RamistThomist
Puritanboard Assessor
I recently acquired this book as a gift. What is the evaluation of it? I know there were threads on thsi but I haen't figured out the new search engine.
Is Berkouwer good or bad on election?
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R. Scott Clark
Puritan Board Senior
I'm no Berkouwer expert, but as I understand it, by the time he wrote this, he had made the transition to Barthianism.
I haven't looked at it for years but I would be very cautious and one would do well not to make it one's "baseline" account of election!
Certainly Barth's doctrine of election was NOT Reformed. The decree swallows history. We'll all elect AND reprobate. We're all in Christ (who is elect and reprobate). As Bob Strimple summarized Barth's doctrine of election, "We just need to wake up and smell the coffee," i.e., realize that we're elect.
My impression is that this book also fueled a fair bit of the Calvin v the Calvinists nonsense. The later Berkouwer certainly had little sympathy for historic Reformed covenant theology, accusing the covenant of redemption (pactum salutis) of promoting tri-theism.
As a general rule: Read everything but don't believe everything you read.
rsc
I haven't looked at it for years but I would be very cautious and one would do well not to make it one's "baseline" account of election!
Certainly Barth's doctrine of election was NOT Reformed. The decree swallows history. We'll all elect AND reprobate. We're all in Christ (who is elect and reprobate). As Bob Strimple summarized Barth's doctrine of election, "We just need to wake up and smell the coffee," i.e., realize that we're elect.
My impression is that this book also fueled a fair bit of the Calvin v the Calvinists nonsense. The later Berkouwer certainly had little sympathy for historic Reformed covenant theology, accusing the covenant of redemption (pactum salutis) of promoting tri-theism.
As a general rule: Read everything but don't believe everything you read.
rsc
crhoades
Puritan Board Graduate
Also check out Van Til's: The Sovereignty Of Grace: An Appraisal Of G. C. Berkouwer’s View Of Dordthttp://www.puritanboard.com/newreply.php?do=newreply&noquote=1&p=209551#_ftn1
http://www.wtsbooks.com/product-exe...An_Appraisal_of_G_C_Berkouwer_s_View_of_Dordthttp://www.puritanboard.com/newreply.php?do=newreply&noquote=1&p=209551#_ftnref1
http://www.wtsbooks.com/product-exe...An_Appraisal_of_G_C_Berkouwer_s_View_of_Dordthttp://www.puritanboard.com/newreply.php?do=newreply&noquote=1&p=209551#_ftnref1
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