Reformed Scholasticism

Recovering the Tools of Reformed Theology

Ryan McGraw

• Publisher: T&T Clark
• Year: 2019
• Print ISBN: 9780567695567
• eBook ISBN: 9780567679734
• Edition: 1
• Topic: Theology & Religion
• Subtopic: Christian Theology

Ryan McGraw presents an introduction of historic Reformed orthodoxy (1560–1790) and its research methodology. This book establishes the tools needed to study Reformed scholasticism and its potential benefits to the church today by describing the nature of Reformed scholasticism and outlining the research methodology, the nature and the character of this branch of theology, and providing a retrospective view on the contemporary appropriations. McGraw discusses the proper use of primary and secondary sources and offers instructions on how to write historical theology. Each chapter draws extensive examples from primary source evidence, published books and articles in this field; as well as engaging with a wide range of ancient and medieval sources. This volume is an excellent guide for students as it teaches them how to identify primary and secondary sources, suggests good links and tips for learning Latin; and provides an overview of the most important figures in the period.

Part One

Introduction

1

Introduction: Why Reformed Scholasticism?

As Karl Barth asserted famously, “The fear of scholasticism is the mark of a false prophet.”¹ Reformed scholasticism is an important part of the Reformed tradition, particularly in regard to the method of theological education and the development of the theological system. Reformed scholasticism represents a growing field of study today, in relation to both historical studies and Systematic Theology. However, while many students have a growing passion for classic Reformed theology and its methods, most of them have little introduction to the research methodology specifically needed to study this subject effectively, nor do theological students have a guide directing them what to do with their academic studies once they finish them.

This book introduces the research methodology and general characteristics of historic Reformed scholastic theology (roughly 1560–1790) to students. It stresses scholasticism primarily as a theological method adapted to university education, without excluding orthodoxy, which bears more directly on content. It answers the basic questions why one would want to study Reformed scholasticism, how they should do so, and what they can do with what they learn once they are done.

The thesis of this work is that students of Reformed theology need to study the scholastic roots of the Reformed orthodox tradition to understand and to build a constructive Reformed theology. The author aims to introduce the tools needed to study Reformed scholasticism with an ultimate view to the potential benefits that such studies can offer the church today. This period was the most important one in church history for the formulation and codification of Reformed theology, especially in the area of prolegomena.² However, contemporary Reformed theology sometimes stresses theological content to the neglect of the historic development of Reformed theological method. Studying Reformed scholasticism can better enable students to build a contemporary Reformed theology in conversation with its classic expressions. This book invites students into the subject through learning how to engage with primary source reading, to do research, and to write, while emphasizing the importance of Latin works of classic Reformed didactic (systematic) theology.

The material seeks to introduce students to the study Reformed scholasticism using proper historiography, to express themselves well in writing on this topic, to become competent scholars, and to apply what they learn to contemporary theology and to pastoral ministry.

Why study Reformed scholasticism?

Highlighting some of the possible benefits derived from classic Reformed theology shows why one should want to take the time to study Reformed scholasticism.

Frist, Reformed scholasticism promotes precision and clarity in teaching, both in the church and in the seminary.³ While scholasticism remains a derogatory term in some circles, building on Reformed scholastic theology can provide clarity and stability in the church and in the seminary. Scholasticism developed precise and stable theological methods and terms. Such features promoted a level of precision and catholicity that is often lacking in contemporary theology and ministry.⁴

Second, studying and writing about Reformed scholasticism can enable ministers and seminary professors to translate academic theology into pastoral theology. Pastors often spend much time studying important material that does not transfer readily or helpfully into sermons or into the classroom. They must learn to digest what they read prayerfully and adapt it in a way that can be useful to others. Many Reformed scholastics, such as Petrus van Mastricht (1630–1706), wrote their systems of theology to teach men how to preach better.⁵ This was true even of Thomas Aquinas (1225–74), who in the medieval period wrote his Summa to equip Dominican preachers.⁶ Through writing this book, the author aims, in part, to help some of his readers develop the skill to think on an academic and practical level and to move fluidly between both, which is a rare skill in our present era.

Third, studying Reformed scholasticism promotes historical methodology. While ministers and theological students in particular are increasingly interested in studying classic Reformed thought, they rarely learn proper historical method, nor do they see the value in doing so. It is important to separate historical theology as a discipline from contemporary uses before translating the raw materials gleaned from such studies into something that can help the church. It is crucial to know what historic Reformed authors meant in their own contexts and why they said what they did before evaluating and appropriating critically their ideas. While students may not always like what they find in asking such questions, they need to learn that this is okay. It is important to listen to what people said on their own terms before evaluating, let alone using, their teaching. This is particularly important for churches that continue to use historic Reformed confessions, such as the Three Forms of Unity, the Second Helvetic Confession, the Westminster Confession of Faith and Catechisms, and the London Baptist Confession. Such documents have historical contexts as well as contemporary uses. A contextual study of Reformed scholasticism can help modern students understand what Reformed orthodox authors meant before asking whether their teaching is biblical or helpful.

Fourth, Reformed scholasticism provides the foundational character of classic Reformed Systematic Theology. This is important to grasp if contemporary Reformed theology aims to maintain catholic unity and continuity with its historic roots. Bac and Pleizier note the need to “safeguard” the historical reading of sources in their historical contexts instead of rushing into modern systematic uses of the material.⁷ This present book promotes this concern while taking a forward step toward systematic and practical theology. Many authors struggle to translate Reformed doctrine for contemporary audiences. This often results in devising new methods for doing theology and new emphases and altered content in modern Reformed theology.⁸ The last chapter of this book shows how recovering a contextual study of Reformed scholasticism can help students bring a different set of conversation partners to the table in theological discussions. Building on the historic roots of Reformed systematic theology has great potential for promoting unity among Reformed (and other) Christians by learning to expound and to adapt classic models of Reformed theology for today’s church. The recent resurgence of interest in this field of study and the widespread online availability of primary sources for the first time in history makes such studies ripe for development.

