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Princeton Seminary, Vol. 1: Faith and Learning, 1812-1868
While the history of an institution, it is also a record of thought and action, trends and personalities. Backed by years of careful research, by his own long experience in the training of men for the ministry, David Calhoun has produced a work which must find a permanent place in the Christian literature of the English-speaking world.
495 pages, Hardcover
First published October 1, 1994
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About the author
David B. Calhoun
23 books10 followersDavid B. Calhoun is Emeritus Professor of Church History at Covenant Theological Seminary, St Louis, Missouri. He has taught at Covenant College and Columbia Bible College (now Columbia International University) and served as principal of Jamaica Bible College. Prior to his appointment to Covenant Seminary in 1978, he was the overseas director of Ministries in Action.
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
June 28, 2024
This is much more than the history of an institution. It contains biography, theology, key events, and many fascinating anecdotes. Calhoun tells the story of how the early revivals among the Presbyterians in America laid the foundation for one of the strongest missionary sending institutions of the 19th century. Much to learn from in this volume.
May 16, 2019
Very good. One of my favorite parts was this little gem:
“Ten-year-old Archibald and his [younger] sister Mary Elizabeth gave a letter on June 23, 1833, to Princeton Seminary graduate James R. Eckard, who was soon to sail for Ceylon. Addressed to the ‘heathen,’ it read:
'Dear heathen: The Lord Jesus Christ hath promised that the time shall come when all the ends of the earth shall be His kingdom. And God is not a man that He should lie nor the son of man that He should repent. And if this was promised by a Being who cannot life, why do you not help it to come sooner by reading the Bible, and attending to the words of your teachers, and loving God, and, renouncing your idols, take Christianity into your temples? And soon there will be not a Nation, no, not a space of ground as large as a footstep, that will want a missionary. My sister and myself have, by small self-denials, procured two dollars which are enclosed in this letter to buy tracts and Bibles to teach you. Archibald Alexander Hodge and Mary Eliz. Hodge, Friends of the Heathen.'” (p. 193)
“Ten-year-old Archibald and his [younger] sister Mary Elizabeth gave a letter on June 23, 1833, to Princeton Seminary graduate James R. Eckard, who was soon to sail for Ceylon. Addressed to the ‘heathen,’ it read:
'Dear heathen: The Lord Jesus Christ hath promised that the time shall come when all the ends of the earth shall be His kingdom. And God is not a man that He should lie nor the son of man that He should repent. And if this was promised by a Being who cannot life, why do you not help it to come sooner by reading the Bible, and attending to the words of your teachers, and loving God, and, renouncing your idols, take Christianity into your temples? And soon there will be not a Nation, no, not a space of ground as large as a footstep, that will want a missionary. My sister and myself have, by small self-denials, procured two dollars which are enclosed in this letter to buy tracts and Bibles to teach you. Archibald Alexander Hodge and Mary Eliz. Hodge, Friends of the Heathen.'” (p. 193)
July 31, 2025
4.75. This book is phenomenal. It is an impressive historical survey while also being an engaging and heart stirring read.
It is much more than an institutional history. It touches on biographies, American religion, and American Presbyterian history. My minor critique is that it was pretty hagiographical of the Alexanders, Miller, and Hodge.
It is much more than an institutional history. It touches on biographies, American religion, and American Presbyterian history. My minor critique is that it was pretty hagiographical of the Alexanders, Miller, and Hodge.
July 27, 2020
It might seem like a narrow concern to read about the history of one Princeton seminary, until you learn that there were more members of the drafting committee for the constitution of the United States from Princeton than there were from Harvard, Yale, Columbia and Pennsylvania combined (p.16). Among Princeton’s early graduates were one president, a vice president, 21 senators, three Supreme Court justices, and 12 state governors. This indeed was an impressive institution.
David Calhoun’s book focuses mostly on the history of Princeton seminary, founded in 1812 and which is different than Princeton College. The Seminary was committed to training Presbyterian ministers of the gospel who were firmly committed to the doctrine of the Westminster confession of faith, as well as to the glorious task of foreign missions (ch.8). Under the influence of godly and extraordinarily gifted men like Archibald Alexander, Samuel Miller, and Charles Hodge, Princeton graduates were not just theologians, but men committed to piety, humility, revival and evangelism. The seminary earned such a reputation that two men walked from Tennessee to New Jersey to become students (p. 165).
I think I was most moved by the story of Addison Alexander, Archibald’s son, who mastered Latin, Greek and Hebrew by age 10 (p. 198), eventually memorized the Psalms in Hebrew and English, as well as the books of Romans and Hebrews in Greek and English (p.202), and yet was described upon his death in 1850 as “free of vanity” (p.382) and a man not exceeded in his “childlike faith” (p.381).
Also, Charles Hodge spent two years studying in Europe under the foremost Biblical scholars of the day (who were also the Bible’s fiercest critics), in order to refine his skills in the biblical languages and exegesis. He was warned that this might cause him to fall into skepticism and spiritual coldness, but he returned back to the seminary “unmoved theologically.” (p.123). In other words, even under the most withering Biblical criticism, he remained firmly committed to reformed evangelical doctrine. “When men forsake the word of God, and profess to be wise above that which is written, they inevitably and universally lose themselves in vain speculations.” (p.124).
