Book Review - Doctrine Of God By John Frame

A Review of John Frame’s The Doctrine of God By: J. Daniel Spratlin Summary It has been fifteen years since the first installment of John Frame's projected four volume "Theology of Lordship" series. The second book, The Doctrine of God, takes the reader deeper and further into the truth, particularly dealing with the person of God. Frame's central motif is covenant Lordship and he follows his earlier volumes, especially The Doctrine of the Knowledge of God, in using as an overarching theme the three "lordship" attributes of control, authority and presence. Frame writes, “The central motif of this book is that God is the Lord of the covenant. Since God chose the name Lord for himself, since it is found thousands of time in Scripture, and since it is the heart of the fundamental confession of faith of God’s people, it would seem to be a promising starting point” (12). However, Frame notes that covenant Lordship does not exclude other biblical themes such as hope, community, or liberation. Rather, they are included within this central motif of covenant Lordship as they assist us in seeing how they are all related. In the introduction, Frame prepares the reader for the rest of his book and makes a number of introductory points. Among these points is Frame’s insistence that while biblical theology is important it should not control systematic theology (7-8). He also makes an astute observation that there is a tendency among some evangelicals to base theological judgments on tradition not Scripture (10), a tendency he, thankfully, resists. After the introduction, the book is divided into six main parts, each consisting of a number of chapters. Part One, entitled "Yahweh the Lord,” lays out the central motif of covenant Lordship, noting the three "Lordship attributes" of control, authority and presence (21-25). These are central to the content and structure of Frame's work. Rightly titled “Some Problem Areas,” Part Two takes on a more apologetic “feel” to it as Frame defends against the apparent incompatibility of human responsibility and freedom (119) and the problem of evil (160). Frame tackles these classical problems, arguing for a compatibilistic concept of freedom and setting forth the biblical portrait of how the existence of evil highlights God's control, authority, and presence. In Part Three, “A Philosophy of Lordship,” Frame makes the argument that philosophy is a sub-division of theology (185) asserting that our philosophy should be dictated by Scripture and not vice-versa as is normative of many Christian philosophers today. The philosophy of Lordship is explained in terms of ethics (185), epistemology (199), and metaphysics (214). This philosophical prolegomenon lays the foundation for the remaining three major sections that explain God's revelation of himself. Part Four, “The Acts of the Lord,” places the acts of the Lord under the rubric of his control, examining God's miracles, providence, creation, and decrees. In Part Five, “Biblical Descriptions of God,” Frame deals with the biblical descriptions of Page 1 of 3

God from the perspective of his authority, expounding the divine names, images, and attributes. The latter are classified according to a triad: goodness, knowledge, and power. Lastly, Part Six, “The Triune God,” deals with the triunity of God as an aspect of divine presence, offering a glimpse into God's inner life and the life that believers share with him. Strengths Frame has provided us with a massive treatise, which not only takes us back deep into the Scriptures and reaffirms the orthodox doctrine of the Church, but which also stimulates fresh thinking. He brings to the subject his immense learning, engaging with theologians and philosophers, both past and present, from across the theological spectrum. He also demonstrates a real awareness of the key issues at stake and of the way in which other scholars have dealt with these issues. Frame's exposition of the doctrine of God is solidly based on his exposition of Scripture. Where he questions or rejects the Reformed tradition, he does so on that basis. His commitment to the authority and inerrancy of Scripture is evident throughout, both in positive affirmations of the doctrine and also in the theological methodology he adopts. Frame’s handling of contemporary questions regarding the doctrine of God, specifically the problem of evil in Part Two, highlight Frame’s willingness to confront head on the issues that are most prevalent in today’s society. He is able to succinctly and satisfactorily provide answers and does so in a Reformed vernacular against Arminian positions. Weaknesses The length and breadth of Frame’s work, as much as it is a strength, is a possible weakness as well. Most laypersons would look at the 864 pages of Frame’s tome and deem it “too academic” and not “lay-friendly” and, in certain parts of the book, they would be correct. While I appreciate Frame’s scholarly efforts, it is at times, a difficult read and this may lead some to reject it. I believe that a strong case could be made against the amount of appendices that are in the book. Most of them seem to be off topic (i.e. Frame’s response to Mark Karlberg’s critique of The Doctrine of the Knowledge of God) and bring nothing to the text itself. In my view, it would probably have been better to work some of the appendices into the main text of the book. For example, instead of the review of Brian Armstrong's Calvinism and the Amyraut Heresy, it would have been better to work a discussion of Amyraldianism into Part Four on God's decrees. Though I appreciated the fifty-five pages of republished book reviews, an additional chapter would probably have been more profitable. The structure of the book aside, there are places where I disagree with Frame and share a difference of opinion. Firstly, I find it inconsistent to deny that our world is the best of all possible worlds while at the same time Page 2 of 3

maintaining that God is good, wise, and sovereignly ordained all that comes to pass. Secondly, I wish that Frame had included a chapter on the existence of God. While I know that Frame has covered this issue in other works of his, in my view, however, such an extensive work should have included such a chapter. These minor criticisms, however, in no way detract from my enthusiasm for Frame’s book. I believe that this book is a wonderful resource, even for the layperson, and anxiously await the other installments in this series. Remaining Questions With such an extensive work, there are bound to be many questions left unanswered and many others raised as a result. Frame is so profoundly challenging at points, leaving one with the need and desire to go back again to consider some incredibly complex matters. For example, is he correct in what he says about the need for a revision of the language of common grace (429)? Is it true that "the Creator-creature distinction must be affirmed even in Christ" (587)? What exactly does Frame have in mind when speaking of his acceptance of using "extrabiblical female images as images of God" (386)? This seemed to undermine his earlier arguments and, in my opinion, is a slippery slope. And most importantly, Frame’s arguments for an eternal and ontological subordination of role within the Trinity (719-22) lead me to even question my own beliefs and have given me a desire to read more on the subject in particular. By and large, The Doctrine of God is a book that I thoroughly enjoyed and found immensely edifying to the body of Christ. It is sure to become a reference work on theology proper for many years to come.

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