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 Imago Dei, Human Dignity, and the Present Crisis Media Resource by

    Christians have a message of dignity and hope to give to a watching world in times of crisis. In this conversation with Ligonier’s President, Chris Larson, Dr. W. Robert Godfrey discusses the lessons we can learn from Scripture and church history as we seek to honor the Lord in troubling times. View Resource

  • Ask Ligonier with W. Robert Godfrey (February 2020) Media Resource by

    On February 18th, Dr. W. Robert Godfrey joined us as a special guest on our Ask Ligonier team and answered your biblical and theological questions live online. This special online event was streamed live on Ligonier’s blog, YouTube, Facebook, and Twitter. Questions: What should discipleship look like in the local church? (2:19) Are the TV preachers that talk about health and prosperity the false teachers Jesus talked about? (3:26) Aside from God’s Word, what book has had the greatest impact on your life and ministry? (4:24) … View Resource

  • Speaking the Truth in Love Media Resource by , , , ,

    A panel discussion with Tim Challies, W. Robert Godfrey, Daniel Henderson, Steven Lawson, Albert Mohler, and Robert VanDoodewaard. Questions: What are the most pressing needs for the church in Canada? (00:56) What unique challenges do Protestant churches face in historically Roman Catholic Quebec? (03:05) How should Christians respond to hate-speech legislation and the rising social stigma of Christianity in the West? (04:16) How have Christians throughout the ages addressed biblical illiteracy? (06:33) How are Canadian Christians and churches responding to the apparent loss of Christianity’s cultural influence in Canada? (08:09) What similarities and differences exist between the current state … View Resource

  • Questions & Answers with Godfrey, Lawson, Nichols, Parsons, and Thomas Media Resource by , , , ,

    A questions and answers session with Drs. W. Robert Godfrey, Steven Lawson, Stephen Nichols, Burk Parsons, and Derek Thomas. Questions: How do we follow God’s Word and also minister to those who see us as their enemy—specifically the LGBT community? (01:45 ) What is the controversy surrounding social justice, and how are we to think about these things biblically? (14:23) When God created the world, didn’t He become a Creator? How is this not a change in who He is? (34:08) Do the five points of Calvinism hold together as a unit, or can someone claim to be a … View Resource

  • Committing No Sin Media Resource by

    There’s only one person who never committed a sin. In this session, Dr. W. Robert Godfrey explains how Jesus obeyed God perfectly for the sake of our justification. View Resource

  • Interview on Saving the Reformation (Optional Session) Media Resource by

    In this session, Nathan W. Bingham interviews Dr. W. Robert Godfrey on his book Saving the Reformation. Questions: How did the Synod of Dort save the Reformation? (01:18) Why do so many people today lack knowledge of church history? (04:24) What can we learn from the Synod of Dort about the threat of false teaching? (07:49) How should we respond to Arminians today? (08:54) What would you encourage an Arminian to read as he or she studies these issues? (10:25) The canons are very practical, even addressing the eternal fate of children who die in infancy. Can you expand … View Resource

  • Questions & Answers with Godfrey, Lawson, Mohler, and Reeves Media Resource by , , ,

    A questions and answers session with Drs. W. Robert Godfrey, Steven Lawson, Albert Mohler, and Michael Reeves. Questions: In heaven, to what extent will we be able to experience God’s holiness? (00:53) God is holy and we are not. How can God stand us in our sinfulness? (03:20) How did the Bible get its name? (06:14) Do you ever get ill or nauseated from all of the news that you read? (06:55) 1 Timothy 4:8 says that godliness has benefits for the believer in this life and the next. What are these benefits? (09:20) Why don’t Jewish people believe … View Resource

  • Ask Ligonier with W. Robert Godfrey (July 2018) Media Resource by

    On July 25th, W. Robert Godfrey joined us as a special guest on our Ask Ligonier team and answered your biblical and theological questions live online. This event was streamed live on Ligonier’s blog, as well as YouTube, Facebook, and Twitter. Questions: Which books would you recommend as the best on Church History? (3:49) What is the biblical proof text that the Sabbath changed from Saturday to Sunday? (5:06) Is it scriptural for just one elder/pastor to be the overseer of a local congregation? (7:00) When … View Resource

  • How the Early Church Used Apologetics (Optional Session) Media Resource by

    In this session, Dr. W. Robert Godfrey considers what we can learn from the early church’s use of apologetics in defending the faith in a culture not unlike our own. View Resource

  • The Unknown God Media Resource by

    Acts 17

    In today’s world, Christians must answer the claims of atheists, agnostics, and those who claim that there are many ways to God. In this session, Dr. W. Robert Godfrey looks to Paul’s encounter on Mars Hill from Acts 17 as a model for how we are to answer objections to the Christian faith. View Resource

  • The Word Became Flesh Media Resource by

    John 1

    That God Himself came to earth in the flesh has implications for how we do apologetics. In this session, Dr. W. Robert Godfrey considers several of these implications and also considers how we can defend the incarnation of the Son of God against attacks from those who are outside the Christian faith. View Resource

  • Questions & Answers with Ferguson, Godfrey, Núñez, and Thomas Media Resource by , , ,

    A questions and answers session with Drs. Sinclair Ferguson, W. Robert Godfrey, Miguel Núñez, and Derek Thomas. Questions: Does God get angry with His children? (2:32) How should we address an adult child living at home who is hostile to Christianity? (9:37) How should we respond when unbelieving friends ask whether we believe their homosexual activity is a sin? (13:58) What place do the law and the commandments have in the life of the Christian? (15:59) What do you think of Billy Graham? Did God by His grace bring awakening through Billy Graham’s ministry? (22:10) Is it a sin … View Resource

  • Praying to the Lord of the Harvest: Awakening & Prayer Media Resource by

    Prayer fuels the advance of the gospel and the development of hearts who are concerned for the things of God and His kingdom. Christians are to be a people who “pray without ceasing” for the growth of Christ’s church and the conversion of the lost. This session reminds us of the central role of prayer as one of God’s means of increasing His kingdom. View Resource

  • Teaching Fellows Roundtable Media Resource by , , , , , ,

    This roundtable discussion touches on topics related to discipleship, the state of the church, and Ligonier’s outreach. Questions: Why did you join this teaching fellowship? (1:01) From the beginning, we’ve been facing the culture, but we’ve also been facing the church, calling the church to be the church. How is that mission different today? What are the prospects for the future? What makes the ministry of Ligonier distinct and perhaps even unique in our day and age? (21:15) In what way does Ligonier come alongside the church? Why is what we do not competition with the local church? (27:59) … View Resource

  • Questions & Answers with DeYoung, Ferguson, Godfrey, and Lawson Media Resource by , , ,

    A questions and answers session with Kevin DeYoung, Sinclair Ferguson, W. Robert Godfrey, and Steven Lawson. Questions: Is awakening an event or a process? (00:42) How do we distinguish genuine awakening from counterfeit awakening? How does awakening in our personal lives differ from awakening in the church? (5:32) How does the First Great Awakening compare to the Second Great Awakening? (10:17) What is the difference between revival and reformation? How is awakening different from reform? (15:46) Does the Holy Spirit regenerate a sinner apart from hearing the gospel and exercising faith and repentance? (21:46) How should I deal with … View Resource