Theologians often comment on the low levels of Christian literacy in our pews as well as our pulpits. Likewise, ministry leaders complain about the irrelevance of seminaries. We at the Henry Center are bent on addressing these concerns and the problems they represent. We are committed to bridging the gap between the academy and the church. Gospel labors are too important to be shouldered on one’s own. What is needed is a center for evangelical collaboration, where “experts” of all kinds can work together to engage culture–in the U.S. and around the world.

The Henry Center is such a place. It houses a cluster of initiatives, each of which is aimed at applying practical Christian wisdom to important kingdom issues–in the church, the academy, and the world. It seeks to ground each of these initiatives in Scripture, interpreted theologically as the Word of God. And it pursues these goals collaboratively, bringing ministry practitioners and academics together in creative kingdom partnerships. We exist to glorify our Lord by advancing Christian wisdom in all areas of life and thought, enabling others to apply the knowledge of God and themselves in the rough and tumble of life.

We get questions from time to time about our theological identity, especially as compared to that of other outreach ministries or collaborative efforts. While the Center gladly supports other evangelical ministries with different doctrinal stances, we are an outreach ministry of the faculty at Trinity, which is broader theologically than many other schools. The Henry Center’s identity reflects that of the Trinity faculty, which includes Calvinists and Arminians, Lutherans and Anabaptists, cessationists and those who affirm the use of special spiritual gifts in the life of the church today, egalitarians and complementarians, and scholars from nearly every part of the world. Our varied ministries are led by people with all of these views and more. Still, all of us at Trinity are evangelical Protestants who subscribe to the doctrinal statement of the Evangelical Free Church of America (our parent denomination).

Our work will be much poorer without your help. Won’t you consider praying for the Center and participating with us in its various ministries? We will be grateful for your partnership in the gospel.

Douglas A. Sweeney
Director