240. Lane Tipton on The Trinitarian Theology of Cornelius Van Til

In this episode, we welcome Dr. Lane Tipton to discuss his book The Trinitarian Theology of Cornelius Van Til. Who was Cornelius Van Til (1895-1987), and why does he matter? A Reformed thinker, theologian, and philosopher – Tipton writes that Van Til was “one of the most profound theological minds of the past century”, consistently committed to the Creator-creature distinction – and opposing all forms of “mutualism” wherein “God, the Creator, participates in the change of the creature or that the creature participates in the essence of the Creator.” Integrating both Old Princeton and Old Amsterdam – Dr. Tipton takes us through the standard Trinitarian language and grammar Van Til shares with what came before, including John Calvin’s Autothean Conception of the Eternal Person of the Son. Distinguishing between The Son Simpliciter (or the Son “as a distinct personal subsistent who is the underived and uncommunicated essence of God”) and The Son Filiatio (or the Son “considered in relation to the Father in the processional relation”, i.e. being begotten of the Father), we ask Dr. Tipton why this distinction is important for clarity and consistency in understanding the Triune God. Was Van Til novel, or so distinct in his articulation of the Trinity as to be inconsistent or contrary to the Westminster Confession of Faith, or any other significant creedal or confessional heritage? We ask Dr. Tipton specifically about Van Til’s quotation about God being “numerically one” or “one person” – and hear the context of Van Til’s affirmation of God as “absolute personality” in the context of debates over the Boston Personalism (of scholars such as Edgar Sheffield Brightman and A.C. Knudson) as well as the rationalism of Gordon Clark. What is the “deeper protestant conception”, both of God and of man – and how does it compare and contrast with the “deeper Roman Catholic conception” of Thomas Aquinas – and why does this matter in terms of any attempt at ressourcement and retrieval from Christian tradition? Does “anthropomorphism” in the Bible undermine our claims that this theology is derived from Scripture? What about the claims of “bad fruit” (based on some of the work and behavior of people who claim Van Til as an influence) evidencing the need to avoid his work? We end the interview asking what should be understood as the real legacy of Cornelius Van Til, and why does it matter today.

Book: The Trinitarian Theology of Cornelius Van Til

Other resources by Dr. Tipton:

- “Resurrection, Proof, and Presuppositionalism: Acts 17:30-31” (also here)

- “Paul’s Christological Interpretation of Creation and Presuppositional Apologetics”

- “Christology in Colossians 1:15-20 and Hebrews 1:1-4: An Exercise in Biblico-Systematic Theology”

- “The Archetypal Image in Colossians 1:15: Theological Implications”

- Foundations of Covenant Theology: A Biblical-Theological Study of Genesis 1-3 (also here)

- Union with Christ: The Benefits of His Suffering and Glory (also here)

- Introduction to the Theology and Apologetics of Cornelius Van Til (also here)

- Reformed Forum: Vos Group; Van Til Group

- “Van Til’s Trinitarian Theology”

- “The Trinitarian Theology of Thomas Aquinas”

- “Van Til’s Doctrine of Revelation”

- “Van Til and Idealism”

Red Grace Media: “Anthony Burgess, Original Righteousness, and Deeper Protestant Conception”; “Anthony Burgess, Infused Grace, and Nature and Grace in the Reformed Tradition”

Also check out: “Covenant Theology and Eastern Orthodoxy”

(Some) Resources by Cornelius Van Til:

The Defense of the Faith

An Introduction to Systematic Theology

Survey of Christian Epistemology

A Christian Theory of Knowledge

Common Grace and the Gospel

Christianity and Barthianism

Also check out: The Problem of Evil (as well as our interview with Dr. Dennison here)

Other resources:

The Institutes of the Christian Religion by John Calvin

The Westminster Confession of Faith, Chapter 2

Cornelius Van Til: Reformed Apologist and Churchman by John Muether

Van Til’s Apologetic; Always Ready by Greg Bahnsen

Reformed Dogmatics; Grace and Glory by Geerhardus Vos

Geerdhardus Vos: Reformed Biblical Theologian, Confessional Presbyterian by Danny Olinger

Calvin and Calvinism, Volume 5 in The Works of Benjamin B. Warfield (also here)

Reformed Dogmatics (4 vol.’s) by Herman Bavinck

All That is in God by James Dolezal

God’s Time For Us: Barth’s Reconciliation of Eternity and Time in Jesus Christ by James Cassidy

Paul’s Two-Age Construction and Apologetics; In Defense of the Eschaton by William Dennison

God, Language and Scripture by Moises Silva

Christianity and Liberalism by J. Gresham Machen (also here and here)

Bearing the Cross; “The Intellectual Development of Martin Luther King, Jr.: Influences and Commentaries” by David Garrow (hear out interview here, and here)

Engaging Thomas Aquinas: An Evangelical Approach; “‘The Clay of Paganism with the Iron of Christianity’: Cornelius Van Til’s Critique of Roman Catholicism”; A Christian Pocket Guide to Mary: Mother of God? by Leonardo De Chirico

The Trinitarian Theology of St. Thomas Aquinas by Gilles Emery, OP

The Natural Desire to See God by Lawrence Feingold

Bound for Beatitude: A Thomistic Study in Eschatology and Ethics by Reinhard Hutter

The Glory of God’s Grace: Deification According to St. Thomas Aquinas by Daria Spezzano

LDS sources:

“Our Great Potential” (April 1977) by President Spencer W. Kimball

Founding Prophet/President Joseph Smith’s “King Follett Discourse”; “Sermon in the Grove” (also here, here, here – and here, here, here)

A Rational Theology; Joseph Smith as Scientist by Elder John A. Widtsoe

“Nature of Man” (July 3, 1859) by President/Prophet Brigham Young