John Gresham Do

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John Gresham Do

John Gresham Make (born July 28, 1881 in Baltimore , † January 1, 1937 in Bismarck ) was an American Presbyterian theologian in the early 20th century. He was New Testament Professor at Princeton Theological Seminary from 1915 to 1929. He led a conservative uprising against modernist theology at Princeton and founded Westminster Theological Seminary as a higher education institution based on the original teaching.

introduction

When the Presbyterian Church in the northern US ( Northern Presbyterian Church ) continued attempts by the Conservatives rejected, faithfulness to the Westminster Confession to strengthen, led Make a small group of conservatives from the church to a new one that Orthodox Presbyterian Church OPC to regroup . The occasion for this was provided in 1935 and 1936 by the trial, conviction and official suspension of members of the Independent Board for Presbyterian Foreign Missions , including making.

When the Presbyterian Church of the North (PCUSA) rejected its view of things in the mid-twenties and decided to reorganize Princeton Theological Seminary to make it a theologically moderate college, Lassen took the lead in founding Westminster Theological Seminary in Philadelphia (1929), where he taught the New Testament until his death. His continued opposition to liberalism in the foreign mission societies in the 1930s also led to the creation of a new organization: The Independent Board for Presbyterian Foreign Missions (1933).

Make is considered the last of Princeton's great theologians to develop what is known as Princeton theology since the academy was created in the early 19th century: a conservative and Calvinist form of Protestant Christianity. Although making may be compared to the great Princeton theologians Archibald Alexander , Charles Hodge , AA Hodge, and BB Warfield , he never had a teaching position in theology (but a teaching position in the New Testament) nor was he ever rector of the seminary.

Machen's influence is still felt today through the existence of the two institutions he founded: Westminster Theological Seminary and the Orthodox Presbyterian Church . In addition, its basic New Testament Greek textbook is still used by many universities.

His name is - according to the interview he gave to the Literary Digest - as May , as the name of the month, the ch as in "chin" (English for chin) with an e as in pen (English for pencil), so to pronounce as may'chen . In Gresham the h remains silent: gres'am .

Life

Childhood and youth

Make was born in Baltimore, Maryland. His father, Arthur Webster Make, Baltimore attorney, was 45 years old and his mother, Mary Jones Gresham, was 24 when they married. While the father was a member of the Episcopal Church of the United States of America , his mother was a Presbyterian and taught her son the Westminster Shorter Catechism from an early age . The family went to the Presbyterian Church on Franklin Street. Machen's schooling is valued as privileged. He was able to attend private college and received a classical education including Latin and Greek . Although there is no record of it, it was likely the college boys' school. John also learned to play the piano.

Early adulthood

Study time

In 1898, 17-year-old Lassen began studying at Johns Hopkins University to get his first degree. He did this well enough to get a scholarship. He studied classical philology and was a member of the Phi Kappa Psi fraternity. Make was a brilliant scholar and was elected to the Phi Beta Kappa Society in 1901 after completing his doctorate .

Despite a certain hesitation about his future, making decided in 1902 to study theology at Princeton Theological Seminary while at the same time doing a Master of Arts in philosophy from Princeton University .

Confrontation with theological liberalism in Germany

In 1905 he stayed in Germany for a year to study theology. In a letter to his father he admitted that he had been thrown into confusion about the faith because of the liberalism taught by Professor Wilhelm Herrmann . Although he had enormous respect for Herrmann, his time in Germany and his preoccupation with modernist theologians led him to reject modernism and to embrace conservative Reformed theology even more than before. During his studies in Göttingen he became a member of the 1906 Schwarzenburg Bund - connection Burschenschaft Germania .

Before and during the First World War

Princeton 1906-1916

In 1906, making started teaching the New Testament at Princeton Theological Seminary after receiving promises that he would not have to sign a creed. At Princeton, he was under the influence of Francis Landey Patton, a prosecutor in a heresy trial , and under the influence of BB Warfield , whom he described as the greatest man he had ever met. Warfield saw and insisted that correct doctrine was the primary means by which Christians shaped the culture around them, and he valued a high degree of scripture and the defense of supranaturalism . It seems that under their influence, making overcame his crisis of faith. In 1914 he was ordained and in 1915 Assistant Professor of the New Testament.

Time of the First World War

Make did not do "conventional" military service in World War II , but instead went to France with the YMCA to do voluntary work nearby and directly at the front - a task which he continued for some time after the war ended. Although not involved in fighting himself, he witnessed the ravages of modern warfare firsthand. Suspicious of Woodrow Wilson's project , a friend of the family, to spread democracy and imperialism, he was strictly against the war, and when he returned to the United States he saw that many provisions of the Versailles Treaty were an attack on the international Peace and peace among races meant: "... War will follow war in a tiring sequence."

Teaching at Princeton 1918–1926

After his return from Europe, Make continued his work as a New Testament teacher at Princeton. During this time he acquired the reputation of being one of the few real scholars who were able to argue against the growing predominance of modernist theology and to take an evangelical standpoint.

