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Foundations of Christian Scholarship: Essays in the Van Til Perspective
Christian theology in the hands of Cornelius Van til underwent a significant change. Not because he altered the theology, but by the way Van Til put the pieces of the puzzle together. Van Til understood that he starting point in theology is God. For Van Til, this meant the self-authenticating God of Scripture, in whom all potentiality and actuality were full realized. In other words, there was no hidden potential within God himself. He was thus the source of all knowledge and without him all human attempts at knowledge would fail unless it ultimately rested on this self-sufficient God. This view led to a revolution in the way others, following Van Til's lead, understood other areas of human mathematics, philosophy, apologetics, theology, education, science, psychology, history and economics. And this book, under the general editorship of Gary North, is a collection of essays on these topics as the authors set forth a Christian view of their particular area of specialty. This is a great resource for those who want an introduction to a broad-based Biblical world-and-life view to see how Christian theism is the only rational belief system that provides a secure basis for rational human endeavor.
372 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1976
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About the author
Gary North
173 books96 followersGary North received his Ph.D. from the University of California, Riverside. He served on the Senior Staff of the Foundation for Economic Education, in Irvington-on-Hudson, New York, and was the president of the Institute for Christian Economics. Dr. North’s essays and reviews have appeared in three dozen magazines and journals, including The Wall Street Journal, National Review, The American Spectator, and others.
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
May 1, 2010
This book was not easy (at least for me, for whatever that's worth). And it's especially interesting to note that, published in 1976, the introduction reads, "The authors have attempted to aim their chapters at intelligent laymen, but their primary audience is expected to be upper division college students and graduate students in the universities. If Christians had done their work properly in the field of private Christian education, these essays would be geared for high school seniors, or at the most, college freshman."
Gulp!
Unfortunately, over thirty years later, instead of that latter goal being the reality, I wonder if now one might actually need to be at the doctoral level to really understand this book in all its fullness (although there's also the very realistic possibility that I just don't fall into the "intelligent layman" category). Nonetheless, I was thankful to be able to follow the book at at least a high level; and I found it very thought-provoking.
The book is laid out in the following manner:
PART ONE: EPISTEMOLOGICAL CRITICISM
I. The Epistemological Crisis of American Universities
(Gary North)
II. The Quest for Common Ground
(Rousas J. Rushdoony)
PART TWO: ACADEMIC DISCIPLINES
III. Psychology
(Rousas J. Rushdoony)
IV. History
(C. Gregg Singer)
V. Economics
(Gary North)
VI. Education
(William Blake)
VII. Political Science
(Lawrence Pratt)
VIII. Sociology
(Gary North)
IX. Mathematics
(Vern Poythress)
PART THREE: FOUNDATIONS FOR CHRISTIAN RECONSTRUCTION
X. Apologetics
(Greg Bahnsen)
XI. Philosophy
(Greg Bahnsen)
XII. Theology
(John Frame)
PART ONE was a great introduction. Dr. North's essay explained to some degree a history of American universities, and to some degree their failure to provide justification for their existence...interesting, but I wish it were updated so that the 1970s weren't the climax of the history.
Then R. J. Rushdoony's work was a very articulate article, worth reading over again. It keenly showed the secular desire to shift common ground to a place of non-existent 'neutrality' and the Biblical call to maintain the distinction between creature and Creator.
PART THREE was a great conclusion for how to deal with the world from a Christian perspective. Dr. Bahnsen demonstrated his standard superb balance of academic excellence and accessible communication in both apologetics and philosophy. One reviewer on Amazon said Bahnsen's articles alone were worth the price of the book. I can only agree!
But I would have to say the same thing about John Frame's article on Theology. Frame speaks with clarity and precision and is not afraid to ask deep questions, all the while brining the reader back to the authority of the Word of God.
PART TWO was a little tougher for me, probably a lot having to do with the fact that my education in these areas has always been lacking, from any perspective. But as I read them, my basic consensus was this: The authors touch on a wide-range of topics aiming to discuss them from a consistent Christian worldview. I thought they did this fairly well. The only problem I found with PART TWO was that most of the authors (with probably the best exception of Vern Poythress)* devoted the majority of their writing dealing with the failures of secular models on the respective subjects, while only writing very little on how to actually deal with that subject from a Christian worldview on its own front.
