Sola Scriptura Research Articles

A Reformation in Progress: The Path toward the Reform of Johannes Oecolampadius

This article examines the life, theological career, exegetical development, and posthumous biographies of Johannes Oecolampadius as illustrative examples of the fact that the Swiss Reformation, with all its religious movements, was far from a uniform concept in terms of its origins, purposes, and methodologies. The article explains through Oecolampadius’s example an approach to reform that was ‘in progress’, traversing the nexuses of disparate methods and exegetical priorities. Oecolampadius’s experience occupied a position at the intersection between the authority of Patristics and the principle of sola scriptura, exemplifying a balance between the past and the present of Christian tradition. The path that led Oecolampadius to become a Protestant Reformer is characterised by a gradual transition, not abrupt, not radical. His example demonstrates the methodological and ideological diversity of the Reformation, which can be observed through the prism of a single life and its intellectual periods. His conversion offers insight into how these varied approaches shaped personal engagements with Scripture, and challenges the notion of an immediate or singular evangelical ‘calling’ or ‘conviction’. This article examines a specific phase within the broader and varied trajectory of the Swiss Reformation by analysing the transformation of Oecolampadius from a biblical scholar to a preacher, and eventually to a Reformer. This case study illustrates how disparate methodologies, whether rooted in humanism or Patristics, contributed to gradual and personal evolution, ultimately giving rise to distinctive individual stances on reform. This article presents a synthesis of three distinct perspectives on the question. The first part approaches the question through the lens of church history and intellectual history; the second one utilises the history of exegesis and New Testament scholarship; and the third draws upon the perspectives of Protestant historiography, from the standpoint of social history and the history of biographies in Early Modern times.

The Fathers of the Church, the Reformation, and the Failed Attempts at Union between the Tübingen Theologians and the Patriarchate of Constantinople: A Broad Perspective

The sixteenth century witnessed dramatic upheavals in Eastern and Western Europe in both the ecclesiastical and political domains. In the previous century, Constantinople had fallen to the Ottoman Turks, meaning that its Eastern Orthodox inhabitants were severed both politically and religiously from their Western Christian neighbors, who were ruled over by sovereigns that derived their spiritual authority from the Papacy. Meanwhile, the Reformation endangered the unity of the political and religious spheres of the Catholic West. As it soon became clear that the mainstream Reformers were neither united nor consistent in their ecclesiological views, one thing remained a constant: a recourse to the Fathers of the Church for the confirmation of Reformed tenets such as sola scriptura and sola fide. The use of Patristic proof texts played an important role in the attempt of the Lutherans to unite with the Orthodox, the former reading the writings of the Fathers in a very different way to the latter. This article analyzes why this attempt at union failed, with specific focus on the correspondence between the Tübingen theologians and the Patriarch of Constantinople, Jeremiah II Tranos, in their respective reading of the Augsburg Confession which represents the main Lutheran articles of faith.

Sola Scriptura and the Evolutionary Argument Against Naturalism

Inspired by Plantinga’s Evolutionary Argument Against Naturalism (EAAN), we develop an argument—the “Scriptural Argument Against Dogmatic Protestantism” (SAADP)—that Protestants who accept the doctrine of sola scriptura cannot reasonably hold that Catholic and Eastern churches are in doctrinal error. If sola scriptura is true and Catholic and Eastern Churches have fallen into error, it is improbable that any Protestant can reliably form true beliefs about controversial points of Christian doctrine, including sola scriptura or suggestions that Catholic and Eastern Christians are in error. We evaluate potential responses to SADDP, considering how SAADP should affect ecumenical doctrinal debates.

