I want to be more familiar with Clark. Rushdoony quoted him heavily and often with much approval. Where should I start?

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

I think "Religion, Reason and Revelation" is a good Gordon Clark book to start with.

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Greg Fox
Westminster Presbyterian Church (WPCUS)
Edinburgh, IN

http://puritanreprints.com
http://www.amazon.com/gp/shops/index...A13E3J466RYGAM

Another great book would be "The Clark-Van Til Controversy" but it is written by Hoeksema. It gives a good background for the differences between the two.

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Greg Fox
Westminster Presbyterian Church (WPCUS)
Edinburgh, IN

http://puritanreprints.com
http://www.amazon.com/gp/shops/index...A13E3J466RYGAM

Then maybe God's Hammer: The Bible and Its Critics.

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

I am by no means a Clark scholar, but I think his book An Introduction to Christian Philosophy is a good summary of this views.

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~~[[[___@_])
Josh Walker
Redeemer, PCA (Jackson, MS)
Reformed Theological Seminary, Student (Jackson, MS)


The secret things belong to the LORD our God, but the things that are revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may do all the words of this law.

Would A Christian View of Men and Things be a good place to start, or at least near the front of the line? I picked it up not long ago but haven't started it yet.

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Chris Poe
Mandeville, LA

"There are the foolish fanatics always to be found in such a movement and always discrediting it--the lunatic fringe in all reform movements." Theodore Roosevelt

Also consider: Christian Philosophy, The Works of Gordon Haddon Clark, Volume 4 since it combines "Religion, Reason, and Revelation; Three Types of Religious Philosophy; and An Introduction to Christian Philosophy.

The following is the content of volume 4:Just an aside: John Robbin's books are printed with generous wide margins on the side. I remember a lecture he gave where he recommended that when you read a book, you do so with a pen or pencil and not hesitate to underline and make notes on the sides. We tend to think that marking a book is sacrilege. That's how I grew up since in public school you had to return all you books for the next year's class without any marks. But it's a very good way to get the most you can out of the text so I recommend it also.

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

This is THE book to start with. The rest are great, don't get me wrong, but this will give you a nice concise summary.

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Jeff Bartel
Mechanical Engineer
Member - Trinity Reformed Church - RPCNA

"To believe in the power of man in the work of regeneration is the great heresy of Rome, and from that error has come the ruin of the Church. Conversion proceeds from the grace of God alone, and the system which ascribes it partly to man and partly to God is worse than Pelagianism" (The Reformation in England (London, 1962), Vol. 1, p. 98)

Click to get: Board Rules -- Signature Requirements -- Suggestions?

I agree with all of the recommendations.

I'd add the book "Essays on Ethics and Politics" if you want a quick read on a wide range of subjects. I particularly liked his history of ethics chapter. It summed up how we got to our present state thoroughly yet in only a few pages.

We just got delivered "From Thales to Dewey" (his history of philosophy) yesterday. I opened it up last night around 8:30 and am hooked.

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R.Vic Bottomly
Providence Reformed Baptist Church, Tacoma, WA

Click to get: Board Rules -- Signature Requirements -- Suggestions?

Great place to start and return to from time to time. Intro to Christian Phil (his Wheaton Lectures) are indispensable, groundbreaking, and probably contributed more to getting him removed from Wheaton than did his uncompromising and comprehensive Calvinism. I used it to teach a college age Sunday School class once and I think it opened more than a few minds.

I have never really read anything from any Van Tilian which was approving of Clark. Generally what they approve in Clark on the one hand is beaten down with the other. Can you share any of those Rushdoony quotes?

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Sean Gerety
Member
Calvary Presbyterian, PCA
Norfolk, VA

“I don't really like disconcerting people. Although often when I try to be normal I disconcert anyway." Robert Wyatt

Thales to Dewey was the first Clark book I ever bought. It was offered as an alternative selection when I was a member of the Conservative Book Club. I never heard of the guy, but liked the title so I picked it up on a lark. I was so impressed that when God finally prompted me in His providence some years later to study predestination, I remembered the listing of Clark's books in the back pages of Thales. The first book I read on the topic was Clark’s Predestination. Arguably one of the best books ever written on the topic, especially his handling of thee problem of evil. Predestination is a book that kept me up a night for weeks at the time searching the Scriptures to see if what this Clark guy was writing was true. Seems he was.

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Sean Gerety
Member
Calvary Presbyterian, PCA
Norfolk, VA

“I don't really like disconcerting people. Although often when I try to be normal I disconcert anyway." Robert Wyatt

My rush books are scattered but I will give it a shot:

The quotes are more along the lines of "He makes a good point" or "Clark is a philosopher who can help us out."

From Systematic Theology, p. 1087
p. 1088
By What Standard, p. 134 n.8
On p. 148 of Messianic Character of American Education, Rushdoony hinges a key argument using Clark's Thales to Dewey. I don't feel like reproducing the whole quote.

On p. 159 of the same book Rushdoony depends upon Clark's critique of Dewey's ethics.

On p. 356 of the same book Rushdoony endorses Clark (as he critiques Dewey).
So, while they aren't wholsesale endorsements of Clark's system en toto, Rushdoony was respectful of Clark's work and scholarship. Rushdoony's most influential book, The Messianic Character, depended heavily on Clark and Rush acknowledged this.

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

Jacob,
You may also want to read Crampton's "The Scripturalism of G.H. Clark" as an overview of Clark's thought. He quotes a lot from many of Clark's works which may whet your appetite.
Jim

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Jim
Elder, Harvest Reformed Church (RCUS)
http://www.harvestreformedchurch.org/
http://tbftgoggi.wordpress.com/

Upon a life I did not live; upon a death I did not die, Another's death, Another's life, I'd rest my soul eternally
Omnia dicta fortiora,si dicta Latina
Si vis pacem, para bellum