Reformed orthodoxy and philosophy, 1625-1750 : Gisbertus Voetius, Petrus van Mastricht, and Anthonius Driessen / by Aza Goudriaan.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Goudriaan, Aza.

Series:

Brill's series in church history ; d. 26.

Brill's series in church history, 1572-4107 ; v. 26

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Reformed Church--Doctrines.

Reformed Church.

Theology.

Voet, Gijsbert, 1589-1676.

Voet, Gijsbert.

Mastricht, Peter van, 1630-1706.

Mastricht, Peter van.

Driessen, Anthonius, 1684-1748.

Driessen, Anthonius.

Physical Description:

xi, 391 pages ; 25 cm.

Place of Publication:

Leiden ; Boston : Brill, 2006.

Summary:

This book examines the thinking of several Reformed theologians on theological issues that are, historically or by content, related to philosophy. Three Dutch authors from successive generations are considered in particular: Gisbertus Voetius (1589-1676), Petrus van Mastricht (1630-1706), and Anthonius Driessen (1684-1748). A diversity of issues in Christian doctrine is discussed. These include the relationship between theology and philosophy, creation, Divine providence, the human being, and Divine and natural law. By reconstructing the views of these three theologians, this book highlights similarities and differences within Reformed orthodoxy, both in doctrine and in relation to philosophy. The changes that thus become visible also suggest that biblical Christianity outlives the philosophical apparatus by whose assistance it is explained.

Contents:

1 Reformed Orthodoxy and Philosophy 1

2 Dutch Reformed Theology and Its Broader Significance 5

3 Gisbertus Voetius (1589-1676) 7

4 Petrus van Mastricht (1630-1706) 14

5 Anthonius Driessen (1684-1748) 20

6 Selected Theological Issues 27

Chapter 1 Holy Scripture, Human Reason, and Natural Theology 29

2 Voetius's Appreciation of Philosophy 29

2.1 Christian Aristotelianism in Support of Theology 29

2.2 Faith, Reason, and the Authority of Scripture 36

3 Van Mastricht's anti-Cartesian Eclecticism 54

4 Driessen's Reason: Proving Scripture's Divinity and Illuminated by Scripture 65

5 Natural Theology and Proofs for God's Existence 74

Chapter 2 Creation, Mosaic Physics, Copernicanism, and Divine Accommodation 85

2 Philosophy and Creation from Nothing 86

3 Issues in Mosaic Physics: Creation in Six Days, Substantial Forms, and Copernicanism 104

3.1 Creation in Six Days 105

3.2 Substantial Forms 113

3.3 Copernicanism 125

4 Theories of Accommodation 133

Chapter 3 The Providence of God, Secondary Causality, and Related Topics 143

2 The Relation Between the First Cause and Secondary Causes 145

2.1 Voetius on Divine Predetermination, Secondary Causality, and Contingency 145

2.2 Van Mastricht: Defending the Priority of the First Cause 155

2.3 Driessen's Insistence on Real Secondary Causality 160

3 Freedom of the Human Will: Reservations and Defence 173

3.1 Voetius 174

3.2 Van Mastricht 179

3.3 Driessen 182

4 Divine Providence and Human Sinful Acts 188

5 Miracles: Reservations and Defence 197

6 Divine Providence and the View of History 212

6.1 Providence in History 212

6.2 History and Progress 217

6.3 The Future of the Church 226

Chapter 4 The Human Being: His Soul and Body, Special Status, and Conscience 233

2 The Relationship between Soul and Body, and the Immortality of the Soul 234

2.1 Voetius's Hylemorphist View of the Relationship between Soul and Body 234

2.2 Van Mastricht's Hylemorphist Opposition to Cartesian Dualism 243

2.3 Driessen's Dualistic Defense of Soul-Body Interaction and of the Soul's Immortality 249

3 The Image of God 259

4 The Special Status of Man 266

5 The Definition of Human Conscience and the Issue of Synderesis 270

5.1 Voetius 270

5.2 Van Mastricht 275

5.3 Driessen 277

6 Liberty of Conscience 282

Chapter 5 Divine and Natural Law: Theological and Political Aspects 287

1 Introduction: Two Questions 287

2 Theological Conceptions of Divine and Natural Law 288

3 Law, Politics and the Issue of Toleration 305

Differences in Philosophical Alignments and in Theology 325

Development and Identity 327

The Priority of Christian Doctrine 329

1 Manuscripts 333

2 Driessen, Van Mastricht and Voetius: Original Texts 333

3 Van Mastricht and Voetius: Modern Translations or Editions 342

1 Reference Works 355

2 Other Secondary Works 357.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references (pages [333]-382) and index.

ISBN:

9004154981

9789004154988

OCLC:

71210312

Publisher Number:

9789004154988