Critique and Reflection on a Theological System's Errors

Theological systems can be critiqued for various errors, ranging from misinterpretations of scripture to speculative philosophical foundations and departures from established doctrines. One significant area of critique concerns the understanding of biblical inspiration and potential contradictions within the sacred texts. Charles Hodge, in his Systematic Theology, addresses the argument that sacred writers contradict each other or teach error, noting that views on inspiration must account for the Bible's phenomena, including the distinct styles and modes of thought of its authors ^[1]. Origen also highlights that numerous errors have arisen from a failure to properly understand how to read and interpret the holy documents ^[11].

Errors can also stem from philosophical speculation. Hodge criticizes Schleiermacher's Christology, stating that it is deeply intertwined with his unique views on anthropology, theology, and the relationship between God and the world. Hodge argues that Schleiermacher's system is speculative from beginning to end, lacking coherence and meaning without accepting his foundational philosophical assumptions ^{[6, 8]}. Similarly, the Pelagian system is critiqued for failing to account for the universal sinfulness of humanity, attributing it to mere free agency, and for conflating liberty with ability ^[9].

Departures from established theological traditions also constitute a form of error. Hodge points out that the Church of Rome, for instance, has deviated from its own declared truths by rejecting Augustinian doctrines, particularly those concerning the sinful corruption of nature, the inability of sinners to convert themselves, and the sovereignty of God in election ^[2]. He further criticizes the Church of Rome for errors such as ascribing divine attributes to saints, making them objects of worship and confidence, akin to the gods of pagan antiquity ^[7]. Tertullian, an early Church Father, also noted how certain Christian believers, like followers of Marcion and Valentinus, corrupted the Gospel from its original integrity to suit their own interpretations ^[4]. He also observed that some heretical sects, such as the Ebionites and Encratites, did not accept the Epistles of the Apostle Paul, thereby rejecting his teachings ^[5].

The authority of the Church itself can be a source of error when it is elevated above scripture. Hodge argues that the error of the Papists regarding the Church's authority was twofold: making it paramount to the Scriptures and defining the Church as an external organization rather than the body of Christ filled by His Spirit ^[12]. Tertullian, however, emphasizes the importance of the one tradition of faith, which is substantially alike in churches everywhere, as proof of the true and honest transmission of doctrine ^[3]. He suggests that if the Holy Spirit had neglected its office, it would have permitted widespread error ^[3]. Ultimately, a significant source of theological error has been the neglect of the "inward guide" of the Spirit, leading individuals to form opinions based on philosophical principles or moral axioms that contradict spiritual teachings and religious consciousness ^[10].

