John Owen - The Death of Death in the Death of Christ

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"William The Baptist"

Puritan Board Freshman
I have a question regarding this work of Owen's (and actually just about Owen in general)

After church I was talking to my pastor and he made a joke about how his reading material was "old people authors" and mine was "young and modern" to which I smiled and said not necessarily! I mentioned the next book I planned to read was the aforementioned title when suddenly he gets serious and says, "Well, you have to be careful with this puritan writer, he was a hyper-calvinist you know." I asked what he thought of Spurgeon and he kind of said he's a self-proclaimed calvinist so be careful with him too.

Mind you, I am attending a very Arminian (albeit a small traditional one with strictly hymns at least) church. I go with my family and have been this year... which none in my family are reformed at all. So I know that my parents pastor is very Arminian which is why I am wondering about Owen: Is he really a "hyper-calvinist" or is that just an Arminian way of opposing a Calvinist writing?
 
Owen is not a hyper-Calvinist and that is a wonderful book to read. You will profit much from its reading.
 
Depends on the persons definition of hyper-calvinist, to us (at least me) a hyper-calvinist is somebody who is cold, anti-missions, and some other indicators. To some people anybody who believes in limited atonement is a hyper-calvinist.

Do a search on the PB for Hyper-Calvinist/Calvinism, there's some threads on the topic, and it seems that the term itself is hard to define.

Also, I've read Owen's works on sin, other than being hard to follow at times, it was beneficial.
 
I have a question regarding this work of Owen's (and actually just about Owen in general)
After church I was talking to my pastor and he made a joke about how his reading material was "old people authors" and mine was "young and modern" to which I smiled and said not necessarily! I mentioned the next book I planned to read was the aforementioned title when suddenly he gets serious and says, "Well, you have to be careful with this puritan writer, he was a hyper-calvinist you know." I asked what he thought of Spurgeon and he kind of said he's a self-proclaimed calvinist so be careful with him too.

Mind you, I am attending a very Arminian (albeit a small traditional one with strictly hymns at least) church. I go with my family and have been this year... which none in my family are reformed at all. So I know that my parents pastor is very Arminian which is why I am wondering about Owen: Is he really a "hyper-calvinist" or is that just an Arminian way of opposing a Calvinist writing?


Here is the wikipedia article on Owen.

John Owen (1616 – 24 August 1683) was an English Nonconformist church leader, theologian, and academic administrator at the University of Oxford.

Early life

Of Welsh descent, Owen was born at Stadhampton in Oxfordshire, and was educated at Queen's College, Oxford (B.A. 1632, M.A. 1635); at the time the college was noted, according to Thomas Fuller, for its metaphysicians. A Puritan by upbringing, in 1637 Owen was driven from Oxford by Laud's new statutes, and became chaplain and tutor in the family of Sir Robert Dormer and then in that of Lord Lovelace. At the outbreak of the English Civil War he sided with the parliament, and thus lost both his place and the prospects of succeeding to his Welsh Royalist uncle's fortune. For a while he lived in Charterhouse Yard, troubled by religious questions. His doubts were removed by a sermon preached by a stranger in Aldermanbury Chapel where he had gone intending to hear Edmund Calamy the Elder. His first publication, The Display of Arminianism (1642), was a spirited defence of Calvinism. It was dedicated to the committee of religion, and gained him the living of Fordham in Essex, from which a "scandalous minister" had been ejected. At Fordham he remained engrossed in the work of his parish and writing only The Duty of Pastors and People Distinguished until 1646, when, the old incumbent dying, the presentation lapsed to the patron, who gave it to someone else.

In 1644, Owen married Mary Rooke (d. 1675). The couple had 11 children, ten of whom died in infancy. One daughter survived to adulthood, married unhappily, returned home, and shortly thereafter died of consumption.

Career

On 29 April he preached before the Long Parliament. In this sermon, and even more in his Country Essay for the Practice of Church Government, which he appended to it, his tendency to break away from Presbyterianism to the more tolerant Independent or Congregational system is plainly seen. Like John Milton, he saw little to choose between "new presbyter" and "old priest," and disliked a rigid and arbitrary polity by whatever name it was called. He became pastor at Coggeshall in Essex, where a large influx of Flemish tradesmen provided a congenial Independent atmosphere. His adoption of Congregational principles did not affect his theological position, and in 1647 he again argued heavily against Arminianism in The Death of Death in the Death of Christ, which drew him into long debate with Richard Baxter. He made the friendship of Fairfax while the latter was besieging Colchester, and urgently addressed the army there against religious persecution. He was chosen to preach to parliament on the day after the execution of King Charles I, and succeeded in fulfilling his task without directly mentioning that event.

