We welcome David Noe and Chad Van Dixhoorn to discuss the first volume in Reformation Heritage Books’ new edition of The Works of Samuel Rutherford: Arminianism: A Systematic and Theological Response. Noe translated the work from Latin, while Van Dixhoorn serves as general editor of the series and edited and introduced this volume.

The conversation explores Rutherford’s significance as a leading theologian of seventeenth-century Scotland and a commissioner to the Westminster Assembly. Rather than treating Arminianism as merely five disputed points of salvation, Rutherford examines it as a theological system reaching into the doctrine of God, divine simplicity, providence, human freedom, ecclesiology, and the sacraments. The guests also discuss the challenges of translating scholastic Latin, recovering manuscripts, correcting citations, and preparing a projected twenty-volume edition.

Learn more at reformedforum.org/ctc969.

Chapters

0:00 Introduction
2:08 David Noe joins the conversation
5:45 Translation projects and Calvin’s Latin Bible
12:41 Reformed worship and the declaration of pardon
15:29 The Works of Samuel Rutherford, Volume 1
17:47 A twenty-volume publishing project
22:22 Samuel Rutherford and the Westminster Assembly
23:54 Why Rutherford addressed Arminianism
27:54 Why the book is more than an “examination”
30:23 Arminianism as a theological system
31:58 Divine simplicity and the doctrine of God
33:56 Middle knowledge, freedom, and providence
36:03 Rutherford’s pastoral and rhetorical power
41:57 Ecclesiology, sacraments, and scholastic method
45:02 The craft and challenges of translation
49:16 Difficult texts and inaccurate citations
54:38 A second manuscript enters the project
56:04 Translating Homer and the meaning of polytropos
60:16 How to read Rutherford fruitfully
62:55 Chad Van Dixhoorn joins the conversation
63:19 Rutherford’s stature in Scottish theology
66:10 Arminianism involves more than five points
68:20 The origins and scope of the Rutherford series
70:38 The search for unpublished letters and sermons
73:35 Rutherford’s final years and posthumous legacy
76:59 Assessing Rutherford’s polemical judgments
82:02 Why the volume remains valuable today
83:30 What is next for the series
85:02 Conclusion

Mentioned in this episode:

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