Blogging Boyce: Introduction and Chapter 1

James P. Boyce was an exceptional Baptist minister and educator during the 19th century. Raised in Charleston, South Carolina at 1st Baptist Church, Boyce was educated under the likes of Basil Manly, Sr. who was his pastor and mentor. Boyce later attended Brown University under Francis Wayland and trained at Princeton Seminary under Charles Hodge.

Boyce founded the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary and was a president of the Southern Baptist Convention for many years. He wrote and lectured on Baptist Theology as perhaps no American Baptist has done before or since. Boyce is used in many proof-texts and illustrations, but I want to go to the source and see what I can learn from the great man whose work still lives on. Therefore, I am setting out to blog through his Abstract of Systematic Theology. Hopefully through this great work I can grow in my understanding of God and grow deeper in theology as I learn at the feet of this great man.  I’m not going to summarize every part, I’m just going to interact with parts that stick out to me as important and unique contributions that might be particularly important for modern readers.

Chapter 1:

The first chapter is an introduction of sorts, describing the need for the study of theology. One of the things I notice early is the peculiar passion with which Boyce writes. This is no toilsome work for Boyce, this is a labor of love.

Boyce writes, “Biblical theology consists in the facts of the Bible, harmonize by scriptural comparison, generalized by scriptural theories, crystalized into scriptural doctrines, and so systematized as to show the system of truth taught, to the full extent that it is a system, and no further.” Of particular importance to Boyce and Baptists was the authority of scripture. This led many Baptists to criticize formal education and systematic theology. Boyce had to show that he approved only of systematic theology that was rooted in and bound by the authority of God’s Word and never over steps its bounds.

I love his six facts with what spirit we should study theology:

1) With reverence for the truth, especially God’s Word

2) With earnest prayer for divine help

3) With careful searching of the heart against divine prejudice

4) With timidity towards the propagation of new doctrine

5) But with a spirit willing to examine and accept whatever truth we become convinced by

6) With teachable humility, knowing God hasn’t deemed nor could we understand all the truth there is

This is a great exhortation to all of us who seek to learn and grow in our understanding of the Word of God.

A final great thought from the introduction:

“We are thus led to value each of the doctrines of the Word of God. Each is true. Each has been revealed that it might be believed. We cannot therefore omit any one, because of its forbidding aspect, or its seeming unimportance, or its mysterious nature, or its demand for great personal sacrifice, or its humiliating assertions, or requirements, or the free terms upon which it assures life and salvation.”