Boettner on the Trinity

[nwink]

Is Loraine Boettner's book on the Trinity helpful and orthodox? I know Boettner has written a lot of good stuff, but I know the doctrine of the Trinity can be confusing and requires good articulation of details...so is this a recommended reading book?

 

[bookslover]

Yes, it's a very good book. Read it with pleasure.

My favorite book on this subject: The Christian Doctrine of God: One Being, Three Persons by Thomas F. Torrance (Edinburgh: T & T Clark, 1996). Not recommended for beginners, yet it is a wonderful volume. Published when Torrance was 83 (he lived to be 94), after many years of study and meditation on this subject.

 

[Ask Mr. Religion]

Two books I highly recommend:

1. Gerald Bray's The Doctrine of God

2. Robert Letham's The Holy Trinity

AMR

 

[py3ak]

Nathan, I haven't read Boettner, but if you find yourself always wondering whether a given treatment was really orthodox or not, remember that your confession of faith gives an excellent statement of the doctrine; and classic treatments by Augustine, Boethius, Aquinas, Calvin, and Turretin are surprisingly accessible.

 

[nwink]

Nathan, I haven't read Boettner, but if you find yourself always wondering whether a given treatment was really orthodox or not, remember that your confession of faith gives an excellent statement of the doctrine; and classic treatments by Augustine, Boethius, Aquinas, Calvin, and Turretin are surprisingly accessible.

Ruben, the reason I was asking specifically about the Boettner book was because that ebook is available for free from Monergism Bookstore. So, can't beat a free book from a good author!

 

[J. Dean]

Nathan, I haven't read Boettner, but if you find yourself always wondering whether a given treatment was really orthodox or not, remember that your confession of faith gives an excellent statement of the doctrine; and classic treatments by Augustine, Boethius, Aquinas, Calvin, and Turretin are surprisingly accessible.

Ruben, the reason I was asking specifically about the Boettner book was because that ebook is available for free from Monergism Bookstore. So, can't beat a free book from a good author!

This is difficult logic to argue with.

 

[py3ak]

Except for Turretin, the other names I mentioned should all be available for free. Certainly Boethius, Aquinas, and Calvin are.

 

[nwink]

Except for Turretin, the other names I mentioned should all be available for free. Certainly Boethius, Aquinas, and Calvin are.

Do you mean on CCEL?

 

[py3ak]

CCEL, Project Gutenberg, Google Books, random PDFs someone's uploaded....

 

[Wayne]

Boettner is in a sense a popularizer -- he will present a condensed version of the views of those theologians whom Ruben mentioned. Boettner was not an originator or "original thinker" in that sense.
He did play a crucial role in the period between 1930-1960, for his works were some of the few books to be found that presented the Reformed view, yet were readily accessible by the intelligent layman.
Boettner was very much a bridge from Old Princeton to the present day situation. Without him, Machen, and a few others, there was quite a dearth of good solid material available in that era.

 

[bookslover]

Boettner is in a sense a popularizer -- he will present a condensed version of the views of those theologians whom Ruben mentioned. Boettner was not an originator or "original thinker" in that sense.
He did play a crucial role in the period between 1930-1960, for his works were some of the few books to be found that presented the Reformed view, yet were readily accessible by the intelligent layman.
Boettner was very much a bridge from Old Princeton to the present day situation. Without him, Machen, and a few others, there was quite a dearth of good solid material available in that era.

Too bad that relative of his couldn't have been dissuaded from destroying Boettner's papers. Something similar happened with Robert Leighton (1611-1684). He instructed that, after his death, all of his personal papers and manuscripts were to be destroyed. Fortunately, in his case, cooler and wiser heads intervened. This is why we have his magnificent commentary on 1 Peter, his exposition of Psalm 130, and other things for our edification today. Who knows what was in Boettner's papers!