Comments on: Will we allow history to critique us?

By: More on historical methodology « scientia et sapientia

More on historical methodology « scientia et sapientia — Tue, 18 Nov 2008 23:06:40 +0000

[...] methodology. Marsden subsequently responded and the discussion has been nicely summarized over at Theology Forum. The basic gist of the discussion, in which Myers and Marsden are actually in agreement, has been [...]

By: Kent Eilers

Kent Eilers — Thu, 30 Oct 2008 19:04:20 +0000

Andrew, thanks for stopping in and reminding us of the need to read historical figures humbly ‘with open hearts and open minds’. The tricky thing it seems to me is finding the right balance between ‘reverence’ with a ‘critique’. Surely figures from our past such as J. Edwards and Barth have a great deal to teach us if we let them, but they also shouldn’t be read with such reverence that we fail to point up their own mistakes, short-sightedness, and false assumptions.

This is one of my worries about the ‘Young Calvinists’ movement in the States right now. I haven’t followed it closely enough to say for sure, but from it seems to read Reformed figures like Calvin and Edwards without a critical eye whatsoever.

Thoughts?

By: Andrew Hess

Andrew Hess — Wed, 29 Oct 2008 04:18:15 +0000

This is an important post. I like Marsden’s response and especially his point about “great insights from the profound thinkers of the past about our own times…” I have found this to be my experience as a budding theologian. Reading history and historical writings are little less than conversations with the greatest thinkers who ever lived. Also, these bright lights have passed the test of time. How many contemporaries of historical theologians like Augustine, Anselm, Luther, Calvin, Edwards, Owens and Schleiermacher have been sifted out over time, leaving us the rare gems who’ve been preserved.

In Surprised by Joy, C.S. Lewis wrote about “chronological snobbery,” the disposition of assuming historical arts and sciences are inferior to contemporary ones. Could there be a generation more guilty of this than ours? Through technology, we have more access to historical resources than any generation ever, and yet we remain disinterested because of our fascination with “new” thoughts.

We ought not think the cost of ignoring history is merely a lack of illustrative options in the classroom or from the pulpit. If we ignore history, we should not surprised when people digress to prior states of ignorance. May it never be that Augustine’s insight into conversion, Luther’s understanding of justification, Owen’s teaching on mortifying sin and the Trinity, Edward’s understanding of revival and proper religious affections, Bunyan’s allegorical genius, and Spurgeon’s ability to craft sermons are completely lost to God’s people, but it could happen.

Therefore, I agree we should approach historical figures with open hearts and open minds. We come to these writings humbly, recognizing while history might still forget us, it has already proved them. So they ought to be revered and studied. It should greatly motivate and inspire us to think how much more these great thinkers could have accomplished with laptops, the internet and Bible software. They didn’t get to live in these days, but we do. Let us live worthy of our times and use our opportunities to stamp out our own contributions to the great conversation.