Systematic Theology

Foundation for Faith Review
Summary
A Foundation for Faith: An Introductory Study of Systematic Theology with References to the Baptist Confession of Faith of 1689 by Stanford E. Murrell, Th.D., is a massive work consisting of 6 parts.  Part I focuses on theology proper—i.e., the study of God, which examines the definition, method, and source of theology and looks at the arguments for the existence of God. The arguments include the ontological, cosmological, teleological, moral and historical arguments. In response to these arguments, Murrell gives the anti-theistic—i.e., anti-Christian—arguments, which include atheism, polytheism, materialism, and pantheism. Murrell discusses at length the arguments against materialism and identifies the promises of God in response to these rebuttals. The argument against materialism is tersely summarized thus: “Logically, life must come from life. No spontaneous generation has ever been proven.”[footnoteRef:2] The promises of God in opposition to pantheism, which Murrell explains is an illogical belief because personality cannot come from the impersonal, are summarized in this one quote: “‘Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and shew thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not’ (Jer. 33:3).”[footnoteRef:3] This section is followed by an in-depth exploration of the nature of God, the decrees of God and the works of God, all of which have been given to man through both the use of natural reason and revelation. Murrell essentially brings faith and reason together in this section, which is a necessary union.[footnoteRef:4] [2: Stanford E. Murrell, A Foundation for Faith: An Introductory Study of Systematic Theology with References to the Baptist Confession of Faith of 1689 (NTS Library), 33. ] [3: Ibid 34.] [4: Avery Dulles,The Assurance of Things Hoped For (New York: Oxford, 1994), 8.]
Part II examines the subject of bibliology or the study of the Bible. It looks at the books of the Bible, the Inspiration of the Bible and a variety of other subjects such as the Dead Sea Scrolls, the Septuagint, the Church Fathers, and why the Bible is important to the faith. Part III tackles the subject of anthropology, that is the study of man. Specifically, it examines the origin and nature of man, the origin of the soul, man’s original state, the fall of man, the passing on of the stain of Original Sin to posterity, man’s covenant with God, and the issue of total inability, which is discussed in terms of three differing views—the Pelagian view, Semi-Pelagian view, and the Augustianian (Reformed) view.
Part IV examines Soteriology, the study of salvation. Part V looks at Pneumatology, or the study of the Holy Spirit. And Part VI looks at Eschatology, or the study of the future and the immortality of the soul, the resurrection of the body, and the eternal reward in Heaven.
Overall, the book is encyclopedic in nature, giving definitions of terms and historical context so that the ideas can be better understood. Every part of the book is full of information related to its focus, and thus the book acts as a good primer on the totality of systematic theology. No one part can be singled out as being more important than another as they are all crucial to a proper understanding of theology. The first part, however, does provide the necessary foundation for examining the others and the first part discusses the difference between natural theology—in which man seeks God—and revealed theology—in which God reveals Himself to man: “In Natural Theology man seeks God; in Revealed Theology God seeks man because of infinite grace and not out of necessity.”[footnoteRef:5] Murrell makes the important point that in natural theology man can find no rest because though he may identify the natural law he will not be able to identify the source of natural law beyond a vague comprehension of a deity. Unless he has access to revealed theology, he will be at a loss as to the source of the good in the world and the source of the moral law written on the hearts of men. [5: Ibid 23.]
In the first part, Murrell also breaks down the concept of theology into four different types: revealed or biblical theology, dogmatic theology, practical theology, and theology proper. Revealed theology refers to the Word of God as revealed primarily through Scripture. Dogmatic theology refers to the “core doctrines of the Church,” which have endured the centuries.[footnoteRef:6] Practical theology refers the study of “the effect of Divine truth upon the lives of professing Christians” and whether that effect is positive in the lives of people.[footnoteRef:7] And theology proper refers to the study of the knowledge of God, which is where all theology should inevitably return, Murrell notes. [6: Ibid 24.] [7: Ibid 24. ]
A great deal of attention is thus given to Scriptural verses, particularly in the various sections on Atonement. Murrell explains how the Atonement was sacrificial, expiatory, efficacious and vicarious, sufficient and propitiatory. In a manner similar to what Aquinas does in the Summa,[footnoteRef:8] Murrell poses objections to subjects he has presented and then answers the objections. For example, he poses this argument: “It is unjust to punish the innocent for the guilty”—and then proceeds to provide the counter-argument by stating: “If God had laid the penalty on some innocent being without his consent, that would have been injustice; but if God Himself assumed the penalty it was no injustice to man, and no injustice to him who voluntarily assumed it; but rather the expression of Divine and infinite love.”[footnoteRef:9] In this manner, Murrell covers a lot of ground and explores all of the facets of systematic theology, without leaving any stone uncovered or neglecting any aspect of the subject. [8: Thomas Aquinas, Summa Theologica.] [9: Ibid 171.]
