25 comments

1. Paul.

   • The Holy Spirit.

2. Berkhof compares Burmannus and Witsius and states that Burmannus is the superior. He references Petrus Burmannus’ Synopsis Theologiae. Any info or conventional wisdom on him?

   • I haven’t read enough Burman to comment. I’ve read a fair bit of Witsius, however, and I’m a little skeptical about Berkhof’s claim. Frans Burman had two or three sons, of which Pieter was apparently one. I would start with Muller’s Post-Reformation Reformed Dogmatics and go from there.

3. I’ve recently bought an ebook edition of Berkhof’s Systematic Theology and am reminded how valuable his work is. He gets waved off, I think in a little too loose fashion, as a sort of Cliff Notes to Bavinck (J. I. Packer unwittingly, I think, started that unfortunate trend when he compared the two as Bavinck being the mountain range, and Berkhof the foothills.) Biblical truth is truth, and Berkhof presents it so practically and concisely and clearly.

4. Favorite departed saint theologian: Martin Luther
   Favorite biblical theology (theologian): Graeme Goldsworthy
   Favorite departed saint systematic theologian: Herman Bavinck
   Favorite living systematic theology theologian: Michael Horton
   Favorite Old Testament theologian: Bruce Waltke
   Favorite New Testament theologian: G. K. Beale
   Favorite seminary for systematic theology: Westminster California
   Favorite seminary for biblical theology: Moore College in Sydney, Aus
   Favorite Lutheran theologian: Arthur Just

   • Voetius’ works are hard to come by translated. I have suffered through the Latin, which is worth it in the end. Also, a number of Scholars have translated portions (like Van Asselt and Goudriaan) among others. If a Latin scholar would undertake the work of translating Voetius into English I think it would be a huge boon for reformed thought. Voetius’ arguments with Descrates are the most valuable in my estimation.

5. Yes. I have read all the way through as well as am continuing to read presently. I read the translation that Instituut voor Reformatieonderzoek Apeldoorn put out. “Scholastic Discourse: Johannes Maccovius (1588-1644) on Theological and Philosophical Distinctions and Rules” I had to shell out around $55 for it and I made an ordering error and managed to buy two of them. I instantly thought to give the other copy to the person that introduced me to Scholasticism, Rev. Miller (currently serving at Bellingham, URC in Wa.). When I gave it to him, he sort of happily pulled me aside and asked, “Where did you get this?” and I laughingly told him, “A drug dealer.”

   • Owen, Calvin, Turretin, and berkhof

   • Well done. We have it. Need to get to it. Thanks.

6. Jan Makowsky
   AKA:
   Johannes Maccovius

   • Ah, Thank you. Are you now or have you ever read him? Where?

7. Turretin, Bavinck, Vos, Hodge

8. Jan Makowsky. William Ames. Francis Turretin. Thomas Aquinas. John Calvin. I am not sure so much about order.

   • Jan Makowsky?

   • Jan Makowsky
     AKA:
     Johannes Maccovius

9. Gerhard Forde.

10. Is this translation and abridgement a version the work you refer to: http://archive.org/details/abridgmentofchri00woll ? If so, do you have any idea if it worth reading, or do we need to learn Latin? (A few quick internet searches didn’t turn up any other readily available English translations of his work, but I would be happy to be corrected.)

    • The best way to read the Compendium is via Beardslee’s English translation, which is in his Reformed Dogmatics.

      Not sure about the other. On the run but will try to check it out

    • Thank you – I came across Beardslee’s Reformed Dogmatics on puritan board, but it doesn’t seem to be available at prices that wouldn’t disrupt marital bliss!

    • Does that have his compendium?

      • If by “that” you mean Beardslee, yes

11. 1) Martin Luther 2) Hermann Bavinck 3) Gerhard Forde 4) Mike Horton 5) Philip Hughes

12. Voetius, by far!

    • He is very good! Are you able to read him? Where? How?

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