M.TH. LONG DISSERTATION (LD6.1) - John Owen

John Owen’s Theological Context
the process losing Calvin’s Christ-centred, biblical approach; this accusation is levelled
against Owen by Alan Clifford. 5 The second criticism comes from Owen’s great Puritan
contemporary Richard Baxter. In 1649 Baxter accused Owen of teaching the doctrine of
eternal justification, 6 whereby the elect are justified in Christ from eternity, not, as in the
standard Reformed view, from the moment they believe in Christ. 7 Finally, Hans
Boersma, in his discussion of Owen’s response to Baxter’s accusations, 8 accuses Owen
of expounding an incoherent ordo salutis, and in particular of failing adequately to account
for the place and timing of union with Christ in relation to faith and to the imputation of
Christ’s righteousness. In a review of Carl Trueman’s monograph on Owen, 9 Boersma
repeats his accusation, and goes so far as to say that, ‘It is difficult to avoid the
conclusion that with Owen history is in danger of being swallowed up by eternity.’ 10
Through a careful exposition of Owen’s teaching on union with Christ and
eternal justification, based on fresh research on a variety of sixteenth and seventeenth
century primary texts, I shall examine whether or not these criticism are fair. I shall
argue that Owen faithfully teaches the Reformed doctrine of justification, although the
precise manner in which he does so is sensitive to theological developments among
Reformed theologians in mid-seventeenth century England. However, before
considering Owen’s position, it is important to outline the methodology that this
dissertation will employ in seeking to understand his teaching.
5 The classic statements are found in Hall 1966 and Armstrong 1969: 31-33. Their assumptions are
uncritically picked up and repeated by McGrath in his discussion of Reformed Orthodox formulations of
justification (1998: 227), and by Clifford in his assessment of Owen on justification (1990: 69f).
6 On eternal justification, see chapter 2, below.
7 Baxter 1649: II.146ff.
8 Boersma 1993: 104-108.
9 Trueman 1998a.
10 Boersma 2001: 269.
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