Interpretation
Murrell has put the book together in a systematic way so as to better approach the topic of systematic theology. The relationship between the parts is clear: the first part lays the groundwork for systematic theology—without a discussion of the types of theology (i.e., the sources and methods of theology), there can be no examination of the fuller aspects of theology. Thus, Murrell lays the groundwork appropriately enough in the first section. The arguments for the existence of God are particularly important as they show the justification for theology in the first place. The ontological argument, for instance, is used to show that God is that than which nothing greater can be imagined. God is the superlative, in the hierarchical ordering of things He is at the top and is responsible for the existence of everything below. The other arguments are also useful for explaining God’s existence and help to further deepen the book’s utility overall. The teleological argument is defined as the argument from design—i.e., there is an obvious design to the universe, which implies that there had to be a designer. These arguments taken as a whole serve to convince the reader of the need for theology.
However, the book is not composed as an apologetic. That is to say, it is not written with the purpose in mind being to convert the reader. It assumes that the reader is already convinced or at least interested in the study of God. The book thus proceeds in a cold, rather clinical manner and does not include any passionate digressions or diatribes. Everything about it is straight-forward, adhering to the outline provided at the beginning and never deviating from it.
For example, when discussing the centrality of Christ in the Bible, Murrell notes that “Jesus Christ is the central theme of the Bible from beginning to end. He who in Genesis is promised as the seed of the woman, is seen in Revelation sitting on the great white throne judging all the races of men.”[footnoteRef:10] There is no passionate discussion of the matter. It is matter of fact and to the point: Christ is the center of the Bible, the endpoint of the Old Testament and the whole of the New Testament. There is no debating it, no examination of any other possibilities—nothing. The information is given to the reader and expected to be accepted without question. When Murrell deems it necessary to address possible arguments against a topic—such as atonement or such as the existence of God—he does so. But much of the book is composed like a primer for a student who is looking to be introduced to the main ideas of systematic theology. [10: Ibid 69.]
Thus there are no major characters to follow, no development of an overall thesis or perspective. It is an information dump, organized in a systematic manner and indexed from the outset so that the student or reader can easily turn to a specific page or section to find exactly the information that he is looking for. The Table of Contents is particularly helpful in that regard, with virtually every section titled and divided up into chapters to make for easier reading and to assist with easy referencing if the book is to be used in research as an authoritative source.
Nothing in the book angered or upset, as the book is not written in a polemical tone. It does not embark on the use of rhetoric to convey or make a point. Every point the book makes is a basic fact of history. It does not put forward any new takes on theology or attempt to define theology in a way that is not consistent with how it has been defined in the past. It looks at the history of theology and passes on to the reader the historical deposit, so to speak.
Granted, as the book is more encyclopedic than anything, it does only provide a surface explanation and examination of things—but even that is hardly a fair criticism, as the explanations and examinations are more than sufficient to bring the reader a sense of clarity and understanding. Further study into certain areas, such as Atonement or the arguments on the existence of God could obviously be taken with the help of other books. But this one stands as an authoritative work and one that should be consulted by students of theology for a long time to come.
This is the type of book that could become well-thumbed, indexed, highlighted and re-read, with notes made in the margins for future reflection. That is nothing in the book that cannot be traced back to an earlier definition. The book makes up nothing new about the study of theology and Murrell simply passes on to the reader everything that he himself has received as a student of systematic theology.
For that reason, my interpretation of this book is that it should be recognized as a definitive book on systematic theology and it should be appreciated more for its succinct definition of so many different aspects of theology rather than for any in-depth analysis, though these are evident in the work and can be turned to frequently—for instance, in the discussion of the Fall of Man, Murrell states that “when God first created man, he was not confirmed in holiness. Confirmation was to come in the form of a test after a period of probation. If Adam was tempted to sin and resisted, not only would the elect angels rejoice, but also Satan was to have been removed from Eden as righteousness reigned on Earth.”[footnoteRef:11] It is an eloquent and adequate explanation for the Fall. It is succinct, authoritative, and to the point—just like the whole of the book. [11: Ibid 108.]
