Reformed Natural Theology – Part 3 (Pictet)

Part 1 and Part 2 Our discussion of Reformed natural theology concludes with an analysis of the work of Benedict Pictet (1655-1724). Pictet was Francis Turretin’s nephew and studied theology and philosophy under him. He was also Turretin’s assistant in the theology department of the Academy of Geneva. He later replaced Turretin as the chair …

Francis Turretin on the necessity of good works

In Francis Turretin’s brilliant section on “The Law of God” in his Institutes of Elenctic Theology (11th Topic), he “affirms against the antinomians” that the law “in a certain respect…still pertains to Christians.” Here is part of his response (23rd question, paragraphs V-VII): Finally, the law is necessary in many ways to Christians. (1) With …

Benedict Pictet on Justification and Sanctification

Benedict Pictet (1655-1724) was a Swiss Reformed theologian. He studied theology under his uncle, Francis Turretin, and later replaced him as the chair of theology in Geneva. Kevin DeYoung gives a short account of Pictet’s importance here. The text below is from Pictet’s work, Christian Theology (Bk. 8, Ch. 6,7). Pictet describes the relationship between …

The Rise, Decline, and Fall of Reformed Orthodoxy

Richard Muller traces the arc of “Reformed Orthodoxy” through three periods (early, high, and late orthodoxy), and William J. van Asselt spends a great deal of his work (“Introduction to Reformed Scholasticism”, Reformation Heritage Books) looking at these three periods as well. The post-Reformation development of Protestantism can be divided, for the sake of convenience, …

The Relevance of Protestant Orthodoxy to Us Today

When it comes to theology, you’ll frequently hear the phrase, “standing on the shoulders of giants”. One point that Muller makes is that these men were cognizant that the Reformers weren’t “starting new churches”, as Roman Catholic writers frequently charge. They were more interested in maintaining continuity with the past – with all of church …

“Suppressing the Truth by Wickedness”

John Thayer Jenson, you asked in Comment 271: I don’t see how this helps me to know which of us is right and which is suppressing the truth by his wickedness. I believe God’s Voice has told me the Catholic Church is His Body and men can be saved only through it; you believe – …