The Calvinist International
Although Martin Luther rejected the Roman Catholic notion of “preparatory works” for justification he did not reject the language of preparation altogether. Rather, he writes of the torments of the Law which “shows sin, terrifies, and humbles; thus it prepares us for justification and drives us to Christ” (Luther’s Works, 26:126). For Luther, it is […]
In honor of the publication of the digital edition of The Greeks and the Gospel by J.B. Skemp, I present an excerpt: CHAPTER I The Greeks and the Gospel TIMEO Danaos et dona ferentes—I fear the Greeks even when they are bringing gifts. This was the cautious reaction of the Trojan Laocoon to the introduction […]
In recent days we have seen some spirited discussion on the place of natural law and natural theology in the life of the church. One figure who stands out as an important member of the discussion about such matters, at least in Presbyterian circles, is Cornelius Van Til, especially in his essay “Nature And Scripture.” […]
In the first installment of this series I left the reader with a few questions that Johann Heinrich Alsted proposes to himself in anticipation of his readers’ objections to his proposal of natural theology as a discipline. The first question has to do with the similarities and differences between natural theology and natural philosophy, or […]
Speaking of natural theology in the Reformed tradition, a friend directed me to a fairly recent dissertation on the subject by Wallace W. Marshall, entitled “Puritanism and Natural Theology.” Rarely does a dissertation threaten to upend long-standing historical narratives. Marshall’s dissertation does exactly that, adding much needed clarification to this very important issue. Marshall sets […]
The works of Johann Heinrich Alsted (1588-1638) have recently been the subject of research into the nature of theology and philosophy in the Early Modern period, specifically regarding the reception of Ramist and Lullist logic (cf. Howard Hotson’s work for example). Descartes read Alsted’s Encyclopaedia and, though he thought it was a rather curious work, commended the […]
I’ve been reading through John Arthur Smith’s Music in Ancient Judaism and Early Christianity, so far a fascinating and engaging read. Mr. Smith does have a few moments of skepticism which I do not share (his reluctance to trust 1 & 2 Chronicles for 1st Temple history being the most significant), but otherwise I am finding […]
Dr Leithart has kindly responded to my post (which can be found here) on the use of natural law in the same-sex marriage debate. The following comments outline my position on natural law in a little more detail and describe some of the concerns that I have with his position.