"Right Reason" and the Princeton Mind: An Unorthodox Proposal

"Right Reason and the Princeton Mind: An Unorthodox Proposal is a major accomplishment on many fronts. Historically Paul Helseth advances the four-decade reassessment of Old Princeton theology. Philosophically he demonstrates that Princeton advocates Alexander, Hodge, Warfield and Machen by rejecting speculation and emphasizing the moral aspects of right reason allies them more with the Reformers and Augustine than Enlightenment predecessors. Apologetically Helseth contends that evidentialism and presuppositionalism may have more in common than previously acknowledged. And his trenchant analysis of postconservative rejection of Princeton contributes substantially to contemporary evangelicalism. Right Reason is well worth the effort to follow Helseth’s intriguing themes, skillfully woven together."- Andrew Hoffecker, professor of Church History, Reformed Theological Seminary.

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Grounded in painstaking and thorough engagement with the writings of Archibald Alexander, Charles Hodge, and B.B. Warfield, as well as today’s debates about them, Paul Helseth’s Right Reason and the Princeton Mind issues an important challenge to the dominant way of reading the Old Princetoniansa reading that has deeply influenced many interpretations of contemporary evangelicalism. Emotions can run deep in debates about these interpretations, and this occasionally surfaces when Helseth responds to charged statement by some postconservatives. Nevertheless, it is to be hoped that scholars on all sides of these questions will give careful and sober attention to Helseth’s contention that the Princetoniansfar from being in hock to Enlightenment rationalismheld a view of right reason deeply indebted to classic lines of Augustinian and Reformed thought. Helseth’s argument in Right Reason and the Princeton Mind deserves a careful reading by all who are concerned about the important questions regarding the Princetonians and their place in understanding the past, present, and future of the evangelical Church.- Bradley N. Seeman, Ph.D., Assistant Professor of Philosophy, Taylor University, Upland, IN

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"Paul Helseth is to be commended for challenging a common but wrong-headed interpretation of the theologians of old Princeton Theological Seminary and attempting to set the record straight. His familiarity with the primary sources, his more accurate reading of Alexander, Hodge, Warfield, and Machen, and his superior scholarship enable him to dismantle the prevailing view and to demonstrate that these theologians were not the blind captives of Common Sense Realism that the orthodox view has portrayed them to be. Rather, Helseth shows from their own words that these Princetonians were faithful to a genuinely Reformed epistemology. In the process, he shows as well that the misguided prevailing view has been used in the service of a growing departure from a truly evangelical theology and the movement toward a neo-liberalism that is as dangerous as the old liberalism. This book offers a much-needed corrective to both current historical scholarship and current theological directions. I recommend it highly on both counts."- Terry A. Chrisope, Professor of History and Bible, Missouri Baptist University, St. Louis, Missouri

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"Paul Helseth's detailed and careful arguments against the received view of Old Princeton's epistemology are convincing and possess the conceptual precision to break the stale impasse in evangelical hermeneutics and epistemology and to open up refreshing lines of research."- Walter J. Schultz, Professor of Philosophy, Northwestern College

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"Right Reason is both a stinging and stunning defense that the Princetonians shared in the theological and epistemological assumptions of the Reformers rather than accommodating their theology to the Enlightmnet Rationalism of Scottish Sense Realism of their day. The book is the most comprehensive work to demonstrate that the Princetonians were not Enlightenment rationalist which is so often alleged by post-conservatives. Consequently Helseth demonstrates the current debate between conservatives and post-conservatives over the role and purpose of doctrine is actually a debate about the very nature of Scripture. Helseth has given the church an incredible gift. Right Reason is an outstanding achievement marked by thoroughness and fair scholarship all in a readable, accessible presentation.?- David Mappes, Theology and Bible Exposition, Baptist Bible Seminary, Clarks Summit, PA

