Sárospataki Füzetek 1. (1997)

1997 / 1. szám - M. Eugene Osterhaven: The Foundation of our Faith and Theology. (Hitünk és theológiánk alapja. - Fordította: Rácsok Gabriella)

M. EUGENE OSTERHAVEN

narrowest mind in America. He was surely America s most learned theologian in Lis' day. perLaps for all time. Is it possible lLal Lis great intellect, w LicL reveled in tLe acquisition of knowledge, beguiled Lira into placing loo mucL confidence in reason? Could be Lave slid into a questionable theological method, because of bis own intellectual lalen Is? That is possible. I believe, but in itself that is an insufficient reason. When that is combined with the age in which be lived, and the intellec lual heritage which was bis. ibis theory is more plausible. He was an heir of S coltish Common Sense Realism mediated to him through bis family and teachers. Moreover, the Victorian Age in which be matured extolled learning and the acquisition of factual knowledge. Newtonian science, with its strong emphasis on facts, the nia lerial world, natural law. mechanics, and investigation, made an impression on him as a young man. and those interests never left hi ni. Although he was a deeply spiritual person with an appreciation for mystery which many of his contemporaries did not share, he was also molded in part by his age whose influences played a large part in his theological method. What was true of Professor W arfield was also true of others at P rinceton.

V. I close with a personal testimony. I mentioned earlier that I had become so impressed by the writings of the men of the Old Princeton School of theology that I carried that method hack to Michigan w ith me when I began my teaching career. A little unsure of myself when I began meeting classes. I liked the solid ground (sic?) which the Princeton apologetic gave me - facts, evidences, arguments, historical, psychological, and philosophical data to try to prove the case for Christianity. I employed it in the course required for all seniors at the college at which I taught. That course was formerly' known as Evidences of Christianity, and the lext-h ook which was used for years was I he Rasis o f Our Christian Faith, by Floyd II a mil (on. a graduate of Old Pri ncelon. I changed the name of the course to Philosophy' of the Chrislia n Religion, hut for three years I taught it in the old way. as evidences, unable to change my method. Why • was Ihat? I hel ieve that it

represents the spell ll ial Warfield s writings had cast over me. and the ease of

teaching in that factual way. In my student days at Princeton I had an enlarged, framed portrait of Professor Warfield on my desk. Later. I

remarked facetiously that I had a habit of looking at that picture for two

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