about me

Short version: I am a student at Westminster Theological Seminary in Philadelphia. I live in the city and work with liberti, which is a missional urban church. I love Jewish interpretation of Scripture, Ugaritic, the Boston Red Sox, Reformed Theology, Akkadian, N.T. Wright, Arrested Development, Apple computers, and Chuck Palahniuk (not necessarily in that order).

Long Version: My name is Arthur Boulet. Sometimes I wish I could go to business school so that I could legitimately place “Esq.” at the end of my name. Oh well, such is life.

I have 4 best friends who just happen to also be members of my family. My father is a minister at Heritage Baptist Church in Lakeland, FL. My mother is a physical education teacher at Lakeland Christian School, where I graduated from high school. My sister Jessica (24) lives in Chicago and just finished post-graduate work in fashion merchandising. My sister Jennifer (22) just got hired at Lakeland Christian School to teach 6th grade. They are the 4 most amazing people God has put into my life and I am so thankful for them.

I grew up in the church and said the magical prayer when I was young, but it never really stuck. I graduated from high school and then attended Cedarville University in Ohio (where everyone else in my family graduated from….except for me). I partied too much and went to class too little and was asked not to return to Cedarville after the first semester of my sophomore year. That was a big wake up call for me. I realized that I was searching for joy and peace while running from the only one who would be able to give me that joy and peace: Jesus Christ.

I decided to attend Word of Life Bible Institute in Hudson, FL for the spring semester. It was here that the Holy Spirit drew me to Christ and where I finally believed in the Gospel. After my semester there, I attended Davis College in Binghamton, NY and majored in Biblical Languages.

It was at Davis College (a dispensational institution) where I fell in love with Reformed Theology. This led me to start reading, and reading, and reading, and reading. I also worked at a Jewish Community Center for two years, which instilled in me a deep interest in Jewish interpretation. It was during these formative years where I developed a deep passion for biblical academics and for Jewish interpretation of Scripture.

I knew that I wanted to attend Seminary, and found that Westminster Theological Seminary in Philadelphia was exactly what I was looking for (particularly the biblical studies department). My time at Westminster has been the best time in my life, both academically and spiritually.

I moved into Philadelphia after my first year at Westminster in order to be involved in urban ministry. I currently live in Kensington (Northeast Philly) and am continually attempting to reach out to my community.

I also started further graduate work at the University of Pennsylvania this past semester, working in the Near Eastern Languages and Civilizations department. This has stretched me, both relationally and academically; both of which I am thankful.

Besides reading and writing, I am in love with the Boston Red Sox as I watch nearly every game on mlb.tv. During the off-season, I incessantly watch Fever Pitch, Still We Believe, and the highlights from the 2004 ALCS comeback over the Yankees (aka, the greatest comeback in the history of sports).

If you have any more questions about me, comments about my blog, critiques about my writing, or donations, feel free to email me: artbouletATgmailDOTcom.

25 Responses to “about me”

  1. Serge Poirier, on February 5th, 2007 at 9.33 pm Said:

    excellent review-article/paper on “Misquoting Jesus”

    thanks

    Serge

  2. mustardtree, on April 13th, 2007 at 8.32 am Said:

    What happened to the happy Art? The new pic makes you look serious. BTW, I like the Van Gogh in the background. I prefer Starry Night to the Cafe Terrace at Night and Starry Night over the Rhone.

    From the internet:

    Van Gogh painted Starry Night while in an Asylum at Saint-Remy in 1889. During Van Gogh’s younger years (1876-1880) he wanted to dedicate his life to evangelization of those in poverty. Many believe that this religious endeavor may be reflected in the eleven stars of the painting. In Genesis 37:9 the following statement is made:

    “And he dreamed yet another dream, and told it his brethren, and said, Behold, I have dreamed a dream more; and, behold, the sun and the moon and the eleven stars made obeisance [express homage] to me.”

  3. Alex, on April 25th, 2007 at 10.01 am Said:

    Thank You

  4. Jorn Olsen, on May 17th, 2007 at 7.41 am Said:

    You have posted my copyrighted photo no your blog without my permission and without giving me credit for the photo. I allow bloggers to use my images providing they give me credit for them and provide a link to my website. Image is the dramatic cloud photo associated with the Genesis blog.

    Yours truly,

    Jorn Olsen

  5. aboulet, on May 21st, 2007 at 1.08 am Said:

    Sorry Jorn. I just added the credit and linked to your site. Love the photos!

  6. Heather Fischer, on October 24th, 2007 at 12.47 pm Said:

    Are you able to come up here on Monday to the Acts 29 meeting?

