Reason and Faith in the Theology of Charles Hodge ― American Common Sense Realism

The Reformed Theological Tradition makes the beginning point of its theology the knowledge of God, and the goal and meaning of life, the glory of God. John Calvin begins his Institutes of the Christian Religion with chapters about the knowledge of God. The Westminster Confession of Faith dedicates its first chapter to how God is known. However, in 21st century America the words 'knowing God' have come to mean relying on an inner feeling or having a personal preference. Yet it was not that long ago that Charles Hodge, now largely forgotten outside of specialized academic circles, was a national figure known for his theological work on the knowledge of God. This book focuses on the specifics of his intellectual lineage and his own arguments to show how God can be known. There are tensions that arise and must be addressed between claims about the authority of inner feelings on the one hand, and the ability for actual knowledge of God on the other. We today have inherited the residue from those tensions and a better understanding of them will help us in our thinking about knowing God.

Owen Anderson is an Associate Professor in the School of Humanities, Arts and Cultural Studies at Arizona State University, USA