CPH Gem

Good news for all Gerhard lovers! CPH has published the first volume of the monumental *Theological Commonplaces*. Before addressing the content, just a note on the book itself: it's beautiful and it has nice wide margins for the notes you will no doubt want to be making.

Now as to the content, well, I've only just begun to dig in, but let Gerhard speak for himself:

"Theology takes its name from God: first, by reason of its principal effective cause, that it is a divinely revealed teaching; second, and indeed especially, by reason of its subect or object, that it makes men divine or 'partakers of the divine nature'." p. 27

"The subject of theology is Christ, a knowledge of whom no one can have scientifically. Rather, one must seek him out of divine revelation." p. 30

"Some slight remnants of the divine image survive." p. 34

"Supernatural theology, which rises from the light of grace, is acquired either through extraordinary means by God's immediate illumination and inspiration, as in the case of the prophets and apostles, or through ordinary means by prayer, meditation, temptation, etc." p. 34

[quoting Thomas approvingly] "Grace does not remove nature, but perfects it." p. 36

[quoting Augustine approvingly] "This is that very wisdom that we call devotion by which we worship the Father of lights, from whom comes every good and perfect gift. Furthermore, we worship him with a sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving so that he who worships glories not in himself, but in him." p. 40

"Theology...is the teaching drawn from the Word of God that instruct man in true faith and pious living for eternal life." p. 42

Among the dogmaticians, Gerhard is truly second to none in his knowledge of the holy fathers, and this gives his theological work a grounding that is profoundly catholic; additionally, he has no use for a theology that does not issue in a life of faith and worship, and this gives his theological work a grounding that is profoundly practical.

In sum: tolle et lege!