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The Principles of Theology: An Introduction to The Thirty-Nine Articles
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Average customer review:
(5 customer reviews)
Product Details
- Amazon Sales Rank: #6961480 in Books
- Published on: 1983
- Number of items: 1
- Binding: Paperback
- 548 pages
Customer Reviews
Most helpful customer reviews
19 of 19 people found the following review helpful.
Thorough and engaging.
By David Shaw
Reviewer's disclaimer: I am an Episcopal/Anglican layman, and not a trained theologian. Hence my insights or lack thereof are informed by a passion for Anglican theology--a theology which by many modern-day Episcopal Church standards is orthodox/conservative.
Edition note: I'm not sure of the differences between this "7th" edition and the one I read, but I will note that the one I read was the last edition published before the author's death circa 1950, listed as a 4th edition. Perhaps the publisher can supply the needed information here.
"The Principles of Theology" is a thorough, engaging work on the classic Anglican statement of the English Reformation, the 39 Articles. These articles can be found in any copy of the American Book of Common Prayer, but are seemingly ignored by a fair number of our current Episcopal leadership. This is a grievous thing, for these statements should continue to inform any 21st century Anglican who takes his or her faith seriously, despite the fact that the Articles are also very much reflective of their times--the ferment of the Reformation.
The "Introduction" covers a number of topics, including Revelation, Faith, Doctrine, Theology, Creeds, and Anglican Articles. There is also a quite lengthy and helpful History of the Articles.
Every one of the 39 Articles is covered in this book; each chapter is systematically laid out and organized so that a number of facets are covered, including a history of the particular Article when necessary. Footnotes are extensive and well worth reading. It should also be noted that the author uses both Greek and Latin terms which are not always translated--a hindrance for this reader.
Griffith-Thomas was a Low Church Evangelical, though he does at times quote Anglo-Catholics and others to show their opinion. But he often does this to refute them, and at times seems to be going out of his way to attack them. He mentions Newman seven times, and at one point footnotes a quote that seems meant to prove that Anglo-Catholics were all depressive! I suppose given the polemical nature of the Articles, certain strong opinions are bound to crop up, but at times his case against Anglo-Catholic theology seems strained. This is exemplified by his attack on images in the Church--only discussed in Article 22, in the context of veneration of images and Purgatory--in which he seems to completely miss the point of imagery in the church, not to be used as a form of idol worship, but as an aid to instruction and worship itself. He states that "craving for the visible" is a "prominent feature of natural and unspiritual religion". But where does that leave the Incarnation?
Yet speaking of the Incarnation, this is one of the areas of theology where the author truly shines, despite what was quoted above. An example of his insight:
"If [Jesus Christ] is unique in history, must He not also be so in origin?....The miracle of the Incarnation is thus fitly expressed in the miraculous entrance, and harmonizes with the miraculous departure in the Resurrection."
And this: "The Virgin birth is not impossible unless all miracles are impossible..."
In closing, his chapter on Article 17--"Of Predestination and Election"--shows an admirable wrestling with a clearly Biblical topic that has nonetheless given any number of Christians pause. Griffith-Thomas clearly understood this, and spends 20 pages discussing it.
A satisfying book for anyone interested in the origins of Anglican theology, though not always easy for those not trained in formal theology.
10 of 10 people found the following review helpful.
A very fine Reformed Exposition
By Quentin D. Stewart
For many years this has been something of the standard Low Church (Protestant/Reformed) exposition of the 39 Articles. In recent years a number of Reformed and Evangelical expositions have appeared, but it is unclear as of yet if any of them will surpass this work.
Griffith Thomas's approach to the Articles is both Reformed and analytical as he wrestles with the intended or implied meaning of each article.
If you are serious about the Articles I would, however, supplement this work with that of Bishop Edward Howard Browne for a more in depth discussion of what the Reformers actually intended to say when drafting the Articles.
9 of 9 people found the following review helpful.
Review of the best work on Anglicanism
By Bryan Cruz
All the sections covered in each of the Thirty-nine articles were very well written. It covered the very important historical context of each of the articles. The doctrinal position of the Church of England when the articles were formulated are established within their historical context and a proper exposition is given. It reflects the contrast between Anglicanism and the Church of Rome and interacts with " High Church " Anglicans. It should be read and used by Anglicans. This work is from the " Reformed " aspect of Anglicanism. When one reads this book they will see the big difference between the low church position and the high church branch. True Anglicanism is found in the thirty-nine articles. It's correct exposition of them is right in this work. This work belongs in every theological library for a great study. My personal favorite parts of it was his sections on Sola Scripture and it's chapters on justification and good works. Very solid theological teaching in it ! This work is Reformed Anglicanism and moderately dispensational premillennial as W.H. Griffith Thomas was an Anglican and a dispensationalist who co-founded Dallas Theological Seminary with Lewis Sperry Chafer.
