TLF Session #2 – Ligon Duncan on Sytematic Theology and Pastoral Ministry

Dr. Duncan opened his talk by saying “If you are a pastor you are a theologian, the only question is, ‘Are you going to be a good one or a bad one?” And, “If you are a pastor be a Systematic Theologian and not merely a Thematic Theologian.” We live in an age that is anti-theological and anti-systematic. Our society does this while all the while holding to a systematic world view. This brings unto into a debate about whether we are going to be doctrinal or not. No matter how much someone says we shouldn’t be so confident in our doctrine, they are being confident in THEIR doctrine.

First, this assumes that our culture is non or anti-doctrinal. It is not, it just thinks it is. You need to reveal this to those who oppose you as you seek to engage this culture. Touch the ethics of this culture and you will quickly find its doctrine. Touch the narrative of this culture and you will find what the culture’s doctrine is.

Second, this approach that is skeptical of doctrine is misleading because everyone has a doctrine.

Third, We need to look to the Scripture to be informed how to be theological in our pastoral ministry. We need to understand the objections of our time to be sure. We need to hear the doubts of the post-moderns, but then we need to give a better diagnosis and prescription than they have offered.

Dr. Duncan argues that systematic theology or propositional theology is in distress at this time. As faithful shepherd we need to resist to the death falling into this mindset. Some are saying that we need to meet post-modernism by entertaining post-modern vagueness.

Charge to be doctrinal like Piper and Lloyd-Jones.

We must show that doctrine is necessary, important and unavoidable. Many believe that systematic theology, in addition to being a useless philosophical process, is useless. Dr. Duncan stressed that he wants us to see the value of systematic theology. It out to be our aim to outlive, out joy and out adorn the critics of systematic theology.

Finally, the Bible makes it clear that doctrine is for living. Doctrine out not to be a speculative practice. Doctrine is for life. If our lives do not reflect this the the truth has gone bad on us.

I. The Concepts and Legitimacy of Doctrine and Systematic Theology are Under Distress at this Time.

We hear even evangelicals around us saying things like “Christianity is a life not a doctrine.” It is saying the same thing that liberals said at the turn of the 20th Century. Duncan recommended that everyone read Machen’s Christianity and Liberalism.

When someone says “We should care more about people than about doctrinal truth,” we need to recognize that this is a truth statement. Dr. Duncan, in a humorous fashion, said, “I wonder if this means that he cares more about the truth that we should be more interested in people that about doctrinal truth, than about people.”

“Deeds not Creeds” is a unitarian slogan. We are now hearing it from Evangelical leaders. You will hear such things are “Let’s stop debating the faith and lets start living it.” The assumption is that the defense of the truth is contrary to living the truth. Sometimes you will hear things like “Truth is a Person not a proposition,” which is, ironically, a proposition.

Sometime systematic theology is challenged by the way it was done in the past. For instance, some challenge the systematic theology of the Princetonians because “they embrace modernist ways of approaching the Bible.”

We are being told that we need more “narrative,” “exegesis,” or “story” than propositions.

Dr. Duncan read quotes from a well known Unitarian pastor and a Jewish Rabbi stating that we need “Deeds not Creeds.” What is interesting about this quote is that we can find affinity for it in the quadrants of evangelicalism–even within circles that are not emergent.

Many people say that the reason evil exists is because of all the evil that has come about because of theology. But theology does not kill, bad theology kills. We need to get rid of the bad and strive for good theology.

The concept of freedom that we have today is a result of Puritan and Reformed history, not on account of the work of those who tell us we need to tolerate everything that opposes what we believe.

Eugene Genevieve comments that the religious minority in American at the turn of the 20th Century felt more comfortable around conservative Protestants than mainstream Liberals. God has made people in his image and therefore we must treat them with respect. Force conversion is illegitimate. But strangely a laze fair attitude did not make for a welcoming atmosphere for religious immigrants.

Collin Hanson quotes Scott McKnight’s artcle on systematic theology. McKnight argues that God did not give a systematic theology, but a narrative. He notes that ST should be held in suspicion because there is no unified agreement on systematic theology. But the Bible is not a story narrative. It is His word coming to His people. It contains written history, hymns, prayers, love poetry, philosophy, rubrics, etc. Indeed we have to put the metanarrative together. We do this with Biblical (i.e. Redemptive Historical) and Systematic Theology. If you believe in the canon of Scripture, inerrancy, and the analogy of Scripture you have just showed the importance of ST.

Remember this is not the first generation of people who have liked stories. Can you image a father, in the 18th Century, tucking his child into bed at night and hearing the child say, “No stories tonight dad. I like propositional syllogisms.” No, we all have had stories to teach us political and religious truth.

Furthermore McKnight’s assertion that you cannot find systematic Truth in the Bible. In Gen. 2 you do not have Adam wondering whether he can have a relationship and conversation with God. The apostle Paul and John were ready to expel people from the church over words and language. Affirming the humanity of Jesus was not unimportant to the apostle John. Many of the theologians of the Medieval and Reformation church stressed the archtypal/echtypal distinction. Archtypal knowledge is the knowledge that we cannot know God like God knows Himself. Echtypal knowledge is the knowledge of God that we can know.

Dr. Duncan stressed that he loves Biblical Theology. He said it is important and necessary. BT and ST are friends. They need each other and compliment each other. Geerhardus Vos and John Murray had a healthy appropriation of these two discipines. Richard Gaffin, D.A. Carson and Bruce Waltke are among living theologians who do the same. Through this inter penetration of these disciplines we will be able to better articulate the truth of Scripture.

When a member of your congregation comes up and asks you to tell them about Angels, they do not want a story. They want a systematic treatment in about 2 minutes. When a member of your church asks you what happens when you die? You have to be able to give them a systematic, propositional summary of truth as it is taught in the Scriptures. Doctrine is what the whole Bible teaches about a particular topic.

We must sit under the judgment of, and not over the Master of, the word. Even the most sympathetic of evangelical biblical studies men can find systematic theology to be less important than it really is.

II. Scripture shows us the truth that truth, doctrine and theology are necessary for the Christian Life and simply unavoidable.

1. John 17:13-17

In this context truth is not faithfulness. Truth is God’s word.

2. Matthew 28:18-20

In the Great Commission Jesus tells the church to teach all of His truth to His people who are seeking to live out that truth.

3. 1 Timothy 1:3-5

Paul tells Timonthy negatively not to listen to bad theology and positively that good theology leads to godliness.

4. 1 Timothy 1:8-11

Paul tells Timothy that doctrine and ethics are inseparately connected.

5. 1 Tim. 6:2-4

Paul here shows not only a concern for orthodox doctrine, but he even cares about retaining the pattern of sounds words of Jesus’ teaching.

6. Titus 1:1

Paul connects truth and godliness. Knowledge of the truth is vital to godliness. Paul barely gets out of his salutation in this letter before he breaks out into an exposition of the value of truth.

Paul also used the doctrine of the incarnation in Philippians 2 to teach the importance of doctrine on the life of the church. We are to have the same mind as Christ Jesus. The doctrine leads to a life of godliness in the people of God.

Paul always teaches that the answer to practical problems is always theology. These problems are, at the root, theological.

In the anti-doctrinal age we must be convinced that truth matters, that theology is for life, that doctrine matters.

Dr. Duncan ended the talk with a reference to Luke 24. This is often the key text for Biblical Theology, as over against Systematic Theology. Duncan argues very persuasively that Jesus teaches ST as well as BT when He speaks of His humiliation and exaltation in his discourse. This is ST. Certainly BT is taught there as well. But ST informs BT, just as BT informs ST.