Systematic Hodge - 1866
Portrait of Charles Hodge by Rembrandt Peale.
Introduction
Charles Hodge accepted an assignment to teach polemic theology (theology that aggressively challenges other theological systems) at Princeton. He wrote to his brother that the new arrangement knocked all his plans on their head and would quadruple his work load. However, he eventually became a leading theologian of the nineteenth century, writing a six volume systematic theology. Today’s excerpt is from the pen of Charles Hodge, his sermon notes from this day, 16 September 1866.
Quote
“By the word of God is meant, or may be meant . . . . Any revelation of God. A word is a revelation. It is an outward manifestation of thought. Anything, therefore, by which God reveals himself, his purposes, or any fact, is his word. In this sense the whole creation is an outspoken word of God. It reveals him. And all that it makes known of him, of his ways, his character, will or purposes is truth. It accords exactly with what God is, and what it legitimately teaches concerning him may, therefore, be relied upon with implicit confidence.”
Charles Hodge sermon notes