Conclusion
While I view the work as authoritative and perfect as an introduction to systematic theology or even simply as a reference manual, the book may also be viewed as more than this. It can be viewed as an historical document that summarizes the topic of systematic theology from the Christian point of view. It does include opposing viewpoints in its structure and does address them in the same manner Aquinas addresses the opposing arguments in his Summa. So, in this way, it could be looked at as an apologetic of sorts. I chose not to look at it this way because I feel that an apologetic is more focused on the answering of arguments and the converting of persons in more systematic way. The system inherent in this book’s design is informative rather than persuasive.
At the same time there is a deep and compelling persuasive aspect to the book. For example, Murrell poses numerous arguments like this: “Argument. ‘If man does not have a free will, then he is not under any moral obligation to keep God’s Law.’”[footnoteRef:12] Murrell provides the response in short order: “Answer. That depends on how the inability arose. If it is a created inability then there can be no obligation. But if the inability is acquired, the obligation remains. The Bible teaches in Genesis 2 that man acquired the inability to please God through the sinful act of deliberate disobedience. Therefore, man is still responsible despite the fact that his will is no longer free.”[footnoteRef:13] What can be seen here is that Murrell is not just writing a reference manual or an encyclopedia on systematic theology. He is also taking the information that he is providing and putting into a real world context. In the real world, questions will be asked and people will want answers. The fact that he includes a question/answer format in his book shows that he is thinking along apologetic lines already. [12: Ibid 120.] [13: Ibid 120.]
In my first reading of the book, I did not consider this apologetic line so closely, and so my interpretation basically centered on the structure of the work and its emphasis on the facts and the factual delivery of information. Upon re-reading my own interpretation and comparing it to the summary of the book that I provided above, I can see that there is more to that a mere recounting of information without regard to application. Indeed, the entire work is written with a sense of how the words can be applied and how one should anticipate questions and objections when applying the principles of theology in the real world.
This is evident in the section wherein Murrell is comparing justification with sanctification. Murrrell notes that
· Justification is an act; Sanctification is a work
· Justification is declaratory; Sanctification is experiential
· Justification is done for us; Sanctification is done in us
· Justification changes our relation to the Law;
· Sanctification changes our character
· Justification is based on the righteousness of Christ; Sanctification is the sequence of righteousness[footnoteRef:14] [14: Ibid 200.]
This section is completely relevant for one who is not only interested in theology but who is also interested in apologetics and in the prospect of educating and potentially converting others. The comparison of justification and sanctification is so pertinent, too, in the modern world because it allows individuals to cut right through to the facts of the matter rather than argue whether one is justified or saved by works or grace. Murrell distinguishes between justification and sanctification in a manner that neutralizes the conflict and can lead to a better understanding of what goes on in a soul that is seeking a relationship with God. It is about clearing out the confusion and letting light into the mind, which is consistent with the character of Christianity itself.[footnoteRef:15] [15: Smith, Christian. "Why Christianity works: An emotions-focused phenomenological account." Sociology of Religion 68, no. 2 (2007), 166..]
The validity of the book, of course, lies in its authoritative nature. Without the authoritative nature, it would not have any relevance for anyone interested in using it as an aid in apologetics. As Sheen notes, the authority of God is rooted in His nature,[footnoteRef:16] and the same concept applies in this book. For it is, first and foremost, a work that is intended to be instructional and educative: this is wherein lies its validity. Its utility, its relevance, lies in the fact that it can be used as a tool because its information will have meaning for others who may be concerned with the types of topics covered in the book and by the types of questions asked by the book. The relevance and validity of the work are thus intertwined, as they should be. Its answers are accurate because they are rooted in the past and based on what has been handed down over the centuries. They are not novel or deviations from the teachings in the field that have been hallowed by time. They are the facts of theology made plain and communicated in a way that will be of use to anyone interested in the big questions. [16: Fulton Sheen, The Life of Christ (NY: Image Books, 2008), 5.]
Bibliography
Aquinas, Thomas. Summa Theologica. http://www.newadvent.org/summa/
Dulles, Avery. The Assurance of Things Hoped For. New York: Oxford, 1994.
Murrell, Stanford. A Foundation for Faith A n Introductory Study of Systematic
Theology With References To The Baptist Confession of Faith of 1689. http://www.ntslibrary.com/PDF%20Books/An%20Introductory%20Study%20of%20Systematic%20Theology.pdf
Sheen, Fulton. Life of Christ. NY: Image Books, 2008.
Smith, Christian. "Why Christianity works: An emotions-focused phenomenological
account." Sociology of Religion 68, no. 2 (2007): 165-178.