The authority of God takes precedence over Scripture and tradition

The divinely derived authority of the Bible to teach and guide, is somewhat mixed with the authority of traditions to interpret Scripture and document such interpretations outside Scripture. Tradition-based Bible translations pose a threat of elevating the authority of tradition over that of Scripture. All concerned traditions should not occupy or tame the authority of Scripture by producing Bibles attuned to tradition. The Scriptures were inspired by the Holy Spirit who inspires Bible readers to understand them. Tradition should not shape or formulate Scripture in accordance with its interpretive convictions. The Bible translations, produced under the auspices of specific traditions, should be exposed to guard the authority of Scripture not to be subdued by any tradition. The endless production of Bible translations has been considered to determine what could necessitate them. Among other findings, traditions have been found to be active in producing Bible translations, when their purview should be doing biblical interpretations and publish them within their traditions, and not to release them to the public as alternative Bibles or versions. The authority of God through the Holy Spirit, who inspired the prophets and apostles to write Scripture, is not transferable to any tradition. Regardless of the proliferation of tradition-based Bible translations, the authority to guide and teach believers, remains with God and the outlook of believers should be based on the supreme authority of God. The principle of Sola Scriptura is somewhat unsafe in the light of the production of tradition-orient Bible versions. The inspiration of the Bible by the Holy Spirit predates canonisation, redaction and restructuring of Scriptures. The production and publication of tradition-based Bibles with synthetic translation rules, poses a threat of diluting Scripture to align with specific traditions. Tradition is fallible and cannot be as authoritative as God. All authority to teach and guide continues to rest with the infallible God.Contribution: Continuous Reformation could regress to the outgrown pre-Reformation teachings that were subject to the authority of tradition, if the proliferation of tradition-based Bible translations is not noticed with a threat that they pose on the divinely derived authority of the Scriptures to teach and guide believing people. The gains of Reformers and Reformation should be guarded by being aware of Bible translation trends.

Reformed Pulpit and God’s mission: ‘Solae Doctrine’ to missio Dei

The five Solas of the Reformation, Sola Scriptura, Sola Fide, Sola Gratia, Solus Christus and Soli Deo Gloria, harmoniously or correspondingly affirm the central position of God in the work of salvation (missio Dei). The conceptualization of the missio Dei, which grew out of the 1952 International Missionary Council (IMC) reasoned on the basis of Solae doctrines, equally points to the central role of God in the work of salvation. Although the centrality of God in the work of salvation is consistently reflected through the Solae doctrine, and thus through understanding of the missio Dei, such consistency is seldom associated with the placement of the Reformed pulpit. To this end, this article draws on the available literature to show the doctrinal consistency reflected in the Solae teachings and the conceptualization of the missio Dei in relation to the placement and outlook of the Reformed pulpit. Consequently, this paper concludes that the Reformed tradition, encompassing the Solae doctrines, the conceptualization of the missio Dei, and its attitude toward the pulpit, harmoniously reflects the central role of God in the work of salvation. Within the Reformed knowledge space, this article thus makes a contribution as it discusses the placement of the Reformed pulpit in accordance with the Solae doctrines and the missio Dei, expressing the centrality of God in the work of salvation.

“Brothers of Different Periods”: Martin Luther and John Wesley’s Influence on the Twenty-First Century Church

Martin Luther and John Wesley stand as towering reformers and transformers whose influence still defines ecclesiastical theology in the twenty-first century. Luther and Wesley survived 200 years apart in two different countries, and circumstances, and yet their responses to the challenges of their milieus present the lived legacies of Lutheranism and Methodism respectively. Factors contributing to the shaping of their backgrounds and theology force one to argue that: “without Luther’s theology, the development of Methodism was a chance”. The purpose of this paper was to reread the convergencies in the backgrounds and theology of Luther and Wesley and analyse how their life settings and writings influenced the twenty-first-century church. The paper reminds the twenty-first-century church that much as Luther and Wesley’s biographies were influenced by the role of their parents, their conversion through nature, the impact of university life, unplanned marriages, and the fight against orthodoxy. Unfortunately, similar converging life experiences have not been taken seriously to “saltify” the rotting world as individualism and self-gain characterise the modern church. The paper also argues that Apostle Paul’s theology of justification by faith, sola fide, sola scriptura, and sola gratia is central to both Luther and Wesley, and they are the anchors of the twenty-first-century church. This paper does not aim to bring superiority and inferiority intricacies between Luther and Wesley but to use Luther as the role model of Wesley with the two being the beacons of the twenty-first-century ecclesia and ecclesiology.

My Savior's Guest: A Festschrift in Honor of Erling Trygve Teigen ed. by Thomas Rank

