Category Archives: Cornelius Van Til

The Reformed View of Education (Cornelius Van Til)

Articles, Cornelius Van Til, Philosophy

“The Reformed View of Education” by Cornelius Van Til

Only upon a Reformed basis can God really be made central in education. This is true because only in the Reformed system are Christ and the Holy Spirit really central in education. The Reformed view is based exclusively upon the Bible. The doctrines of creation and providence imply that God originates and arranges all the facts of the universe according to a “logic” that is above man. Man’s systems must therefore be consciously analogical to the system of God. …

The Defense of Christianity (Cornelius Van Til)

Apologetics, Articles, Cornelius Van Til

“The Defense of Christianity” by Cornelius Van Til

We have first the non-Christian, who worships the creature rather than the Creator. We shall call him Mr. Black. Mr. Black may be a very “decent” sort of man. By God’s common grace he may do much that is “good.” Even so he is, as long as he remains in his unconverted state, black in the sight of God.

 

On the other hand we have a representative of those who have, by the grace of God, become worshipers of the Creator-Redeemer, called Mr. White. Mr. White is far from what, judging him by his name, we should expect him to be. But he is washed in the blood of the Lamb. In Christ he is whiter than snow. Mr. White is the Reformed Christian. …

Review of Three Essays by Karl Barth (Cornelius Van Til)

Cornelius Van Til, Reviews, Theology

“Review of Three Essays by Karl Barth” by Cornelius Van Til

The Three Essays of Earl Barth comprising this book all deal with social questions.

 

In a long foreword Will Herberg, among other things, relates Barth’s views on social and political problems to his basic theological convictions. It was only gradually that Barth attained to a completely self-conscious Christological approach in his theology. …

Presuppositionalism: A Reply to Dr. Buswell (Cornelius Van Til)

Apologetics, Articles, Cornelius Van Til

“Presuppositionalism: A Reply to Dr. Buswell” [Part 1] [Part 2] by Cornelius Van Til

Dear Dr. Buswell:

 

Allow me to thank you first for the courtesy extended in permitting me to make some remarks on your recent review of my booklet on Common Grace (See The Bible Today, November, 1948). I shall try, as simply as I can, to state something of my theological beliefs and my method of defending them. In this way I can perhaps best reply to your charges that I do not hesitate to make declarations flatly contradictory to the Reformed Standards and the Bible. …

My Credo (Cornelius Van Til)

Apologetics, Articles, Cornelius Van Til, Epistemology

“My Credo” by Cornelius Van Til

How can I express my appreciation adequately for the honor you have conferred on me by your contributions to this Festschrift? I shall try to do so first by setting forth in this, my “Credo,” a general statement of my main beliefs as I hold them today. Then I shall deal separately with the problems and objections some of you have raised in respect to my views in separate response to the essays themselves. I hope that by doing this we may be of help to one another as together we present the name of Jesus as the only name given under heaven by which men must be saved. …

The Van Til Project

Cornelius Van Til, General, Letters, Resources

The Van Til Project: Organizing the Letters of Cornelius Van Til

Working to catalogue and transcribe Cornelius Van Til’s letters to make them accessible to a wider readership.

 

The Montgomery Library of Westminster Theological Seminary curates a special collection of letters and other archival material pertaining to former professor of apologetics, Cornelius Van Til (1895–1987). Several scholars have browsed these archives over the years, including John Muether, who worked through them extensively during his research for Cornelius Van Til: Reformed Apologist and Churchman (P&R Publishing, 2008). But to this point, access has been restricted to a limited number of people on campus by virtue of the nature and location of the collection. …