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The Pattern Of Sound Doctrine: Systematic Theology At The Westminster Seminaries: Essays in Honor of Robert B. Strimple

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Dr Strimple has served the Church he loves well and deserves the honor accorded him in the publication of this volume. Like most festschrifts, however, the essays that make up this book are not all of equal value. That said, I do agree with a previous reviewer in recognizing the strength of David VanDrunen's contribution, "A System of Theology? The Centrality of Covenant for Westminster Systematics." Other strong contributions include essays by John Frame, Dennis Johnson and R. Scott Clark, et.al.

Rather than taking time to review this work chapter by chapter, let me chart a much shorter course and simply point out the basic contents of this collection and who it is that is most likely to enjoy interacting with this material.

First, and following a short tribute to Dr. Robert Strimple, are thirteen essays by various faculty associated with the Westminster Seminaries. The opening couple of essays are of a historical nature and are helpful in so far as they introduce the reader to the key shapers of Westminster theology (the Hodges, Warfield, and then John Murray) but also to issues of theological method and the divergence between Old Princeton and Westminster. The next set of essays put the discipline of systematic theology in conversation with other theological disciplines, namely biblical theology, apologetics and practical theology. For what it's worth, this was the section I enjoyed most and thought to be the strongest section of the entire collection. Part three offers essays on the doctrine of justification, on the well-meant offer of the gospel, on language, and on the centrality of covenant. Here are issues of particular significance to the Westminster Seminaries and an opportunity to see specifically Westminster formulations of important areas of reformed thought. The essays that make up the fourth and final section of this work are said to 'reflect upon the relationship of Westminster and its theology with the broader life of the church.' I guess this section achieves this, but I am sad to say that none of the essays in this final section (perhaps with the exception of John Muether's), are as substantial or even as focussed as are those of the other sections.

As for who is most likely to enjoy this material, I'd say this collection of essays will be cordially received by three groups of readers. First, those who studied under or who know Dr. Strimple. Second, those who have studied at or who have been nourished by the Westminster Seminaries. (Part of the charm of this book has to do with the amount of internal "chatter" that one detects between contributors. Certainly anyone who has spent time studying at one or more of the Westminster campuses is likely to enjoy the instances of faculty, past and present, from east and west campuses, commenting upon one another's positions and conclusions, etc.) The third audience most likely to appreciate this work are those who are interested in questions of theological method, particularly, the achieving of a balanced relationship between systematic theology and biblical theology.

Overall this is unlikely to become an influential and widely utilized volume. In so far as the bulk of the essays are quite worthwhile and do alert reformed and evangelical-minded theologians to the contributions of the Westminster Seminaries and the gifted faculty who have taught and still do teach at these schools, this is a shame.

While almost all of the essays in this book are excellent, I would like to draw your attention to one essay in particular, namely that written by David VanDrunen. It is an essay that describes an actual architechtonic system of theology based on the one governing concept of "Covenant". Imagine what fruit such a system of doctrine might bear! There are many who find discrepancies between systematic theology and biblical theology. However, if a system of theology can be built upon the foundation of covenant, the disagreements necessarily must disappear, assuming that biblical theology is also understood to be governed by covenant. Covenant theology is the Bible's system. Such an understanding of theology certainly represents a step forward for the reformed church at large. I commend this book as being worth every penny if only for this one essay, and I call on Dr. VanDrunen to seriously consider writing a Systematic Theology. The Church would be much richer for it.