Category Archives: Scholasticism

Karl Barth: Church Dogmatics II/1 (Doctrine of God), review

Posted on November 12, 2018 by J. B. Aitken

Barth’s volume is largely divided into two parts:  Our knowledge of God’s Revelation and God Himself. Per the latter, he famously rephrases the attributes of God as God’s perfections (more on that later).  This review will give a (very short) … Continue reading →

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Kuyper: Principles of Sacred Theology

Posted on September 25, 2018 by J. B. Aitken

Argument: theologically science should begin organically because knowledge is inter-related.  It is the unbelieving world that can’t integrate knowledge (I:iv). Science: a collected body of knowledge independent from the activity of the knower.  It is a “connected form of knowledge.” … Continue reading →

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The Promise and Challenge of Proto-Modern Politics

Posted on August 1, 2018 by J. B. Aitken

O’Donovan, Joan Lockwood.  Bonds of Imperfection. Question and Problem: What is the inner logic of liberal democracy? O’Donovan suggests that it stems from a specific anthropology (138). More, it is an ‘economic anthropology,’ but not economics in the sense of mere … Continue reading →

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John Wyclif: Myth and Reality

Posted on July 25, 2018 by J. B. Aitken

This biography of Wyclif had little to do with Wyclif himself.  It was mainly GR Evans’ parable about English university life and how she was shafted by her superiors  She doesn’t actually say that, but if you are aware of … Continue reading →

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John Wyclif and Communication

Posted on July 17, 2018 by J. B. Aitken

  Starting 9:23.  O’Donovan’s notes: Lordship/Dominion.  Does not depend on property. Absolute property is possession of something without an attendant obligation. God’s own lordship was not owned by God’s keeping himself to himself.  God “lends” himself.  He can’t “give away,” … Continue reading →

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Study notes on Caspar Olevian and Substance

Posted on July 11, 2018 by J. B. Aitken

I will write a formal review later.  R. Scott Clark has several fascinating sections reconstructing German Calvinism in the 16th century, along with rebutting the Heppe-thesis and such.  The review will cover those parts. This book is so useful on … Continue reading →

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Review: Richard Muller’s Triunity of God

Posted on July 6, 2018 by J. B. Aitken

Muller, Richard.  The Triunity of God. Post Reformation Reformed Dogmatics, volume 4.  Grand Rapids: MI, Baker Academic. Given that there aren’t many specifically Reformed constructions of Trinitarianism, I would say that this book fills a woeful lacuna.  However, since it has … Continue reading →

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Notes on Muller’s PRRD vol 4

Posted on July 6, 2018 by J. B. Aitken

Roscellin: confirmed anti-realist.  This view led him to declare that every existent thing is a unique individual: so-called universals are “mere words.” (Muller 26).   The problem with Boethuis’s definition of person:   The definition ultimately poses all manner of problems … Continue reading →

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Review: John Owen and English Puritanism

Posted on June 27, 2018 by J. B. Aitken

by Crawford Gribben. Oxford. Crawford Gribben suggests, perhaps ironically, that John Owen’s life is shaped around a series of “defeats.” Although this text is part of Oxford’s series on historical theology, is weighted more towards biography than to theology, though … Continue reading →

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Review: John Owen’s Trinitarian Spirituality (Kay)

Posted on June 20, 2018 by J. B. Aitken

Kay, Brian.  Paternoster Press. How does one combine the gains of the so-called “Western” doctrine of God with the demands of spirituality and relating to the divine persons?  How do we avoid collapsing the unity into a pantheistic oneness (ala Meister … Continue reading →

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