Reviewed by: My Savior's Guest: A Festschrift in Honor of Erling Trygve Teigen ed. by Thomas Rank Thomas E. Jacobson My Savior's Guest: A Festschrift in Honor of Erling Trygve Teigen. Edited by Thomas Rank. Lake Mills, Iowa: Thomas Rank, 2021. 268 pp. The name Erling Teigen, though familiar among a particular segment of American and world Lutheranism, is mostly unknown to those who represent a more ecumenical and "liberal" Lutheran tradition. [End Page 219] Even so, this Festschrift in honor of Teigen, a beloved and significant figure in the Evangelical Lutheran Synod (ELS), is a worthwhile read for Lutherans of various perspectives. To understand the significance of this book, one must first understand something of the tradition in which Teigen carried out his ministry as a pastor and professor. The ELS, now headquartered in Mankato, Minnesota, is a small Lutheran church body currently in fellowship with the larger Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod (WELS). Leading up to the larger Norwegian-American Lutheran merger of 1917, which produced the Norwegian Lutheran Church in America, a small group of pastors from one of the merging groups known as the Norwegian Synod refused to participate in the merger and formed their own synod. Largely, though not exclusively, this was the result of refusal to compromise on the theological issue of election or predestination. This group of "Little Norwegians" eventually became known as the ELS. Today it considers itself the authentic continuation of the tradition of the Norwegian Synod, which was a member of the Synodical Conference, originally formed in 1872 as a federation of synods, having fellowship on the basis of fundamental doctrinal unity. For this reason, the ELS has an identity rooted in the perspectives of the Synodical Conference, of which it remained a member until 1963. It also seeks to carry forward its Norwegian background. The title of this Festschrift reflects this concern for the historic Norwegian Lutheran tradition. The words "My Savior's Guest" appear in English translations of two Dano-Norwegian hymns for Holy Communion by Thomas Kingo and Johan Nordahl Brun. Naturally, the essays included here reflect the assumptions and concerns of church bodies with a heritage in the now defunct Synodical Conference, such as the Lutheran Church Missouri Synod, the WELS, and the ELS. Readers from these traditions will find not only much on which to agree, but also valuable insights into topics such as how one derives a sola scriptura principle from the Lutheran confessional writings, how to understand the relationship between freedom and uniformity in liturgical practice, and the importance of sacramental theology in the face of non-liturgical, "contemporary" worship trends. Not surprisingly, there are also essays devoted to issues such [End Page 220] as unionism and syncretism, the ordination of women, and the dangers of Pietism. It also touches on an area of recent concern, with an essay on the error of online or digital communion. Although the articles are erudite and professional, the volume also brings a personal touch in its effort to honor Teigen. It includes one sermon by Teigen, preached in 1989 on the slaughter of the innocents of Bethlehem. An essay also recounts Teigen's contribution to world Lutheranism through his work in building confessional Lutheranism in Latvia after the end of the Cold War. Although the volume includes a bibliography of Teigen's published works and a lighthearted "Erling Alphabet," which highlights aspects of his personality and contributions, a concise biography of Teigen would have been helpful for readers unfamiliar with his work. This collection, while affirming perspectives of the ELS and related bodies, can be helpful for Lutherans beyond the former Synodical Conference traditions. The realignment of American Lutheranism over the last decades, which has seen the emergence of a more conservative variety of the more ecumenically oriented Lutheranism, has brought such centrist bodies into greater contact with the Lutheranism of the former Synodical Conference. This volume can help those of us from such centrist traditions better understand and engage with such groups, and also sharpen and hone our own perspectives. Thomas E. Jacobson Institute of Lutheran Theology Brookings, South Dakota Copyright © 2023 Johns Hopkins University Press and Lutheran Quarterly, Inc.

"Solus Christus" from Late Medieval Passion Piety to Reformation Faith

In the Late Middle Ages, an inward piety oriented toward the suffering of Christ, had become a central theme of spiritual and theological reflection. Famously, Johann Staupitz transmitted it to his spiritual advisee Martin Luther. Using the mystical language of bridal encounter, he depicted Christ as an effective example for his disciples. Luther took part in this Christocentric piety and theology, as can already be observed in his early lectures. Framed by the humanist Lefèvre's hermeneutics, the Wittenberg monk claimed, that the entire scripture was to be understood through the perspective of Christ. Already in his interpretation of Romans, Luther began to develop this Christocentrism in contrast to human works. More and more, he spread his ideas through the vernacular, starting with The Seven Penitential Psalms of 1517. A highlight of his passion devotion can be found in his Sermon on the Contemplation of Christ's Holy Passion. While these writings still resonate with medieval spirituality, we can track an increasing juxtaposition of Christ over against work and merit related forms of medieval piety. A famous example for this is the confrontation in the Heidelberg Disputation between the theologus gloriae and the theologus crucis which points directly to the passion-Christology background. This formation of solus Christus as the clarion call for Luther's fight against the medieval church was reached a good year earlier than that of sola scriptura, which only emerged in its full form in the Leipzig Disputation in 1519. Here, hermeneutics, spirituality and ecclesiology merged to a basis for a full-fledged reformational theology, which still shows its roots in the Middle Ages.

