1. Bibliographic Information
Title: Post-Reformation Reformed Dogmatics, Volume 2: Holy Scripture—The Cognitive Foundation of Theology (Second Edition)
Author: Richard A. Muller
Publisher (Year): Baker Academic (2003; second printing 2006)
Length: 580+ pages (divided into two major parts, multiple chapters, plus prefaces, bibliography, and index)
Richard A. Muller’s Post-Reformation Reformed Dogmatics, Volume 2 is part of a multivolume series that examines the development of Reformed thought from the Reformation (ca. 1520) through the period of high orthodoxy (ca. 1725). In this second volume, subtitled Holy Scripture: The Cognitive Foundation of Theology, Muller focuses on the doctrine of Scripture within that historical-theological context. The edition in question includes a revised arrangement of some sections, expanded bibliographies, and refined arguments in response to scholarly discussions arising after the first printing.
2. Overview / Introduction
Main Purpose/Thesis:
Muller’s central aim is to trace how the early modern Reformed tradition—often referred to as “Post-Reformation” or “Protestant Orthodoxy”—developed a formal doctrine of Scripture out of its inheritance from medieval scholastic theology and the Reformation. Contrary to the oversimplified narratives that pit the “living” exegesis of the Reformation against a supposedly “rigid” later orthodoxy, Muller shows a continuity: Reformed Orthodoxy did not merely ossify Calvin’s or Luther’s biblical insights, nor did it originate completely new ideas. Rather, it shaped and systematized them in dialogue with medieval precedents, ongoing polemical debates, and the rising intellectual movements of the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries.
Context:
Before the sixteenth-century Reformation, theologians had wrestled with questions about scriptural canon, hermeneutics, inspiration, and authority for centuries. Medieval scholasticism’s fourfold exegesis, nascent textual criticism, and concerns over the relationship between Scripture and tradition all fed into Reformation debates. Figures like Martin Luther, John Calvin, and Heinrich Bullinger underscored Scripture’s unique authority for faith and practice, yet they did so within a still-developing conversation about the text’s interpretation, sufficiency, and clarity. Muller explores how, in the century following the Reformation, Reformed theologians drew on these roots and refined their scriptural locus into a more self-conscious, scholarly system.
Author Background:
Richard A. Muller is a leading historical theologian specializing in the study of the Reformation and Post-Reformation periods. Well known for his deep philological and archival work, Muller’s scholarship has aimed to correct caricatures of Protestant Orthodoxy by uncovering nuanced continuities and discontinuities with medieval scholasticism, humanism, and early modern developments in philosophy and exegesis. His denominational stance is broadly Reformed, but his methodology is historical rather than confessional-apologetic.
3. Chapter-by-Chapter (or Thematic) Summary
Muller’s book divides into two main parts—(1) historical introduction and (2) the actual Reformed Orthodox doctrine of Scripture—encompassing seven chapters plus extensive prefatory material.
Prefaces to the Second and First Editions
Muller clarifies his project’s scope, situating the volume in a multivolume series. He explains updates made for the second edition, including refined arguments on the Salmurian theologians, plus expanded notes and bibliographies.Part 1: Introduction
Chapter 1: “The Doctrine of Scripture in Medieval Scholastic Theology: From the Rise of Scholasticism to the End of the Fifteenth Century.”
Muller begins by arguing that a cohesive doctrine of Scripture only gradually took shape during the High Middle Ages. Drawing on patristic precedent, theologians like Hugh of St. Victor, Thomas Aquinas, and Duns Scotus considered Scripture the inspired, authoritative basis of theology. However, the formal articulation of that role—what we would call a “locus de Scriptura”—remained inchoate. Muller demonstrates a medieval emphasis on the literal sense (via Aquinas and others), coupled with the traditional fourfold (allegorical, tropological, anagogical, literal) exegesis. Although the Middle Ages often gave wide scope to tradition, Scripture was never entirely displaced. Instead, there was a complex interplay of textual authority, interpretive glosses, and traditionary continuity.Chapter 2: “The Doctrine of Scripture in Its Protestant Development: From the Reformation to the End of the Seventeenth Century.”
This chapter transitions to early Protestant treatments, highlighting how Luther, Zwingli, Bucer, Calvin, and others retained medieval assumptions about inspiration yet placed stronger emphasis on scriptural supremacy (“sola scriptura”). Muller also addresses Reformed confessions from the mid-sixteenth century onward, showing the conceptual frameworks that shaped formal statements about biblical authority and sufficiency. He ends by foreshadowing the complex debates of the later sixteenth and seventeenth centuries—when Reformed theologians sought to codify their scriptural principles in response to Roman Catholic polemics and rationalist critiques.
