In what remains a widely discussed issue in contemporary theology, J. Gresham Machen's The Virgin Birth of Christ acts as both an introduction to the subject, and a window into American 'Princeton' theology in the early twentieth century. Machen undertakes an encyclopaedic study of the different perspectives on the virgin birth. He begins with a close reading of the scriptural accounts, comparing and contrasting the stories of Jesus' birth told in Luke and Matthew. Secular historical accounts are then considered, as well as possible alternative theories, including the likelihood of the story being of early Jewish or Pagan origin. Machen's study was the definitive work on the virgin birth for the majority of the twentieth century, and remains an invaluable resource, both as an apologetic work and as a time capsule of theological progress.
It is an admirable book. For its acumen, for its saliency, and for its wit, this cool and stringent defense of orthodox Protestantism is, I think, the best popular argument produced in the controversy between Christianity and Liberalism. We shall do well to listen to Dr. Machen." --Walter Lippmann, in A Preface to Morals
John Gresham Machen (July 28, 1881 - January 1, 1937) was an American Presbyterian theologian in the early 20th century. He was the Professor of New Testament at Princeton Seminary between 1906 and 1929, and led a conservative revolt against modernist theology at Princeton and formed Westminster Theological Seminary as a more orthodox alternative. As the Northern Presbyterian Church continued to reject conservative attempts to enforce faithfulness to the Westminster Confession, Machen led a small group of conservatives out of the church to form the Orthodox Presbyterian Church. When the northern Presbyterian church (PCUSA) rejected his arguments during the mid-1920s and decided to reorganize Princeton Seminary to create a liberal school, Machen took the lead in founding Westminster Seminary in Philadelphia (1929) where he taught New Testament until his death. His continued opposition during the 1930s to liberalism in his denomination's foreign missions agencies led to the creation of a new organization, the Independent Board for Presbyterian Foreign Missions (1933). The trial, conviction and suspension from the ministry of Independent Board members, including Machen, in 1935 and 1936 provided the rationale for the formation in 1936 of the OPC. Machen is considered to be the last of the great Princeton theologians who had, since the formation of the college in the early 19th century, developed Princeton theology: a conservative and Calvinist form of Evangelical Christianity. Although Machen can be compared to the great Princeton theologians (Archibald Alexander, Charles Hodge, A. A. Hodge, and B. B. Warfield), he was neither a lecturer in theology (he was a New Testament scholar) nor did he ever become the seminary's principal. Machen's influence can still be felt today through the existence of the institutions that he founded--Westminster Theological Seminary, The Independent Board for Presbyterian Foreign Missions, and the Orthodox Presbyterian Church. In addition, his textbook on basic New Testament Greek is still used today in many seminaries, including PCUSA schools. (wikipedia.org)
InLeading from the Center, sociologist William Weston provides an enlightening look at the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) and the tensions that exist between key groups in the denomination. Weston defines the key groups as conservatives, liberals, and loyalists and structures his view of the denomination around the third group. Defining "loyalists" as the largest and those who have no wish to see the denomination split apart, Weston argues that while conservatives may consider splitting the church over doctrinal issues and liberals may consider splitting the church over social issues, the loyalists want to work for peace and unity in an effort to hold the church together. His in-depth analysis examines the "left" and "right" sides of the church and their competition to win the loyalist center to their respective sides. Meticulously researched but engaging and insightful,Leading from the Centeris a concise sketch of the denomination that is often surprising and always revealing.
His first book, 'The Origin of Paul's Religion' (1921) was a masterful and forthright defense of the historical truthfulness and supernaturalism of the New Testament. This volume is taken from the James Sprunt Lectures delivered at Union Theological Seminary in Virginia. Machen is absolutely masterful in dealing with the anti-supernaturalism that was beginning to dominate the church in the early decades of the twentieth century. Although written 85 years ago it remains a model of biblical scholarship and warm piety. "In an age when the nature and content of Paul's message are once again under scrutiny, evangelical and Reformed readers will benefit immensely from a close reading of Machen's masterwork. This book is an outstanding example of careful, patient scholarship that received high praise when it was first published and continues today to demand attention." - R. Scott Clark "J. Gresham Machen not only believed, practised, and proclaimed Paul's gospel, he was also able to defend its authenticity at the highest scholarly level. Because 'The Origin of Paul's Religion' penetrates to the heart of the matter it continues to speak to contemporary controversies over the nature of the gospel and the Christian faith." - Sinclair Ferguson
J. Gresham Machen's fascinating account of the Apostle Paul explains and sheds light on the religious beliefs of the titular subject, which remain an important component of Biblical theology. Paul was one of the first proponents of Christianity, establishing some of the first recorded Christian churches in the 1st century AD. As an early preachers of the religion Paul's attitudes are, in Machen's eyes, a vital component of the faith which must not be ignored or discounted. Some scholars have disavowed aspects of Paul's writings, deeming them confined to the culture of his time and therefore of little value to Christians in the modern day. Machen considered things differently and wrote this book in response. He establishes that Paul's words and spiritual mores are a crucial part of the Christian doctrine, that he is the primary interpreter of Jesus Christ himself, and that therefore his religion is - for the most part - authentic Christianity.
