The Doctrine of the Knowledge of God (Theology of Lordship)

Rating:
Summary: Must read for us orthodox Protestants!
Review: Any reformed, orthodox Protestant should find this a great read. It is fairly easy reading, though at the same time thought-provoking. The perspectivalism that Frame posits allows one a more three dimmentional thought process, I think. Frame goes through the doctrine of how we, as mere humans, know God. Though philosophy tends to bounce back and forth between anti-abstractionism and abstractionism (the One and the Many), Frame presents us with a refreshing Trinitarian answer to epistemology. I think this would be greatly beneficial to all people, Christian or not.

Rating:
Summary: Must read for us orthodox Protestants!
Review: Any reformed, orthodox Protestant should find this a great read. It is fairly easy reading, though at the same time thought-provoking. The perspectivalism that Frame posits allows one a more three dimmentional thought process, I think. Frame goes through the doctrine of how we, as mere humans, know God. Though philosophy tends to bounce back and forth between anti-abstractionism and abstractionism (the One and the Many), Frame presents us with a refreshing Trinitarian answer to epistemology. I think this would be greatly beneficial to all people, Christian or not.

Rating:
Summary: two steps backwards
Review: Frame's attempt to make a consistent CHristtian epistomology creates more confusion than anything else. THe principles set forth in this book hinder comunication and any sort of theological or philosophical fine-tuning by reducing meaning to application and providing mulitiple perspectives of looking at everything. Rather than a step in the right direction of greater precision in understanding, it is two steps backwards toward theological confusion in the cloak of philosphical sophistication.

Rating:
Summary: Balanced and Engaging
Review: In this book, John Frame gives us a balanced and well thought out contribution to theological epistemology. The integrity and timeliness of this work should be a model for evangelical scholarship.

Rating:
Summary: A Book All Evangelicals Should Read
Review: My only regret about this book is that, most likely and most unfortunately, only those within the Reformed community will ever read it (or even hear about it)! I believe that Van Til's rich and profound thought suffered a similar fate. This is regrettable because Frame's work is so relevant for evangelicals today, esp. w/regard to epistemology and the task of theology in general, and it is so potentially fruitful!
Nevertheless, I hope it will be able to break out of the bounds of the relatively closed, if not somewhat incestuous dialogue w/in 'reformed circles', and flow into the broader evangelical community. With regard to those voices within the reformed dialogue who have rejected Frame's work as imprecise (demonstrating to me a failure to comprehend Frame, which is difficult to do, as he is very clear -- indeed, such out-of-hand rejection strikes me as a failure to even desire to comprehend), it is, in my opinion, precisely this sort of stale element that retards the continuing (and necessary) reformation of the church, and, of course, the reformed tradition itself. Frame's work in "The Doctrine of the Knowledge of God" should be given serious attention by all who would seek to be more faithful as theologians subject to the Lordship of Jesus Christ, whether professional, student or 'lay'.

Rating:
Summary: A Book All Evangelicals Should Read
Review: My only regret about this book is that, most likely and most unfortunately, only those within the Reformed community will ever read it (or even hear about it)! I believe that Van Til's rich and profound thought suffered a similar fate. This is regrettable because Frame's work is so relevant for evangelicals today, esp. w/regard to epistemology and the task of theology in general, and it is so potentially fruitful!
Nevertheless, I hope it will be able to break out of the bounds of the relatively closed, if not somewhat incestuous dialogue w/in 'reformed circles', and flow into the broader evangelical community. With regard to those voices within the reformed dialogue who have rejected Frame's work as imprecise (demonstrating to me a failure to comprehend Frame, which is difficult to do, as he is very clear -- indeed, such out-of-hand rejection strikes me as a failure to even desire to comprehend), it is, in my opinion, precisely this sort of stale element that retards the continuing (and necessary) reformation of the church, and, of course, the reformed tradition itself. Frame's work in "The Doctrine of the Knowledge of God" should be given serious attention by all who would seek to be more faithful as theologians subject to the Lordship of Jesus Christ, whether professional, student or 'lay'.

Rating:
Summary: Excellent Treatment of Christian Epistemology
Review: Overall, I felt this was a very strong book from Frame. He addresses the epistemological issues of theology very well in a clear, precise, and cogent manner. Frame promotes his perspectivalism throughout the book as he emphasizes the unity and diversity we encounter in epistemology. I suppose I was expecting a more technical or philosophical treatment of the subject when I picked up the book and felt the book wasn't as technical as I had desired being that I have read much Van Til. Notwithstanding, this book is an excellent read and I would go so far as to say required reading for Christians seeking to get a better grasp of a Biblical worldview and hence its epistemology.

Rating:
Summary: Excellent Treatment of Christian Epistemology
Review: Overall, I felt this was a very strong book from Frame. He addresses the epistemological issues of theology very well in a clear, precise, and cogent manner. Frame promotes his perspectivalism throughout the book as he emphasizes the unity and diversity we encounter in epistemology. I suppose I was expecting a more technical or philosophical treatment of the subject when I picked up the book and felt the book wasn't as technical as I had desired being that I have read much Van Til. Notwithstanding, this book is an excellent read and I would go so far as to say required reading for Christians seeking to get a better grasp of a Biblical worldview and hence its epistemology.

Rating:
Summary: Semper Reformanda
Review: This book changed my entire theological and epistemic outlook. Frame should receive a prize for his clear and cogent writting style. His arguments are clear and persuasive as well. His multi-perspectival approach is theologically creative in the spirit of "Always Reforming" where so many theologians today are either stagnant and boreing, or "progressive" and so too esoteric. This is a significant work that will one day recieve classical status. In my opinion, the only drawback was that it did not dive deeper into a multi-perspectival epistemology. I would like to see the author explain a bit more some of the implications of certain elements of this view (i.e., What do the "same-sense"/"different-sense" distinctions imply for the laws of logic as classically defined? What role does "degree" and "emphasis" play in theological/philosophical (dis)agreements? How does a multi-perspectival epistemology relate to a tagmemic approach to linguistics?) However, I don't fault the author for not touching on these issues since this would obviously require much more ink and paper. Overall, I could not recommend this book enough.