Michael S. Horton | |
|---|---|
| Born | May 11, 1964 |
| Nationality | American |
| Occupation(s) | Professor, theologian |
| Known for | Modern Reformation Magazine, White Horse Inn radio program |
| Notable work | For Calvinism, The Christian Faith: A Systematic Theology for Pilgrims on the Way |
| Spouse | Lisa |
| Theological work | |
| Tradition or movement | Calvinism |
| Main interests | Systematic Theology, Apologetics, Historical Theology |
| Notable ideas | Predestination, Sola Fide |
Michael Scott Horton (born May 11, 1964) has been the J. Gresham Machen Professor of Theology and Apologetics at Westminster Seminary California since 1998,[1] Editor-in-Chief of Modern Reformation (MR) magazine, and President and host of the nationally syndicated radio broadcast, The White Horse Inn.[1] Both Modern Reformation magazine and The White Horse Inn radio broadcast are now entities under the umbrella of White Horse Media.
Horton was raised in an Arminian Baptist church.[2] While in high school, Horton adopted Calvinistic beliefs as he read through the Bible, specifically the book of Romans. Horton claims he "threw his Bible across the room," as he read through Romans 9 and began to wrestle through the doctrines of election/predestination and the sovereignty of God. He began attending the Philadelphia Conference on Reformed Theology, where he met James Montgomery Boice, R.C. Sproul, and J.I. Packer.[2]
Horton received a BA degree at Biola University.[1] Since high school, he had always known that he wanted to go to Westminster Theological Seminary in Philadelphia.[2] At the time, Westminster Seminary California was just starting in a small storefront in Escondido but many of the men Horton was reading at the time taught there, and this eventually led to his choice to get his MA there.[1][2] He learned Biblical Hebrew and Koine Greek, and studied under Meredith Kline. He was impressed by the important concepts put forward by Kline, Robert Strimple, Robert Godfrey, and Dennis Johnson.[2]
Horton received his PhD from Wycliffe Hall, Oxford through Coventry University[1][3] and completed a research fellowship at Yale Divinity School.[1]
He was ordained a deacon in the Reformed Episcopal Church. He was the president of Christians United for Reformation (CURE), which later merged to become the Alliance of Confessing Evangelicals (ACE).[3] From 2001 to 2004 Horton served as the president of ACE, but is now no longer affiliated with that organization. He is also an ordained minister in the United Reformed Churches in North America (URCNA), has served at two churches in Southern California,[3] and was the Associate Pastor at Christ United Reformed Church in Santee, California, a URCNA member church.[4] Horton taught an adult Sunday school class on God, suffering, sanctification, Calvinist theology, and the basics of the Heidelberg Catechism. This class is available on audio at the church website.[5]
In 1996 Christianity Today included him on their list of "Up & Comers: Fifty evangelical leaders 40 and under."[6]
Horton lives in Escondido, California, with his wife Lisa and four children.[4]
Horton has written and edited more than fifteen books, including:
