Author Archives: Peter Van Kleeck Jr. Ph.D.

Weekly Question – How did you come to believe?

How did you come to believe in your Bible and what it teaches? Which came first in the order of belief: evidence, manuscripts, the testimony of your pastor or professor? What is the ground/foundation of your belief in Scripture – the evidence, the Bible, something else? What makes your belief in your Bible dependable, meaningful,Continue reading “Weekly Question – How did you come to believe?”

All Scripture and Inspiration

In the first century AD, the apostle Paul wrote a letter to a young preacher regarding the nature and scope of the Christian Scriptures and its teaching. Paul declared, “All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness.” II Timothy 3:16 In thisContinue reading “All Scripture and Inspiration”

Authoritas Divina Duplex

“twofold divine authority; a distinction between (1) the authoritas rerum, or authority of the things of Scripture, the substantia doctrinae (substance of doctrine); and (2) the authroitas verborum, or authority of the words of Scripture arising from the accidens scriptionis, the accident of writing.” Richard Muller, Dictionary of Latin and Greek Theological Terms: Drawn PrincipallyContinue reading “Authoritas Divina Duplex”

Was a Verbal Revelation Necessary? We Affirm.

Continuing our Bibliology Primer we turn to Francis Turretin’s first question, “Was a verbal revelation necessary?” At this point the discussion is only about words whether spoken or written and their necessity. Why must revelation be a revelation of words? Turretin affirms this necessity under two heads: 1.) the goodness of God and 2.) theContinue reading “Was a Verbal Revelation Necessary? We Affirm.”

The Reformed Principia Theologiae

Welcome to the Brickyard. This is a place to find quotes for use in your own research. The bricks are free but the building is up to you. The following quotes are from Richard Muller’s Post Reformation Reformed Dogmatics: Prolegomena to Theology. We turn specifically to the doctrinal formulation of the “Reformed Principia Theologiae.” MullerContinue reading “The Reformed Principia Theologiae”

A Bibliology Primer and the Institutes of Elenctic Theology

This is the first of a new series entitled, A Bibliology Primer drawn Principally form Francis Turretin’s Institutes of Elenctic Theology, or a Primer on Bibliology for short. Richard Muller writes of the term “elenctic,” “elenchticus, -a, -um (adj.): elenctic(al), for the purpose of confutation or logical refutation; a descriptive adjective frequently used by ProtestantContinue reading “A Bibliology Primer and the Institutes of Elenctic Theology”

Weekly Question – God’s Command

God spoke commands, thou shalt not kill. Thou shalt not steal. But isn’t it the case that the very speaking of God is also a kind of implicit command? Is there any sense in which when God speaks the human creature may ignore that speech? Is there any speech of God which does not carryContinue reading “Weekly Question – God’s Command”

One Lord. One Faith. One Bible?

“There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling; One Lord, one faith, one baptism, One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.” Ephesians 4:4-6 John Calvin writes in his commentary on the above passage from Ephesians, “Some consider the unity ofContinue reading “One Lord. One Faith. One Bible?”