Reformed Theology in America: A History of Its Modern Development

by David F. Wells (Editor)

Modern Reformed Theology in America has shown astonishing variety in its expression. Grouped under the name “Reformed” are, in fact, five diverse traditions — the Princeton theology, Westminster Calvinism, the Dutch schools, Southern Reformed thought, and Neoorthodoxy. This book provides penetrating analysis of these five traditions and the two leading theologians of each. The result is an important advance in our understanding of what being Reformed has meant and what it should now mean in the late twentieth century.

Genres: History, Theology, Church History, American History, Christianity, Religion, Church

336 pages, Paperback

First published November 1, 1985

About the author

David F. Wells (PhD, University of Manchester) is the Distinguished Senior Research Professor at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary.

In addition to serving as academic dean of its Charlotte campus, Wells has also been a member of the Lausanne Committee for World Evangelization and is involved in ministry in Africa.

He is the author of numerous articles and books, including a series that was initiated by a Pew grant exploring the nature of Christian faith in the contemporary, modernized world.

Reviews

[Jeremy]

Keller uses Marsden's terminology.

[David Goetz · Rating 3 out of 5]

A very valuable book, though the essays are of course uneven in quality. Each section contains three chapters--one that introduces a particular "school" of Reformed theology in America with its history and theological distinctives, and two that discuss particular figures essential to that school. So you have Princeton (with Hodge and Warfield), Westminster (with Machen and Van Til), the Dutch school (with Berkhof and Dooyeweerd), Southern theology (with Dabney and Thornwell), and neo-orthodoxy (with the Niebuhr brothers).

In my judgment, the best chapters were on Hodge (the author did a good job of situating Hodge's theology historically), Van Til (his presuppositionalism is clearly delineated vis-a-vis the evidentialism of the Princeton school and demonstrated to be rooted in Van Til's Reformed theology), Southern theology in general (Morton Smith, a superb writer, gives careful and loving exposition of a part of Reformed theology's history in America that many of us are inclined to overlook), and neo-orthodoxy in general (a careful evaluation of the movement, its provenance, its weaknesses, and the reasons for its rapid disappearance). The only chapters I disliked were the intro to the Dutch school and the essay on Reinhold Niebuhr, both of which were painfully overwrought.

[Matthew Garringer · Rating 3 out of 5]

As with any collection of essays, some are better than others. The first three sections on Princeton, Westminster, and the Dutch are consistently good. The essays on Neoorthodoxy are a bit uneven, but I learned a lot and enjoyed reading them.

What brought down the book were the essays on “The Southern Tradition.” In two of these three essays the phrase “War Between the States” was used rather than Civil War. One essayist went as far as to say that the Civil War was caused by many “complicated factors” and tried to pin the issue of slavery on the Union rather than the Confederacy.

The essays on Southern Theologians (Dabney and Thornwell) are inadequate because of how their racism and vigorous defense of slavery is either brushed aside or not even addressed. A more critical view of their theologies needs be seen through the lens of white supremacy. Dabney’s view on Southern slavery is compartmentalized to the point when it can be conveniently stepped aside. I believe that to understand Dabney (and Southern Presbyterian theology writ large), we need to understand how his views on slavery and black people shaped his other convictions.

[Daniel · Rating 3 out of 5]

Mark Noll's essay on the Princeton Theology is outstanding; the chapters on R. L. Dabney and Louis Berkhof are also pretty good. The one on J. H. Thornwell is not bad but is too short. The rest of the chapters are nothing to write home about.

[Adam T. Calvert · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was truly helpful. If you're looking for a history of Reformed thought in America (who isn't ;o), then this book is for you.

Tracing five different streams of Reformed thought in America, the book devotes a chapter on the particular stream of reformed theology itself, and then two chapters after that on two different leader/advocates of that thought in its historical development in America.

The five streams that it traces are:
-The Princeton Theology
-The Westminster School
-The Dutch Schools
-The Southern Tradition
-Neoorthodoxy

And yes, if you're anything like me you're thinking "Neoorthodoxy?" But interestingly, despite its low regard for the Bible in terms of canon and criticism, it's included because it has its roots in a reformed view of life (total depravity, sovereignty of God, etc.).

It was very interesting to see how the world in America has been shaped by Reformed thought, and conversely how the world in America has shaped Reformed thought in America (whether for good or bad).

Besides the wonderful content, another aspect that made the book enjoyable was that there was a different author/contributor for each chapter. So you get more exposure to some great minds as well as a variety of style and ability.

The book ended with a sobering cry to continue to fight the good fight with a great article by James Montgomery Boice.

[Chris Comis · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a great overview of the three main contenders for the Reformed tradition in America: the Princeton Presbyterians, the Dutch Kuyperians, and the Southern Presbyterians. It really was pretty amazing to see all the differences and similarities between these groups. I'm wondering if the newly formed CREC is the melting pot of all three of these Reformed branches. Considering many of our distinctives, it would make sense.

[Jacob Aitken · Rating 4 out of 5]

Some sections were better than others. Douglas Kelly's chapter on Dabney was the best in the book. He showed the true Christian heroism of Dabney (largely negated in the American Reformed world) and urges us all to live up to Dabney's standards.

The chapter on Van Til was fun, even if I am no longer a Van Tillian.

Hoffecker has a good chapter on Princeton.

[Peter · Rating 3 out of 5]

- Interesting overview of different branches of reformed thought in America. As expected, certain essays are better written than others.

[JonM · Rating 4 out of 5]

Helpful summary