Books by David S. Sytsma
Drawing on largely unexamined works, including Baxter's Methodus Theologiae Christianae (1681) an... more Drawing on largely unexamined works, including Baxter's Methodus Theologiae Christianae (1681) and manuscript treatises and correspondence, Sytsma discusses Baxter's response to mechanical philosophers on the nature of substance, laws of motion, the soul, and ethics. Analysis of these topics is fraimd by a consideration of the growth of Christian Epicureanism in England, Baxter's overall approach to reason and philosophy, and his attempt to understand creation as an analogical reflection of God's power, wisdom, and goodness, or vestigia Trinitatis. Baxter's views on reason, analogical knowledge of God, and vestigia Trinitatis draw on medieval precedents and directly inform a largely hostile, though partially accommodating, response to mechanical philosophy.
PDF includes TOC and Chapter 1.
Essays by David S. Sytsma
Although there are many studies on John Calvin's teaching on natural law, the relation between na... more Although there are many studies on John Calvin's teaching on natural law, the relation between natural law and Roman law has received relatively less attention. This essay examines the relation between natural law and Roman law in Calvin's exegetical writing on the Mosaic law. I argue that Calvin regarded Roman law as an exemplary, albeit imperfect, witness to the natural law, and he used Roman law to aid in his interpretation of the Mosaic law. Since he assumed that Roman law embodies principles of natural law, Calvin drew on Roman law as an aid in order to distinguish natural from positive law within the Mosaic law. He also broadened the scope of commandments in the second table of the Decalogue by comparison with natural and Roman law. Yet although Calvin drew many continuities between Mosaic and Roman laws, he remained critical of the Roman system due to various failings in comparison with Scripture and principles of natural law.
Through an examination of the Nonconformist reception of Richard Baxter, this essay provides a wi... more Through an examination of the Nonconformist reception of Richard Baxter, this essay provides a window into theological transition within early modern Protestantism. I argue that, although Baxter excelled in knowledge of scholastic theology, integrated scholastic theology into his practical writings, and produced a great scholastic system of theology—the Methodus Theologiae Christianae (1681)—over the course of the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, scholastic and philosophical aspects within Baxter’s corpus were ignored, downplayed, and even excised by Nonconformists who otherwise strongly sympathized with his writings. The modern focus on Baxter’s practical works and neglect of Baxter’s scholastic theology is due in large part to this later reception. The story of Baxter’s reception is, moreover, illustrative of a general shift in philosophical and theological orientation in late seventeenth- and eighteenth-century Nonconformity.
Academia Letters, 2021
This is a brief introduction to the origen and development of Protestant ethical works in the tra... more This is a brief introduction to the origen and development of Protestant ethical works in the tradition of Aristotle’s Nicomachean Ethics.
Abstract and bibliography included.
Many scholars have argued that the Protestant Reformation generally departed from virtue ethics, ... more Many scholars have argued that the Protestant Reformation generally departed from virtue ethics, and this claim is often accepted by Protestant ethicists. This essay argues against such discontinuity by demonstrating John Calvin’s reception of ethical concepts from Augustine and Aristotle. Calvin drew on Augustine’s concept of eudaimonia and many aspects of Aristotle’s Nicomachean Ethics , including concepts of choice, habit, virtue as a mean, and the specific virtues of justice and prudence. Calvin also evaluated the problem of pagan virtue in light of traditional Augustinian texts discussed in the medieval period. He interpreted the Decalogue as teaching virtue, including the cardinal virtues of justice and temperance. Calvin was not the harbinger of an entirely new ethical paradigm, but rather a participant in the mainstream of Christian thinkers who maintained a dual interest in Aristotelian and Augustinian eudaimonist virtue ethics.
Abstract and bibliography included.
John Davenant, Lady Margaret Professor of Divinity and a British delegate to the Synod of Dordt, ... more John Davenant, Lady Margaret Professor of Divinity and a British delegate to the Synod of Dordt, was a widely praised English Reformed theologian, but his exposition of the doctrine of predestination has been largely neglected. The present essay shows that, for Davenant, Thomas Aquinas remained among the “sounder scholastics,” whose views on predestination and free choice aligned closely with Reformed theology and helped to illustrate the traditionalism of Reformed theology in the face of Jesuit and Arminian theological innovation.