The Princeton leaders always sought healthy balance, rejecting (in the words of Samuel Miller) “absolute uniformity in the mode of explaining every minute detail of truth,” and also rejecting the acceptance of “all sorts of unscriptural opinion,” under the guise that at least it’s not heresy. (p.244).
Also fascinating were discussions of how the Princeton faculty dealt with theological controversy (Old School vs. New School, ch. 11) and the way slavery divided students from the north and south as the Civil War approached (ch.15 and 19). Showing how complex the slavery issue was at that time, Calhoun writes, “Hodge and the Princetonians abhorred the evils of slavery, deplored the agitation of the abolitionists, avoided condemnation of slaveowners, and aimed at peaceful emancipation.” (p. 326). Princeton took a more “gradualist” approach to slavery, resisting radical measures and looking for the Gospel to change hearts in order to “carefully nudge society in a more just direction.” But Princeton could have done more, Calhoun writes, saying its response to slavery was “timid, conventional and unremarkable.” (p.328).
The above comment notwithstanding, it could probably be said that the book leans toward hagiography on occasion, but there is much inspiration here from the lives of these extraordinary church leaders, and I greatly look forward to reading volume 2 soon.
David Calhoun’s book focuses mostly on the history of Princeton seminary, founded in 1812 and which is different than Princeton College. The Seminary was committed to training Presbyterian ministers of the gospel who were firmly committed to the doctrine of the Westminster confession of faith, as well as to the glorious task of foreign missions (ch.8). Under the influence of godly and extraordinarily gifted men like Archibald Alexander, Samuel Miller, and Charles Hodge, Princeton graduates were not just theologians, but men committed to piety, humility, revival and evangelism. The seminary earned such a reputation that two men walked from Tennessee to New Jersey to become students (p. 165).
I think I was most moved by the story of Addison Alexander, Archibald’s son, who mastered Latin, Greek and Hebrew by age 10 (p. 198), eventually memorized the Psalms in Hebrew and English, as well as the books of Romans and Hebrews in Greek and English (p.202), and yet was described upon his death in 1850 as “free of vanity” (p.382) and a man not exceeded in his “childlike faith” (p.381).
Also, Charles Hodge spent two years studying in Europe under the foremost Biblical scholars of the day (who were also the Bible’s fiercest critics), in order to refine his skills in the biblical languages and exegesis. He was warned that this might cause him to fall into skepticism and spiritual coldness, but he returned back to the seminary “unmoved theologically.” (p.123). In other words, even under the most withering Biblical criticism, he remained firmly committed to reformed evangelical doctrine. “When men forsake the word of God, and profess to be wise above that which is written, they inevitably and universally lose themselves in vain speculations.” (p.124).
The Princeton leaders always sought healthy balance, rejecting (in the words of Samuel Miller) “absolute uniformity in the mode of explaining every minute detail of truth,” and also rejecting the acceptance of “all sorts of unscriptural opinion,” under the guise that at least it’s not heresy. (p.244).
Also fascinating were discussions of how the Princeton faculty dealt with theological controversy (Old School vs. New School, ch. 11) and the way slavery divided students from the north and south as the Civil War approached (ch.15 and 19). Showing how complex the slavery issue was at that time, Calhoun writes, “Hodge and the Princetonians abhorred the evils of slavery, deplored the agitation of the abolitionists, avoided condemnation of slaveowners, and aimed at peaceful emancipation.” (p. 326). Princeton took a more “gradualist” approach to slavery, resisting radical measures and looking for the Gospel to change hearts in order to “carefully nudge society in a more just direction.” But Princeton could have done more, Calhoun writes, saying its response to slavery was “timid, conventional and unremarkable.” (p.328).
The above comment notwithstanding, it could probably be said that the book leans toward hagiography on occasion, but there is much inspiration here from the lives of these extraordinary church leaders, and I greatly look forward to reading volume 2 soon.
January 18, 2016
This 2-volume set by David Calhoun is an excellent introduction to Princeton Seminary and American Presbyterian history. The set begins with the Jonathan Edwards era, and ends with the demise of the orthodox stance of Princeton Seminary (and the subsequent beginnings of Westminster Seminary) in the tumultuous 1930's. Easy to read, very informative, highly recommended!
June 4, 2024
You might think this book would be a boring institutional history or that it doesn’t apply to you or that it won’t make any practical difference in your life. Those assumptions would be wrong. Get to know the Princetonians and see how they continue to influence American culture and, especially, robust and warm American Presbyterianism today.
January 7, 2025
The best books often surprise you. I entered curious. I exited fascinated.
July 19, 2013
So far, I am loving this book! It is both an excellent book using critical historical methods, yet features great profiles of some of America's greatest theologians that make you pant for the glory of God. A nice element so far in this account, is the emphasis on the importance of preaching in the local congregation. Not done, but I cannot wait to finish this book.
July 28, 2012
An outstanding and incredibly inspiring book about Princeton Seminary from the days when its faculty and students believed the Bible. Very well written!
August 10, 2016
Very well-written and a very good look at some of the early men of Princeton.
December 1, 2015
A bit dry, but an excellent history of Princeton Seminary. It reads like a history of Presbyterianism in America because Princeton was such a central figure.
August 18, 2016
Fun read. Some really inspiring men here. Amazing to see the influence this small school held for so long.
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews