OBSERVATIONS Conclusions A threefold cord of evidence has been adduced to demonstrate the thesis ... more OBSERVATIONS Conclusions A threefold cord of evidence has been adduced to demonstrate the thesis that Owen deliberately battled a theological opponent largely unnoticed by earlier Owen scholars, Seventeenth-Century antinomians. The first strand of evidence consists of his contemporary observations, expressed in several treatises, bemoaning widespread prevalence of doctrinal and practical antinomianism. The second and most conclusive strand of evidence is his express identification in Pneumatologia (1674) of a major theological opponent called " enthusiasm, " a term broad enough to encompass the peculiarities of antinomian thought. 1 There Owen pointed out two distinctives of antinomian theology: willingness to accept divine guidance from irrational impulses and belief in new and direct revelation. The third strand of evidence comes from reconstructing the identity of Owen's theological adversaries by analyzing the coherence of his arguments given his opponents' theological divergence and convergence. Clear theological divergence was reflected in their varied approaches to the role of reason. Owen straddled a tightrope between them by insisting on the necessity of 288
Owen parted company with antinomian theology in his great emphasis on the importance and indispen... more Owen parted company with antinomian theology in his great emphasis on the importance and indispensable necessity of sanctification and obedience. Contrasts abound between Owen and SeventeenthCentury antinomians:
The seventeenth century antinomian concept of regeneration involved three key denials. The first ... more The seventeenth century antinomian concept of regeneration involved three key denials. The first denial stemmed from essentialism, the view that regeneration implanted the divine essence itself. The negative corollary of this view was the antinomian denial that regeneration implanted created graces in the convert. The second denial, based on irrationalism, took the form of antinomian insistence that regeneration bypassed human rational faculties. The third key denial was the antinomian claim that regeneration had nothing to do with the renewal of the faculties of understanding, will, and heart. The New England Antinomian Controversy also put the antinomian understanding of regeneration on display. The list of 82 antinomian errors compiled by the Newtown Synod dealt largely with regeneration. Error 1 claimed that conversion, far from restoring them, actually destroyed the human faculties, while Errors 14 and 15 averred that because Christ works in the regenerate as if the latter were dead; therefore graces reside only in Christ and not in Christians
A highly distinctive feature of Owen's soteriology is the intricate and indissoluble bond of grac... more A highly distinctive feature of Owen's soteriology is the intricate and indissoluble bond of grace and duty. Exhibiting the dialectical balance of Puritan theology, Owen's soteriology reconciles seeming opposites: in God's method of grace, grace is actualized through duty, faith works through obedience, and holy boldness in worship coexists with reverential fear of God. 1 Many early English Reformers who influenced Puritan theology "found it hard to believe that, if consciences were consoled and reoriented through the grant of forgiveness, spontaneous love and gratitude would take over and morality in effect would take care of itself." 2 Their skepticism led to two related theological emphases among the English Puritans: "preparationist" teaching and the forging of the bond of grace and duty in covenant theology. Regarding early covenant theology in the English Refomed tradition, Bozeman writes, "Freely lavished grace was at its core, and its notion of a divinely guaranteed pact provided a firm basis for assurance. But its fuller work was to link and 1 Owen distinguished, in common with other Reformed theologians between, actual grace, which did not preexist its exercise in Christian duty, and habitual grace, which resides in the Christian and makes him "meet" or suitable for the exercise of Christian duty. See Works, 2:172, 200201, 206. 2 Bozeman, The Precisianist Strain, 21. 80 coordinate sola fides with duty." 3 In antinomian theology, by contrast, any linkage between grace and duty was weak and tenuous. Eaton, for example, thought that Christian morality would flow automatically from the new creature. 4 Mainstream Puritan theologians strongly disagreed with the essentialism and hypersupernaturalism presupposed by his view. Instead, they believed that grace perfects nature and works through the renewal of human faculties created by God. Packer comments on this emphasis which the Puritans took over from the Reformers.