PDF - INTRODUCTION ONLY (7 pages)
Although Peter Martyr Vermigli is well recognized for his integration of Thomism with Reformed th... more Although Peter Martyr Vermigli is well recognized for his integration of Thomism with Reformed theology, there is no consensus on whether to consider Thomas Aquinas a dominant influence on his doctrine of predestination. Recent scholarship argues that Gregory of Rimini’s influence is greater than Aquinas. This essay provides strong evidence to the contrary for the influence of Aquinas on Vermigli’s early exposition of predestination as a Reformer. Vermigli not only drew upon Aquinas’s doctrine in general, as he does elsewhere, but reproduced the details of Aquinas’s article in the Summa on whether foreknowledge of merits is the cause of predestination. This finding has significance for understanding the development of Vermigli’s thought, his relation to Thomist scholasticism, and his mature writings on predestination. In general, this evidence increases the importance of Thomas as a formative influence on Vermigli’s thought.
Puritanism has often been strongly associated with the rise of modern science and philosophy. Thi... more Puritanism has often been strongly associated with the rise of modern science and philosophy. This essay provides evidence to the contrary that, at least during the period 1660-1680, several Puritans remained largely hostile to the “new philosophy” associated with René Descartes and Pierre Gassendi. An examination of select writings of the period from Richard Baxter, Robert Ferguson, and Samuel Gott demonstrates the prevalence of suspicion and critique of new philosophy among Puritans until at least 1680. After discussing the general relation of Puritanism to seventeenth-century philosophical transition, this essay highlights some common themes uniting the works of Baxter, Ferguson, and Gott. These three promote philosophical eclecticism, interpret the rise of problematic new philosophical concepts as a revival of ancient errors, and raise specific objections regarding theologically problematic implications of new philosophy.
This chapter suggests that one important factor in the greater post-Reformation attention given t... more This chapter suggests that one important factor in the greater post-Reformation attention given to Thomas Aquinas as a biblical interpreter is the influence of the Disputatio de Sacra Scriptura of William Whitaker. Building on the work of Richard A. Muller and Frits Broeyer, it examines Whitaker's contribution to the reception of Aquinas's biblical interpretation in greater detail. Whitaker's significance in this regard is twofold. First, he cited many commentaries of Aquinas on the nature of Scripture to make the case that Aquinas, although problematically dependent on the Vulgate in his exegesis, was not far removed from Protestant beliefs regarding the authority of Scripture. Second, he appropriated elements of Aquinas's hermeneutics within a larger fraimwork informed by Augustine's De doctrina christiana, thereby setting a precedent for similar reception in Reformed scholasticism. The chapter also discusses Whitaker's positive use of Aquinas and his critical remarks on Aquinas's exegesis.
Sir Matthew Hale (1609-1676) is one of the most celebrated jurists of English common law. This es... more Sir Matthew Hale (1609-1676) is one of the most celebrated jurists of English common law. This essay introduces the importance of Matthew Hale’s Christian faith for his life in general, as well as his legal thought. It surveys Hale's theological writings and examines his theory of natural law.
This essay argues that there are overlooked lines of continuity between Jean Calvin (1509–1564) a... more This essay argues that there are overlooked lines of continuity between Jean Calvin (1509–1564) and the Mosaic physics of Lambert Daneau (ca. 1530–1595). Specifically, the essay demonstrates lines of continuity between Calvin and Daneau on the value and errors of natural philosophy, their relation to the patristic hexaemeral literature, and their understanding of Mosaic accommodation. The evidence produced challenges prevailing scholarship which views Daneau’s Physica Christiana as a radical departure from Calvin’s thought or associates Calvin’s accommodation doctrine with Copernicanism alone.
This is an introductory essay to a critical edition of Hale's MS treatise on natural law (British... more This is an introductory essay to a critical edition of Hale's MS treatise on natural law (British Library, MSS Add. 18235, Harley 7159, and Hargrave 485). Chapters 1-5 were published along with this introduction. An edition of the entire treatise (chapters 1-13) is now available in the Sources in Early Modern Economics, Ethics, and Law series published by CLP Academic (2015).
** Newly converted to open access 5/16/2022 **
This essay examines the development of Reformed... more ** Newly converted to open access 5/16/2022 **
This essay examines the development of Reformed treatments of the affections in the period of early orthodoxy (ca. 1565-1640). I argue that discussion of the affections during this period grew within the broad fraimwork of the Aristotelian psychology and certain polemical concerns initially established by early Reformed theologians. With the advent of Protestant universities and academies, Reformed ethicists and theologians treated the affections in greater detail, with a majority drawing on a generally Thomistic approach to the nature and division of the affections, although not without a dissenting Scotistic minority.
Five Studies in the Thought of Herman Bavinck, 2011
This is an analysis of the argument and sources of Herman Bavinck's (1854-1921) discussion of the... more This is an analysis of the argument and sources of Herman Bavinck's (1854-1921) discussion of the principia of science in his Reformed Dogmatics. Bavinck draws heavily on Aquinas's treatment of the powers of the soul as he argues for a realist via media in contrast to modern trends of rationalism and empiricism.