Another sermon preached on 29 April, a vigorous plea for sincerity of religion in high places, won not only the thanks of parliament but the friendship of Oliver Cromwell, who took Owen to Ireland as his chaplain, that he might regulate the affairs of Trinity College, Dublin. He pleaded with the House of Commons for the religious needs of Ireland as some years earlier he had pleaded for those of Wales. In 1650 he accompanied Cromwell on his Scottish campaign. In March 1651, Cromwell, as Chancellor of Oxford University, gave him the deanery of Christ Church Cathedral, Oxford,[1][2] and made him Vice-Chancellor of Oxford University in September 1652;[3] in both offices he succeeded the Presbyterian, Edward Reynolds.

During his eight years of official Oxford life Owen showed himself a firm disciplinarian, thorough in his methods, though, as John Locke testifies, the Aristotelian traditions in education underwent no change. With Philip Nye he unmasked the popular astrologer, William Lilly, and in spite of his share in condemning two Quakeresses to be whipped for disturbing the peace, his rule was not intolerant. Anglican services were conducted here and there, and at Christ Church itself the Anglican chaplain remained in the college. While little encouragement was given to a spirit of free inquiry, Puritanism at Oxford was not simply an attempt to force education and culture into "the leaden moulds of Calvinistic theology." Owen, unlike many of his contemporaries, was more interested in the New Testament than in the Old. During his Oxford years he wrote Justitia Divina (1653), an exposition of the dogma that God cannot forgive sin without an atonement; Communion with God (1657), which has been called a "piece of wise-drawn mysticism"; Doctrine of the Saints' Perseverance (1654), his final attack on Arminianism; Vindiciae Evangelicae, a treatise written by order of the Council of State against Socinianism as expounded by John Biddle; On the Mortification of Sin in Believers (1656), an introspective and analytic work; Schism (1657), one of the most readable of all his writings; Of Temptation (1658), an attempt to recall Puritanism to its cardinal spiritual attitude from the jarring anarchy of sectarianism and the pharisaism which had followed on popularity and threatened to destroy the early simplicity.

Besides his academic and literary concerns, Owen was continually involved in affairs of state. In 1651, on October 24 (after Worcester), he preached the thanksgiving sermon before parliament. In 1652 he sat on a council to consider the condition of Protestantism in Ireland. In October 1653 he was one of several ministers whom Cromwell summoned to a consultation as to church union. In December, the degree of Doctor of Divinity was conferred upon him by Oxford University. In the parliament of 1654 he sat, for a short time, as member for Oxford university, and, with Baxter, was placed on the committee for settling the "fundamentals" necessary for the toleration promised in the Instrument of Government. In the same year he was chairman of a committee on Scottish Church affairs. He was, too, one of the Triers, and appears to have behaved with kindness and moderation in that capacity. As vice-chancellor he acted with readiness and spirit when a Royalist rising in Wiltshire broke out in 1655; his adherence to Cromwell, however, was by no means slavish, for he drew up, at the request of Desborough and Pride, a petition against his receiving the kingship. Thus, when Richard Cromwell succeeded his father as chancellor, Owen lost his vice-chancellorship. In 1658 he took a leading part in the conference of Independents which drew up the Savoy Declaration (the doctrinal standard of Congregationalism which was based upon the Westminster Confession of Faith).

On Oliver Cromwell's death in 1658, Owen joined the Wallingford House party, and though he denied any share in the deposition of Richard Cromwell, he preferred the idea of a simple republic to that of a protectorate. He assisted in the restoration of the Rump parliament, and, when George Monck began his march into England, Owen, in the name of the Independent churches, to whom Monck was supposed to belong, and who were anxious about his intentions, wrote to dissuade him. In March 1660, the Presbyterian party being uppermost, Owen was deprived of his deanery, which was given back to Reynolds. He retired to Stadham, where he wrote various controversial and theological works, in especial the laborious Theologoumena Pantodapa, a history of the rise and progress of theology. The respect in which many of the authorities held his intellectual eminence won him an immunity denied to other Nonconformists. In 1661 the celebrated Fiat Lux, a work by the Franciscan monk John Vincent Cane, was published; in it, the oneness and beauty of Roman Catholicism are contrasted with the confusion and multiplicity of Protestant sects. At Clarendon's request Owen answered this in 1662 in his Animadversions; and so great was its success that he was offered preferment if he would conform. Owen's condition was liberty to all who disagree in doctrine with the Church of England; nothing therefore came of the negotiation.