16161683), pastor, preacher to Parliament, chaplain to Oliver Cromwell, and ViceChancellor of Oxf... more 16161683), pastor, preacher to Parliament, chaplain to Oliver Cromwell, and ViceChancellor of Oxford University, is widely regarded as the greatest British theologian of all time, though his name recognition today among evangelical Christians falls far short of what he deserves. While his theological works, ultimately comprising 24 volumes in William Good's edition of 185053, exerted considerable influence in British and American church circles for roughly a century and three quarters following his death, their nineteenthcentury shift from Reformed theology to Arminianism and even liberalism diminished his influence and effectively consigned his massive corpus of divinity, including his magisterial theology of the Holy Spirit, to the dust heap. This regrettable state of affairs began to change, however, with the renewed interest in Reformed theology in Englishspeaking countries that came about initially through the ministries of Dr. Martyn LloydJones (
, the greatest biblical, systematic and spiritual theologian among the Puritans, named and profil... more , the greatest biblical, systematic and spiritual theologian among the Puritans, named and profiled the people he wrote against as little as he well could. He was an expert controversialist when he had to be, but clearly he thought that solid exposition of biblical truth on each topic, elbowing error aside as he came to it and then leaving it behind, was under ordinary circumstances the most God-honoring and reader-edifying path to follow. That explains how it has been possible until now, amid the renaissance of Owen studies that recent years have seen, to miss the fact that the distorted version of Reformed Christianity that was then called Antinomianism was one of the targets at which Owen aimed his arrows when he wrote on the Christian life. The present volume, however,goes far to fill this gap in our understanding of Owen's agenda. Philip Craig's analysis shows very clearly what was at issue here, and how completely and crushingly, without naming names, Owen outflanks and undercuts this widespread Puritan form of easy-believism. It is a thorough, painstaking and definitive piece of work that carries more of a message for the church of our time than doctoral theses usually do. The link between grace and duty that Owen spells out with such consistency is the characteristic Puritan understanding of the Reformed conjunction of Word and Spirit as the twofold means whereby God imparts to sinful human beings the new life of knowing, serving and glorifying himself through the mediatorial ministry of Jesus Christ our Lord. Dr. Craig's elucidation of this central motif in Owen's thinking lets the great Puritan speak across the
Scholars have recognized that John Owen (16161683) targeted clearly identified opponents: Arminia... more Scholars have recognized that John Owen (16161683) targeted clearly identified opponents: Arminians, Socinians, Roman Catholics, Anglican formalists, and
OBSERVATIONS Conclusions A threefold cord of evidence has been adduced to demonstrate the thesis ... more OBSERVATIONS Conclusions A threefold cord of evidence has been adduced to demonstrate the thesis that Owen deliberately battled a theological opponent largely unnoticed by earlier Owen scholars, Seventeenth-Century antinomians. The first strand of evidence consists of his contemporary observations, expressed in several treatises, bemoaning widespread prevalence of doctrinal and practical antinomianism. The second and most conclusive strand of evidence is his express identification in Pneumatologia (1674) of a major theological opponent called " enthusiasm, " a term broad enough to encompass the peculiarities of antinomian thought. 1 There Owen pointed out two distinctives of antinomian theology: willingness to accept divine guidance from irrational impulses and belief in new and direct revelation. The third strand of evidence comes from reconstructing the identity of Owen's theological adversaries by analyzing the coherence of his arguments given his opponents' theological divergence and convergence. Clear theological divergence was reflected in their varied approaches to the role of reason. Owen straddled a tightrope between them by insisting on the necessity of 288
Owen parted company with antinomian theology in his great emphasis on the importance and indispen... more Owen parted company with antinomian theology in his great emphasis on the importance and indispensable necessity of sanctification and obedience. Contrasts abound between Owen and SeventeenthCentury antinomians:
The seventeenth century antinomian concept of regeneration involved three key denials. The first ... more The seventeenth century antinomian concept of regeneration involved three key denials. The first denial stemmed from essentialism, the view that regeneration implanted the divine essence itself. The negative corollary of this view was the antinomian denial that regeneration implanted created graces in the convert. The second denial, based on irrationalism, took the form of antinomian insistence that regeneration bypassed human rational faculties. The third key denial was the antinomian claim that regeneration had nothing to do with the renewal of the faculties of understanding, will, and heart. The New England Antinomian Controversy also put the antinomian understanding of regeneration on display. The list of 82 antinomian errors compiled by the Newtown Synod dealt largely with regeneration. Error 1 claimed that conversion, far from restoring them, actually destroyed the human faculties, while Errors 14 and 15 averred that because Christ works in the regenerate as if the latter were dead; therefore graces reside only in Christ and not in Christians
