Martyn C. Cowan
Martyn Calvin Cowan Rev. Dr | |
|---|---|
| Years active | 2016- |
| Title | Vice Principal and Lecturer in Historical Theology |
| Board member of | Doctrine Committee of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland |
| Academic background | |
| Alma mater | University of Cambridge |
| Thesis | The prophetic preaching of John Owen from 1646 to 1659 in its historical context' (2013) |
| Doctoral advisor | Rev. Dr Stephen Hampton |
| Academic work | |
| Discipline | Church History |
| Sub-discipline | John Owen studies |
| Institutions | Union Theological College |
| Notable works | John Owen and the Civil War Apocalypse: Preaching, Prophecy and Politics (Routledge, 2017) |
Martyn Calvin Cowan is an Irish Presbyterian minister and lecturer in historical theology at the Union Theological College in Belfast, Ireland.[1]
Biography
Cowan studied philosophy at the undergraduate and postgraduate level at Queen's University Belfast. He trained for ordination at Oak Hill Theological College (MTh Distinction), and Union Theological College (PG Cert Min), and subsequently completed doctoral studies at the University of Cambridge with a dissertation entitled 'The prophetic preaching of John Owen from 1646 to 1659 in its historical context'.[2][3]
Cowan served as assistant minister at First Presbyterian Church of Saintfield and assistant to the vacancy convener in First Presbyterian Church of Portadown.[4][5] In 2016, he was ordained and appointed lecturer in historical theology at Union Theological College.[6]
In 2018, Cowan was elected a Fellow of the Royal Historical Society.[7] Some of his work has been described as more theological than historical,[8] and Cowan's work on the preaching of John Owen is part of a new scholarly turn in Owen studies.[9][10][11] Cowan has helped change Owen studies towards a more contextual interpretative approach.[12][13][14][15] He has contributed towards the understanding of Owen as an exponent of prophetic preaching[16] and has worked to raise the profile of John Owen studies, particularly in Northern Ireland.[17][18]
As a member of the Doctrine Committee of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland and lecturer in historical theology at its seminary, Cowan addressed the decision made at the denomination's General Assembly in 2018 that it was necessary for people to make a "credible profession of faith" in order to receive the sacraments, which precluded people in same-sex relationships.[19]
Publications
- Sermons and Tracts from the Commonwealth and Protectorate (1650–1659), The Complete Works of John Owen Vol. 19 (Crossway, 2025). ISBN 9781433560484.
- Sermons and Tracts from the Civil Wars (1646–1649), The Complete Works of John Owen Vol. 18 (Crossway, 2025). ISBN 9781433560477.
- 'Owen the Preacher', in The T&T Clark Handbook of John Owen, ed. Crawford Gribben and John Tweeddale (T&T Clark, 2023), 118–45. ISBN 9780567688750.
- John Owen and the Civil War Apocalypse: Preaching, Prophecy and Politics (Routledge, 2017). ISBN 9781138087767.
- Portrait of a Prophet: Lessons from the Preaching of John Owen (1616–1683) (St Antholin Charity Lectureship, Latimer Trust, 2016) ISBN 9781906327415
- 'Introduction to the Old Testament Historical Books' in NIV Proclamation Bible: Correctly Handling the Word of Truth (Hodder & Stoughton, 2013). ISBN 9780310437956
- 'New World, New Temple, New Worship: The Book of Revelation in the Theology and Practice of Christian Worship', published in three parts: Churchman 119.4 (Winter 2005), 297–312; Churchman 120.2 (Summer 2006), 159–176; Churchman 120.3 (Autumn 2006), 247–265.
References
- ^ "Google Scholar – Martyn Cowan".
- ^ Cowan, Martyn Cowan (2013). The prophetic preaching of John Owen from 1646 to 1659 in its historical context (Thesis). University of Cambridge: Unpublished PhD dissertation. doi:10.17863/CAM.31278.
- ^ "Featured Author: Martyn Calvin Cowan". Routledge, Taylor and Francis Group. Retrieved 13 August 2025.
- ^ "Service of Licensing for Martyn Cowan at Railway Street Presbyterian Church".
- ^ "Presentation to Martyn and Kathy Cowan 11 December 2016". 12 December 2016.
- ^ "New Faculty Members for Union". Union Theological College. 1 September 2016. Archived from the original on 13 June 2018. Retrieved 8 July 2025.
- ^ "Royal Historical Society Report of Council Session 2017 – 2018" (PDF). Royal Historical Society. 2018. Archived from the original (PDF) on 30 November 2024. Retrieved 9 July 2025.
- ^ Euler, Carrie. "Martyn Calvin Cowan. John Owen and the Civil War Apocalypse: Preaching, Prophecy, and Politics". Seventeenth-Century News. 76 (1–2). Texas A&M University, Department of English. Retrieved 13 August 2025.
- ^ Gribben, Crawford (2018). "Review of Cowan's John Owen and the Civil War Apocalypse". Journal of the Northern Renaissance.
- ^ Hyde, Daniel (January 2017). "John Owen: Prayer as Politics By Other Means". Ad Fontes. 5.
- ^ "John Owen and the civil war apocalypse: preaching, prophecy and politics". Google Scholar. Retrieved 13 August 2025.
- ^ Burden, Mark (2019). "John Owen and the civil war apocalypse: preaching, prophecy and politics". The Seventeenth Century. 34 (4). University of Bristol: 553–555. doi:10.1080/0268117X.2019.1629764. Retrieved 13 August 2025.
- ^ Bingham, MC (12 July 2019). "John Owen and the Civil War apocalypse. Preaching, prophecy and politics. By Martyn Calvin Cowan". The Journal of Ecclesiastical History. 70 (3). Cambridge University Press: 646. doi:10.1017/S002204691900006X. Retrieved 13 August 2025.
- ^ Allen, Michael (June 2019). "John Owen and the Civil War Apocalypse: Preaching, Prophecy and Politics. Martyn Calvin Cowan". Renaissance Quarterly. 72 (2): 720–722. doi:10.1017/rqx.2019.211. Retrieved 13 August 2025.
- ^ Kapic, Kelly (1 September 2018). "John Owen and the Civil War Apocalypse: Preaching, Prophecy and Politics. By Martyn Calvin Cowan". Church History. 87 (3): 904–907. doi:10.1017/S0009640718002044. Retrieved 13 August 2025.
- ^ Hyde, Daniel Robert (26 October 2022). "These are the Times" Public Worship as Manifestation of a New Age of Theo-Politics in the Theology of John Owen (PDF). Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam. p. 57. Retrieved 13 August 2025.
- ^ Alastair, Graham (10 September 2024). "John Owen conference in Belfast attracts international audience". Evangelical Times. Retrieved 13 August 2025.
- ^ "The International John Owen Conference". Union Theological College. 29 October 2023. Retrieved 13 August 2025.
- ^ Cowan, Martyn C (27 June 2018). "Far from a '˜theological Brexit' the Presbyterian Church in Ireland has an outward-facing posture". Newsletter. Retrieved 13 August 2025.