By Scripture and plain reason: A historical retrieval of the relationship between theology and philosophy to better engage with present-day secularism

The formal principle of the Reformation, sola Scriptura, has sometimes been thought to imply that the Reformed minister and church member need not concern themselves with the right use of reason and philosophy in matters of theology. Perhaps based on a misunderstanding of Paul’s warning to beware of philosophy (Col 2:8), many have supposed that the local Reformed church’s struggle with secularism and its progressive ideas could be resolved on purely exegetical grounds. This misconstrued understanding of sola Scriptura led to a low regard for reason and philosophy in matters of theology which also paved the way for fideism and anti-intellectualism in local Reformed churches. In time, this condition in the church left enough room for secularism and progressive ideas to infiltrate the local church. Before secularism can be thoroughly refuted, a historical retrieval within the Reformed tradition must take place. Fittingly this article commenced a historical retrieval within the broad Reformed tradition. Different Reformers and subsequent Reformed theologians were examined to retrieve the proper relationship between theology and philosophy together with other relevant themes such as natural theology and natural law. Through an historical retrieval, this article consulted the primary sources of figures in the Reformed tradition spanning from the early 1500s to the early 1700s. Modern interpreters and representatives of these figures have also been added to the study. Importantly, philosophy serves theology by defending it and assisting it in clarifying theological truths. Philosophy is also useful to prepare the unregenerate mind for the reception of higher theological truths. Certain philosophical insights, which are manifested in both natural theology and natural law, were also utilised to, on the one hand, demonstrate God’s existence against secularism’s rejection of the supernatural and, on the other hand, critique progressive ideas pertaining to sexuality and the differences between the sexes. This may be approached in the context of both insita and acquisita knowledge of God and reality. Although this article is the second article in a series of two, it nevertheless accomplished its own end to retrieve the role of philosophy in matters of theology, especially regarding natural theology and natural law.Contribution: As a historical retrieval within the Reformed tradition, this article fits perfectly within the scope of In the Skriflig. It reminds the Reformed minister of the rich heritage within the Reformed tradition regarding the relationship between theology and philosophy, and brings it to bear on the challenge of secularism.

By Scripture and Plain Reason: A historical retrieval of the relationship between faith and reason to better engage with present-day secularism

The formal principle of the Reformation, sola Scriptura, has sometimes been thought to imply that the Reformed minister and church member need not concern themselves with the use of reason and philosophy in matters of faith and theology. This misconstrued understanding of sola Scriptura led to a low regard for reason in matters of faith among Reformed folk. A low regard for reason, in turn, gave anti-intellectualism and fideism a foothold in local Reformed churches and left secularism and its progressive ideas unchallenged as it infiltrated the minds of Reformed church members, especially at churches in bigger cities and close to universities. This phenomenon can be addressed by establishing apologetics training platforms at local Reformed churches where church members can be trained to better defend the truth against secularism. To establish apologetics on a local church level, however, one must first retrieve the correct role of reason in matters of faith. This article accordingly embarked on an historical retrieval within the broad Reformed tradition. Different Reformers and subsequent Reformed theologians were examined to retrieve the proper relationship between faith and reason. This was accompanied by a focus on other relevant themes such as the concept of common notions and the three acts of the intellect. Through an historical retrieval, this article consulted the primary sources of figures in the Reformed tradition spanning from the early 1500s to the early 1700s. Additionally, modern interpreters of these figures have also been introduced for their insights. It became evident that reason plays a ministerial role in matters of faith. Moreover, the concept of common notions establishes a grounding for the undeniable role of reason in dialogues with secularism. By introducing the three acts of the intellect, the discussion also moved on to function as a critique of mainstream secularism, as it pertains to its disordered approach to reality in the form of expressive individualism. Although this article is the first of two in a series, it nevertheless accomplished its own end to emphasise the need for apologetics on a local church level and to retrieve the role of reason in matters of faith.Contribution: As a historical retrieval within the Reformed tradition, this article fits perfectly within the scope of In the Skriflig. It reminds the Reformed minister of the rich heritage within the Reformed tradition regarding the relationship between faith and reason, and brings it to bear on the challenge of secularism.

