I got his work on Van Til's Apologetic recently and was wondering what others on the board thought of this book and Bahnsen generally.

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Benjamin P. Glaser, M. Div, Licentiate, Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church
Member Fairmount ARP Church
Pittsburgh, PA

Deo Vindice

IMO, he was the finest proponent of the Van Tillian apologetic. He was also a devastating debater and a wonderful preacher/teacher.....Yeah, I like the guy.

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Dave Gray
Harbor Presbyterian Church
San Diego, CA
www.harbordowntown.org

I also highly suggest listening to this debate featuring prominent english athiest prof. Simon Blackburn and the OP minister Mark Garcia.

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Josiah Lovett
Member of
Trinity OPC
Bothell WA
Orthodox Presbyterian Church
Westminster Standards

I love Bahnsen. I am not a theonomist- but I think that his contribution to Reformed Christianity will prove to be a big one. He popularized presuppositionalism (IMO).

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Pastor Nathan Eshelman, Los Angeles, CA
Reformed Presbyterian Church
PRESBYTERIAN THOUGHTS
Los Angeles Reformed Presbyterian Church
RPCLA Sermons Online
Puritan Reformed Seminary

but nleshelman are you a member of the former ARP church in Grand Rapids that went RPCNA recently?

Bahnsen did invaluable work developing the presuppoitionalist insights independently derived by Van Til and C. S. Lewis into an effective apologetic strategy for popular evangelism. If only he had not bought into Rushdoony's "ethical perspective of Christian Reconstruction" i.e. Theonomy....

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In Christ's love and service

Mr. Tim Cunningham,
BMus. (Trombone Performance), University of Toronto
Dip. CS, Regent College, Vancouver
Member, First Baptist Church
Vancouver, BC
------------
"I once sat in darkness, and waited for the moon to rise.
I once sat in darkness, and waited for the sun to shine.
I once sat in darkness, when all the light I'd waited for was gone.
Then Jesus came, and now the only true light, ever, shines in me."
– John Deacon -

I like to think he was being a consistently confessional Presbyterian.

He had much to offer, and I certainly learned much from his teaching and ministry.

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Tom Albrecht
Elder, Covenant URCNA, New Holland, PA.

"When I find the time, I'm going to write the social history of bourbon."

A brilliant theologian. A great apologist. An effective proponent of complex theories at a popular level. And a darn nice guy!

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Kevin Rogers
Sovereign Community Church, PCA
Moncton NB

What has always been interesting to me is that few in the nonbelieving camp would do anything more than cast stones from afar when he was alive...would never go toe to toe with him from the podium...then after his death, they all come out of the woodwork with their attacks in no danger of hearing his rebuttals.

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Joel Batts
Christ Presbyterian Church (PCA) - Memphis, TN

I believe that many would find that the heart sings unbidden while they are working their way through a tough bit of theology with a pipe in their teeth and a pencil in their hand. - CS Lewis

Taking his ethics course on CD was some of the most valuable and insightful study time I have ever spent. I definitely give him a and a

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Ryan Barnhart - Pastor of OGBC
Husband to a beautiful wife, Father to two beautiful girls
Student at Greenville Presbyterian Theological Seminary - B.D.

"I confess to you, that if I can but live and die serving the Lord Jesus, it will make no difference to me whether I am eaten by Cannibals or by worms. And in the Great Day my Resurrection body will rise as fair as yours in the likeness of our risen Redeemer." - John Paton

Where would that be available from Barnpreacher?

Mine came from Whitefield Theological Seminary. I don't know if it's available elsewhere for purchase.

No kidding.

Bahnsen was a man to whom God gave a brilliant mind, and he used it well in his short stay on earth. His encouragement and application of Christianity as a comprehensive worldview has made a huge impact on a lot of folks here, myself included. For that, men like Bahnsen, VanTil, and Rushdoony should be commended.

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Devin Brian
1689er
Attending Trinity Baptist Church in Shreveport, LA.
Vivian, Louisiana, USA

"...If you are not firm in faith,you will not be firm at all." - Isaiah 7:9
"The fall of man is written in too legible characters not to be understood: Those that deny it, by their denying, prove it." - George Whitefield

Thanks!!!

I am. You can read about it here.

You are quite the anomaly yourself! PCUSA to ARP studying in PTS, RPTS, and heading to Erskine! Good stuff.

Brother, I only wish you had joined the Canadian Presbytry. We needed a wider persprective. IMHO.

I think you may be able to find it here.

Howdy All,

I'm brand-spankin new, and this is my first post.

As mentioned above, Bahnsen was a true gentleman, a scholar, and strong confessionalist. His debating skill was unparalleled, his research thorough, and his presentation inviting. In my estimation, he was head-and-shoulders above his peers.

As to the "theonomic" question, I don't think that his basic conclusions were contrary to the confession and catechism's usages of the Law (for instance, invoking Mosaic Judicials in explaining the requirements of / sins forbidden in the 10 commandments). His method of arguing those points was quite different from theirs, but the conclusions were very similar. Gillespie, for instance, would have seen many of the "judicial" laws as merely moral laws, applied to the civil sphere. In that way, resembling Rutherford's arguments in favor of executing idolaters, adulterers, etc.

Besides the controversial aspects of Bahnsen's views of the Confession, I think he is seen by Presbyterians and Reformed folk as a stalwart of the true Reformed Religion, and a devoted disciple of the Lord Jesus Christ. He has now gone to his rest, and is rejoicing in Christ, his only Savior and Master. In this way, I pray he is an example to all of us who, though disagreeing in some points of understanding, can yet profit one another, and be a blessing to all; even those with whom we may sincerely disagree.

