Amandus Polanus (1561–1610) was a theologian and Professor of Old Testament in Basel. He produced one of the most important systematic theologies of the early orthodox period. It has never been translated into English. There is, however, a publisher willing to take on this task if students of Reformed theology are sufficiently interested. They are using the old-school subscription method to get this project going. The more of us who buy this in pre-publication the sooner the publisher will be able to fund the translation and publish the project. Pre-order an English translation of Amandus Polanus, A System of Christian Theology (1609). The publisher pays a translator a few pennies per Latin word but this is a large work and it will cost a little get this translated. If you value Classic Reformed Theology, you will want to read this important text. Logos.com says,
In a crucial period after the Reformation, when Reformed orthodoxy was vibrant and pristine, the great dogmatician Amandus Polanus brought the Reformers’ writings and thoughts together into one comprehensive work: the Syntagma Theologiae Christianae. Translated into English for the first time by Lexham Press, A System of Christian Theology presents Polanus’ Syntagma to the English-speaking world. A treasure trove of insight, comparable in scope to Berkouwer’s massive Studies in Dogmatics, no serious student of Reformed theology should be without this text.
Polanus, taking his place alongside such figures of doctrinal importance as William Ames, Francis Turretin, and William Perkins, created this comprehensive synthesis to defend Reformed orthodoxy from attack by the Roman Catholic Counter-Reformation—especially the polemics of Jesuit cardinal Robert Bellarmine.
The Syntagma has influenced the giants of the Reformed tradition, like John Owen, Charles Hodge, and B. B. Warfield, and was consistently relied upon by such theologians as Herman Bavinck and Karl Barth. In his Post-Reformation Reformed Dogmatics, Richard A. Muller cites and refers to Polanus and the Syntagma nearly 600 times to illustrate classic Reformed orthodoxy. An invaluable resource for scholars, pastors, students, and interested lay-people, the Syntagma is the chief representative of Reformed orthodoxy in the generation following the Reformation, coming at last in English as A System of Christian Theology.
…Lexham Press is pleased to announce the first ever English translation of Amandus Polanus’ Syntagma Theologiae Christianae, or, A System of Christian Theology. Using the Pre-Pub Process for this project allows us to invest in translating Syntagma Theologiae Christianae, in proportion to community demand. With Pre-Pub, books that have hitherto only been available to specialists will soon be accessible to everyone. As the scope of the project becomes clearer (for example, once we announce the translator and begin production), the price may increase. That means users who pre-order right away will get the best price.
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See the table of contents with an introduction here.
Wes Bredenhof has translated the Synopsis of the System:
An English translation of Polanus, A Treatise on God’s Eternal Predestination (HT: Inwoo Lee).
See the Latin text here.
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R. Scott Clark
R.Scott Clark is the President of the Heidelberg Reformation Association, the author and editor of, and contributor to several books and the author of many articles. He has taught church history and historical theology since 1997 at Westminster Seminary California. He has also taught at Wheaton College, Reformed Theological Seminary, and Concordia University. He has hosted the Heidelblog since 2007.
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