Benedict Pictet on the three-fold love of God

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Benedict Pictet on the three-fold love of God

Benedict Pictet is a sadly neglected theologian. I thought that his Christian Theology was excellent (a kind of Turretin's Institutes for Dummies ... only kidding), but it is a shame that there seems to be little else by him in English.

I pitched the idea of us reprinting his Christian Theology to Dr. Beeke. Richard Muller said the translation is not the greatest and it is somewhat abridged. Once some other projects clear up, I am going to look into getting his works freshly translated.
 
I pitched the idea of us reprinting his Christian Theology to Dr. Beeke.

That would be great. A new translation would be preferable, but even a reprint of the existing one would be very good.

Richard Muller said the translation is not the greatest and it is somewhat abridged.

To paraphrase Henry Kissenger, "The debates among 17th-century scholars are so vitriolic because the stakes are so low." ;)
 
I am peeking at his PRDL and there are a few of his works translated into Dutch. Sadly there would be a degree of separation between the original and an English translation, but I am tempted to have a look at it.
 
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...the translation is not the greatest and it is somewhat abridged.

Sorry for the double post, but I think I found the answer in the preface of the English translation:

"In giving the following edition to the public, the translator has endeavoured to present it to the English reader in as plain, perspicuous, and popular a style as possible; he has fully and faithfully given the sense of his author; he has, indeed, omitted a few passages in the original work, either when (though very seldom the case) they appeared to him a needless repetition; or when such passages consisted of quotations from the fathers or the heathen writers, more curious than useful, or when they contained arguments rather subtle than solid; but these instances are altogether very rare, and, it is presumed, will not be of the slightest detriment to the original performance."

—Frederick Reyroux in his Preface to Benedict Pictet, Christian Theology, trans. Frederick Reyroux (Philadelphia, PA: Presbyterian Board of Publication, 1696), iii-iv.​
 
Sorry for the double post, but I think I found the answer in the preface of the English translation:

"In giving the following edition to the public, the translator has endeavoured to present it to the English reader in as plain, perspicuous, and popular a style as possible; he has fully and faithfully given the sense of his author; he has, indeed, omitted a few passages in the original work, either when (though very seldom the case) they appeared to him a needless repetition; or when such passages consisted of quotations from the fathers or the heathen writers, more curious than useful, or when they contained arguments rather subtle than solid; but these instances are altogether very rare, and, it is presumed, will not be of the slightest detriment to the original performance."

—Frederick Reyroux in his Preface to Benedict Pictet, Christian Theology, trans. Frederick Reyroux (Philadelphia, PA: Presbyterian Board of Publication, 1696), iii-iv.​

I think that the only way that we will encourage someone to do a new, more accurate translation is to keep citing the older one a lot. The more attention is drawn to Benedict Pictet's work, the greater the likelihood of piquing someone's interest in a new translation.
 
I think that the only way that we will encourage someone to do a new, more accurate translation is to keep citing the older one a lot. The more attention is drawn to Benedict Pictet's work, the greater the likelihood of piquing someone's interest in a new translation.

I am not giving up on Pictet's Christian Theology. I was discussing it this morning with some in my network. Personally, I think the current translation is adequate with the purpose of presenting it as a manual of sound theology for those just beginning. It is not a terribly large volume. Getting a fresh translation of it would not be as a hefty undertaking as Van Mastricht or Voetius' Politicae Ecclesiasticae.
 
Getting a fresh translation of it would not be as a hefty undertaking as Van Mastricht or Voetius' Politicae Ecclesiasticae.

Plus, Pictet’s name is able to be pronounced without shoving a potato in one’s mouth, making his work all the more marketable!
 
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