A highly distinctive feature of Owen's soteriology is the intricate and indissoluble bond of grac... more A highly distinctive feature of Owen's soteriology is the intricate and indissoluble bond of grace and duty. Exhibiting the dialectical balance of Puritan theology, Owen's soteriology reconciles seeming opposites: in God's method of grace, grace is actualized through duty, faith works through obedience, and holy boldness in worship coexists with reverential fear of God. 1 Many early English Reformers who influenced Puritan theology "found it hard to believe that, if consciences were consoled and reoriented through the grant of forgiveness, spontaneous love and gratitude would take over and morality in effect would take care of itself." 2 Their skepticism led to two related theological emphases among the English Puritans: "preparationist" teaching and the forging of the bond of grace and duty in covenant theology. Regarding early covenant theology in the English Refomed tradition, Bozeman writes, "Freely lavished grace was at its core, and its notion of a divinely guaranteed pact provided a firm basis for assurance. But its fuller work was to link and 1 Owen distinguished, in common with other Reformed theologians between, actual grace, which did not preexist its exercise in Christian duty, and habitual grace, which resides in the Christian and makes him "meet" or suitable for the exercise of Christian duty. See Works, 2:172, 200201, 206. 2 Bozeman, The Precisianist Strain, 21. 80 coordinate sola fides with duty." 3 In antinomian theology, by contrast, any linkage between grace and duty was weak and tenuous. Eaton, for example, thought that Christian morality would flow automatically from the new creature. 4 Mainstream Puritan theologians strongly disagreed with the essentialism and hypersupernaturalism presupposed by his view. Instead, they believed that grace perfects nature and works through the renewal of human faculties created by God. Packer comments on this emphasis which the Puritans took over from the Reformers.
16161683), pastor, preacher to Parliament, chaplain to Oliver Cromwell, and ViceChancellor of Oxf... more 16161683), pastor, preacher to Parliament, chaplain to Oliver Cromwell, and ViceChancellor of Oxford University, is widely regarded as the greatest British theologian of all time, though his name recognition today among evangelical Christians falls far short of what he deserves. While his theological works, ultimately comprising 24 volumes in William Good's edition of 185053, exerted considerable influence in British and American church circles for roughly a century and three quarters following his death, their nineteenthcentury shift from Reformed theology to Arminianism and even liberalism diminished his influence and effectively consigned his massive corpus of divinity, including his magisterial theology of the Holy Spirit, to the dust heap. This regrettable state of affairs began to change, however, with the renewed interest in Reformed theology in Englishspeaking countries that came about initially through the ministries of Dr. Martyn LloydJones (
, the greatest biblical, systematic and spiritual theologian among the Puritans, named and profil... more , the greatest biblical, systematic and spiritual theologian among the Puritans, named and profiled the people he wrote against as little as he well could. He was an expert controversialist when he had to be, but clearly he thought that solid exposition of biblical truth on each topic, elbowing error aside as he came to it and then leaving it behind, was under ordinary circumstances the most God-honoring and reader-edifying path to follow. That explains how it has been possible until now, amid the renaissance of Owen studies that recent years have seen, to miss the fact that the distorted version of Reformed Christianity that was then called Antinomianism was one of the targets at which Owen aimed his arrows when he wrote on the Christian life. The present volume, however,goes far to fill this gap in our understanding of Owen's agenda. Philip Craig's analysis shows very clearly what was at issue here, and how completely and crushingly, without naming names, Owen outflanks and undercuts this widespread Puritan form of easy-believism. It is a thorough, painstaking and definitive piece of work that carries more of a message for the church of our time than doctoral theses usually do. The link between grace and duty that Owen spells out with such consistency is the characteristic Puritan understanding of the Reformed conjunction of Word and Spirit as the twofold means whereby God imparts to sinful human beings the new life of knowing, serving and glorifying himself through the mediatorial ministry of Jesus Christ our Lord. Dr. Craig's elucidation of this central motif in Owen's thinking lets the great Puritan speak across the
Scholars have recognized that John Owen (16161683) targeted clearly identified opponents: Arminia... more Scholars have recognized that John Owen (16161683) targeted clearly identified opponents: Arminians, Socinians, Roman Catholics, Anglican formalists, and
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Drafts by Philip Craig