Dr. Robert L. Reymond Has Died

Checking my e-mail this morning I saw a post at God's Hammer implying that Dr. Robert L. Reymond had died yesterday.  I have a copy of his systematic theology in my personal library.  I must say that, even though it was tough reading in places, Dr. Reymond's systematic theology was an encouragement to me in several areas.  He upheld the nature of revelation as propositional truth, not "inspired myth" or speech act theory drawn from secularism or Eastern Orthodoxy.  (Think "Michael Horton" here). 

Additionally, Dr. Reymond's explanation of the distinctions between supralapsarianism and infralapsarianism are by far the best I have read in any modern systematic theology.  He convincingly showed why Amyraldianism and Arminianism are not logically consistent with the biblical information and propositions taken as a theological and systematic whole.

I remember when Dr. Reymond's systematic theology was first published everyone lauded it.  But when the Van Tilians realized that Dr. Reymond's view of propositional revelation challenged their own, the praise died down quickly.

Although Dr. Reymond was inconsistent in some areas, he was one of the finest Reformed theologians of the latter half of the 20th century and up until his death.  The only area where I strongly disagreed with his theology was that he held to the doctrine of common grace, which I would say is inconsistent with God's particular providence.  Yes, I said "particular" providence.  The idea that there is a "general" providence, according to the late Dr. Gordon H. Clark, is closer to secular progressivism than to the divine particularism of biblical history and the history of the world.

Of course, there were a few disagreements between Dr. Clark and Dr. Reymond over the years as anyone who reads the Trinity Review can tell.  But mostly the influence of Dr. Reymond has been a solid one.   I have particularly enjoyed listening to his sermons posted over at Sermon Audio.  I was pleasantly surprised when I first heard the sermons posted online.  Many theologians are poor preachers.  But Dr. Reymond was an excellent preacher.  Not only did he preach with authority and confidence, but he made complex propositions and concepts much easier to understand.  Paul Washer is really nothing more than a Pentecostal/Charismatic irrationalist pretending to be a "Reformed" preacher.  If you really want to hear an exemplary Reformed preacher, listen to any of Dr. Reymond's sermons.  You will be glad you did.

You can read Dr. Reymond's obituary at the Aquila Report.

Dr. W. Gary Crampton reviewed A New Systematic Theology of the Christian Faith, by Dr. Robert L. Reymond, in the Trinity Review.

This blogger brings out the point that Dr. Robert L. Reymond's epistemology was based on empiricism and disagreed with Dr. Gordon H. Clark's Scripturalist presuppositionalism:  Robert L. Reymond and Sensory Experience.  See also:  The Justification of Knowledge.

The Gospel Coalition has an excellent listing of Dr. Reymond's sermons as well:  Sermons and Resources.