By the Word of God Alone: Sola Scriptura and the Leaders of the Reformation

By the Word of God Alone: Sola Scriptura and the Leaders of the Reformation

HRİSTİYAN İNANCININ KAPİTALİST KODLARI

The study's focus is on how capitalism emerged on the historical and evolutionary stage as the economic system of Western Christian civilisation. In particular, scaling, also known as the Christian reformation process, is a crucial step for Western cultures to take in order to overcome the stagnation of the Church era. Due to the effects of the concepts of sola seedling, sola scriptura, and sola gratia, the illumination experienced during this time period resulted in significant shifts and transformations in the socio-cultural field. The economy has been one of the areas most impacted by this process. By releasing the individual from the centralism and domination of the Church, the evolving Christian thinking appears to have led to the person being more individualized and participating more in social activities, notably in economic life. The purpose of the study is to attempt to disprove the notion that economic activities and decisions are rationally motivated. On the contrary, the choices made are also influenced by philosophical and theological concepts. Conservatism and religion have an impact on choices and behaviors in the economy. The macro-economic effects of religious restrictions and orders on those who make the majority of economic decisions have a wide range of effects on both the political and cultural axes as well as the individual's everyday economic circumstances. As an illustration, the sanctification of the free market economy, globalization, and the political and cultural decisions made as a result can all be taken into consideration in this perspective.

Seventh-Day Adventists.

Seventh-day Adventists are Christians that accept the Bible as their only creed. Seventh-day Adventists are part of a movement resulting from the Protestant conviction of sola scriptura, which recognizes the Bible as the only standard of faith and practice for Christians.

“How to Make Athens Closer to Jerusalem”

Abstract Theology and philosophy are strange bedfellows: although they share many similar interests and constantly influence each other, their relationship is fraught with suspicion or even enmity. This problem is especially acute for those who want to harmonize their commitment to sola Scriptura with the use of philosophy in their theology. Drawing insights from Herman Bavinck’s Neo-Calvinist worldview, I argue that this apparent competition is mainly caused by the failure to recognize the organic unity between both disciplines. Without theology, all disciplines would be meaningless, but without philosophy, all disciplines would be unintelligible. Portraying the harmony between theology and philosophy depends on the success of locating the difference and relationship between the universality of theology and that of philosophy. Further, the organicity that suffuses all things and affirms the primacy of special revelation reflects the Neo-Calvinist belief in both sola Scriptura and the sacredness of all vocations.

Introduction

Introduction

Lutheran Theology: A Grammar of Faith by Kirsi Stjerna

Reviewed by: Lutheran Theology: A Grammar of Faith by Kirsi Stjerna Anthony Bateza Lutheran Theology: A Grammar of Faith. By Kirsi Stjerna. New York: T&T Clark, 2021. 218 pp. In many Lutheran congregations the Book of Concord is resting comfortably on a dusty bookshelf, safe from the wear and tear other books might receive. One could lament this reality, but, truth be told, the confessional documents can trip up rostered leaders and parishioners alike. The eager optimism of curious readers diving [End Page 465] into the Augsburg Confession turns into befuddled dejection long before reaching the Smalcald Articles. What is needed is a guide who will blend well-crafted historical and theological knowledge with a passion for the Confessions’ ability to illumine pressing questions. Fortunately, Kirsi Stjerna, professor at Pacific Lutheran Theolo gical Seminary, proves to be just such a guide. Lutheran Theology is divided into three sections, with the first two providing succinct introductions to Martin Luther’s life, theology, and the general layout and history behind the Book of Concord. The third section does more heavy lifting, with chapters addressing issues with our language about God, Christology, sin, and the church. Stjerna suggests that the idea of freedom, in its various angles, is a helpful thread for readers trying to find their way through these documents. This approach gives a welcome flexibility and the reader is invited to “engage Luther boldly with the topics they are passionate about and not worry too much about the historical distance or the appropriateness of the questions raised” (197). This, of course, does not mean that questions of historicity or appropriateness are abandoned. Each chapter grounds itself in the Augsburg Confession before moving through other confessional documents, Luther’s broader theology, and the practical and conceptual puzzles that modern readers bring to the texts. Core Lutheran beliefs are highlighted and well explained. Readers come to understand the principle of sola scriptura and how this Reformation principle differs from biblical literalism. Just as the Reformation itself was an exercise in teamwork, Stjerna says that Lutheran hermeneutics has always “been considered a group effort, a dialogical process, where concord and discord are possible and tolerated” (58). Other central loci, such as the law-gospel dialectic, are also presented as key Lutheran formulations possible of generating endless spiritual insights “as the framework allows tension and surprises” for all (78). Stjerna celebrates the confessions while noting potential deficiencies and omissions. At times this means pushing deeper into the texts. Acknowledging the lack of a systematic engagement with pneumatology in the confessions, Stjerna guides the reader through [End Page 466] the Holy Spirit’s appearance in various passages and in particular Luther’s constant and pastoral attention to the Spirit in the Large Catechism (104–108). In other cases texts simply overlook or fail to address issues of our day, like the ideas of lordship and bondage or the use of gendered language for God and gendered norms for humans. In these moments Stjerna pushes beyond the confessions without abandoning them, providing a wonderful example of how this work enriches both our reading and our response to the texts. While this volume offers much to praise, two areas of concern should be noted. First, minor grammatical infelicities can occasionally distract the reader. Second, the consistently positive explication of Lutheran teaching can create challenges for understanding the reformers and their forebears. This can lead to a lack of nuance in dealing with earlier figures, like St. Augustine, or in addressing the motivations behind late-medieval Roman Catholic beliefs or practices. When problems appear to threaten some of Luther’s claims, Stjerna sometimes explains these as resulting from his lack of systematicity or as deep theological insights in themselves. Luther’s teaching on human freedom and predestination, for example, leads to notorious difficulties when pressed in different directions. Stjerna recognizes this, but appreciatively lifts up Luther’s warnings about God’s unknown ways and the dangers of pressing the issue too far. But should we push back on Luther’s potentially evasive response? Is he cautioning the faithful to respect proper theological boundaries, or is there a deeper issue here generated by Luther’s own theology or the...