In all fairness, what they wrote against the secular models was immensely compelling, clearly showing the unjustified beliefs to which unbelievers will turn in order to avoid the fundamental necessity of the Christian Lord (Rom. 1:18-22). The authors brought that out very well. But as a reader, I was also interested in finding the golden answers for the problems to which the secularists could not provide a cogent, cohesive solution. Instead, I received some basic instruction - very profound basic instruction even - but basic nonetheless.
But perhaps this was the goal after all, providing FOUNDATIONS to Christian Scholarship. But, as a layman, I must say I would really like to see a sequel called 'EXPANSIONS on Christian Scholarship.' Overall, I cannot give this book less than five stars. I encourage Christians (especially academically minded Christians) to read this book and begin their own personal application to bringing every experience they encounter - even and especially in the realm of ideas - to find their foundation and conclusion in the authority of God's Word.
May our Lord Christ bless you in your studies. To Him be the glory, always and forever.
*Vern Poythress' article on mathematics displayed a great balance of showing on the one hand, how unbelievers are unjustified in using mathematics (i.e. they can't give a logical answer as to why they can trust mathematics as a standard), and on the other, why the Christian worldview alone provides the basis for understanding and using mathematics with sound justification.
Also, one particular point of interest I found in the section on history should be quoted:
"In fact, any theory of causation which insists that prior events are the cause of those which follow must also be deficient, because such theories fail to take into account the doctrine of foreordination, which tells us that God sees the end of history from the beginning and the ultimate cause of historical events is to be found in the eschatological goal of history. Thus, according to this view, events which have not yet taken place are an important cause of those which have taken place already, since both past and future events have a role in God's plan." - C. Gregg Singer, 71
Gulp!
Unfortunately, over thirty years later, instead of that latter goal being the reality, I wonder if now one might actually need to be at the doctoral level to really understand this book in all its fullness (although there's also the very realistic possibility that I just don't fall into the "intelligent layman" category). Nonetheless, I was thankful to be able to follow the book at at least a high level; and I found it very thought-provoking.
The book is laid out in the following manner:
PART ONE: EPISTEMOLOGICAL CRITICISM
I. The Epistemological Crisis of American Universities
(Gary North)
II. The Quest for Common Ground
(Rousas J. Rushdoony)
PART TWO: ACADEMIC DISCIPLINES
III. Psychology
(Rousas J. Rushdoony)
IV. History
(C. Gregg Singer)
V. Economics
(Gary North)
VI. Education
(William Blake)
VII. Political Science
(Lawrence Pratt)
VIII. Sociology
(Gary North)
IX. Mathematics
(Vern Poythress)
PART THREE: FOUNDATIONS FOR CHRISTIAN RECONSTRUCTION
X. Apologetics
(Greg Bahnsen)
XI. Philosophy
(Greg Bahnsen)
XII. Theology
(John Frame)
PART ONE was a great introduction. Dr. North's essay explained to some degree a history of American universities, and to some degree their failure to provide justification for their existence...interesting, but I wish it were updated so that the 1970s weren't the climax of the history.
Then R. J. Rushdoony's work was a very articulate article, worth reading over again. It keenly showed the secular desire to shift common ground to a place of non-existent 'neutrality' and the Biblical call to maintain the distinction between creature and Creator.
PART THREE was a great conclusion for how to deal with the world from a Christian perspective. Dr. Bahnsen demonstrated his standard superb balance of academic excellence and accessible communication in both apologetics and philosophy. One reviewer on Amazon said Bahnsen's articles alone were worth the price of the book. I can only agree!
But I would have to say the same thing about John Frame's article on Theology. Frame speaks with clarity and precision and is not afraid to ask deep questions, all the while brining the reader back to the authority of the Word of God.
PART TWO was a little tougher for me, probably a lot having to do with the fact that my education in these areas has always been lacking, from any perspective. But as I read them, my basic consensus was this: The authors touch on a wide-range of topics aiming to discuss them from a consistent Christian worldview. I thought they did this fairly well. The only problem I found with PART TWO was that most of the authors (with probably the best exception of Vern Poythress)* devoted the majority of their writing dealing with the failures of secular models on the respective subjects, while only writing very little on how to actually deal with that subject from a Christian worldview on its own front.
In all fairness, what they wrote against the secular models was immensely compelling, clearly showing the unjustified beliefs to which unbelievers will turn in order to avoid the fundamental necessity of the Christian Lord (Rom. 1:18-22). The authors brought that out very well. But as a reader, I was also interested in finding the golden answers for the problems to which the secularists could not provide a cogent, cohesive solution. Instead, I received some basic instruction - very profound basic instruction even - but basic nonetheless.