In 1663, Owen was invited by the Congregational churches in Boston, Massachusetts, to become their minister, but declined. The Conventicle and Five Mile Acts drove him to London; and in 1666, after the Great Fire, he, like other leading Nonconformist ministers, set up a room for public service and gathered a congregation, composed chiefly of the old Commonwealth officers. Meanwhile he was incessantly writing; and in 1667 he published his Catechism, which led to a proposal, "more acute than diplomatic," from Baxter for union. Various papers passed, and after a year the attempt was closed by the following laconical note from Owen: "I am still a well-wisher to these mathematics." It was now, too, that he published the first part of his vast work upon the Epistle to the Hebrews, together with his Practical Exposition upon Psalm 130 (1668) and his searching book on Indwelling Sin.

In 1669, Owen wrote a spirited remonstrance to the Congregationalists in New England, who, under the influence of Presbyterianism, had shown themselves persecutors. At home, too, he was busy in the same cause. In 1670 Samuel Parker's Ecclesiastical Polity attacked the Nonconformists with clumsy intolerance. Owen answered him (Truth and Innocence Vindicated); Parker replied offensively. Then Andrew Marvell finally disposed of Parker with banter and satire in The Rehearsal Transposed. Owen himself produced a tract On the Trinity (1669), and Christian Love and Peace (1672).

On the revival of the Conventicle Acts in 1670, Owen was appointed to draw up a paper of reasons which was submitted to the House of Lords in protest. In this or the following year Harvard College invited him to become its president; he received similar invitations from some of the Dutch universities. When King Charles II issued his Declaration of Indulgence in 1672, Owen drew up an address of thanks; Owen was one of the first preachers at the weekly lectures which the Independents and Presbyterians jointly held at Princes' Hall in Broad Street. He was respected by many of the nobility, and during 1674 both King Charles II and his brother King James II assured him of their good wishes to the dissenters. Charles gave him 1000 guineas to relieve those on whom the severe laws had pressed, and he was able to procure the release of John Bunyan, whose preaching he admired. In 1674 Owen was attacked by William Sherlock, Dean of St Paul's. From this time until 1680, he was engaged on his ministry and writing.

Later life

The chief of these were On Apostasy (1676), a sad account of religion under the Restoration; On the Holy Spirit (1677-1678) and The Doctrine of Justification (1677). In 1680, however, Stillingfleet having on 11 May preached his sermon on "The Mischief of Separation," Owen defended the Nonconformists from the charge of schism in his Brief Vindication. Baxter and Howe also answered Stillingfleet, who replied in The Unreasonableness of Separation. Owen again answered this, and then left the controversy to a swarm of eager combatants. From this time to his death he was occupied with continual writing, disturbed only by suffering from stone and asthma, and by the absurd charge of being concerned in the Rye House Plot. His most important work was his Treatise on Evangelical Churches, in which were contained his latest views regarding church government. He died at Ealing, just twenty-one years after he had gone out with so many others on St Bartholomew's day in 1662, and was buried on 4 September 1683 in Bunhill Fields.
 
Owen's no hyper-calvinist. If more people loved the Savior the way Owen did, we'd be a lot better off in our pulpits. The Death of Death is a marvelous work. Personally, the affect that book had on me was deeper worship and adoration for Christ than anything like hyper-Calvinism.
 
When I hear "hyper-Calvinist" I think of a person who's cold to the wonder of Christ's gospel and uninterested in actually taking part in God's work in the world. By that definition, Owen was most certainly NOT a hyper-Calvinist. He was, rather, the best sort of Calvinist; one with a passion for both Christian ministry and for knowing Christ himself.

Mike Reeves' recent introductory lectures on Owen might make good background for reading Owen's works. The talks are easy to listen to, interesting and informative; some of the better stuff I've put on my mp3 player in the past month or so.
 
