out the different responses to this new challenge. View Resource

  • Expansion of the Church Media Resource by

    Unbeknownst to many Christians in the twenty-first century, people around the Greco-Roman world of the first century viewed Christianity as nothing more than an offshoot of Judaism, with some going as far as believing the two possessed no inherent difference. Surprisingly, even many within Judaism and the early church agreed with this assertion. This predicament might seem unbelievable today, but the current church faces a similar dilemma. As relativism, the belief that there is no absolute value but only subjective preference (consequently attributing equal value to all beliefs), expands in modern culture, more and more people view Judaism, Christianity, and … View Resource

  • Forerunners of the Reformation Media Resource by

    As the church continued to consolidate its power and define its beliefs, it did not always act and speak with one voice. In the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries, certain churchmen began to speak out against the corrupt practices and unbiblical doctrines that had become increasingly common within the medieval church. Emphasizing the authority of the Bible and a life of genuine piety, these leaders quickly gained a large following among the spiritually hungry common people. Though these reform movements were fiercely opposed by the church, they helped to lay the groundwork for profound spiritual changes that would come in later … View Resource