Van Til’s Doctrine of Revelation

In the third course in our Fellowship in Reformed Apologetics, Lane G. Tipton unpacks Van Til's doctrine of revelation from both the divine and human sides, contrasting the distinctly Reformed conception of nature and Scripture with Romanist and Modernist errors.

Format

Online
Course

Duration

5 hours

Subtitles Included

English, Chinese (Simplified), and Spanish

Price

$97
Free

Course Overview

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In the third course in our Fellowship in Reformed Apologetics, Dr. Lane G. Tipton addresses Cornelius Van Til’s doctrine of revelation. Topics will include:

  • The implications of the self-contained and immutable Trinity for a doctrine of revelation in the work of creation and in the special act of providence in covenantal condescension;
  • The distinctive character of natural revelation and the natural knowledge of God in Reformed theology, set in comparison and contrast to the views of Thomas Aquinas and Karl Barth;
  • The relation between natural and supernatural, or general and special revelation, giving special attention to Van Til’s key essay, “Nature and Scripture”;
  • The Vosian doctrine of eschatology as it bears upon the distinction and the relation of God’s revelation in nature and God’s revelation in covenant (and in Scripture).


The course will give sustained attention to a close reading of central primary sources in Van Til’s corpus that bear on his doctrine of the revelation of the self-contained Trinity in nature and in covenant.

Course Objectives

Upon successful completion of this course, students will be able to:

Understand Van Til's doctrine of revelation from both the divine side (Trinity, immutability, and anthropomorphism) and human side.
Apply the doctrines to progressive reconstructions, traditional Roman Catholic alternatives, and contemporary substitutes.
Analyze Van Til's distinctive conceptions of God's relation to creation, the natural knowledge of God in the sensus divinitatis, and the nature of covenantal condescension.
Evaluate the reception, defense, and extension of John Calvin's theology of the image of God and the sensus divinitatis as received in the work of B. B. Warfield.

Resources and Information

Accreditation
Course Materials
Certification

Reformed Forum is an approved provider of Continuing Education Units through the Association of Christian Schools International (ACSI). As of 9/19/2023, this course is approved by ACSI for 5.00 Educational CEUs. Take this course for ACSI CEU credit.

Course Syllabus (English)

Each lesson concludes with a brief quiz, which will assist you in assessing your progress. The questions are multiple choice or true/false. Each question is designed to reinforce basic points of the lectures and to provide a means of self-assessment.

Upon successful completion of the course, you will have the option to download a certificate of completion on the main course page.

Course Lessons

Your Teacher

Patrick Jones - Course author

Lane G. Tipton

Dr. Lane G. Tipton is pastor of Trinity Orthodox Presbyterian Church in Easton, Pennsylvania and Fellow of Biblical and Systematic Theology at Reformed Forum.

Van Til’s Doctrine of Revelation

In the third course in our Fellowship in Reformed Apologetics, Lane G. Tipton unpacks Van Til's doctrine of revelation from both the divine and human sides, contrasting the distinctly Reformed conception of nature and Scripture with Romanist and Modernist errors.

Format

Online
Course

Duration

5 hours

Subtitles Included

English, Chinese (Simplified), and Spanish

Price

$97
Free