Saturday, March 01, 2008

Biography of Cornelius Van Til

Cornelius Van Til was the godfather of consistently Reformed apologetics. I can't even begin to put into words what I debt I owe to his writings this subject. So I was delighted to here that John R. Muether has written a biography of Van Til. Muether's previous books have been really tremendous, and I look forward to reading this one.

The details are here.

Here's the blurb from the WTS bookstore:

This work contributes to an understanding of Van Til and his apologetic insights by placing him within the context of twentieth century developments in North American Reformed theology, including the formation of Westminster Seminary and the Orthodox Presbyterian Church, the rise of neo-evangelicalism, and American reception of Karl Barth.

Extensive research from published sources, unpublished archives, personal interviews. Views Van Til's apologetic contribution in light of his commitment to the Word and the church.

A glowing endorsement from Scott Oliphint:
"Muether does a masterful job of tracing the personal history of this 'father of presuppositionalism.' He also shows the inextricable link between Van Til's own call as a minister of the gospel and his task of training men for gospel ministry to be self-conscious in their apolo- getic method. As Muether weaves together the various strands of Van Til’s life and career, one can readily see, in a way not clearly seen before, that it was Reformed theology, and not philosophy, that shaped Van Til’s work as a Christian apologist. I could not put this book down."

- K. Scott Oliphint, Professor of Chruch History at Westminster Theological Seminary
And the table of contents:
  • Introduction: Apologist and Churchman
  • 1. A Child of the Afscheiding
  • 2.'Fit Modesty and Unreserved Conviction'
  • 3. From Dutch Reformed to American Presbyterian
  • 4. Reformed or Evangelical?
  • 5. The New Machen against the New Modernism
  • 6. Through the Fires of Criticism
  • 7. Presbyterian Patriarch
  • 8. Steadfast, Unmovable, and Abounding
  • Conclusion: Against the World, for the Church

1 comment:

Rob Bailey said...

Dr. George Zemek introduced me to Van Til in a apologetics class. I am so thankful for his faithfulness (zemek's and van til's). You can listen to van til at sermonaudio