Cheers,

Adam

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Adam B., Wine Country, California, PCA

"I fear not to hold with Junius, de Politia Mosis cap. 6, that he who was punishable by death under that Judicial law, is punishable by death still; and he who was not punished by death then, is not to be punished by death now."

I've read Van Til's Apologetic and was changed by it. Still, some of it is still over my head, and it's not clear to me that you can prove the whole Christian worldview with presuppositionalism. It seems like you'll have to bring in evidences at some point.

As for his theonomy, I really appreciate that too. Could someone explain to me where Bahnsen got it wrong on this?

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Chris
Independent Baptist
Michigan
Layman

Van Til's Apologetic is heavy reading...though Bahnsen made Van Til accessible with that work for people like me.

I found Always Readya great beginner, and I've listened to about 40 hours worth of his audio. The way he argued wan't mere cogitation for academia...he was desirous to glorify God, and was fiercely evangelistic.

I'm not sure I'd be considered a Theonomist by other Theonomists...but Bahnsen spurred me into accepting the principles...

Bahnsen was one of the greatest men God has given us in years.

Hello,
This is my first post and the "Bahnsen" title caught my eye.
His debate with Gordon Stein was one of the more impressive two hours of intellectual dialogue I have ever heard (from Bahnsen's side that is). God gave him a wonderful mind that Bahnsen used for His glory.

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Daniel Franzen
Church Creek Presbyterian (PCA)
Charleston, SC

I've read Always Ready and have listened to a number of his lectures. I'm thankful that He was obedient to the call God gave him and that he used that gift given him for God's glory. I think the Church is very blessed by how God worked through Dr. Bahnsen's life. Dr. Bahnsen has made a very important contribution that we only stand to benefit from.

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Greg Carpenter
Attending Lake Osborne Presbyterian Church
Lake Worth, FL

"It is a throne of grace that God in Christ is represented to us upon; but yet it is a throne still whereon majesty and glory do reside, and God is always to be considered by us as on a throne." –John Owen

Bahnsen was my theological mentor, though I discovered him 8 years after his death.

I treasure what I have learned from him, even where I take it to different areas, which is something we all should do. Bahnsen would not want us to sit around meditating over the Stein debate (and I have memorized much of it). He certainly wouldn't want us to hinge our apologetics around a few key phrases of his turning them into cliches.

It is hard to put into words how much he means to me. I disagree with him on eschatology (being one of the few theonomic premillennialists!) and I tinker with his apologetics (still holding to the same format, though). I actually think his TAG can be reconstructed (no pun intended! ) along narratival lines. You can kill about 8 birds with that one stone.

Sadly though, people only see him as an ethicist/apologist when his courses on the Christian life, Calvin (get that if anything! 80 lectures on John Calvin! Who said theonomists didn't like Calvin? Actually, I know who said that in an encyclopedia on Apologetics, but I digress). Also get his systematic theology tapes. Very heartwarming.

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J. B. Atken
John Knox PCA
Layman, M.A. student at Louisiana College

I've listen to several of his tapes and read most of his apologetics books. He's an excellent debater and speaker. I especially like how he took apart the Theory of Evolution. Bahnsen was very bright, quick, and joy to listen to.

I do have problems with some of his apologetic arguments - the transcendental argument in particular. I think it's very impressive but logically flawed. I think if Bahnsen had better understood Clark's apologetics, I would have felt better about Bahnsen's. But Bahnsen's criticism of Clark's apologetics showed a flawed understanding of Clark's. I'm not sure why he didn't 'get' Clark, but there was bad blood between Clark and Bahnsen's mentor Van Til, at that time. And maybe Bahnsen was motivated by loyalty to his mentor. But for what ever reason, it keep him from seeing how Clark's arguments were very much like his own, but with some improvements that would have benefited Bahnsen greatly.

If you could combine Bahnsen's quick intellect and skill as a debater, with Clark's technical improvements, you'd have the über-apologist!

I am glad to have been exposed to the teachings of both men.

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R. Anthony Coletti
Midway Presbyterian Church (PCA)
Jonesborough, TN
[i]et venite et arguite me dicit Dominus[/i]

Greg Bahnsen is my favorite Christian teacher of the last hundred years or so. It is a blessing to have many of his lectures in audio format to pass on to future generations. I think the best description of his character was "humble boldness", a trait that I hope that every Christian would strive to emulate.

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David Morrow
Faith Community Church
Kansas City, MO
http://presupposetheism.blogspot.com

Jacob,

Can you point me to any material that you have that explains how TAG can be reconstructed along narratival lines? or give me a thumb nail sketch what you mean by this?

I can give you hints later when I get home. Only hints at the moment, maybe movements toward it. Narratival apologetics almost requires a prolegomena to narratival thinking. But still, on my home cache, I have some good stuff.

These are only movements twoards a narratival theology. It is not so much the prolegomena itself so if it is lacking in a few areas, keep that in mind.
Jamie Smith, Introducing Radical Orthodoxy

( New Testament and the People of God. Minneapolis, MN: Fortress Press, 1992), 40

(Craig Bartholomew and Michael Goheen, "Story and Biblical Theology," Out of Egypt: Biblical Theology and Biblical Interpretation (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2004), 151-152