The chapter is divided into six subheadings, Origins, Seminary Faculty, The Twentieth Century, Westminster Theological Seminary, The Princeton-Westminster Theology, and Conclusion.
“The first Presbyterians in America were Scots-Irish who settled mainly in Virginia and the Carolinas. They brought with them Orthodox Reformed theology, a dedicated work ethic, a desire to raise godly families, and a determination to worship God in all of life. This reached its theological high point in the Princeton theology of 19th century America.”[1]
Origins. From the log college of William Tennent,
to the College of New Jersey in Princeton, to Princeton University, and Princeton Theological Seminary. Mentioned are William Tennent, Jonathan Dickinson, Aaron Burr Sr.,
Jonathan Edwards,
Samuel Davies, and John Witherspoon,
the only preacher to sign the Declaration of Independence.
Seminary faculty. Archibald Alexander (the first seminary president), sons James W. Alexander and Joseph Addison Alexander, Samuel Miller, William Henry Green, Charles Hodge,
Alexander Hodge, Gaspar Wistar Hodge.
The Twentieth Century. B. B. Warfield, Francis Patton, Geerhardus Vos, Robert Dick Wilson, John D. Davis, William Park Armstrong, John DeWitt, Charles Erdman, J. Gresham Machen.
Westminster Theological Seminary. Mentioned are Wilson, Allis, and Cornelius Van Til, who left Princeton to begin Westminster Theological Seminary in Philadelphia. Erdman, Voss, Armstrong, and a few others stayed at Princeton. John Murray taught New Testament and theology at Westminster. Cornelius Van Til developed the apologetic system known as presuppositionalism. Later, Jay Adams revolutionized Christian counseling with the approach he termed Nouthetic Counseling.[2]
Westminster Theological Seminary in Escondido, California and Reformed Theological Seminary in Orlando, Florida were also founded.
The Princeton–Westminster theology. Three paragraphs are devoted to discussing this topic.
Conclusion. “Princeton and then Westminster seminaries were the most influential evangelical and reformed seminaries in America for decades. But if all Princeton could depart from evangelical orthodoxy, anyone could. We would all do well to learn from history.”[3]
[1]
Curt Daniel, The History & Theology of Calvinism, (Durham,
UK: EP Books, 2019), page 126.
[2]
Later, a series of books by Martin & Diedre Bobgan expose the unscriptural
aspects of the CCEF movement and develop the New Testament approach to
counseling which is Christ-centered rather than being problem-centered.
[3]
Ibid., page 130.