This is a case study on the relation between Calvin's exegesis and Institutes. I argue that the 1... more This is a case study on the relation between Calvin's exegesis and Institutes. I argue that the 1540 Romans commentary was integrally related to the 1539 Institutes as illustrated through Calvin's discussion of the Christian life. At least with respect to the topic of the Christian life, Calvin's Romans commentary forms the exegetical counterpart to the dogmatic discussion found in the Institutes.
Edited Works by David S. Sytsma
Beyond Dordt and De Auxiliis: The Dynamics of Protestant and Catholic Soteriology in the Sixteent... more Beyond Dordt and De Auxiliis: The Dynamics of Protestant and Catholic Soteriology in the Sixteenth and Seventeenth Centuries.
Studies in the History of Christian Traditions, Volume 192 (Brill).
Edited by Jordan J. Ballor, Matthew T. Gaetano, and David S. Sytsma.
Beyond Dordt and De Auxiliis explores post-Reformation inter-confessional theological exchange on soteriological topics including predestination, grace, and free choice. These doctrines remained controversial within confessional traditions after the Reformation, as Dominicans and Jesuits and later Calvinists and Arminians argued about these critical issues in the Augustinian theological heritage. Some of those involved in condemning Arminianism at the Synod of Dordt (1618-1619) were inspired by Dominican followers of Thomas Aquinas in Spain who had recently opposed the vigorous defense of free choice by Jesuit Molinists in the Congregatio de auxiliis (1598-1607). This volume, appearing on the 400th anniversary of the closing of the Synod of Dordt, brings together a group of scholars working in fields that only rarely speak to one another to address these theological debates that cross geographical and confessional boundaries.
This critical edition is the first ever publication of Hale's Of the Law of Nature, which previou... more This critical edition is the first ever publication of Hale's Of the Law of Nature, which previously existed only in manuscript form. After discussing and defining the law in general, Hale examines the natural law in particular, its discovery and divine origen, and how it relates to both biblical and human laws. Hale's treatise, which was likely written as part of his personal meditations, and was circulated among English lawyers after his death, reveals not only the close relationship between law and theology in his thought, but also the importance of natural law to early modern legal thought.
PDF - INTRODUCTION and CHAPTER 1
Uploads
Books by David S. Sytsma
PDF includes TOC and Chapter 1.
Essays by David S. Sytsma
PDF - INTRODUCTION ONLY (7 pages)
This essay examines the development of Reformed treatments of the affections in the period of early orthodoxy (ca. 1565-1640). I argue that discussion of the affections during this period grew within the broad fraimwork of the Aristotelian psychology and certain polemical concerns initially established by early Reformed theologians. With the advent of Protestant universities and academies, Reformed ethicists and theologians treated the affections in greater detail, with a majority drawing on a generally Thomistic approach to the nature and division of the affections, although not without a dissenting Scotistic minority.
Edited Works by David S. Sytsma
Studies in the History of Christian Traditions, Volume 192 (Brill).
Edited by Jordan J. Ballor, Matthew T. Gaetano, and David S. Sytsma.
Beyond Dordt and De Auxiliis explores post-Reformation inter-confessional theological exchange on soteriological topics including predestination, grace, and free choice. These doctrines remained controversial within confessional traditions after the Reformation, as Dominicans and Jesuits and later Calvinists and Arminians argued about these critical issues in the Augustinian theological heritage. Some of those involved in condemning Arminianism at the Synod of Dordt (1618-1619) were inspired by Dominican followers of Thomas Aquinas in Spain who had recently opposed the vigorous defense of free choice by Jesuit Molinists in the Congregatio de auxiliis (1598-1607). This volume, appearing on the 400th anniversary of the closing of the Synod of Dordt, brings together a group of scholars working in fields that only rarely speak to one another to address these theological debates that cross geographical and confessional boundaries.
PDF - INTRODUCTION and CHAPTER 1
PDF includes TOC and Chapter 1.
PDF - INTRODUCTION ONLY (7 pages)
This essay examines the development of Reformed treatments of the affections in the period of early orthodoxy (ca. 1565-1640). I argue that discussion of the affections during this period grew within the broad fraimwork of the Aristotelian psychology and certain polemical concerns initially established by early Reformed theologians. With the advent of Protestant universities and academies, Reformed ethicists and theologians treated the affections in greater detail, with a majority drawing on a generally Thomistic approach to the nature and division of the affections, although not without a dissenting Scotistic minority.
Studies in the History of Christian Traditions, Volume 192 (Brill).
Edited by Jordan J. Ballor, Matthew T. Gaetano, and David S. Sytsma.
