Tuesday, April 18, 2006

Systematic Theology

Phil Ryken, responding to this helpful quote from J.I. Packer, writes:

The rise of biblical theology has been a salutary development in both theology and biblical studies. However, any attempt to displace systematic theology in the name of biblical theology threatens not only the doctrinal integrity of the church, but also a right understanding of the Scriptures themselves, in their fundamental integrity. Packer gets the balance just right, and his position needs to be rearticulated at a time when systematic theology seems to be languishing.


Amen and amen. The concept of systematic theology is frequently critiqued (and just as often misrepresented) by biblical theologians. I hope that more professors and students would follow the balance exhibited by Packer and Ryken.