Part 2: The Reformed Orthodox Doctrine of Scripture
Chapter 3: “Scripture as Word of God and Principium Cognoscendi Theologiae”
In Reformed scholastic theology, Scripture is the foundational cognitive principle for doing theology. Muller explains how Reformed theologians used scholastic distinctions regarding forms of revelation (“internal” vs. “external” word, “unwritten” vs. “written,” “essential” vs. “accidental”) to classify the diverse ways God’s Word operates. He highlights the continuity with patristic-medieval insights but also underscores the new polemical environment: Reformed scholastics insisted that tradition and ecclesial authority are subordinate to Scripture, not an equal or distinct source of revelation.Chapter 4: “The Divinity of Scripture”
Muller here analyzes the classic concept of inspiration, showing how Reformed writers built on medieval categories of divine authorship, human instrumentality, and the Holy Spirit’s guidance of biblical writers. He also charts how Reformed theologians argued for Scripture’s autopistia (i.e., self-authenticating authority), the role of external proofs or “evidences,” and the Spirit’s testimonium in convicting readers of Scripture’s truth. This chapter thus elucidates how Reformed Orthodoxy balanced rational apologetics with the Calvinian insistence on spiritual illumination.Chapter 5: “Scripture according to Its Properties”
Developing the inherited tradition, Reformed orthodox theologians gave systematic expression to Scripture’s “attributes” (perfection, clarity, sufficiency, authority, and necessity). Muller details how the Reformers and their orthodox successors affirmed the literal sense’s primacy, declared the text infallible in matters of faith and life, and found ways to hold to a robust notion of Scripture’s sufficiency even as they recognized the abiding usefulness of tradition.Chapter 6: “The Canon of Scripture and Its Integrity”
The Reformed scholastics not only debated the question of whether the Apocrypha belonged in the canon—here they confronted the implications of text-critical discoveries (e.g., variant readings in Hebrew and Greek manuscripts). Muller explains how theologians like Francis Turretin and others handled the distinction between the autographa (the original manuscripts) and the apographa (subsequent copies). This chapter underscores how confessional Reformed theologians wrestled with textual corruption, translations, and interpretive tradition, seeking to maintain confidence in an essentially preserved canonical text.Chapter 7: “The Interpretation of Scripture”
Muller concludes with a portrayal of seventeenth-century Reformed hermeneutics. While earlier Reformation writings had begun the shift away from medieval fourfold interpretation, Reformed orthodox authors systematized literal-grammatical exegesis. Yet they still honored patristic models, seeing legitimate spiritual applications in many biblical texts. Key topics include the use of Hebrew and Greek, the “rule of faith” as a hermeneutical guide, the interplay of reason and faith, and the strong emphasis on the unity of Scripture.
Across these chapters, Muller’s consistent refrain is that Reformed theologians strove for a careful, academically grounded approach to Scripture, combining rigorous linguistic study with a nuanced scholastic framework and confessional fidelity.
4. Strengths
Historical Depth and Accuracy
Muller shows extraordinary command of primary sources (both well-known and obscure) from late medieval scholastics to Reformed orthodox luminaries (e.g., Turretin, Cocceius, Voetius). By quoting from these dogmatic treatises, exegetical works, and disputations, he undermines any simplistic narrative of a sudden “break” between Reformation and Orthodoxy. Readers receive a convincing portrayal of incremental development, polemical context, and continuity with medieval precedents.Corrective to Common Misconceptions
Many modern theologians (and even historians) have dismissed seventeenth-century Protestant Orthodoxy as sterile, hyper-rationalist, or guilty of “fundamentalist” literalism. Muller meticulously dismantles these caricatures by showing how carefully Reformed scholastics balanced the intellectual heritage of Aquinas and Scotus, the confessional impetus of the Reformation, and the new humanist philology of the sixteenth century. This nuanced reappraisal is valuable for doctoral-level readers seeking a more sophisticated grasp of theological history.Detailed Treatment of Canon and Textual Issues
The chapter on the canon’s integrity is especially strong in clarifying how early modern theologians addressed textual variants, translations, the Apocrypha, and the location of authority in original-language autographs vs. subsequent copies. Muller’s research into lesser-cited controversies (e.g., the debate over the Hebrew vowel points) illuminates real scholarly rigor at a time often dismissed as lacking in critical inquiry.Integration of Theology, Exegesis, and Philosophy
Muller skillfully integrates the philosophical background—particularly Aristotelian and scholastic categories of causality or epistemology—into the dogmatic formulations about Scripture. This approach enables the reader to see how Reformed Orthodoxy’s doctrine of principia (first principles in theology) shaped the system as a whole, especially in defending Scripture’s necessity and authority.Clarity of Structure and Argumentation
Though scholarly, Muller’s writing in this volume follows a systematic layout: he begins with historical roots, moves into Reformation developments, then lays out Reformed Orthodoxy’s mature doctrine. The thorough index, subheadings, and cross-references make an otherwise dense text accessible for researchers.