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Placing the Princeton theologians squarely in the Augustinian tradition, Helseth then develops the insights of Princeton theology and its challenge of nineteenth century theological liberalism to challenge contemporary trends prevalent in postconservative theology. While everyone may not share his assessment of this particular trend, Helseth is conscientious enough in his critique that all disagreement must be equally as thoughtful. While standing outside of the academic mainstream can be a lonely place, I suspect that soon this voice calling in the wilderness will be received as a clarion call joined by many."- Todd Bates, Associate Professor of Philosophy, California Baptist University

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"Challenging the prevailing academic views can be a lonely place. Paul Kjoss Helseth not only seems comfortable with the challenge, but adequate to the task. Armed with primary sources from major Old Princeton scholars, Helseth critically examines the prevailing notions of academic orthodoxy concerning the religious epistemology of Machen, Hodge and Warefield and finds them wanting. Helseth deftly handles the material and persuasively argues that the prevailing orthodox opinionthat Old Princeton theologians were unwittingly captive to the intellectual optimism of the Enlightenment by way of Scottish realismhas overlooked a central tenet of Princeton theology and in missing it, has misconstrued a significant element of the evangelical heritage. Helseth helps the reader see Princeton’s right reason in right context and in doing so, generously offers the wealth of such thinkers to their distant heirs.

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At lasta book that gets the Princeton theology right! Helseth’s unorthodox proposal’ challenges the commonly held view that Alexander, Hodge, and Warfield compromised their Reformed theology by a commitment to Scottish Common Sense Philosophy that rationalized their theology and apologetics and stressed head over heart in Christian living. Helseth’s treatment is scholarly, patient, and careful. He has read the Princetonians widely and with great care to rescue their holistic epistemology from the charge that they were the purveyors of an essentially humanistic philosophy rather than the champions of Reformed orthodoxy. This book not only corrects an injustice to the Princetonians but also argues persuasively that contemporary evangelicals would be much better off if they did theology more like the theologians at Old Princeton Seminary.- David B. Calhoun, professor of church history, Covenant Theological Seminary

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"Unlike so many who never take the necessary time and effort to grapple with the Old Princeton theologians and instead rely on hand me-down opinions, Paul Helseth has coupled a close reading of Old Princetonians with great sensitivity to their concerns and the context in which they wrote. Helseth demonstrates over and over again that much of what has been written about Old Princeton stands in need of major revision. Anyone wanting a reliable analysis of the Old Princetonians should be directed to Paul Helseth’s work."- Gary L. W. Johnson, Senior Pastor, Church of the Redeemer, Mesa, AZ

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"There are those in contemporary evangelicalism who see Old Princeton and what it represents as a relic of bygone era. Days gone and, thankfully to them, forgotten. I am mystified. More importantly, Professor Helseth is mystified, and in this book he shows rather deftly how the Princetonians woefully get misunderstood and misinterpreted and too readily and easily cast aside. Helseth further shows how--once the Princetonians are understood rightly, once this critical concept of right reason is understood correctly--the Princetonians are a healthy and worthy model for theologians today. Ignore what people say the Princetonians said and read this book to find out what they really said. Next to the writings of the Princetonians themeselves, the grand works of Hodge and Warfield and company, this is the best and the most important book on Old Princeton."- Stephen J. Nichols, Research Professor of Christianity and Culture, Lancaster Bible College

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"This book needed to be written in order to reinvigorate the evangelical view of the inspiration Scripture as held by Archibald Alexander, Charles Hodge, B.B. Warfield and of J. Gresham Machen. Written in that way it now needs to be read and recognized by those who claim to know and share this as the Princeton view. When this presentation is known, it will not be possible to dismiss the Princeton view as simply an outworking of Scottish Common Sense philosophy. It will be acknowledged as drawn from the Scriptures and intended as the Biblical view of Inspiration. Buy this book!"- Roger Nicole, visiting professor of Theology, Reformed Theological Seminary, Orlando campus

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