Sources

CCEL (Reformed (Old Princeton)) “Charles Hodge, Systematic Theology, Vol. 1, section 41: revealed religion, there are others which cannot be thus summarily disposed of. The most obvious of these is, that the sacred writers contradict each other, and that they teach error. It is, of course, useless to contend that the sacred writers were infallible, if in point of fact they err. Our views of inspiration must be determined by the phenomena of the Bible as well as from its didactic statements. If in fact the sacred writers retain each his own style and mode of thought, then we must renounce any theory which assumes that inspirat”
CCEL (Reformed (Old Princeton)) “Charles Hodge, Systematic Theology, Vol. 1, section 38: specially the Church of Rome) has departed from what it had itself declared to be true, is in the rejection of the doctrines known in history as Augustinian. That the peculiar doctrines of Augustine, including the doctrine of sinful corruption of nature derived from Adam, which is spiritual death, and involves entire inability on the part of the sinner to convert himself or to cooperate in his own regeneration; the necessity of the certainly efficacious operation of divine grace; the sovereignty of God in election and reprobation, and the”
Schaff ANF/NPNF (Patristic) “ANF Vol 3: Tertullian — CHAP. XXVIII.--THE ONE TRADITION OF THE FAITH, WHICH IS SUBSTANTIALLY ALIKE IN THE CHURCHES EVERYWHERE, A GOOD PROOF THAT THE TRANSMISSION HAS BEEN TRUE AND HONEST IN THE MAIN.: Grant, then, that all have erred; that the apostle was mistaken in giving his testimony; that the Holy Ghost had no such respect to any one (church) as to lead it into truth, although sent with this view by Christ,(9) and for this asked of the Father that He might be the teacher of truth;(10) grant, also, that He, the Steward of God, the Vicar of Christ,(11) neglected His office, permitting the ”
Schaff ANF/NPNF (Patristic) “ANF Vol 4: Tertullian IV, Minucius Felix, Commodian, Origen — CHAP. XXVII.: After this he says, that certain of the Christian believers, like persons who in a fit of drunkenness lay violent hands upon themselves, have corrupted the Gospel from its original integrity, to a threefold, and fourfold, and many-fold degree, and have remodelled it, so that they might be able to answer objections. Now I know of no others who have altered the Gospel, save the. followers of Marcion, and those of Valentinus, and, I think, also those of Lucian. But such an allegation is no charge against the Christian sys”
Schaff ANF/NPNF (Patristic) “ANF Vol 4: Tertullian IV, Minucius Felix, Commodian, Origen — CHAP. LXV.: But since he asserts that "you may hear all those who differ so widely saying, 'The world is crucified to me, and I unto the world,'" we shall show the falsity of such a statement. For there are certain heretical sects which do not receive the Epistles of the Apostle Paul, as the two sects of Ebionites, and those who are termed Encratites.(10) Those, then, who do not regard the apostle as a holy and wise man, will not adopt his language, and say, "The world is crucified to me, and I unto the world." And consequently in t”
CCEL (Reformed (Old Princeton)) “Charles Hodge, Systematic Theology, Vol. 2, section 85: no right to object. In point of fact his system is a matter of speculation from beginning to end. It could never have existed except as the product of a mind imbued with the principles of German philosophy. It has no coherence, no force, and indeed no meaning, unless you take for granted the correctness of his views of the nature of God, of the nature of man, and of the relation of God to the world. This objection was urged against his system by all parties in Germany. The supernaturalists, who believed in the Bible, charged him with subs”
CCEL (Reformed (Old Princeton)) “Charles Hodge, Systematic Theology, Vol. 1, section 38: is not merely that they are regarded as objects of reverence, but that the service rendered them involves the ascription of divine attributes. They are assumed to be everywhere present, able to hear and answer prayer, to help and to save. They become the ground of confidence to the people, and the objects of their religious affections. They are to them precisely what the gods of the heathen were to the Greeks and Romans. Such are some of the errors taught by the Church of Rome, and they prove that that Church instead of being infallible, ”
CCEL (Reformed (Old Princeton)) “Charles Hodge, Systematic Theology, Vol. 2, section 85: This is a meagre outline of Schleiermacher’s Christology. His doctrine concerning Christ is so implicated with his peculiar views on anthropology, on theology, and on the relation of God to the world, that it can neither be fully presented nor properly appreciated except as an integral part of his whole system. Gladly as Schleiermacher’s theory was embraced as a refuge by those who had been constrained to give up Christianity as a doctrine, and great as have been its popularity and influence, it was assailed from very different quarters a”
CCEL (Reformed (Old Princeton)) “Charles Hodge, Systematic Theology, Vol. 2, section 41: at the same time we are conscious that the controlling states of the mind are not under the power of the will, or, in other words, are not under our own power. A theory which is founded on identifying things which are essentially different, as liberty and ability, must be false. 4. The Pelagian system leaves the universal sinfulness of men, a fact which cannot be denied, altogether unaccounted for. To refer it to the mere free agency of man is to say that a thing always is simply because it may be. 5. This system fails to satisfy the deep”
CCEL (Reformed (Old Princeton)) “Charles Hodge, Systematic Theology, Vol. 2, section 103: guide to the knowledge of the truth. It has an authority second only to that of the Word of God. One great source of error in theology has always been the neglect of this inward guide. Men have formed their opinions, or framed their doctrines on philosophical principles, or moral axioms, and thus have been led to adopt conclusions which contradict the inward teachings of the Spirit, and even their own religious consciousness. The only question is, How can we distinguish the human from the divine? How can we determine what in our experien”
Schaff ANF/NPNF (Patristic) “ANF Vol 4: Tertullian IV, Minucius Felix, Commodian, Origen — FROM THE GREEK.: holy Scriptures, it is necessary to proceed to the (consideration of the) manner in which they are to be read and understood, seeing numerous errors have been committed in consequence of the method in which the holy documents[1] ought to be examined[2] not having been discovered by the multitude. For both the hardened in heart, and the ignorant persons[3] belonging to the circumcision, have not believed on our Saviour, thinking that they are following the language of the prophecies respecting Him, and not perceiving”
CCEL (Reformed (Old Princeton)) “Charles Hodge, Systematic Theology, Vol. 2, section 140: It is, moreover, unsafe and untenable. The whole Church, led and taught by the Spirit of Truth, cannot be wrong, and the metaphysicians and theorists alone right. The error of the Papists as to the authority of the Church as a teacher, was twofold: first, in rendering it paramount to the Scriptures; and secondly, in understanding by the Church, not the body of Christ filled by his Spirit, but the mass of unconverted wicked men gathered with the true people of God within the pale of an external organization. With them the Church consists ”

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