Augustus Nicodemus Lopes
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Augustus Nicodemus Gomes Lopes (João Pessoa, Paraíba, 25 September 1954) is a Brazilian presbyterian minister[1] and calvinist theologian, writer and professor. He was vice-president of the Supreme Council of the Presbyterian Church of Brazil from 2018 to 2022[2] and Chancellor of Mackenzie Presbyterian University[3] from 2003 to 2013. The Christian Post has called him one of the greatest Brazilian conservative theologians.[4] He is married to Minka Lopes and has four children.[5] Today, he is a pastor at Esperança Bible Presbyterian Church in the USA.[6]
His line of interpretation follows the grammatical-historical method as opposed to the historical-critical interpretation. He believes that the divine revelation through spiritual gifts and prophecy has ended, and does not believe in manifestation of tongues as a sign of the Holy Spirit's activities in modern days. He also discusses practical issues such as family, missions, holiness, being filled with the Spirit, worship, and spiritual warfare.
Lopes graduated in theology at the Seminário Presbiteriano do Norte (North Presbyterian Seminary) in Recife, holds a master's degree in New Testament by the Reformed University of Potchefstroom (South Africa) and a doctorate in biblical interpretation by Westminster Theological Seminary (USA), with studies at Reformed Seminary in Kampen (Netherlands). He has also done postdoctoral studies at Westminster Theological Seminary. He was professor and director of the Seminário Presbiteriano do Norte (Northern Presbyterian Seminary) (1985–1991) in northern Brazil, professor of exegesis at Seminário José Manuel da Conceição (JMC Seminary) in São Paulo, New Testament Professor at the Centro Presbiteriano de Pós-Graduação Andrew Jumper (Andrew Jumper Presbyterian Post-Graduate Center) (1995–2001) in São Paulo, pastor of the First Presbyterian Church of Recife (1989–1991) and pastor of the Evangelical Swiss Church of São Paulo (1995–2001).[7] He was associate pastor of the Presbyterian Church of Santo Amaro, São Paulo, SP until 2014.[8][9] Lopes was senior pastor of First Presbyterian Church of Goiania (2014 to 2018). He was assistant pastor of the First Presbyterian Church of Recife until 2023.
He is a minister of the Presbyterian Church of Brazil, a Calvinist theologian, professor and writer born in Paraíba. He was chancellor of the Mackenzie Presbyterian University from 2003 to 2013, a position that aims to maintain the Presbyterian confessionality of the institution.[10][11][12][13][14] He was vice-director and professor of New Testament at the Andrew Jumper Presbyterian Center for Graduate Studies,[15] of the Presbyterian Church of Brazil, in São Paulo,[16] and was the vice-president of the Supreme Council of the Presbyterian Church of Brazil.[17][18] He was an assistant pastor of the First Presbyterian Church of Recife until 2023. He is considered by many to be one of the greatest Presbyterian preachers and theologians in Brazil.[19] He is recognized for his ability to explain, in a simpler way and in accessible language, the various complex biblical themes such as predestination, God's sovereignty, the origin of evil, eschatology, apologetics, and the difference between churches and sects.