Systematic Theology (Volume 2 of 3) — Inside the Classic

The Compendium-and-Commonplace Method

The excerpts reveal a distinctive formal pattern. Strong states a thesis—for example, “All men are declared to be by nature children of wrath (Eph. 2:3)”—then unpacks it with numbered subpoints, each followed by a block quotation from a theologian such as Shedd or E. G. Robinson. The effect is cumulative: the reader encounters not only Strong’s reasoning but also the voices of his interlocutors. In the discussion of original sin, he cites Aristotle’s phrase “φύσει βάρβαροι” (born to be savages) to argue that “congenital aptitude and disposition” can be morally significant. This technique—using classical, patristic, and contemporary sources as evidence—makes the volume a kind of theological anthology. First-time readers may find it helpful to track which voices Strong privileges and how he weaves them into his own argument.

The Forensic Treatment of Sin

Strong’s handling of original sin is notably juridical. He insists that “sin is a selfish state of the will” and that such a state is “demonstrably inborn.” The excerpts show him engaging with objections: he quotes E. G. Robinson’s claim that conscience, far from exonerating inborn depravity, “traces guilt to its seat in the inherited nature.” Strong then cites Ephesians 2:3 to argue that “nature” here means “something inborn and original,” and that this nature is “guilty and condemnable.” The language of “guilt,” “wrath,” and “condemnation” pervades the passage. Readers should note that Strong does not merely describe sin as a condition but as a legal status before God. This forensic emphasis shapes his subsequent doctrines of atonement and justification, which appear later in the volume.

Poetry and Metaphor as Theological Evidence

Interspersed with scriptural exegesis and theological citations are lines of verse. Strong quotes C. P. Cranch—“We are spirits clad in veils; Man by man was never seen”—to illustrate human isolation, and Byron’s “ineradicable taint of sin” to evoke sin’s pervasiveness. He also references the Koran’s “black drop” shown to Mohammed. These literary allusions serve a rhetorical purpose: they make abstract doctrines vivid and connect them to a broader cultural conversation. For the reader, these quotations offer entry points into Strong’s sensibility. He assumes a theologically literate audience that recognizes Byron and the Koran as relevant authorities. The presence of poetry within a systematic theology reminds us that Strong’s project is not merely logical but also imaginative, aiming to engage the whole person.

Reading the Volume as a Reference Work

Because Strong’s volume is organized by doctrinal loci, it can be read selectively. The table of contents functions as a detailed map: a reader interested in Providence can turn directly to Section III, which includes definitions, scriptural proofs, and refutations of fatalism and casualism. Each section is largely self-contained, though cross-references to other parts of the system appear. The excerpts do not show Strong’s treatment of later topics such as atonement or regeneration, but the method remains consistent. First-time readers may benefit from starting with a familiar doctrine—perhaps Creation or Providence—to become accustomed to Strong’s format before tackling more contested subjects like original sin. The volume rewards patience: its dense pages yield clear arguments when read with attention to the numbered divisions.

Strong’s second volume is best approached as a working theologian’s tool, not a linear treatise. The compendium format invites dipping in and out, while the commonplace-book element provides a running conversation with the tradition. Readers who note the sources Strong cites—from Aristotle to E. G. Robinson—will gain insight into his theological method. The volume’s strength lies in its clarity of structure and its willingness to engage objections directly. Whether used for reference or sustained study, it offers a window into late nineteenth-century Baptist systematic theology at its most rigorous.

Reading Strong’s careful parsing of sin and atonement, I found myself recalling a quieter volume from years ago—Christianity and Problems of To-day: Lectures Delivered Before Lake Forest College on the Foundation of the Late William Bross — A Reader’s Guide. Both felt like old friends arranging familiar truths by lamplight, their lists and proofs less arguments than shared, unhurried meditations on what lasts.