Darren M Pollock | Calvin Theological Seminary (original) (raw)
Papers by Darren M Pollock
Early Stuart Polemical Hermeneutics, 2017
Foreign missions at the beginning of the twentieth century, Roland Allen argued in his 1912 book ... more Foreign missions at the beginning of the twentieth century, Roland Allen argued in his 1912 book Missionary Methods, differed in many ways from the methods that St. Paul employed in the early years of the Christian church. Many elements of Allen’s critique of world missions a century ago can be applied today to the mainstream American church’s mission to its own youth. As in the missionary churches that Allen critiqued, western youth ministry models too often fail to incorporate young people fully into the life and leadership of the congregation. The present-day church’s mission to its own youth stands to gain much by incorporating insights gleaned from centuries of reflection on foreign mission practices.
While most work on Jonathan Edwards' cessationism has rooted his views in his general theological... more While most work on Jonathan Edwards' cessationism has rooted his views in his general theological framework and conception of redemptive history, his cessationist beliefs were not without a strong exegetical basis. In several sermons dealing with spiritual gifts and vocation, Edwards drew on a wide range of New Testament scriptures, from the gospels to the Pauline epistles (especially 1 Corinthians) to Revelation, to argue that the extraordinary gifts of the Spirit, having long-since fulfilled their purpose, had ceased at the close of the apostolic age. Paul had clearly foretold this cessation of the instrumental, non-salvific gifts, so their end was nothing to mourn, nor their resumption a thing to hope for. Rather, the church should focus on the greater work of the Holy Spirit in the continued, ordinary graces, and on its own calling to function as Christ's body in the world. As a moderate voice during the Great Awakening, Edwards exhorted believers to pursue the true and lasting spiritual graces, which were less susceptible to deception, fostered greater humility, pointed to God's glory, and were of greatest use to the church.
Book Reviews by Darren M Pollock
Church History, 2018
Zwingli and John Calvin tower over their contemporaries because of their influence on events such... more Zwingli and John Calvin tower over their contemporaries because of their influence on events such as the Synod of Dort or the Westminster Assembly. Scholars hopscotch from Calvin, to Westminster, and into the twenty-first century to establish historical norms for Reformed theology. Nestled in between the major events of the Reformation and the Westminster assembly lies the unplowed ground of 1600-1640, where Pollock draws the reader's attention. The vast majority of the anti-Papal works of this period are almost entirely neglected (12). Pollock aims to harvest this particular patch of history with his contribution on the work of Andrew Willet (1562-1621), an early modem Reformed theologian, polemicist, and exegete. Willet was a giant in his own day but has largely been ignored, until now. Pollock explores Willet's commentary on Romans in the effort to prove the thesis that Willet did not retreat from his earlier anti-Papal polemical work when he took up the task of writing his Romans commentary. Rather, he continued his polemical work through his commentary. His polemical intent did not negatively affect his exegesis but organized his work as the means by which to clarify traditional Reformed readings of scripture in contrast to Roman Catholic views (30). To demonstrate his thesis, Pollock divides his study into eight chapters that cover the state of the question, the historical context, textual criticism, grammar and rhetoric, causality, heresy, the use of church tradition, and closes with summary remarks.
Books by Darren M Pollock
This book examines the 1611 Romans hexapla commentary by the prolific Church of England preacher ... more This book examines the 1611 Romans hexapla commentary by the prolific Church of England preacher and controversialist Andrew Willet. Considering Willet’s exegesis in its early Stuart context, Pollock argues that the anti-Catholic polemical focus of his earliest works (notably the influential Synopsis Papismi) continued to frame his interpretation of Romans, guiding his theological emphases and practical applications. Using Willet’s contribution as a window into post-Reformation religious controversy, the study clarifies how the polemical lens functioned in Stuart-era Reformed exegesis.
Early Stuart Polemical Hermeneutics, 2017
Foreign missions at the beginning of the twentieth century, Roland Allen argued in his 1912 book ... more Foreign missions at the beginning of the twentieth century, Roland Allen argued in his 1912 book Missionary Methods, differed in many ways from the methods that St. Paul employed in the early years of the Christian church. Many elements of Allen’s critique of world missions a century ago can be applied today to the mainstream American church’s mission to its own youth. As in the missionary churches that Allen critiqued, western youth ministry models too often fail to incorporate young people fully into the life and leadership of the congregation. The present-day church’s mission to its own youth stands to gain much by incorporating insights gleaned from centuries of reflection on foreign mission practices.
While most work on Jonathan Edwards' cessationism has rooted his views in his general theological... more While most work on Jonathan Edwards' cessationism has rooted his views in his general theological framework and conception of redemptive history, his cessationist beliefs were not without a strong exegetical basis. In several sermons dealing with spiritual gifts and vocation, Edwards drew on a wide range of New Testament scriptures, from the gospels to the Pauline epistles (especially 1 Corinthians) to Revelation, to argue that the extraordinary gifts of the Spirit, having long-since fulfilled their purpose, had ceased at the close of the apostolic age. Paul had clearly foretold this cessation of the instrumental, non-salvific gifts, so their end was nothing to mourn, nor their resumption a thing to hope for. Rather, the church should focus on the greater work of the Holy Spirit in the continued, ordinary graces, and on its own calling to function as Christ's body in the world. As a moderate voice during the Great Awakening, Edwards exhorted believers to pursue the true and lasting spiritual graces, which were less susceptible to deception, fostered greater humility, pointed to God's glory, and were of greatest use to the church.
Church History, 2018
Zwingli and John Calvin tower over their contemporaries because of their influence on events such... more Zwingli and John Calvin tower over their contemporaries because of their influence on events such as the Synod of Dort or the Westminster Assembly. Scholars hopscotch from Calvin, to Westminster, and into the twenty-first century to establish historical norms for Reformed theology. Nestled in between the major events of the Reformation and the Westminster assembly lies the unplowed ground of 1600-1640, where Pollock draws the reader's attention. The vast majority of the anti-Papal works of this period are almost entirely neglected (12). Pollock aims to harvest this particular patch of history with his contribution on the work of Andrew Willet (1562-1621), an early modem Reformed theologian, polemicist, and exegete. Willet was a giant in his own day but has largely been ignored, until now. Pollock explores Willet's commentary on Romans in the effort to prove the thesis that Willet did not retreat from his earlier anti-Papal polemical work when he took up the task of writing his Romans commentary. Rather, he continued his polemical work through his commentary. His polemical intent did not negatively affect his exegesis but organized his work as the means by which to clarify traditional Reformed readings of scripture in contrast to Roman Catholic views (30). To demonstrate his thesis, Pollock divides his study into eight chapters that cover the state of the question, the historical context, textual criticism, grammar and rhetoric, causality, heresy, the use of church tradition, and closes with summary remarks.
This book examines the 1611 Romans hexapla commentary by the prolific Church of England preacher ... more This book examines the 1611 Romans hexapla commentary by the prolific Church of England preacher and controversialist Andrew Willet. Considering Willet’s exegesis in its early Stuart context, Pollock argues that the anti-Catholic polemical focus of his earliest works (notably the influential Synopsis Papismi) continued to frame his interpretation of Romans, guiding his theological emphases and practical applications. Using Willet’s contribution as a window into post-Reformation religious controversy, the study clarifies how the polemical lens functioned in Stuart-era Reformed exegesis.