I just finished this book, and I found that "The Death of Death", is more of a defense of limited atonement. He shows how unscriptural universalim is. He shows how fragile the Arminain is his/her stance on universal salvation by using differing definitions for words like "world" and "all". I still argue for Isaiah 55:8-9 though when it comes to salvation. I've been listening to Greg Koukl and William L. Craig. They seem to demonstrate a more trust in mystery of The Almighty than to try and pin Him down to determininism.
 
I have a question regarding this work of Owen's (and actually just about Owen in general)

After church I was talking to my pastor and he made a joke about how his reading material was "old people authors" and mine was "young and modern" to which I smiled and said not necessarily! I mentioned the next book I planned to read was the aforementioned title when suddenly he gets serious and says, "Well, you have to be careful with this puritan writer, he was a hyper-calvinist you know." I asked what he thought of Spurgeon and he kind of said he's a self-proclaimed calvinist so be careful with him too.

Mind you, I am attending a very Arminian (albeit a small traditional one with strictly hymns at least) church. I go with my family and have been this year... which none in my family are reformed at all. So I know that my parents pastor is very Arminian which is why I am wondering about Owen: Is he really a "hyper-calvinist" or is that just an Arminian way of opposing a Calvinist writing?
Owen was not a hyper-Calvinist.
 
To most Arminians, there is no other kind of Calvinist.

That's what I was getting from our conversation. The pastor actually told me theology is best left up to theologians and pastors... that he was glad most Christians didn't know about the Arminian vs Calvinism debate. He said this after I mentioned I recently bought a Systematic Theology set months back. (I do not agree at all, we all have our theology, the question is, if it is truth or not). He referenced TULIP, which I did the acronym for him. Before I wondered what his stance was on this (been wanting to ask him questions) but he pretty much deemed "Calvinists" as antibiblical. Needless to say, it is getting harder worshipping each week under such teaching.

---------- Post added at 08:48 PM ---------- Previous post was at 08:42 PM ----------

I just finished this book, and I found that "The Death of Death", is more of a defense of limited atonement. He shows how unscriptural universalim is. He shows how fragile the Arminain is his/her stance on universal salvation by using differing definitions for words like "world" and "all".

This is what my friend told me who recommended the book. Thank you for the input!

I appreciate everyone's insight and responses. I know it was a simple question... but I have studied into hyper-calvinism vs calvinism and just wanted to check on him. :) I didn't want to be presumptuous or debate my parents pastor on this (being a young lady and him being a middle aged pastor), so I left it alone for now.
 
The book you mentioned is indeed wonderful, and I would recommend digging deeper into Owen (and the Puritans) in your future readings. I would suggest picking up a copy of Richard Rushing's book "Voices From the Past: Puritan Devotional Readings" This book has daily selections from the Puritans and is (aside from the Bible itself) the book that God most often uses to draw me into closer communion with him. I'm honestly not a big fan of "devotional books" but this one is worth the price. It would help to expose you to lots of good Puritans and then you could go deeper as you find particular authors that are helpful. Blessings as you grow in grace sister!
 
View attachment 2235hmm... I doubt your pastor would know the terms mean in historical-theological circles, but here is my understanding (based on the work of C.Trueman, R. Muller,R. Clark, etc...) of the spectrum of Reformed theology (given arminius was in Reformed churches and died while still ordained in it, I classify arminianism as a reformed heresy, though not a Christian heresy- also keep in mind that this is a spectrum, it is possible to be in the middle somewhere-the posistions what are in the parentheses are what have been accepted by church bodies with in the Reformed tradition, though amarlydalianism is a bit more debatable. rejected as confessional by the Dutch but accepted by the French ):
Arminian------(Amarlydalian------low calvinist------moderite calvinist-------high Calvinist)------------hyper-Calvinist
Arminius Moise Amyraut Charles Hodge John Owen Samuel rutherford Herman Hoeksema Ex. of theologians who fit the camp.
Cond. election Univeral atonement emph both univeral balanced Over emphesis on God's denial of free offer. theological characteristics
Infraish over limited atonement freedom. supra. supra
atonement infra supra/infra

Of course people are free to agree or disagree with my persuasions, but hopefully it's a decent enough beginning guide.