Lastly, Reformed scholasticism provides a model for engaging critically with the entire catholic tradition of the church. Several parts of this book illustrate how Reformed authors developed their theology in conversation with the early church, the medieval period, Reformation, and post-Reformation Reformed authors, as well as with contemporary thinkers across confessional lines. This feature of Reformed scholastic theology secured the catholic character of Reformed thought while keeping the confessional fault lines dividing post-Reformation theologians relatively clear. Such critical engagement provides a model of theologically mature evaluations of the entire catholic tradition of the church. While this is a difficult endeavor, it reflects the conviction that Christ has been faithful to his church in every age and that she has something to learn from every period of Christian history. The skill of wedding catholicity to biblical and confessional fidelity is rare in any age. Reformed scholasticism provides an excellent historical example of a robust attempt at doing so.

Who is this book for?

This book is designed primarily for English-speaking seminary students, budding historians, and Reformed ministers and professors. The author hopes to promote the sound theory and practice of historical theology and to convince ministers particularly of the benefits of studying Reformed scholasticism while serving in ministry. While distinguishing these tasks, one burden of this book is to illustrate the potential relationship between them. In doing so, the author aims to promote godly and learned Reformed pastors and professors who can teach others what they learn to the Father’s glory, in union with Christ, by the Spirit’s ministry to the church. It also aims to teach all students of this field how to be sound historians and to develop their skills in doing and teaching historical theology. In light of these things, the tone of the book is partly scholarly and partly anecdotal.

The author promotes the study of Reformed scholasticism here like a teacher in a classroom leading students by the hand through the subject. For this reason, he occasionally deviates from academic style, providing both professional and personal illustrations from the combined perspectives of a professional historian, of a Professor of Systematic Theology, and of a pastor. These deviations into personal illustrations appear only where the author believes that students need them for the sake of clarifying the topics treated.

How does this book achieve its aims?

This book is divided roughly into five parts. The introduction constitutes part one. Subsequent parts treat research methodology and writing, the nature of Reformed scholasticism, the character of Reformed scholasticism, and contemporary appropriations of Reformed scholasticism. The working thesis of this book, namely, that a contextual study of Reformed Scholasticism is vital for understanding and developing Reformed Systematic Theology today, carries through all of its chapters, though in differing respects that reflect the tenor of each part.

The material treating research methodology and contemporary appropriations, in many respects, represents the core of the book. The parts on the nature and character of Reformed scholasticism introduce students to enough material to become oriented to the subject. For this reason, this book does not treat the history of scholarship on the subject at length, but it summarizes the work of other authors on this front and directs readers to a host of sources that they will need to pursue serious study of this topic. This means, for example, that the book does not include full treatments of Aristotelian philosophy and medieval theology, though it provides examples of both to show why this material is relevant to further research. The author’s primary concern throughout is not so much to produce a comprehensive introduction to the topics treated as it is to teach students how to study Reformed scholasticism and how to understand what they can do with their research.

The introduction to research methodology includes four chapters. These cover the proper use of primary sources, secondary sources, some comments on historiography, and suggestions for writing historical theology. Each chapter draws examples from primary source evidence, published books, and articles in this field, as well as from personal research experience. This includes a survey of some primary authors of Reformed scholastic theology, suggestions on how to obtain and use original sources, how to identify and avoid some historical fallacies, and directions for outlining and writing a research project. The distinctive contribution of this part is that all examples are taken from the field of Reformed orthodox/scholasticism studies, covering Reformed theology from roughly 1560 to 1790. The author’s assumption throughout is that the reader is in the early stages of learning to write about Reformed scholasticism. This material targets students whose first language is English.

The part on the nature of Reformed scholasticism has four chapters as well. The first of these chapters introduces Reformed scholasticism generally with introductory comments on the terminology relevant to such studies. This material introduces, in seed form, the relevance of items such as Renaissance studies, Aristotelianism and Ramism, and medieval theology for Reformed thought. The following three chapters address the nature of Reformed scholasticism as a theology of the schools, the interaction of Reformed scholastic theology with the entire catholic theological tradition of the Christian church, and some examples of methodological and theological continuities, discontinuities, and developments between Reformation and post-Reformation Reformed theology. These chapters outline the nature and development of Reformed scholasticism as a method and means of Reformed theological education. The catholic character of this movement, its use of ancient and medieval sources, and its methodology characterized the theological education of Reformed ministers for almost three centuries. This material sets the stage for later comments on possible contemporary appropriations in relation to how to develop Reformed theology today.

The fourth part, which addresses the character of Reformed scholasticism, builds on the preceding one. The three chapters comprising this part expand the catholic character of Reformed scholasticism by highlighting its international character, its capacity for theological precision and clarity, and the integral relationship between theology and piety in classic Reformed theology. The material on international crossover in Reformed theology introduces briefly the distinctive contexts of various regions where Reformed churches grew and the role of scholastic theology in various universities in giving international coherence to the movement...

Table of contents

• Cover
• Halftitle Page
• Title Page
• Dedication Page
• Contents 
• Acknowledgements
• Part 1: Introduction
• Part 2: Research Methodology
• Part 3: The Nature of Reformed Scholasticism: Method and Trajectories
• Part 4: The Character of Reformed Scholasticism: International Catholicity and Piety
• Part 5: Contemporary Appropriations of Reformed Scholasticism
• Works Cited
• Index
• Imprint