Theological thought of John Howe (1630 -1705)

Abstract

John Howe bears the hall-mark of greatness. Whatever else might be said of him at this distance, there is no question but that he stands among the worthies of the seventeenth century. Few Puritans, if any, combined his personal catholicity with his philosophical background, which, in turn, was subsumed into a life of such holiness and beauty that Spademan celled him an "inviting example of universal goodness." If Howe has just claim to greatness, it is inseparable from his goodness. In the final analysis it is what he was - as a man and a Christian - not what he wrote or ever, what he did, that secures for him a lasting place in the history of good men. This, his life, is his lasting contribution to our age.

In his faithfulness to the Gospel, he also has a message for the twentieth century. He would have rejoiced in the decay of a shallow view of man, for his devotion to the essentials of the Christian message never wavered. His belief in the lasting significance of the Scriptures, the uniqueness of Christ, the absolute centrality of the Cross, and the final triumph of the Resurrection made him first and foremost a defender of the faith. It is certain that he would have warned all pioneers of theological thought to keep their eyes fixed first on "Jesus, the Author and finisher of our Faith," and to make all their definitions of doctrine agree with God's definition in Christ. He would have agreed with Kierkegaard - "The incarnation is God's attack upon man." Because this is true, one of the central problems confronting each age is the erection of an articulate theological schema of thought that embraces the Cross in the language of the people. in giving a solution to this problem for his age, Howe's example is a constant source of encouragement to those who seek a solution in ours.