---------- Post added at 07:26 PM ---------- Previous post was at 07:25 PM ----------

hmm... I doubt your pastor would know the terms mean in historical-theological circles, but here is my understanding (based on the work of C.Trueman, R. Muller,R. Clark, etc...) of the spectrum of Reformed theology (given arminius was in Reformed churches and died while still ordained in it, I classify arminianism as a reformed heresy, though not a Christian heresy- also keep in mind that this is a spectrum, it is possible to be in the middle somewhere-the posistions what are in the parentheses are what have been accepted by church bodies with in the Reformed tradition, though amarlydalianism is a bit more debatable. rejected as confessional by the Dutch but accepted by the French ):
Arminian------(Amarlydalian------low calvinist------moderite calvinist-------high Calvinist)------------hyper-Calvinist
Arminius Moise Amyraut Charles Hodge John Owen Samuel rutherford Herman Hoeksema Ex. of theologians who fit the camp.
Cond. election Univeral atonement emph both univeral balanced Over emphesis on God's denial of free offer. theological characteristics
Infraish over limited atonement freedom. supra. supra
atonement infra supra/infra

Of course people are free to agree or disagree with my persuasions, but hopefully it's a decent enough beginning guide.
did not show up well, im going to attach a pdf
 
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Arminian------(Amarlydalian------low calvinist------moderite calvinist-------high Calvinist)------------hyper-Calvinist
Arminius Moise Amyraut Charles Hodge John Owen Samuel rutherford Herman Hoeksema Ex. of theologians who fit the camp.
Cond. election Univeral atonement emph both univeral balanced Over emphesis on God's denial of free offer. theological characteristics
Infraish over limited atonement freedom. supra. supra
atonement infra supra/infra

Of course people are free to agree or disagree with my persuasions, but hopefully it's a decent enough beginning guide.

1. for your information, you must mean amyraldism, also known as hypothetical universalism...
2. for your information, the denial of a free or universal offer does not define hypercalvinism. Hence, Hoeksema is not a hypercalvinist in my book, and neither am I.
 
I just finished reading Death of Death a couple weeks ago. Very challenging read, but well worth the effort. It definitely opened my eyes to how solidly the doctrine of particular redemption (or limited atonement) is grounded in Scripture and how ridiculous the Arminian position is.
 
Ben, thank you for that wonderful suggestion! I have a copy of The Valley of Vision: Puritan Prayers that I have come to treasure. :) I will put this on my list of books to obtain and consider (I'm not made of money, ha!)

Matt, the "challenging read"s are my favorite kind. I look forward to the challenge when I dive in. :)
 
Ben, thank you for that wonderful suggestion! I have a copy of The Valley of Vision: Puritan Prayers that I have come to treasure. :) I will put this on my list of books to obtain and consider (I'm not made of money, ha!)

I understand about the money issue! (Believe me I'm a poor college student myself.) :) I believe the link I included has the first 20 pages or so in a free pdf where you can preview it. That may be the best way to see if it would be edifying or not.
 
I understand about the money issue! (Believe me I'm a poor college student myself.) :) I believe the link I included has the first 20 pages or so in a free pdf where you can preview it. That may be the best way to see if it would be edifying or not.

Most of my money is spent on either food to cook or books to read!-the rest I save to pay off loans from my short stay at college.

I have too many I have ordered and still need to read... so I have learned I must pace myself on my buying! :)
 
I can't say enough good about Owen's work on Christ's death! Read on Leah. I also can't say enough about the bad advise you received from the minister! Old authors are usually the best.
 
I understand about the money issue! (Believe me I'm a poor college student myself.) :) I believe the link I included has the first 20 pages or so in a free pdf where you can preview it. That may be the best way to see if it would be edifying or not.

Most of my money is spent on either food to cook or books to read!-the rest I save to pay off loans from my short stay at college.

I have too many I have ordered and still need to read... so I have learned I must pace myself on my buying! :)

Just remember what Erasmus said: "When I get a little money I buy books; and if any is left, I buy food and clothes." :book2:
 
I understand about the money issue! (Believe me I'm a poor college student myself.) :) I believe the link I included has the first 20 pages or so in a free pdf where you can preview it. That may be the best way to see if it would be edifying or not.

Most of my money is spent on either food to cook or books to read!-the rest I save to pay off loans from my short stay at college.

I have too many I have ordered and still need to read... so I have learned I must pace myself on my buying! :)

Just remember what Erasmus said: "When I get a little money I buy books; and if any is left, I buy food and clothes." :book2:

Imagine what he would do with a Kindle?
 
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