About Us​

Established in 2019 by Jordan Steffaniak and Brandon Ayscue, the London Lyceum has grown from a weekly podcast to the premier center for Analytic, Baptist, and Confessional Theology. By retrieving the wisdom from analytic philosophy, the Baptist tradition, and classical Protestantism as confessed in the confessional documents of the Reformed tradition we seek to promote serious thinking for a serious church. Our name truly encapsulates our own mission and confessional commitment. “London” refers to our confessional Baptist crown jewel–the Second London Baptist Confession of Faith. “Lyceum” refers to a place of learning, debate, and thinking, made famous as Aristotle’s “academy.”

The London Lyceum seeks to foster serious thinking for a serious church.

CharityCuriosityCritical Thinking, and Cheerful Confessionalism.

We pursue our mission by creating an intellectual culture of charity, curiosity, critical thinking, and cheerful confessionalism. We do this by three primary means:

 

We do this by publishing and promoting original research. For example:

  • We publish online essays, book reviews, and book recommendations.
  • We publish an annual print academic journal.
  • We publish a podcast dedicated to talking with experts in their fields of research.
  • We host various events.
  • We cultivate and provide an intellectual community through an online society of virtuous truth-seekers

We pursue virtue by:

  • Ingraining the meekness of wisdom exemplified in James 3:17 into our hearts and minds.
  • Encouraging differing viewpoints in our podcast interviews, essays, and online society.
  • Prioritizing friendship in our thinking since our goal is not to win arguments but to encourage virtuous thinking.
  • Requiring love and respect for everyone and everything. Everyone, regardless of view, deserves both

We do this by:

  • Publishing and promoting material that encourages classical Protestantism and Reformed catholicity
  • Forming the John Gill Project

The Founders

Jordan Steffaniak

Founder, President, Editor

Jordan Steffaniak is the President of the London Lyceum. He fulfills several roles, including host and producer of the podcast, editor of the website and journal Theologia Viatorum and more. He was raised in the St. Louis area and has lived in central Virginia, Louisville, Kentucky, and now Raleigh, North Carolina. He is a research fellow for the Center for Faith and Culture at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary and teaches as an adjunct for several institutions. He also works full-time in the finance industry as a business intelligence manager. He was married to his wife Sarah in June of 2015 and they have three sons.

Jordan has an M.Div. from The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary and a Th.M. in Philosophy from Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary. While at Southern he learned of the wonder of historic Reformed Baptist confessions like the Second London Confession of Faith and also fell in love with philosophy and analytic theology thanks to one of his pastors. He is currently a Ph.D. candidate in Philosophy at the University of Birmingham (UK). He has authored numerous peer-reviewed journal articles as well as a book chapter. You can find links to most of these below. He also is currently writing two books and serves on the editorial board of the John Gill Project. You can find his CV here. He loves to read, write, podcast, weightlift in his garage gym, and play outside with his family. He also has a love-hate relationship with sports, loving the Jacksonville Jaguars, St. Louis Cardinals, and Carolina Hurricanes.

Brandon Ayscue

Vice President & Assoc. Editor

Brandon Ayscue is the Vice President of the London Lyceum and the Associate Pastor at Harriett Baptist Church in Henderson North Carolina. Brandon was born and raised in Henderson. He was married to his wife Caitie in November 2015 and they were blessed with their first son, Coley, in March 2017. Their second son, Haddon, was born in August 2019. Their third, Winston, was born in August 2022.

Brandon holds a BA from Campbell University. He is also a graduate of Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary, completing two Master’s Degrees (Master of Arts in Apologetics & Christian Philosophy and Master of Divinity). His hobbies include reading, hosting the London Lyceum, and playing sports. He also loves to talk sports, especially Panthers football and Hurricanes hockey. Brandon’s favorite bible verses are Matthew 11:28 and Psalm 34:8.

Endorsements

Author