[Opinion] Michael Horton's Systematic Theology as a Textbook (1)

Michael Horton

1. My opinion is that Michael Horton's The Christian Faith: A Systematic Theology for Pilgrims On the Way (2011) is not suitable as a textbook on Systematic Theology.

Before giving my reasons for this opinion, I like to cover myself by saying that this is not meant as a put down of Michael Horton.

I enjoy reading The Christian Faith: A Systematic Theology for Pilgrims On the Way (2011) and I have learned from this book.

But the way Horton wrote his book makes it unsuitable as a textbook.
 

I base my opinion on two main reasons:
 

(a) The way Horton organizes the materials; and
 

(b) The uneven level of difficulties of the different chapters.

I will state the first reason in this blog post and the second reason in a later one.


2. There are basically three ways to approach any topics of study:
 

(a) Systematically;
 

(b) Historically; and
 

(c) Comparatively.

One can further divide the systematic approach in two ways:
 

(a) Analytically - going from the forest to the trees; and
 

(b) Synthetically - going from the trees to the forest.

 

3. Traditional Systematic Theology textbooks usually organizes their content systematically (what else!), i.e. topics by topics, with supplementary historical and comparative notes or observations.
 

Within the Reformed theological tradition, examples of such textbooks are:
 

(a) Charles Hodges' Systematic Theology ([1871-1873] 1981);
 

(b) Louis Berkhof's Systematic Theology, Fourth Revised and Enlarged Edition ([1938] 1979);
 

(c) Wayne Grudem's Systematic Theology: An Introduction to Biblical Doctrine (1995); and
 

(d) Robert Reymond’s A New Systematic Theology Of The Christian Faith, 2nd Edition - Revised And Updated (1998).

Wayne Grudem's textbook is aimed primarily at the beginning students.
 

The textbooks by Charles Hodge, Louis Berkhof, and Robert Reymond are aimed at seminary students; although with some efforts, a beginning student can tackle Louis Berkhof's Systematic Theology.

 

4. Michael Horton, on the other hand, organizes the content of his book historically, with supplementary systematic and comparative notes or observations.

Just looking at the Contents of The Christian Faith: A Systematic Theology for Pilgrims On the Way (2011), one may be misled into thinking this is just a variation of the traditional organization of theological topics - it is not.

For when one begins to read the book, one finds that the individual chapters are organize basically as sketches of the historical development of the different topics.

Michael Horton's book is basically a historical theology of the different topics put together and calls a systematic theology.

I have covered myself by using the qualifying word "basically" twice.

This is because my impression is that Michael Horton wants to write his theology through narrative and drama - and thus historically, but not every topic is susceptible to such a treatment.

But the tendency of Michael Horton's book is to organize the content historically, with supplementary systematic and comparative notes or observations.

 

5. Contents of Michael Horton's The Christian Faith: A Systematic Theology for Pilgrims On the Way (2011):

Contents

Part 1 - Knowing God: The Presuppositions of Theology
1. Dissonant Dramas: Paradigms for Knowing God and the World
2. The Character of Theology: A Theoretical or a Practical Science?
3. The Source of Theology: Revelation
4. Scripture as Covenant Canon
5. The Bible and the Church: From Scripture to System

Part 2 - God Who Lives
6. God: The Incommunicable Attributes
7. God: The Communicable Attributes
8. The Holy Trinity

Part 3 - God Who Creates
9. The Decree: Trinity and Predestination
10. Creation: God's Time for us
11. Providence: God's Care for All He Has Made
12. Being Human
13. The Fall of Humanity

Part 4 - God Who Rescues
14. The Person of Christ
15. The State of Humiliation: Christ's Threefold Office
16. The State of Exaltation: The Servant Who Is Lord

Part 5 - God Who Reigns in Grace
17. Called to be Saints: Christ's Presence in the Spirit
18. Union with Christ
19. Forensic Aspects of Union with Christ: Justification and Adoption
20. The Way Forward to Grace: Sanctification and Perseverance
21. The Hope of Glory: "Those Whom He Justified He Also Glorified" (Ro 8:30)
22. The Kingdom of Grace and the New Covenant Church
23. Word and Sacrament: The Means of Grace
24. Baptism and the Lord's Supper
25. The Attributes of the Church: Unity, Catholicity, and Holiness
26. Apostolicity: A Fellowship of Receivers and Delivers

Part 6 - God Who Reigns in Glory
27. A Dwelling Place
28. The Return of Christ and the Last Judgment
29. The Last Battle and Life Everlasting

 

6. The first reason why I believe Michael Horton's The Christian Faith: A Systematic Theology for Pilgrims On the Way (2011) is not suitable as a textbook on Systematic Theology is because it is not organize systematically.
 

Because it is organize historically rather than systematically, a student will find it very hard to learn the basic positions on a given topic from Michael Horton's book.
 

Take for example the doctrine of the attributes of the Bible.
 

In Reformed theology, the Bible is said to possess four main attributes: necessity, sufficiency, clarity, and authority.
 

In a reformed systematic theology textbook, one would expect an author to:
 

(a) Systematically: list the attributes, define the terms, give Biblical reasons for believing the Bible possesses these attributes and cover any misconceptions and misinterpretations of these attributes;
 

(b) Comparatively: contrast the Protestant doctrine of the attributes of the Bible with those of Roman Catholicism and Eastern Orthodoxy;
 

(c) Historically: tell how the different theological traditions develop their doctrine of the attributes of the Bible with citations from important theologians, confessions and creeds.

Michael Horton covered this material in Part I of Chapter 5 of his book and the followings are his headings and pages:
 

Chapter 5: The Bible and the Church: From Scripture to System (pages 186 to

                 218)
 

I. The Sufficiency of Scripture: Canon and Community (pages 186 to 205)
     A. Sola Scriptura: The Reformation Debate (pages 187 to 198)
          1. Roman Catholic Teaching (pages 187 to 189)
          2. Reformation and Post-Reformation Interpretation (pages 189 to 198)
 

     B. Authority and Sufficiency of Scripture in Modern Theology (pages 198 to

         201)
 

     C. Gospel and Culture (pages 201 to 205)

Because of Horton's narrative and historical approach, one is not told that the Bible is considered to possess four main attributes.
 

There is inadequate definition of terms - although all four attributes got discussed eventually.
 

The main heading of section I is "The Sufficiency of Scripture", and the other three attributes (necessity, clarity and authority) got subsume under this section.
 

This because historically, the sufficiency of the Bible is where the Protestants fought most fiercely with the Roman Catholics.
 

And there is no sense of proportion - what is the relative importance of each attribute?
 

How are the parts relate to the whole?
 

If view as a textbook, this presentation is not student-friendly.
 

All this because Michael Horton organizes his "Systematic Theology" historically.

 

Reference:

Horton, Michael. 2011. The Christian Faith: A Systematic Theology for Pilgrims On the Way. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan.

End.