Featured Luther Rice College: Matthew Henry is outdated, but Calvin is not??

As a professor, I think I can clear up the confusion. First of all, Matthew Henry is a devotional commentary, not a technical one. For a research paper, I would allow Henry to be quoted in an inspirational sense but not a technical sense. In other words, you could end your paper with a great devotional quote from Henry, but I would mark off if you used Henry's opinion of the meaning of agape (whatever that might be). My grandfather wrote devotional commentaries, so I would take the same approach with him. However, I would allow his theological writings such as Our God-Breathed Book: the Bible.

Now, the syllabus you quoted mentioned Calvin as a "germinal source." This does not mean even Calvin would be a good source for a technical work on agape. In other words, too many sources quote Calvin second or third hand--"According to Smith, Calvin said...." But that does not get to Calvin's context. Unfortunately, many fundamentalist authors do this. For example, some authors gives quotes out of context from Westcott and Hort, accusing them of things they did not actually believe or do (such as that they followed spiritism.)

An older source such as some of the Pilgrim writers, might be used as a technical source because some of their writings are still valid. But even here one would have to be careful.

 

It really depends on what they mean by outdated....

 

By and large, a technical commentary will deal extensively with the original languages. The primary goal of a technical commentary is to help understand and exegete the text correctly. It may help the reader grow in faith, but that is not the primary goal of a technical commentary, but a secondary goal.

On the other hand, while a devotional commentary may occasionally mention an original language word, it only does so when that fits the devotional purpose. The goal of a devotional commentary is to help the reader draw near to God, grow in faith, and see personal revival. The reader can do this without knowledge of the original languages.

So, the technical A. T. Robertson starts out on John 3:16 with--"This use of gar is quite in John's style in introducing his comments." However, the devotional Albert Barnes starts out with--"This does not mean that God approved the conduct of men, but that he had benevolent feelings toward them, or was earnestly desirous of their happiness."

 

It does not matter if a source is "devotional" or "technical" both could be right or wrong. Truth matters.

Calvin was wrong with some of his commentary.

But reading key sections of his commentary is very enlightening.

 

WRITE THIS DATE DOWN! I agree with Van!

 

To all: This is not about right or wrong, truth or falsehood. It is about how an academic teaches good research and writing through requiring a research paper. All legitimate colleges are the same on this. It is about standards for budding writers, so that they succeed as writers, whether they are published in a journal, book, magazine, tract, or church bulletin.

So, a student may write a paper taking a position that I profoundly disagree with, but the point is not my view of the subject, but whether the student is properly learning how to research and write. I've given an A before to such a paper. I've given a D to a paper which I agreed with, but was poorly written with lousy research.

Someone may object to this, and that is fine. But not in the classrooms at my college or any other. We will simply lower your grade for: improper sourcing, poor footnotes or bibliography, etc. Nothing personal.

 

Again, it depends on the context of why you are putting it in the paper and what type of paper it is.

 

Sometimes the professor will be specific about the types of sources. You just need to be mindful of what is expected. And, if you don't know or don't understand...ask!

 

Sounds like you have the right attitude.

 

Not within 10 years but anything by Him is excellent!

 

Agreed, as the KJVO critics of those 2 especially make it seem that they were satanists!

 

Devotional ones will be concerned with how to apply and use what the Bible stated, while technical ones get into things such as historical backgrounds, The original languages, and really into foot notes and bibliography!