  7. DENISE E. ALLEN, on December 5th, 2007 at 2.31 am Said:

    DEAR MR. BOULET; I WAS SURFING THE WEBSITE
    FOR UNDERSTANDING THE HEBREW LANGUAGE
    AND CAME ACROSS YOUR SITE. MY HUSBAND AND
    I PASTOR A SMALL MESSIANIAC CONGREGATION IN
    UPSTATE NEW YORK CALLED THE HOUSE OF ZION. WE ALSO HOST A RADIO PROGRAM CALLED
    UNDERSTANDING MESSIANIAC THEOLOGY WHERE
    WE INVITE GUESTS ON TO TALK ABOUT EVERYTHING AND ALMOST ANYTHING THAT RELATES TO JESUS-YESHUA IN A HEBREW CONTEXT. MORE AND MORE PEOPLE ARE EXPLORING AND APPRECIATING THE HEBRAIC ROOTS OF THEIR CHRISTIAN FAITH AND WE ARE
    TRYING TO FILL A NEED ON OUR RADIO PROGRAM
    TO HELP THE RADIO LISTENING AUDIENCE UNDERSTANDING MORE ACCURATELY HOW VERY
    IMPORTANT IT IS TO UNDERSTANDING THEIR
    BIBLE IN A HEBRAIC CONTEXT. HENCE, WE WOULD LIKE TO KNOW WOULD YOU BE A GUEST
    SPEAKER ON OUR RADIO SHOW, UNDERSTANDING MESSIANIAC THEOLOGY. THE
    STATION IS WHAZ 97.3 FM IN COHOES, NEW YORK.
    WE PRERECORD OUR PROGRAMS. THEY AIR
    EVERY SATURDAY FROM 4;00 TO 4;30 PM. THE
    TOPIC WE’D BE INTERESTED IN YOU SPEAKING
    ON IS THE ANCIENT HEBREW LANGUAGE AND THE
    DEAD SEA SCROLLS. WE CAN BE REACHED AT
    518-673-2382 ANYTIME AFTER 6;00 PM., OR IF YOU
    PREFER, CAN EMAIL ME. I LOOK FORWARD TO
    YOUR RESPONSE. HAVE A GREAT DAY.
    PASTOR DENISE E. ALLEN

  8. Sherri Edman, on January 14th, 2008 at 8.55 am Said:

    Ha! I call it “the magical prayer” also. Or sometimes “the little magic Jesus prayer.” But not in front of my Baptist family (am now Anglican).

    I found your blog via my Google blog alert for N.T. Wright. I very much appreciate what you said about Bishop Wright’s heart and what it means that he put off the fourth scholarly tome in order to finish the “For Everyone” series. I totally agree.

    AND…we are a devoted Mac family. I am sending your blog to my hubs, and you are definitely getting a subscription in my reader.

    Peace,
    Sherri Edman

  9. DENISE E. ALLEN, on January 27th, 2008 at 8.13 am Said:

    Dear Mr. Boulet;

    Hope you get a chance to respond to my email. Wrote
    several months ago and did not receive a response.
    I know you are quite busy but am still interested in
    having you talk on our christian radio program in the
    upstate new york area. The program is understanding
    messianiac theology. I would send you the questions
    in advance so that there would be no surprises. So
    far we have interviewed several very well known
    jewish messianiac rabbis who are highly qualified and gifted theologians. WHAZ Christian Radio has
    been broadcasting for over 85 year. They are located
    in Cohoes, NY. Their website is http://www.whaz.com. Hope to hear from you soon. Blessings, Pastor Denise

  10. Abdur Rahman, on February 13th, 2008 at 7.45 am Said:

    Peace Arthur,

    An interesting blog you have here. God willing, I will be stopping by in the future.

    Abdur Rahman

  11. Holiday at Sea, on February 14th, 2008 at 10.11 pm Said:

    Only lawyers can add esq. to the end of their names. Or were you being sacrastic. How do you reconcile Piper and Wright?

  12. aboulet, on February 18th, 2008 at 4.19 pm Said:

    Holiday at Sea: Certified Public Accountants can also add Esq. after their names. That is what I was referring to.

    I love Piper when it comes to his books like Desiring God and Future Grace.

    When it comes to his critiques of Wright, I simply disagree with Piper. Thus far I have not read a critique of Wright that addresses the vast amount of research laid out in The New Testament and the People of God. To be fair, that critique would be a massive undertaking. But if you want to thoroughly critique Wright’s points, you have to critique how he got there. Piper fails in doing this.

  13. Kevin A. Wilson, on February 19th, 2008 at 2.01 pm Said:

    Nice blog. I have added it to my RSS reader.

