The Fall of Evangelical Seminaries: A Lesson from the Past -- By: Mal Couch

Journal: Conservative Theological Journal
Volume: CTJ 04:12 (Aug 2000)
Article: The Fall of Evangelical Seminaries: A Lesson from the Past
Author: Mal Couch


The Fall of Evangelical Seminaries: A Lesson from the Past

Mal Couch

President and Professor of Theology & Languages
Tyndale Theological Seminary, Ft. Worth, TX

Below is an article based on a review of the book entitled: Princeton Seminary, Volume 2 of 2, by David B. Calhoun, Carlisle, Pennsylvania: The Banner of Truth Trust, 1996, 560 pp., Hardback. The lessons learned from this work should awaken us all as to what is happening both in so many of our schools, but also in our churches. Read this article below carefully:

The subtitle of the book Princeton Seminary, Volume 2, is “The Majestic Testimony” 1869–1929. This is the second volume released on the subject by the author. Volume 1 (1994) was subtitled, “Faith & Learning” 1812–1868. Calhoun is a graduate of both Columbia Bible College, Covenant Theological Seminary, and holds a Ph.D. from Princeton in the field of church history. He is now professor of church history at Covenant.

Both of these books make exciting theological reading, but also, they give rare insights into the early history of our nation, and the development of the evangelical setting that formed the backbone of early America.

Both books focus on the early Princeton great theological personalities that helped develop the most influential Christian institution of its times. But this Volume 2 gives us also a frightening and detailed examination at what this reviewer considers the doctrinal fall of that once great seminary. Besides such an interesting account of the history of the school, it is the study of those great personalities of the past that grabs the reader’s attention. In close-up snap shots, we read of the contributions of the school’s professors, such as: James Moffat, William Green, Alexander T. McGill, Charles Hodge, his son A.A. Hodge, Francis Patton, William Paxton, and Benjamin Warfield.

There are lessons to learn as Calhoun documents how the Presbyterian denomination slowly turned liberal in its decisions, concerning doctrine generally, and in the handling of Princeton specifically.

The story of Charles Hodge is most interesting. He taught for over fifty years at the seminary, and, educated more than 2,700 students! It was at the urging of his students that he turned his lecture notes into his three-volume Systematic Theology.

The liberal turn of the school as described in the book, is specifically very painful. We pick up the story in 1902, when Dr. Francis Landey Patton had been the school’s president for fourteen years. During that period, the college had become a university and doubled in size. Though he wanted to keep ...

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