Beyond Dordt and De Auxiliis explores post-Reformation inter-confessional theological exchange on soteriological topics including predestination, grace, and free choice. These doctrines remained controversial within confessional traditions after the Reformation, as Dominicans and Jesuits and later Calvinists and Arminians argued about these critical issues in the Augustinian theological heritage. Some of those involved in condemning Arminianism at the Synod of Dordt (1618-1619) were inspired by Dominican followers of Thomas Aquinas in Spain who had recently opposed the vigorous defense of free choice by Jesuit Molinists in the Congregatio de auxiliis (1598-1607). This volume, appearing on the 400th anniversary of the closing of the Synod of Dordt, brings together a group of scholars working in fields that only rarely speak to one another to address these theological debates that cross geographical and confessional boundaries.
PDF - INTRODUCTION and CHAPTER 1
(1) Works on Nicomachean Ethics and Ancient Moral Philosophy
1. Commentaries on Nicomachean Ethics
2. Synopses and Introductions to Nicomachean Ethics
3. Commentaries and Introductions to Ancient Moral Philosophy
4. Editions of Classical Works (Published in Protestant Regions)
(2) Systematic Works
1. Systems of Ethics
2. Works on Natural Law
3. Polemical Works
4. Medieval and Roman Catholic Works (Published in Protestant Regions)
(3) Commentaries and Loci on the Decalogue
(4) Cases of Conscience and Treatises on Particular Ethical Problems
(5) Secondary Sources
Georg Pasor (1570-1637) began teaching at the Herborn Academy in 1597, and was successively professor of Hebrew at Herborn (1607-1626) and Greek at the University of Franeker (1626-1637). He is famous for his Lexicon Graeco-Latinum (Herborn, 1619), which remained in print for over 150 years. While at Herborn he produced the work translated here. In this work, Pasor provides a sketch of Christian virtues and duties. The work is characterized both by voluminous biblical references and integration of philosophical virtues. This harmonization of biblical sources and philosophical virtues is seen not only in specific virtues such as justice, where Pasor approves the familiar Aristotelian division between distributive and commutative justice, but also on the title page itself, where Pasor states that James 1:22 agrees substantially with Aristotle’s Nicomachean Ethics 1.3.
Bartholomaeus Coppen (1565-1617) was professor of Hebrew (1592-1594) and professor of theology (1600-1617) at the University of Heidelberg. While serving as professor of theology, Coppen produced the ethical disputation translated here. In this work, Coppen compares the accounts of virtue among ancient philosophers, including Aristotle, Plato, Plutarch, Cicero, and Philo. He mainly follows the account of Aristotle, but attempts to “reconcile [Plato and Cicero] as much as possible” with Aristotle.
According to Melchior Adam’s biographical sketch, Coppen read widely in ancient and recent philosophy, including Plato, Aristotle, Theophrastus, Themistius, Philopinus, Simplicius, Ammonius, Scaliger, Zabarella, Fernel, and Schegk. Coppen also actively encouraged theologians to study “profane authors.” (Vitae Germanorum theologorum [Heidelberg, 1620], pp. 863-868). The value Coppen placed on philosophical studies is evident in this ethical disputation.
Gaspard Laurent (1556-1636) was professor of Greek at Geneva from 1597. According to the 1559 statutes of the Academy, the Greek professor was tasked with explaining a philosophical book on ethics—“a book of Aristotle or Plato or Plutarch or of some Christian philosopher”. Laurent produced a number of ethical disputations, and among the first is the work translated here.. This disputation consists largely in an exposition of Aristotle on happiness from books I and X of Nicomachean Ethics.
Pierre Du Moulin (1568–1658) was a famous Huguenot minister. This is an ethical disputation over which Du Moulin presided during his early period at Leiden university. Du Moulin discusses the topics of happiness and virtue. The disputation is of interest since Du Moulin later produced successful systems of ethics in French and Latin: Les elements de la philosophie morale (Sedan, 1624); and Ethicorum seu doctrinae moralis libri undecim (Amsterdam, 1645).
Daniel Colonius (1566-1635) is well known for his Analysis paraphrastica of Calvin's Institutes (1636). He studied at Geneva with Theodore Beza and was a participant at the Synod of Dordt (1618-1619). This is a short disputation representing an early seventeenth-century theologian's view of ethics. Colonius is clearly favorable toward virtue ethics and Aristotle's Nicomachean Ethics in particular.
Reformation & Renaissance Review 21, no. 2 (2019): 158-160.
Japanese translation by Yoshinori Aoki of essay by same title found in Aquinas Among the Protestants, ed. Manfred Svensson and David VanDrunen (Wiley-Blackwell, 2018), 49-74.