Following up on his 2021 work The Failure of Natural Theology, which served as a clarion call to abandon the retrieval movement and return to a more biblical view of natural theology and Christian theism, Jeffrey Johnson has published another work towards this end. In The Revealed God: An Introduction to Biblical Classical Theism, Johnson aims to provide readers with a truly biblical theology proper, one devoid of pagan philosophy which informs rival models of God. As Johnson states, the objective of his work is “to build a case for Biblical Classical Theism in opposition to all other philosophical models of God, with a special focus on its contrast to Philosophical Classical Theism” (25). Within this book, Johnson takes on what he sees as unbiblical philosophical articulations that have crept into Christian thought, while employing a number of eminent reformed theologians in his efforts, such as John Calvin, John Owen, Herman Bavinck, and others.

Johnson covers a number of topics in the book, and a single review cannot cover everything. Therefore, in this first part of the review, I want to focus on some of the erroneous historical claims that Johnson makes in defense of his thesis. Johnson is a confessionally reformed Baptist. He claims that both Calvin and some Westminster divines rejected the “identity” account of divine simplicity (173). Thus, if Johnson can prove that there is precedent for his position in the reformed and confessional tradition over against what he calls the philosophical classical model of God, then that would go a long way in proving his thesis and putting concerns from the classical theism crowd to bed. Unfortunately, this is not what Johnson is able to accomplish.

Read more»

Derrick Brite | “Review of Johnson’s The Revealed God” | April 22, 2024

RESOURCES

• Subscribe To The Heidelblog!
• The Heidelblog Resource Page
• Heidelmedia Resources
• The Ecumenical Creeds
• The Reformed Confessions
• The Heidelberg Catechism
• Recovering the Reformed Confession (Phillipsburg: P&R Publishing, 2008)
• Why I Am A Christian
• What Must A Christian Believe?
• Heidelblog Contributors
• Support Heidelmedia: use the donate button or send a check to

Heidelberg Reformation Association
1637 E. Valley Parkway #391
Escondido CA 92027
USA
The HRA is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization

Post authored by:

• Heidelblog

  

  The Heidelblog has been in publication since 2007. It is devoted to recovering the Reformed confession and to helping others discover Reformed theology, piety, and practice.

  More by Heidelblog ›