    By the way, according to the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, “esquire” is “an unofficial title of respect, having no precise significance.” Although it is usually used by lawyers in the US, there is nothing that says a non-lawyer cannot use it. In Britain, for example, it is often used by people of lower status who have managed to obtain a higher status (i.e., esquire = local boy makes good).

  14. av, on March 1st, 2008 at 9.30 am Said:

    went to class too* little

  15. The Digital Sanctuary » Blog Archive » Digital Sanctuary Weekly Wrap Up, on March 3rd, 2008 at 9.55 pm Said:

    [...] image: Arthur Boulet Tags: C. Michael Patton, Facebook for Pastors, Fellowship Technologies 2008 Conference, Larry [...]

  16. Jason, on March 27th, 2008 at 9.07 am Said:

    Art,

    Found you on Ray Comfort’s blog…didn’t know you were working with steve and geoff (sp?). My brother in-law Rob Burns is the lead pastor at ReaLife Church in Bridesburg (another Acts 29 church). My wife and I just left there actually to take a part-time youth pastor position in Huntingdon Valley. Anyhow, I’m at Biblical Seminary in Hatfield (somewhat closely related to Westminster). Just wanted to connect with ya man. Praise God you are in Kensington. It needs Jesus like a coffee addict needs expresso. Keep in touch,

    j.

  17. Phil, on March 27th, 2008 at 6.17 pm Said:

    Great to find another who loves both Reformed Theology and the Red Sox! Sorry for your present grief.

  18. Longing for Holiday, on March 29th, 2008 at 3.32 pm Said:

    Ok, esquire. After several weeks I found your comment in response to my comment. Here’s my question, if there is no future in justification, then on what basis do we stand righteous before God?

  19. aboulet, on March 30th, 2008 at 2.37 pm Said:

    longing: Wright does not, to my knowledge, state that there is no future in justification. So I’m not quite sure if your question is really appropriate to the issue of Piper vs. Wright.

    Wright definitely stresses the current application of justification, but he also understands that there will be a final justification.

  20. Longing for Holiday, on March 30th, 2008 at 9.19 pm Said:

    Oh, Sorry. It was someone else in another blog who said “there is no future in justification,” a play on the title of Piper’s book about the subject. After seeing these discussions on the internet, I informed my reading (and pastor) husband who got Piper’s book… and never finished it. I’ll have to get him to do so and summarize the arguments for me. As a working and sometimes blogging mom, I haven’t found time to read it.

  21. Manlius, on April 6th, 2008 at 1.17 pm Said:

    I just read your “about me” page and found out the reason why I was mysteriously drawn to your blog - you’re a Red Sox fan! I, too, am a life-long citizen of the Nation.

    I have other things in common with you as well. I’m a WTS alum and big fan of the biblical studies department. Of course, Pete Enns does have a major flaw from our perspective — his being a citizen of the Empire. Incidentally, how many years do you get in purgatory for liking the Yankees?

    BTW, the name I typically go by is Alex(ander) Burgess (Manlius is my middle name). I pastor a Congregational church in Massachusetts and teach at a Christian school in New Hampshire.

  22. Yogi Taylor, on April 9th, 2008 at 5.57 pm Said:

    Art, I am curious… do you hold to a strict view of the Regulative Principle?

    Yogi

  23. aboulet, on April 9th, 2008 at 6.00 pm Said:

    Yogi: If by ’strict’ you mean ‘Psalms only,’ then no.

  24. Suzanne, on April 13th, 2008 at 2.57 pm Said:

    Hi

    This is random… just wanted to give a shout out b/c I see that you go to Westminster. I moved out from Chestnut Hill (Philadelphia) to Chicago last May.. and I once went to college in Lakeland, Florida. How odd… you’ve a sister in Chicago, you go to school a few miles from where I used to live, and you grew up in the town where I once went to college. :-)

    Blessings on your journey!

  25. Mac, on April 15th, 2008 at 10.47 am Said:

    Hi Arthur,

    Excellent Blog and intro. Your interests are diverse yet deep. I am much the same way.

    Things we have in common: Jesus, openness, finding biblical studies resonate along with Jewish interpretation, membership in the PCA ( I am also a former ordained pastor in the Calvary Chapel gang and Deacon in the PCUSA).

    My own love for Reformned Theology (or most of it…ahem..) came through the side door. A psychology major, I found “Christian” psychology both thin and unbiblical. It was the English Puritans who seemed to understand spiritual depression and a host of other maladies the best.

    Any way, enough for now. I am at a PCA church plant in Marin County (20 minutes north of San Francisco), but am really more of what my friend David Fetcho calls a “feral Christian”. My daily main site is also a blog http://www.azotuscafe.wordpress.com. I do creative content, web design, art, writing and out of the box thinking for major companies here and on the East Coast.

    Grace,
    Mac

Leave a Reply