But perhaps this was the goal after all, providing FOUNDATIONS to Christian Scholarship. But, as a layman, I must say I would really like to see a sequel called 'EXPANSIONS on Christian Scholarship.' Overall, I cannot give this book less than five stars. I encourage Christians (especially academically minded Christians) to read this book and begin their own personal application to bringing every experience they encounter - even and especially in the realm of ideas - to find their foundation and conclusion in the authority of God's Word.
May our Lord Christ bless you in your studies. To Him be the glory, always and forever.
*Vern Poythress' article on mathematics displayed a great balance of showing on the one hand, how unbelievers are unjustified in using mathematics (i.e. they can't give a logical answer as to why they can trust mathematics as a standard), and on the other, why the Christian worldview alone provides the basis for understanding and using mathematics with sound justification.
Also, one particular point of interest I found in the section on history should be quoted:
"In fact, any theory of causation which insists that prior events are the cause of those which follow must also be deficient, because such theories fail to take into account the doctrine of foreordination, which tells us that God sees the end of history from the beginning and the ultimate cause of historical events is to be found in the eschatological goal of history. Thus, according to this view, events which have not yet taken place are an important cause of those which have taken place already, since both past and future events have a role in God's plan." - C. Gregg Singer, 71
July 2, 2012
Christian theology in the hands of Cornelius Van til underwent a significant change. Not because he altered the theology, but by the way Van Til put the pieces of the puzzle together.
Van Til understood that he starting point in theology is God. For Van Til, this meant the self-authenticating God of Scripture, in whom all potentiality and actuality were full realized. In other words, there was no hidden potential within God himself. He was thus the source of all knowledge and without him all human attempts at knowledge would fail unless it ultimately rested on this self-sufficient God.
This view led to a revolution in the way others, following Van Til's lead, understood other areas of human action: mathematics, philosophy, apologetics, theology, education, science, psychology, history and economics. And this book, under the general editorship of Gary North, is a collection of essays on these topics as the authors set forth a Christian view of their particular area of specialty.
This is a great resource for those who want an introduction to a broad-based Biblical world-and-life view to see how Christian theism is the only rational belief system that provides a secure basis for rational human endeavor.
Van Til understood that he starting point in theology is God. For Van Til, this meant the self-authenticating God of Scripture, in whom all potentiality and actuality were full realized. In other words, there was no hidden potential within God himself. He was thus the source of all knowledge and without him all human attempts at knowledge would fail unless it ultimately rested on this self-sufficient God.
This view led to a revolution in the way others, following Van Til's lead, understood other areas of human action: mathematics, philosophy, apologetics, theology, education, science, psychology, history and economics. And this book, under the general editorship of Gary North, is a collection of essays on these topics as the authors set forth a Christian view of their particular area of specialty.
This is a great resource for those who want an introduction to a broad-based Biblical world-and-life view to see how Christian theism is the only rational belief system that provides a secure basis for rational human endeavor.
April 13, 2020
You must read the chapter on mathematics.
January 1, 2023
Not a fan of North, this solidified it. Frames last chapter was the best.
October 16, 2025
Most Christians walk through life thinking of God one day a week (Sunday). For the other six, they base all of their decisions on “reason.” After all, they think, God has given me a mind to logically analyze issues with, so why shouldn’t I use it to determine my opinions on “non-religious” subjects? The idea that Scripture might have things to say about those things doesn’t even come to their minds, so they end up essentially behaving like atheists six days a week. Is it then any wonder that our society is the way it is?
In 1976, Gary North organized a team of Christian intellectuals, all of them inspired by the works of Reformed apologist Cornelius Van Til, to write a series of essays applying the basic doctrines of Christianity to multiple “secular” fields. North then compiled those essays into this book: Foundations of Christian Scholarship. The writers contributing to the book were Greg L. Bahnsen (apologetics and philosophy), William Blake (education), John M. Frame (theology), Gary North (economics and sociology), Vern Poythress (mathematics), Lawrence Pratt (political science), Rousas J. Rushdoony (psychology), and C. Gregg Singer (history). With the exception of Pratt – whose essay is the shortest – all of them possessed at least a master’s degree, if not a Ph.D.
This book’s intended audience is made up of “upper division college students,” but its editor also wishes it to be read by “high school seniors, or at the most, college freshmen” (p. vii). However, its essays are all written in a manner that is very hard to read for the average layman. This sadly “scare[s] off the very people who most need it” (idem). This is a shame, as they do contain lots of valuable information for the budding Christian scholar.