The Origin of Paul's Religion (1921) is perhaps Machen's best-known academic work. This book was a successful way of criticizing the modernist belief that Paul's religion was based largely on Greek philosophy and was completely different from that of Jesus. It has been reissued several times, most recently in 2010.

Christianity and Liberalism ("Christianity and Liberalism", 1923) is another book by author in which he criticized theological modernism. The book compared conservative Christianity to Protestant Christianity, where modernist (or "liberal") theology enjoyed increasing popularity. He concluded that "Liberalism is the major modern antagonist of Christianity".

In his book What is Faith? (“What is faith?”, 1925) he undertook the pastoral task of anchoring faith in the historical fact of Christ's act of atonement. He found liberal theology to be anti-intellectual in so far as it spiritualizes Christianity and treats it as a mere expression of individual experience, thereby depriving the Bible and creeds of all clearly defined meaning.

These and a number of other books gave making a place in the theologically conservative camp within the Presbyterian Church. His work during the 1920s was divided between his time at Princeton and his political involvement with Evangelical Presbyterians.

In spite of his conservative theological beliefs, he could never fully embrace popular fundamentalism. His refusal to accept premillennarism and other sides of fundamentalist belief was based on his conviction that Calvinist theology was the most biblical form of Christian belief - a theology that was then generally absent from fundamentalism. Moreover, Machen's academic work and his ability to engage with modernist theology contradicted the anti-intellectual stance of the fundamentalists.

Controversy

Relations with the Princeton faculty deteriorated between 1924 and 1925 when the Presbyterian raised the question of whether there were two different parties in the faculty. Make pointed out that his differences with Charles Erdman related to the importance they attach to the doctrine of the faith. He noted that Erdman was tolerant of those who were doctrinally erroneous. Erdman replied privately that Moody '... knew that polemicists usually do not find followers to Christ.'

Establishment of Westminster Theological Seminary

The General Assembly decided in 1929 to reorganize Princeton Seminary and appointed two people to administrators that the Declaration of Auburn signed (Auburn Affirmation). This statement was a response from Liberals within the Northern Presbyterian Church who condemned the General Assembly's response to the controversy surrounding Harry Emerson Fosdick's sermon, "Shall the Fundamentalists Win?" Make and some colleagues thereupon resigned their positions and founded the Westminster Theological Seminary in order to continue to practice and teach “orthodox” (“orthodox”) Reformed theology.

Foundation of the "Orthodox Presbyterian Church" (OPC)

In 1933 ,machen was concerned about the liberalism tolerated by Presbyterians in the mission field. He created the Independent Board for Presbyterian Foreign Missions . The next Presbyterian General Assembly reiterated that the Independent Board was unconstitutional and gave the pastors involved an ultimatum to sever ties. When Alten and seven other clergymen refused, they were dispensed from the Presbyterian Pastoral Office. The dispute separated her from many of his fundamentalist friends such as B. Clarence Macartney, who withdrew in the face of an impending split. Finally, Make left the Northern Presbyterian Church and founded a church which later became known as the Orthodox Presbyterian Church.

Francis Schaeffer's book 'The Great Adaptation: The Zeitgeist and the Evangelicals' ( The Great Evangelical Disaster , 1984) goes into detail on the change from theological conservatism to liberalism in America. He describes how Machens “undressing” became the headline in the secular media of the country. Schaeffer concludes: “It could be fair to say that the news about doing was the most significant US news of the first half of the 20th century. It was the culmination of a long-lasting trend towards liberalism in the Presbyterian Church and represented the concurrent trend in most of the other denominations ”(p. 35).

Religion and politics

Make suspicious of the mixture of religion and politics. He saw attempts to build a Christian culture through political means as insensitive to minorities. He was even more concerned about the corrupting influence of politics on Christianity and saw social gospel as a terrible warning. He was against school prayer and Bible reading in public schools. However, this position implied that Christians should run their own schools.

Historian George Marsden described making "radically libertarian ". He resisted almost any expansion of state power and commented on a variety of subjects. As with most libertarian thinkers, his opinions could not be pigeonholed in the usual “liberal” or “conservative” drawers. He opposed the establishment of a national education department by pointing out to a joint committee of the Congress that the control of children by the state means the ultimate sacrifice of freedom. He was not in and of itself against locally run public schools, but feared the influence of materialist ideology and resistance to higher human endeavors. He was also against prohibition - an expensive stance at a time when abstinence was almost a belief among Protestants.

His death

JG Machens tombstone with the inscription "Treu bis die Tod"

Much to the sadness of those who participated in the movement he led, making died in 1937 at the age of 55. Some commentators (especially his friend Ned Stonehouse) pointed out that Machen's constitution wasn't exactly strong and that he was constantly overloaded with responsibilities at the time.