Milton’s Shakespeare: Imitation and Originality

Encouraged by the recent renewal of interest in the relationship between Milton and Shakespeare, this essay focuses on that relationship in the light of the tension between the literalism of sola scriptura in reformed religion, on the one hand, and the countervailing insistence on imitation as the route to originality and individual agency in the studia humanitatis, on the other. This tension is central to all Milton’s thinking; at its core is the question, “How are we to reconcile God’s freedom with our own?” While God’s freedom is absolute, we are nothing more than puppets “in the motions” unless we find a way to define the contingency of our own. Milton is intoxicated with the majesty of God’s freedom but equally haunted by the memory of our own original freedom: “No man who knows ought, can be so stupid [as] to deny that all men naturally were borne free, being the image and likeness of God himself.” By concentrating on Milton’s representation of Shakespeare in his “Epitaph” on Shakespeare (1632) and Eikonoklastes (1649), my argument is that not only is Milton’s engage­ment with Shakespeare ongoing but that it allows us peculiar insight into the poet’s conflicted desire both to create enhanced space for human agency and to critique its overestimation, especially in the idealization of political virtù.

Emerging Neo-Calvinistic Barth Interpretation in Sinophone Scholarship: Its Significance for Sino-Christian Theology

Abstract Theology and philosophy are strange bedfellows: although they share many similar interests and constantly influence each other, their relationship is fraught with suspicion or even enmity. This problem is especially acute for those who want to harmonize their commitment to sola Scriptura with the use of philosophy in their theology. Drawing insights from Herman Bavinck’s Neo-Calvinist worldview, I argue that this apparent competition is mainly caused by the failure to recognize the organic unity between both disciplines. Without theology, all disciplines would be meaningless, but without philosophy, all disciplines would be unintelligible. Portraying the harmony between theology and philosophy depends on the success of locating the difference and relationship between the universality of theology and that of philosophy. Further, the organicity that suffuses all things and affirms the primacy of special revelation reflects the Neo-Calvinist belief in both sola scriptura and the sacredness of all vocations.

Can Analytic Theology be Phenomenological?

The present essay is concerned with the question of whether analytic theology can be properly phenomenological. Both analytic theology and phenomenology are defined by reference to leading practitioners of both, and responses are given to objections to both approaches. The critique of analytic theology recently proposed by Martin Westerholm is considered, as well the objections to phenomenology brought forth by Tom Sparrow. The compatibility of analytic theology and phenomenology is argued on the basis of the definitions provided. Four brief arguments are given for establishing why an analytic theologian might consider adopting a phenomenological method. The essay concludes with a demonstration of a properly phenomenological analytic-theological treatment of the question of the relationship between Scripture and ecclesial tradition in dialog with the canonical sola scriptura of Kevin Vanhoozer and John Peckham.

Review Article

Review Article