31
May
2008

Muether on Van Til

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31 May 2008

           Having just finished reading John Muether’s biography Cornelius Van Til: Reformed Apologist and Churchman, and having written a review of it for Modern Reformation, I wanted to take a moment to reflect on some of the strengths of Muether’s work. Professor Muether has sought to give us a picture of Cornelius Van Til as a man deeply committed to the church of Jesus Christ. It was controversy and doctrinal deviations from the Reformed Confessions that shaped the ministry of Dr. Van Til. He was here, first and foremost, to serve the church–even if that service was polemical or militant in nature.  What an example for young seminarians in our own day. We live in a time when theological academia is the goal for so many young men. The church does not seem to lie close to the hearts of most in our seminaries. Building a name appears to be more important to many than building up the church. Muether shows us a Van Til that was not interested in notoriety or self aggrandizement. He also shows us a Van Til who was ready to admit his faults. 

We have had too many portraits of Christian men and women, painted in such heroic light that the reader is left wondering if they really were men and women with a nature like ours. Muether includes the account of the time when Van Til, mourning the death of Machen and wondering what would happen to Westminster Seminary on account of the loss of their leader, went to see his aged father in order to speak with him about the situation. Ike Van Til reminded his son of the passage in Hebrews, “He that cometh to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him,.” “Van Til recalled…That was all he said. I was rebuked and chastened. Did I still finally trust in Machen’s greatness as a scholar and a man or did I trust in the Christ to whom Machen constantly pointed us (p. 85).”

Muether’s work is also valuable as a primer for anyone interested in studying the works of Van Til. The author offers rich, bibliographical references together with historical context and theological analysis. The book is written in a simple, straightforward and logical manner that makes for an easy read. This is a nice addition to the American Reformed Biographies series published by Presbyterian and Reformed Publishing. 


About Post Author

Nick Batzig is the senior pastor of Church Creek PCA in Charleston, SC and an associate editor for Ligonier Ministries. Prior to serving at Church Creek, Nick was a pastor at Wayside PCA on Signal Mountain, TN. Formerly, Nick served as the founding pastor of New Covenant Presbyterian Church (PCA) in Richmond Hill, GA and as the editor of Reformation21 and the Christward Collective--sites of the Alliance of Confessing Evangelicals. He frequently writes for Tabletalk Magazine, Reformation 21, He Reads Truth, and the Christward Collective. Nick was also the host of East of Eden, a podcast devoted to the Biblical and Systematic Theology of Jonathan Edwards. You can friend him on Facebook here and follow him on Twitter @nick_batzig

1 Response

  1. Chris
    Reply

    Nick,

    I appreciated the post, I don’t get Modern Reformation anymore (although I read Riddlebarger’s latest review and appreciated it). I specifically appreciated your comments about hagiography being problematic. I think that this is partly why Church History is (tragically) not as appreciated by many in the modern church.

    In Christ,
    Chris.

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