From 1922 to 1936 the Presbyterian Church in the U.S.A. was torn by conflict. Fundamentalists, led by Clarence E. Macartney, William Jennings Bryan, and J. Gresham Machen, modernists, guided by Henry Sloane Coffin, and moderates, directed by Charles R. Erdman and Robert E. Speer, struggled over theological questions and their implications for such issues as ordination requirements, the role of Princeton Theological Seminary, and foreign missions. The church managed to maintain its institutional unity at the height of the conflict in the mid-1920s, but the struggle resulted in a loosening of the church's doctrinal standards, the reorganization of Princeton Seminary, the founding of Westminster Theological Seminary, and the eventual birth of the Presbyterian Church of America. Weaving together the history of this ecclesiastical conflict with biographies of the six leaders, Longfield shows that theological concerns, though primary, were not the only issues in the struggle. He demonstrates that social and cultural considerations profoundly contributed to the roles of the leaders and to the outcome of the conflict. Finally, Longfield traces the current decline of the Presbyterian Church and other mainline denominations back to this period, arguing that, by embracing doctrinal pluralism they undermined the very foundations of their mission to the world. He concludes that renewal can only be based on a biblical and creedal faith distinct from the values and norms of the surrounding culture.
Ned B. Stonehouse, in his helpful Introduction, said, ""Machen was a singularly effective spokesman for Christianity for more than a score of years before his death on New Year's Day, 1937. Though his own books constitute the most significant record of what he had to say, they do not tell the complete story. Especially the public phases of his career as preacher, teacher, educator and citizen are illumined by the contents of the two volumes of sermons and addresses which are now made available to the general reader (the other volume being God Transcendant ). The present volume particularly discloses the rich diversity of his interests and activities as a Christian man and minister.
The Presbyterian example, William J. Weston argues, shows clearly that "competition" is the only effective kind of pluralism for a church - one that leads neither to institutional paralysis nor to irreconcilable division. Much of the current literature in the sociology of religion sees intradenominational conflict in terms of "culture wars" between two great factions or parties.
Jesus is as American as baseball and apple pie. But how this came to be is a complex story - one that Stephen Nichols tells with care and ease. Beginning with the Puritans, he leads readers through the various cultural epochs of American history, showing at each stage how American notions of Jesus were shaped by the cultural sensibilities of the...
American Presbyterians have a remarkable heritage of foreign mission work. While today the mission and ministry of the Presbyterian Church and all of mainline Protestantism is in a time of reformation and deep change, it is vital to remember this heritage of world mission. The Presbyterian Mission Enterprise tells this story by highlighting significant mission leaders through the ages. Our story includes Francis Makemie, a colonial-era missionary pastor and church planter who gathered with colleagues to form the first Presbytery in 1706. Tough, old-school Presbyterians like Ashbel Green insisted on a distinctive Presbyterian mission effort, and Presbyterians were among those who heard the call exemplified by William Carey to take the gospel to the whole world. This vision beckoned Walter Lowrie into leadership, and Presbyterians joined the great missionary movement. Robert Speer was a driving force behind this growing movement, negotiating a moderate path through bitter conflicts. After the traumas of World War II, John Coventry Smith worked to reconfigure and redirect the mission enterprise. Now, in an era marked by fragmentation and realignment, leaders like Clifton Kirkpatrick and Hunter Farrell work to continue the Presbyterian mission enterprise as a vital piece of the way forward. Our heritage guides our future.
Belief in the Bible as God's authoritative revelation to humanity forms the bedrock of the Christian faith, laying the groundwork for nearly everything in the practice of theology. For the last 150 years or so, this doctrine has been put under the microscope of the modern age, with focused attention-and criticism-falling on three main subject areas: the authority of Scripture, the sufficiency of Scripture, and the interpretation of Scripture. Ancient Word, Changing Worlds tells the story of these developments in the doctrine of Scripture in the modern age, combining in one volume both narrative chapters and chapters devoted to primary source materials. This new genre of historical theology will appeal to general readers, who will be drawn in by the book's prose style, and students, who will benefit from features like timelines, charts, explanations of key terms, and introductions and explanatory notes for the primary source documents.
The history of the church is filled with stories. Stories of triumph, stories of defeat, stories of joy, and stories of sorrow. These stories are a legacy of God's faithfulness to His people. In this book, Dr. Stephen J. Nichols provides postcards from the church through the centuries. These snapshots capture the richness of Christian history with glimpses of fascinating saints, curious places, precious artifacts, and surprising turns of events. In exploring them, Dr. Nichols takes the reader on a lively and informative journey through the record of God's providence to encourage, challenge, and enjoy. This is our story--our family history. "THE CENTURIES OF CHURCH HISTORY GIVE US A LITANY OF GOD'S DELIVERANCES. GOD HAS DONE IT BEFORE, MANY TIMES AND IN MANY WAYS, AND HE CAN DO IT AGAIN. HE WILL DO IT AGAIN. AND IN THAT, WE FIND COURAGE FOR TODAY AND FOR TOMORROW.
This extensive reference work, hailed by the Journal of Religion as "a book long needed by historians of American religion", offers "a unique contribution to this often-told story by providing an in-depth analysis of seven persons intimately involved in the controversy" (Theology Today). 13 halftone illustrations.
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