Part 1: The Mystical Presence - John Williamson Nevin

I am embarking on an in depth study of John Williamson Nevin for school and am going to drop my observations, questions, interpretations, implications, frustrations, misunderstand, and breakthroughs here on this blog. I hope you enjoy.

These posts will not be uniform or all the same.

John Williamson Nevin was a student of Charles Hodge at Princeton in the 1800s and even filled in for Hodge when Hodge spent some time in Germany.

Nevin comes from a German Reformed background. He moved the Mercersburg, Pennsylvania and his unique theology along with Philip Schaf and others became know as the Mercersburg Theology. I’ll post more about his biography as I come across more details.

Why Nevins? Part of the reason is this study is at the suggestion of my former pastor whom I respect deeply. Another part is because what I’ve been told is that while the Reformed Church was slowly departing from Calvin's understanding of the sacraments springing from union with Christ, Nevin was attempting to recover that heritage and build upon it.

I believe there were those who followed in this stream (John Murray, Norman Shepherd, Old Gaffin, Rich Lusk. I’m sure there are more.) but not enough. More study should be done and this emphasis on union with Christ should be heralded.

I’ll always leave comments open in order to welcome discourse as long as it stays gentlemanly.

It should be said that Brad Littlejohn of the Devanant Institute has done much edit work on Nevin and likely has much to say that is valuable. I would check it out. Also, William

The first book I’m reading of Nevin is Mystical Presence.

My early notes. I may change methods. We’ll see.

The version of Mystical Presence I’m using. There’s several versions.

The first part of the book is focusing on how Christianity is distinct from all other religious systems. The point Nevin makes on page 10 and 11 is that Jesus is redeemer. Further Nevin states that Jesus is merely the one through whom redemption comes. Rather he is the one in whom redemption comes. His person is the means. This sets Jesus apart from all other persons. This makes Jesus redeemer and all other people subjects of redemption.

That’s all for today. I hope you follow my journey. Should be fun.