Michael S. Horton

Michael S. Horton

Hometown	Los Angeles, California
Residency	California
Theology	Presbyterian
Occupation(s)	Professor, theologian, author, pastor
Affiliation(s)	United Reformed Churches in North America
Website	SolaMedia.org

Michael Scott Horton is an American Reformed theologian and author who serves as the J. Gresham Machen Professor of Systematic Theology and Apologetics at Westminster Seminary California (Escondido). He is best known as the founder and co‑host of the White Horse Inn, a long‑running radio show and podcast devoted to Reformation theology, and as the founding editor of Modern Reformation magazine.  

Born on May 11, 1964, Horton studied at Biola University (B.A.), Westminster Seminary California (M.A.), and completed doctoral work through Coventry University in partnership with Wycliffe Hall, Oxford. He later pursued postdoctoral research as a fellow at Yale Divinity School. He is an ordained minister in the United Reformed Churches in North America (URCNA).  

While an undergraduate, Horton launched what became Modern Reformation as a small newsletter; it transitioned to a glossy magazine in 1992 and has since become a significant voice applying Reformation insights to contemporary church life. He remains closely associated with the publication’s editorial leadership.  

In 1990 Horton founded the White Horse Inn, a round‑table program designed to help Christians “know what they believe and why they believe it.” Over the decades it has aired nationally and expanded into a broader platform (now Sola Media) that also includes Modern Reformation, Core Christianity, and Theo Global. Horton continues as founder and co‑host.  

Horton has authored or edited more than two dozen books spanning systematic and historical theology, ecclesiology, and cultural engagement. Major works include The Christian Faith: A Systematic Theology for Pilgrims on the Way (2011), a comprehensive one‑volume Reformed systematic theology; Christless Christianity: The Alternative Gospel of the American Church (2008); and Pilgrim Theology: Core Doctrines for Christian Disciples (2013), an accessible introduction that distills key themes for students and church readers.  

Beyond writing and broadcasting, Horton teaches, speaks, and contributes essays to academic and popular outlets. His institutional profile notes publications in journals and magazines such as Pro Ecclesia, Christianity Today, and the International Journal of Systematic Theology.