Hi, it’s me. My name is Loki Odinsson. Alright, that's not really my name; but let’s pretend it is. I chose that pseudonym as a tribute to my Norwegian heritage. It really is appropriate; not only am I three-fourths Norwegian, but I’ve been known to eat entire jars of pickled herring at one sitting. It's also a confession that those who know me best are right in their assessment of my personality. Look up Loki under Norse Mythology for more on that.

The Thirsty Theologian is inspired by Psalm 63:1-4, “O God, thou art my God, earely will I seeke thee: my soule thirsteth for thee: my flesh longeth greatly after thee in a barren and drye land without water. Thus I beholde thee as in the Sanctuarie, when I beholde thy power and thy glorie. For thy louing kindnesse is better then life: therefore my lippes shall prayse thee. Thus will I magnifie thee all my life, and lift vp mine hands in thy name.” (Geneva Bible)

In brief, I believe in the Triune God — Father, Son, & Holy Spirit. I believe in the inerrancy, infallibility, authority, an sufficiency of Scripture. I believe in the five solas of the Reformation: sola gratia, sola fide, solus Christus, sola Scriptura, soli Deo gloria. That is, I believe salvation is by grace alone, through faith alone in Christ alone, as revealed in the Bible alone, to the glory of God alone. I believe in the Substitutionary atonement of Jesus Christ by his death on the cross. I believe in the premillennial, pretribulational rapture of the church.

I believe that Christian baptism by immersion is the testimony of a believer of his faith in Christ, and his death to sin and resurrection to a new life. I believe that two kinds of gifts have been given the church: miraculous gifts of divine revelation and healing, given temporarily in the apostolic era for the purpose of confirming the authenticity of the apostles’ message; and ministering gifts, given to equip believers for edifying one another.

I believe that the local church is to be ruled by a plurality of elders who are responsible for the teaching of the Word, the administration of the ordinances of Baptism & the Lord's Table, and the maintenance of discipline in the congregation. I believe that counseling is a pastoral ministry, and that the Bible is the only sufficient source of wisdom for the counselor.

I believe the Bible is correctly interpreted by the literal grammatical-historical method only. I believe the teaching of the Word should be in the form of expository preaching.

I believe in patriotic loyalty to my country, subject to the Word of God. I am a capitalist, believing that my giving is to be ruled by my conscience, not by law, and that a free economy provides the greatest opportunity to the greatest number of people. I am a Constitutional republican, believing that a representative government under the authority of a constitution provides the best protection against tyranny and anarchy. I believe the Constitution of the United States is to be interpreted according to original intent. I am not as well read as I ought to be. My favorite living authors are John MacArthur, of whom I have read almost everything, and R.C. Sproul. I’m starting to read the Puritans, which is an entirely new discipline, but highly rewarding.

I have read fiction by Charles Dickens, Edgar Allen Poe, Washington Irving, Jack London, James Michener, Tom Clancy, and John Grisham, to name a few.

In my Heretics section, you will find authors like Bruce Wilkenson, Rick Warren, John Eldridge, N.T. Wright, and Brian McLaren.

I believe, as J.S. Bach stated, that the ultimate purpose of all music is the glory of God and the refreshment of the soul.

My favorite composers are George Frideric Handel, Johanne Sebastien Bach, Ludvig Van Beethoven, Jean Sibelius, Aaron Copland, and Joaquín Rodrigo. I especially love compositions for solo instruments, such as Bach's Cello Suites and violin sonatas, Beethoven's piano sonatas, and any guitar composition played by Christopher Parkening.

I love to relax in the evening with a book, reading to the kids when I can get them together, and to myself when I can't. Summer nights might find me on the deck with a dunkel bier and my pipe or a maduro cigar. Winter nights are for brandy or single-malt scotch.