Difference between revisions of "John Gresham Machen"
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| − | John Gresham Machen (1881 – 1937) is an important theologian in [[Conservative Christianity]]. Machen began advocating conservative theology in 1920. He was instrumental in the 1929 formation of [[Westminster Theological Seminary]], which then sought and still seeks to continue in the tradition of Old [[Princeton Theology]]. A year before his 1937 death he helped form the [[Orthodox Presbyterian Church]] after his suspension from the Presbyterian Church in the USA's general assembly. In the 1929 book ''A Preface to Morals'' Walter Lippmann wrote "We shall do well to listen to Dr. Machen"<ref> [http://books.google.com/books?id=-wDICbaI80kC&printsec=frontcover&source=gbs_summary_r&cad=0#PPA32,M1 ''A | + | John Gresham Machen (1881 – 1937) is an important theologian in [[Conservative Christianity]]. Machen began advocating conservative theology in 1920. He was instrumental in the 1929 formation of [[Westminster Theological Seminary]], which then sought and still seeks to continue in the tradition of Old [[Princeton Theology]]. A year before his 1937 death he helped form the [[Orthodox Presbyterian Church]] after his suspension from the Presbyterian Church in the USA's general assembly. In the 1929 book ''A Preface to Morals'' Walter Lippmann wrote "We shall do well to listen to Dr. Machen"<ref> [http://books.google.com/books?id=-wDICbaI80kC&printsec=frontcover&source=gbs_summary_r&cad=0#PPA32,M1 ''A Preface to Morals''], Walter Lippmann, Macmillan, 1929</ref>. |
==Career== | ==Career== | ||
In 1905 he spent a year studying under [[Wilhelm Herrmann|Johann Wilhelm Herrmann]]. Like [[Karl Barth]], he later rejected such [[Liberal Christianity]] teachings, though Barth's work would be seen as fundamentally different in nature and came to be known as the [[neo-orthodoxy]] movement. Machen's 1923 book ''Christianity and Liberalism'' is considered a classic work of [[Fundamentalism|Anti-Modernist]] thought. Machen maintained that theological liberalism was both un-Christian and unscientific<ref> Chapter 19 "The Fundamentalist and Neo-Evangelical Traditions" in [http://books.google.com/books?id=e7BXpAsDXh0C&pg=RA1-PA352&vq=Fundamentalist+fanatic&source=gbs_search_r&cad=1_1#PRA1-PA357,M1 ''American Religious Traditions: The Shaping of Religion in the United States''], Richard E. Wentz, Fortress Press, 2003, ISBN 0-8006-3616-3</ref>. His book was the conservative response to [[Harry Emerson Fosdick]]'s 1922 sermon “Shall the Fundamentalists Win?” and the book ''Christianity and Progress''. | In 1905 he spent a year studying under [[Wilhelm Herrmann|Johann Wilhelm Herrmann]]. Like [[Karl Barth]], he later rejected such [[Liberal Christianity]] teachings, though Barth's work would be seen as fundamentally different in nature and came to be known as the [[neo-orthodoxy]] movement. Machen's 1923 book ''Christianity and Liberalism'' is considered a classic work of [[Fundamentalism|Anti-Modernist]] thought. Machen maintained that theological liberalism was both un-Christian and unscientific<ref> Chapter 19 "The Fundamentalist and Neo-Evangelical Traditions" in [http://books.google.com/books?id=e7BXpAsDXh0C&pg=RA1-PA352&vq=Fundamentalist+fanatic&source=gbs_search_r&cad=1_1#PRA1-PA357,M1 ''American Religious Traditions: The Shaping of Religion in the United States''], Richard E. Wentz, Fortress Press, 2003, ISBN 0-8006-3616-3</ref>. His book was the conservative response to [[Harry Emerson Fosdick]]'s 1922 sermon “Shall the Fundamentalists Win?” and the book ''Christianity and Progress''. | ||
Revision as of 15:57, March 25, 2009
John Gresham Machen (1881 – 1937) is an important theologian in Conservative Christianity. Machen began advocating conservative theology in 1920. He was instrumental in the 1929 formation of Westminster Theological Seminary, which then sought and still seeks to continue in the tradition of Old Princeton Theology. A year before his 1937 death he helped form the Orthodox Presbyterian Church after his suspension from the Presbyterian Church in the USA's general assembly. In the 1929 book A Preface to Morals Walter Lippmann wrote "We shall do well to listen to Dr. Machen"[1].
Career
In 1905 he spent a year studying under Johann Wilhelm Herrmann. Like Karl Barth, he later rejected such Liberal Christianity teachings, though Barth's work would be seen as fundamentally different in nature and came to be known as the neo-orthodoxy movement. Machen's 1923 book Christianity and Liberalism is considered a classic work of Anti-Modernist thought. Machen maintained that theological liberalism was both un-Christian and unscientific[2]. His book was the conservative response to Harry Emerson Fosdick's 1922 sermon “Shall the Fundamentalists Win?” and the book Christianity and Progress.
Machen in 1936 helped found the Presbyterian Church in America, (now called the Orthodox Presbyterian Church). It holds steadfastly to the Westminster Standards, and was founded by conservatives who split away from the Presbyterian Church in the United States of America (PCUSA) because they strongly opposed the pervasive Modernist theology of the 1930s.
Further reading
- Hart, D. G. Defending the Faith: J. Gresham Machen and the Crisis of Conservative Protestantism in Modern America. Johns Hopkins U. Press, 1994. 227 pp., the standard scholarly biography
- Hart, D. G. "When is a Fundamentalist a Modernist? J. Gresham Machen, Cultural Modernism, and Conservative Protestantism." Journal of the American Academy of Religion 1997 65(3): 605-633.
- Hart, D. G. "Fundamentalism, Inerrancy, and the Biblical Scholarship of J. Gresham Machen." Journal Of Presbyterian History 1997 75(1): 13-28. 0022-3883
- Hart, D. G. "Christianity, Modern Liberalism, and J. Gresham Machen." Modern Age 1997 39(3): 234-245. online at http://ma.isi.org/
- Marsden, George. Fundamentalism and American Culture (2006) excerpt and text search, the standard scholarly history
- Rian, Edwin H. The Presbyterian Conflict (1940).
- ↑ A Preface to Morals, Walter Lippmann, Macmillan, 1929
- ↑ Chapter 19 "The Fundamentalist and Neo-Evangelical Traditions" in American Religious Traditions: The Shaping of Religion in the United States, Richard E. Wentz, Fortress Press, 2003, ISBN 0-8006-3616-3
- Russell, C. Allyn. "J. Gresham Machen, Scholarly Fundamentalist." Journal of Presbyterian History 1973 51(1): 41-69.
External links
- Christianity and Liberalism (text only version)
- Christianity and Liberalism (1923) (scanned version)
- The origin of Paul's religion (1921)
- The literature and history of New Testament times (1915)
- What is faith? (1925)