If there is no God, then what is the point of learning anything? If there is no ultimate authority above our own minds, then why should we even bother to listen to anybody else? For example, if “history lacks any decisive meaning and any discernible purpose... then why do we teach history?” (p. 53). Secularists cannot answer these questions without contradicting their own presuppositions, as Foundations of Christian Scholarship shows very well.
Because of this, I wish I could give the book a high rating. However, I cannot due to its multiple issues. It is hard to understand, gets quite dated at times – e.g. Pratt’s protests against “forced busing” (pp. 123-24) - and places an overreliance on doctrines that only Calvinists and Presbyterians subscribe to. Frame’s painful redefining of the word “exegesis” (pp. 319-20) should be noted as well, as its sole purpose seems to be to justify Van Til’s lack of Scripture references by equating “translating biblical concepts into philosophic terms” with “translating Greek words into English” (p. 320). As much as I personally enjoyed reading Foundations of Christian Scholarship, all of these strikes against it make it impossible for me to rate it more than two out of five stars. If you are a Calvinist scholar who wishes to apply your theology to your profession, then this book is for you. If you’re anybody else, then I’m sorry to say that it’s... well, not.
In 1976, Gary North organized a team of Christian intellectuals, all of them inspired by the works of Reformed apologist Cornelius Van Til, to write a series of essays applying the basic doctrines of Christianity to multiple “secular” fields. North then compiled those essays into this book: Foundations of Christian Scholarship. The writers contributing to the book were Greg L. Bahnsen (apologetics and philosophy), William Blake (education), John M. Frame (theology), Gary North (economics and sociology), Vern Poythress (mathematics), Lawrence Pratt (political science), Rousas J. Rushdoony (psychology), and C. Gregg Singer (history). With the exception of Pratt – whose essay is the shortest – all of them possessed at least a master’s degree, if not a Ph.D.
This book’s intended audience is made up of “upper division college students,” but its editor also wishes it to be read by “high school seniors, or at the most, college freshmen” (p. vii). However, its essays are all written in a manner that is very hard to read for the average layman. This sadly “scare[s] off the very people who most need it” (idem). This is a shame, as they do contain lots of valuable information for the budding Christian scholar.
If there is no God, then what is the point of learning anything? If there is no ultimate authority above our own minds, then why should we even bother to listen to anybody else? For example, if “history lacks any decisive meaning and any discernible purpose... then why do we teach history?” (p. 53). Secularists cannot answer these questions without contradicting their own presuppositions, as Foundations of Christian Scholarship shows very well.
Because of this, I wish I could give the book a high rating. However, I cannot due to its multiple issues. It is hard to understand, gets quite dated at times – e.g. Pratt’s protests against “forced busing” (pp. 123-24) - and places an overreliance on doctrines that only Calvinists and Presbyterians subscribe to. Frame’s painful redefining of the word “exegesis” (pp. 319-20) should be noted as well, as its sole purpose seems to be to justify Van Til’s lack of Scripture references by equating “translating biblical concepts into philosophic terms” with “translating Greek words into English” (p. 320). As much as I personally enjoyed reading Foundations of Christian Scholarship, all of these strikes against it make it impossible for me to rate it more than two out of five stars. If you are a Calvinist scholar who wishes to apply your theology to your profession, then this book is for you. If you’re anybody else, then I’m sorry to say that it’s... well, not.
September 4, 2008
This book consists of a series of essays by different authors that seek to apply Van Tillian presuppositionalism to myriad topics: e.g., psychology, history, economics, education, political science, sociology, mathematics, apologetics, philosophy, and theology.
The approach here is a more right wing Van Tillianism. More theonomic. And evidence has surfaced placing Van Til at odds with much of where many of his early followers took him. Regardless, the articles stand or fall on their own merit.
As you would expect of a book of this kind, the quality of each essay vary. In particular, the essays by Poythress, Bahnsen, and Frame are the highlights.
Written in the 70's, discussions in all the fields addressed in FCS have obviously advanced. At this stage in my development, this book is most interesting to me for me as a history of ideas. I don't agree with much in here anymore, and what I do is fairly vague and general. Frame's chapter is still the most controversial and interesting chapter, I think. But with the advent of James Anderson's Paradox in Christian Theology, the discussion has advanced far beyond where it's at in this book. The latter being a more preferable approach to the subject of paradox. But no doubt Frame's article was a forerunner in the discussions, and a bold essay at the time. But Frame's chapter is still valuable for its defense of Van Til using quotes that contradict the slanderous charges that he was an irrationalist. I'd add that Poythress's chapter on mathematics still holds a spot in my heart, being fairly useful still.