Make decided to keep some lectures in North Dakota in December 1936 but withdrew there in extremely cold weather, a pleurisy to. After Christmas he was hospitalized for pneumonia and died on January 1, 1937. Shortly before his death, he dictated a telegram to his longtime friend and colleague John Murray (1898–1975) - the contents of that telegram deeply reflect his lifelong belief: "I am so grateful for the active obedience of Christ. No hope without him. " Make was buried in Greenmount Cemetery in Baltimore, Maryland. His tombstone quite simply bears his name, the title, the dates of his life, and in Greek the saying ΠΙΣΤΟΣ ΑΧΡΙ ΘΑΝΑΤΟΥ ("Faithful to death", from Rev 2,10, see picture on the right).

Church-critical journalist Henry L. Mencken from Baltimore wrote an editorial about making in December 1931 and later an obituary entitled "Dr. Fundamentalis" (Baltimore Evening Sun, January 18, 1937). Although he disagreed with Machen's theology, Mencken paid him great respect and expressed his admiration for his intellectual gifts. Mencken compared making with William Jennings Bryan , another notable Presbyterian, writing: “Dr. Comparing making to Bryan is like comparing the Matterhorn to a wart. "

Works

In addition to the work mentioned in the article above, there are:

  • "The Origin of Paul's Religion" (1921) online
  • Christianity and Liberalism (1923) ISBN 0-8028-1121-3 (German Christianity and Liberalism (2013))
  • What is faith? (1925)
  • New Testament Greek for Beginners (3rd edition 1925)
  • The virgin birth of Christ (1930)
  • The Christian faith in the modern world (1936)
  • The Christian view of man (1937)
  • God transcendent (1949), Sermons, ed. v. Ned B. Stonehouse, ISBN 0-85151-355-7 .
  • What is Christianity? and other addresses (1951), ed. v. Ned B. Stonehouse
  • The New Testament: an introduction to its literature and history (1976), ed. v. W. John Cook, ISBN 0-85151-240-2 .

bibliography

  • Coray, Henry W .: J. Gresham Make: A Silhouette . Grand Rapids 1981, Kregel Publications 1981. ISBN 0-8254-2327-9 .
  • Gatiss, L .: Christianity and the Tolerance of Liberalism: J. Gresham Make and the Presbyterian Controversy of 1922-1937 . London 2008. ISBN 978-0-946307-63-0
  • Hart, DG: Defending the Faith: J. Gresham Make and the Crisis of Conservative Protestantism in Modern America . P&R Publishing, 2003. ISBN 0-87552-563-6
  • Make, J. Gresham: Christianity and Liberalism , Eerdmans, Grand Rapids 1923. ISBN 0-8028-1121-3
  • George M. Marsden : "Understanding J. Gresham Make", in: Understanding Fundamentalism and Evangelicalism pp. 182-201. Eerdmans: Grand Rapids 1991, ISBN 0-8028-0539-6 .
  • Noll, MA: "John Gresham Make", in: SB Ferguson, DF Wright, and JI Packer (eds.), The New Dictionary of Theology . Inter-Varsity Press: Leicester 1988. ISBN 0-8308-1400-0
  • Stonehouse, Ned B .: J. Gresham Make - A Biographical Memoir (3rd ed.). Banner of Truth Trust: Edinburgh 1987. ISBN 0-85151-501-0 .

Individual evidence

  1. ^ Charles Earle Funk: What's the Name, Please? , Funk & Wagnalls, 1936.
  2. ^ Hermann Goebel (ed.): Directory of members of the Schwarzburgbund. 8th edition, Frankfurt am Main 1930, p. 103 No. 1950.
  3. ↑ Douglas M. Jones III: J. Gresham Make Was Right About the Gulf Crisis ANTITHESIS January / February 1991 - Vol. 2, No. 1.
  4. ^ Reprint from BiblioBazaar , ISBN 1-147-58660-8
  5. ^ J. Greshammachen: Christianity & Liberalism pp. 149, 151. New York 1923, MacMillan.
  6. ^ J. Gresham Make: "The Necessity of the Christian School," in: What Is Christianity? And Other Essays by J. Greshammachen, ed. v. Ned B. Stonehouse. Grand Rapids 1951
  7. ↑ a b George M. Marsden: Understanding Fundamentalism and Evangelicalism , p. 196. Eerdmans: Grand Rapids 1991.
  8. ^ Testimony before the House & Senate Committees on the Proposed Department of Education ( Memento of May 2, 2003 in the Internet Archive ) February 25, 1926.
  9. ^ J. Greshammachen: Christianity & Liberalism p. 13f. MacMillan: New York 1923.
  10. ↑ J. Greshammachen's Response to Modernism at www.desiringgod.org.
  11. ^ HL Mencken, "The Impregnable Rock," in the American Mercury , December 1931, pp. 411-412.
  12. ^ HL Mencken, "Dr. Fundamentalis," an obituary for Rev. J. Gresham Make, Baltimore Evening Sun , Part 2, p. 15.

Web links

personal data
SURNAME Do it, John Gresham
BRIEF DESCRIPTION American Presbyterian theologian
DATE OF BIRTH July 28, 1881
PLACE OF BIRTH Baltimore
DATE OF DEATH January 1, 1937
Place of death Bismarck, North Dakota