Here is the great Elizabethan 'Puritan' (it is a somewhat anachronistic term) William Perkins on Scripture and Theology:
The body of Scripture is a doctrine sufficient to live well. It comprehendeth many holy sciences, whereof one is principal, others are handmainds or retainers. The principal science is theology. Theology is the science of living blessedly for ever. Blessed life ariseth from the knowledge of God and therefore it ariseth likewise from the knowledge of ourselves, because we know God by looking into ourselves. Theology has two parts: the first of God, the second of his works.
You can see Calvin's great opening to the Institutes coming back here. The emphasis on theology as a practical science and not just a theoretical one is a theme that comes from Calvin and returns in Turretin, too.
5 comments:
I enjoyed looking over your blog
God bless you
Sorry to be a pain Michael, but the notion of theology as a practical science did not "come from" Calvin. It originates with Odo Rigaldi (d. 1276) and Albert the Great (d. 1280) in the 13th century as they wrestle with how to describe theology as scientia (with its Aristotelian connotations); in short they gave new meaning to the word. From them it became a mainstream idea in medieval theology (with various nuances according to different thinkers, particular the Franciscan nuaces begun with Scotus). This understanding of theology was inherited by the reformation, and particularly developed in the error of orthodoxy as they more consciously reached back to medieval antecedents.
Hence, it doesn't "return" in Turretini but was pretty much always there in mainstream reformation theology (particularly emphasized in Puritanism and the Nadere Reformatie--see esp. Voetius).
Theology as practical science dramatically changes with the Enlightenment. Hence, ironically, when Charles Hodge defines systematics as a "science" the practical component is now missing--he has a different understanding of the word scientia. And it shows in his systematic theology: there is not one hint of practical application anywhere. When one reads (say) Maastrict or Brakel they always contain sections on practical application at the end of every doctrinal presentation.
Sorry, in above post "error of orthodoxy" is meant to read "era of orthodoxy" (!).
thanks mike (and marty!). I love the practical impracticality of this. The study of theology is not to improve ministry, to get qualified, to be a better preacher, it is the science of living a blessed life.
Thanks for all the background Marty. I wasn't claiming that Calvin invented the whole practical thing, only that it is interesting that the theme is constant in the three thinkers.
Post a Comment