5. Weaknesses
Demands Substantial Background Knowledge
While not a “flaw” per se, Muller’s discussions are dense with Latin quotations, references to lesser-known Reformed dogmaticians, and frequent allusions to medieval philosophers. Graduate-level and doctoral readers in historical theology may find this exhilarating; others without prior familiarity could struggle with the level of detail. The argumentation presumes at least a working knowledge of Reformed confessions, sixteenth-century controversies, and medieval theological categories.Limited Thematic Integration with Broader Church History
The volume excels in explaining the internal development of the Reformed doctrine of Scripture but offers less on external socio-political contexts—such as how state-church relationships or broader confessional conflicts in Europe (e.g., Thirty Years’ War) might have influenced scholarly emphases. At times, the text can feel somewhat “internalist,” focusing on theological treatises rather than the dynamic interplay between dogmatics and the cultural moment.Less Engagement with Modern Hermeneutical Questions
Although Muller’s purpose is historical, readers interested in how the Reformed orthodox tradition might address modern biblical criticism (the rise of historical-critical methods, postmodern interpretative theories, etc.) might wish for a conclusion bridging these spheres. Muller occasionally nods to the eighteenth-century turn toward rationalism but does not devote extended attention to later transformations or how these older doctrines might bear on twenty-first-century debates.Length and Repetitiveness
Because this is part of a larger series, some contextual background (e.g., the shape of early Reformation theology, medieval precedents) reappears in multiple volumes. Certain discussions—particularly clarifications of scholastic method—may seem repetitive if the reader has covered Volume 1. The plus side is thoroughness; the downside is a potentially heavy read.Occasionally Assumes Reformed Terminology
Muller’s sophisticated approach is typically neutral in confessional tone, but he does assume a baseline comfort with categories like fides acquisita, unio mystica, testimonium internum Spiritus Sancti, etc. For readers from outside Reformed traditions or from other fields (like secular history), the apparatus can seem daunting without a theological dictionary at hand.
6. Conclusion / Final Assessment
Overall Impression:
In Holy Scripture: The Cognitive Foundation of Theology, Richard A. Muller provides a meticulous, scholarly account of how Reformed Orthodoxy shaped its doctrine of Scripture in the century after the Reformation. Far from a simplistic or merely polemical project, the volume unfolds an intellectual journey that includes medieval scholastic developments, humanist textual criticism, confessional polemics, and philosophical reorientations. Muller’s twofold structure—first a panoramic history, then a thematic elaboration—helps readers see how Reformed theologians moved from medieval and Reformation roots to a mature “locus de Scriptura.”
Key Takeaways:
- The Protestants’ high doctrine of inspiration and authority was not radically novel; it drew deeply from medieval sources while reorienting them in a more Scripture-centered system.
- Reformed Orthodoxy’s approach to Scripture was academically rigorous, drawing on philology, patristic exegesis, and scholastic logic to articulate a nuanced account of the Bible’s divinity, sufficiency, and clarity.
- Early modern debates on the canon, textual corruption, and interpretative methods laid the groundwork for modern evangelical (and some mainline) conceptions of biblical authority, even if those modern contexts have diverged significantly.
Recommended For:
- PhD Students & Advanced Scholars of Historical Theology: This volume presupposes a robust background in the history of Christian doctrine and will be essential for those studying the Reformation, Post-Reformation Orthodoxy, or the development of Protestant biblical interpretation.
- Seminarians & Pastors: Those interested in deepening their historical understanding of the doctrine of Scripture, especially within the Reformed tradition, will find Muller’s work a treasure trove, though it may require patient reading.
- Historians of Exegesis & Dogmatics: Muller’s research illuminates how exegetical approaches and dogmatic formulations mutually shaped each other from the late medieval period through the seventeenth century.
Rating (Optional):
On a scholarly level, Holy Scripture: The Cognitive Foundation of Theology stands out as a 5/5 resource—essential reading for any serious study of Protestant Orthodoxy’s scriptural doctrine. While it may be dense for casual readers, its historical insight and careful argumentation are exemplary at the doctoral level.
In sum, Muller’s second volume in Post-Reformation Reformed Dogmatics offers a painstakingly documented, deeply contextualized account of how Scripture became the formal principium of theology in the Reformed world. With his characteristic precision and command of sources, Muller shows that seventeenth-century Protestant Orthodoxy was not a sterile, dogmatic imposition upon the “living” Reformation tradition, but rather a robust, scholarly elaboration of earlier theological currents—one that still reverberates in modern theological discourse.
