Institutes of Elenctic Theology: First Through 10 Topics (Institutes of Elenctic Theology)

Rating:
Summary: A REFORMED SUMMA
Review: Francis Turretin (1623-1687) was a pastor and taught at the Academy of Geneva. An "elenctic" theology is one that trys to demonstrate the truth of a doctrine while refuting false doctrines. Volume 1 covers Theology, Scripture, God in unity and trinity, the decrees of God and predestination, creation, the providence of God, Angels, the state of man before the fall and the covenant of nature, Sin, and, finally, the free will of man in a state of sin. There is nothing else like these books in the realm of reformed dogmatics. The closest thing to them that I can think of is Thomas Aquinas' Summa Theologica except that Turretin upholds a sounder form of doctrine (Roman Catholics would heartily disagree with me there). Charles Hodge used Turretin in teaching Theology as did John Gerstner. Dr. James M. Boice hits the nail on the head when he says of Turretin's Institutes: "If ever a great theological work has been unjustly neglected it has been Francis Turretin's masterful volumes on the whole of Christian doctrine... I heartily commend [them] to preachers, theological students and lay persons everywhere." These are not easy reading but they are well worth your while.

Rating:
Summary: Volume 3 of a Reformed SUMMA
Review: Francis Turretin (1623-1687) was a pastor and taught at the Academy of Geneva. This is the final volume of his magnificent and spirited defense of Reformed doctrine. This volume has indices to all 3 volumes and biographical information. It also includes the funeral message that Benedict Pictet preached at Turretin's funeral. In this volume Turretin covers: the Church, the Sacraments, and last things. To give you an idea of how thorough Turretin is, he takes 31 questions to discuss the sacraments. These books are excellent and highly recommended.

Rating:
Summary: Volume 3 of a Reformed SUMMA
Review: Francis Turretin (1623-1687) was a pastor and taught at the Academy of Geneva. This is the final volume of his magnificent and spirited defense of Reformed doctrine. This volume has indices to all 3 volumes and biographical information. It also includes the funeral message that Benedict Pictet preached at Turretin's funeral. In this volume Turretin covers: the Church, the Sacraments, and last things. To give you an idea of how thorough Turretin is, he takes 31 questions to discuss the sacraments. These books are excellent and highly recommended.

Rating:
Summary: Volume 2 of a Reformed SUMMA
Review: Francis Turretin (1623-1687) was a pastor, and taught at the Academy of Geneva. This is the second volume of his spirited and exhaustive defense of Reformed Theology. Samuel Alexander called Turretin "the best expounder of the doctrine of the Reformed Church" (high praise when you remember that John Calvin did a little exposition of Reformed dogmatics himself). This volume covers: the Law of God, the Covenant of Grace, The person and state of Christ, the mediatorial office of Christ, calling and faith, justification, and sanctification and good works. The section on God's law (which has a wonderful exposition of the 10 commandments) is worth the price of the book alone. This volume and its companions are a must in any serious theological library.

Rating:
Summary: Volume 2 of a Reformed SUMMA
Review: Francis Turretin (1623-1687) was a pastor, and taught at the Academy of Geneva. This is the second volume of his spirited and exhaustive defense of Reformed Theology. Samuel Alexander called Turretin "the best expounder of the doctrine of the Reformed Church" (high praise when you remember that John Calvin did a little exposition of Reformed dogmatics himself). This volume covers: the Law of God, the Covenant of Grace, The person and state of Christ, the mediatorial office of Christ, calling and faith, justification, and sanctification and good works. The section on God's law (which has a wonderful exposition of the 10 commandments) is worth the price of the book alone. This volume and its companions are a must in any serious theological library.

Rating:
Summary: Classic Work -- Unpolished Translation
Review: Francois Turtetin's _Institutes of Elenctic Theology_ is arguably the most systematic and nuanced works of High Calvinist Scholasticism. A copy should grace every serious historical (and systematic) theologian's bookshelf no matter what the theological tradition. (Personal disclosure: I am an "orthodox" Thomist and a Catholic priest.) Easy 5 stars.
That said, this translation needs revision and a new edition. G. M. Giger (Prof. of Classics at Princeton Univ.) whipped off this translation at the request of Charles Hodge in the 1850s. It was kept hidden behind the charge desk at Princeton Seminary so that Hodge's Latin-defective students could consult it when they tried to puzzle through the Latin original. Although some corrections and enendations have been made, this translation bears the marks of its hasty origins and is mostly a typescript of Giger's hand-written manuscript.
While the editors are to be commended for tracking down the citations to Church Fathers and a handful of famous writers, for whom they usually also include indication of modern translations, little has been done to identify Turretin's citations the the hundreds of contemporary authors (Catholic and protestant). These authors' names are left in their Latin dress: "Toletanus" "Bannes" "Sixtus Sennensis" etc. The editors needed a copy of Huerter's _Nomenclator_ and so does the user. A shame because Turretin's wide and ecumenical reading is one of the strong points of his work.
One would hope that a future edition will track down who the all the authors cited and add indication of their books and the pages in point. Knock off two stars (sorry).

Rating:
Summary: Classic Work -- Unpolished Translation
Review: Francois Turtetin's _Institutes of Elenctic Theology_ is arguably the most systematic and nuanced works of High Calvinist Scholasticism. A copy should grace every serious historical (and systematic) theologian's bookshelf no matter what the theological tradition. (Personal disclosure: I am an "orthodox" Thomist and a Catholic priest.) Easy 5 stars.
That said, this translation needs revision and a new edition. G. M. Giger (Prof. of Classics at Princeton Univ.) whipped off this translation at the request of Charles Hodge in the 1850s. It was kept hidden behind the charge desk at Princeton Seminary so that Hodge's Latin-defective students could consult it when they tried to puzzle through the Latin original. Although some corrections and enendations have been made, this translation bears the marks of its hasty origins and is mostly a typescript of Giger's hand-written manuscript.
While the editors are to be commended for tracking down the citations to Church Fathers and a handful of famous writers, for whom they usually also include indication of modern translations, little has been done to identify Turretin's citations the the hundreds of contemporary authors (Catholic and protestant). These authors' names are left in their Latin dress: "Toletanus" "Bannes" "Sixtus Sennensis" etc. The editors needed a copy of Huerter's _Nomenclator_ and so does the user. A shame because Turretin's wide and ecumenical reading is one of the strong points of his work.
One would hope that a future edition will track down who the all the authors cited and add indication of their books and the pages in point. Knock off two stars (sorry).

Rating:
Summary: Excellent
Review: Turretin has, arguably, the best systematic understanding of scripture ever. He draws on the foundations that Calvin built and makes irrefutable arguments. Baptists should take note of his arguments for baptizing infants. He makes an argument unlike any other I have seen. If you read Turretin honestly, you will see the genius of this man's mind in his 3 volumes.