This book meant more to me back in the day, and so I suppose "cage stage" presuppositionalists would love it. I suppose it's most valuable today for those doing research on the history of reconstructionist type thinking, or mapping the flow of ideas to their present-day forms.
Oh, one more thing: I've bought this book three separate times, all of them have fallen apart on me fairly quickly. The binding is atrocious, that is.
The approach here is a more right wing Van Tillianism. More theonomic. And evidence has surfaced placing Van Til at odds with much of where many of his early followers took him. Regardless, the articles stand or fall on their own merit.
As you would expect of a book of this kind, the quality of each essay vary. In particular, the essays by Poythress, Bahnsen, and Frame are the highlights.
Written in the 70's, discussions in all the fields addressed in FCS have obviously advanced. At this stage in my development, this book is most interesting to me for me as a history of ideas. I don't agree with much in here anymore, and what I do is fairly vague and general. Frame's chapter is still the most controversial and interesting chapter, I think. But with the advent of James Anderson's Paradox in Christian Theology, the discussion has advanced far beyond where it's at in this book. The latter being a more preferable approach to the subject of paradox. But no doubt Frame's article was a forerunner in the discussions, and a bold essay at the time. But Frame's chapter is still valuable for its defense of Van Til using quotes that contradict the slanderous charges that he was an irrationalist. I'd add that Poythress's chapter on mathematics still holds a spot in my heart, being fairly useful still.
This book meant more to me back in the day, and so I suppose "cage stage" presuppositionalists would love it. I suppose it's most valuable today for those doing research on the history of reconstructionist type thinking, or mapping the flow of ideas to their present-day forms.
Oh, one more thing: I've bought this book three separate times, all of them have fallen apart on me fairly quickly. The binding is atrocious, that is.
November 28, 2011
This work was an unofficial festschrift for Cornelius Van Til, edited by Gary North. The story behind this second Festchrift for Van Til is an interesting story in it's own right. The work attempts to put forth the foundation for a Christian approach towards various academic disciplines that is informed from a Christian worldview. I thought Rushdoony's chapter on Psychology was worth while. John Frame contribution to the chapter in theology was also good, as he explores the issue of theology as a system, while also it being more than a system, paradoxes in theology, the inter-relationship of doctrines, etc. Van Til's disciple Greg Bahnsen also contributed to this volume, with a wonderful chapter on apologetics and another on philosophy. His chapter on philosophy discusses the issue and refutes pragmaticism, and Wiggenstein's language game theory of language. Vern Poythress' contribution with the chapter on math is also another excellent chapter in the book, and probably is the beginning work done concerning a distinctively Van Tillian flavor Christian worldview approach towards mathematics. I highly recommend this work, and I think it is a tragedy that this work is out of print. Perhaps an update or a new book that is in the same spirit would be excellent in the near future!
March 3, 2013
Once you've read the Bible, if you have the slightest academic inclination whatsoever, you MUST read this book. This book really brings the reality of biblical authority to the fields addressed therein, and shows demonstratively where and why nontheistic systems fail to adequately explain those fields. The Economics essay demolishes "conservative" economic models (Chicago and Austrian school specifically) as inadequate at their very core. Mathematics quickly dismantles, with a simple counterexample, the idea that religious presuppositions are irrelevant to "1+1=2." I could go on, but the book is a must-read, challenging your cultural baggage on nearly every page, and driving you to the biblical roots of all truth.
January 4, 2010
Excellent reading for the academically minded. The authors are excellent scholars in their respective disciplines and do a great job of explaining the necessity of scripture in all matters of education.
April 29, 2017
Technically, 3.5 stars. Good info and analysis, but written over the heads of anyone except those in the upper end of academia, and even then, only in their respective areas of expertise. Laymen need to be aware of these concepts, but this is not the book to bring them to awareness. This is a tome meant to stupefy all but an extremely small minority. It'll give the highlight to Vern Poythress, who took what I figured would be one of the more technically difficult topics (mathematics) and smashed it out of ye olde ball park. Rushdoony is always reliable, Bahnsen is Bahnsen, and Frame did decently, but North (who edited, in addition to contributing) was the reading equivalent of a root canal. Compared to North, Irenæus reads like a Dick and Jane book (two years later, I still wake up muttering about monads and tetrads and ogdoads).
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews