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The case for Calvinism
Paper back. Green is lighter than depicted on image. Great book for one of the best Christian apologist of our time.
- GenresTheology
153 pages, Unknown Binding
First published January 1, 1963
60 people want to read
About the author
Cornelius Van Til
149 books122 followersCornelius Van Til, was a Christian philosopher, Reformed theologian, and presuppositional apologist.
Biographical sketch
Born on May 3, 1895, in Grootegast, The Netherlands he was the sixth son of Ite and Klazina Van Til, who emigrated to the United States when "Kees," as he was known to friends, was 10. He grew up helping on the family farm in Highland, Indiana.
Van Til graduated from Calvin College in 1922, receiving a ThM from Princeton Theological Seminary in 1925 and his PhD from Princeton University in 1927. He began teaching at Princeton, but shortly went with the conservative group who founded Westminster Theological Seminary, where he taught for forty-three years of his life as a professor of apologetics.
He was also a minister in the Orthodox Presbyterian Church from the 1930s until his death in 1987, and in that denomination, he was embroiled in a bitter dispute with Gordon Clark over God's incomprehensibility known as the Clark-Van Til Controversy in which, according to John Frame, neither man was at his best and neither quite understood the other's position.
Van Til's thought
Van Til is perhaps best known for the development of a fresh approach to the task of defending the Christian faith. Although trained in traditional methods he drew on the insights of fellow Calvinistic philosophers Vollenhoven and Herman Dooyeweerd to formulate what he viewed as a more consistently Christian methodology. His apologetic focused on the role of presuppositions, the point of contact between believers and unbelievers, and the antithesis between Christian and non-Christian worldviews.
Source: Theopedia
Biographical sketch
Born on May 3, 1895, in Grootegast, The Netherlands he was the sixth son of Ite and Klazina Van Til, who emigrated to the United States when "Kees," as he was known to friends, was 10. He grew up helping on the family farm in Highland, Indiana.
Van Til graduated from Calvin College in 1922, receiving a ThM from Princeton Theological Seminary in 1925 and his PhD from Princeton University in 1927. He began teaching at Princeton, but shortly went with the conservative group who founded Westminster Theological Seminary, where he taught for forty-three years of his life as a professor of apologetics.
He was also a minister in the Orthodox Presbyterian Church from the 1930s until his death in 1987, and in that denomination, he was embroiled in a bitter dispute with Gordon Clark over God's incomprehensibility known as the Clark-Van Til Controversy in which, according to John Frame, neither man was at his best and neither quite understood the other's position.
Van Til's thought
Van Til is perhaps best known for the development of a fresh approach to the task of defending the Christian faith. Although trained in traditional methods he drew on the insights of fellow Calvinistic philosophers Vollenhoven and Herman Dooyeweerd to formulate what he viewed as a more consistently Christian methodology. His apologetic focused on the role of presuppositions, the point of contact between believers and unbelievers, and the antithesis between Christian and non-Christian worldviews.
Source: Theopedia
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
March 19, 2023
Van Til is absolutely fantastic in this work. He is so quotable and I will share some of my favorite quotes at the end of this. While it is a short work, and the majority of it is dedicated to the analysis of New Reformation theology, the final chapter is a defense of the traditional, Calvinistic view, and boy oh boy is it good. It was pretty easy to follow with, although I wish I knew more about the philosophies that Van Til is criticizing for more context, but it is still useful to me regardless.
"Throughout history, since the fall of all men in Adam, men have tried to suppress and push aside the truth in unrighteousness. They have blinded their eyes and then complained that God has created them in darkness. They search with great diligence for the existence of a God while they are walking every minute in the light of His presence."
"If Scripture is thus self-authenticating, it is beacuse Christ speaks to us through it."
"The autonomous man of Kant says 'I am' and allows nothing more ultimate than itself. The Christian says 'I am' in terms of Christ and God as the great 'I am.' It is Descartes or Calvin. It is Kant or Calvin."
"The Christian accepts his entire view of things on authority. But he knows that those who are unwilling to live by this authority have nothing on which to stand when they oppose it."
"God says 'I am' and is able to fully justify this assertion. He is able to make it stand because only on the basis of this assertion does the thinking and willing activity of man have any possible meaning at all."
"The wrath of God rests upon us if, in seeking truth, we ignore and reject Him who alone is truth. The search for truth is an existential matter. One's attitude toward Christ is always involved. Our every thought in science, in philosophy, and in theology must be made captive to the obedience of Christ. The ultimate source of truth in any field rests in Him. The world may discover much truth without owning Christ as Truth. Christ upholds even those who ignore, deny, and oppose Him. A little child may slap his father in the face, but it can do so only because the father holds it on his knee. So modern science, modern philosophy, and modern theology may discover much truth. Nevertheless, if the universe were not created and redeemed by Christ no man could give himself an intelligible account of anything. It follows that in order to perform their task aright the scientist and the philosopher as well as the theologian need Christ."
"If there is a case for Calvinism, it is only in so far as it presents the Christ of the Scriptures to men as the Saviour and Lord in every field of human endeavor. Every individual 'Calvinist' should be the first to admit that he himself falls far short of doing this as he ought." Amen to that :)
Van Til lays down some serious zingers. Glory be to the Father, Son, and Spirit.
"Throughout history, since the fall of all men in Adam, men have tried to suppress and push aside the truth in unrighteousness. They have blinded their eyes and then complained that God has created them in darkness. They search with great diligence for the existence of a God while they are walking every minute in the light of His presence."
"If Scripture is thus self-authenticating, it is beacuse Christ speaks to us through it."
"The autonomous man of Kant says 'I am' and allows nothing more ultimate than itself. The Christian says 'I am' in terms of Christ and God as the great 'I am.' It is Descartes or Calvin. It is Kant or Calvin."
"The Christian accepts his entire view of things on authority. But he knows that those who are unwilling to live by this authority have nothing on which to stand when they oppose it."
"God says 'I am' and is able to fully justify this assertion. He is able to make it stand because only on the basis of this assertion does the thinking and willing activity of man have any possible meaning at all."
"The wrath of God rests upon us if, in seeking truth, we ignore and reject Him who alone is truth. The search for truth is an existential matter. One's attitude toward Christ is always involved. Our every thought in science, in philosophy, and in theology must be made captive to the obedience of Christ. The ultimate source of truth in any field rests in Him. The world may discover much truth without owning Christ as Truth. Christ upholds even those who ignore, deny, and oppose Him. A little child may slap his father in the face, but it can do so only because the father holds it on his knee. So modern science, modern philosophy, and modern theology may discover much truth. Nevertheless, if the universe were not created and redeemed by Christ no man could give himself an intelligible account of anything. It follows that in order to perform their task aright the scientist and the philosopher as well as the theologian need Christ."
"If there is a case for Calvinism, it is only in so far as it presents the Christ of the Scriptures to men as the Saviour and Lord in every field of human endeavor. Every individual 'Calvinist' should be the first to admit that he himself falls far short of doing this as he ought." Amen to that :)
Van Til lays down some serious zingers. Glory be to the Father, Son, and Spirit.
March 15, 2022
Van Til is notoriously difficult to digest. The site below may be helpful.
Frame-poythress.org/a-van-til-glossary/
It’s also helpful to understand the dialectical method and perhaps some history with Aquinas and the problem of faith vs. reason. To the discerning reader, it is an excellent proof as to how Calvinism (the Biblical view of the sovereignty of God), is the only way to account for our reality. Arminianism and fundamentalism will not be able to engage in a consistent methodology of engaging the unbelieving thought in our day and going forward. Will likely have to read more than once to fully digest.
Frame-poythress.org/a-van-til-glossary/
It’s also helpful to understand the dialectical method and perhaps some history with Aquinas and the problem of faith vs. reason. To the discerning reader, it is an excellent proof as to how Calvinism (the Biblical view of the sovereignty of God), is the only way to account for our reality. Arminianism and fundamentalism will not be able to engage in a consistent methodology of engaging the unbelieving thought in our day and going forward. Will likely have to read more than once to fully digest.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews