Review: The Doctrine of God by John Frame

John Frame. The Doctrine of God.  Phillipsburg, NJ: Presbyterian and Reformed Publishing, June 1^st, 2002. 864 pp.

Rating: 5 out of 5

This book is a great resource on a theology of God.  Those who have read other works by the author John Frame will find him on top of his game here as well.  This is a work that pastors and teachers would turn to as reference even after completing it.  I enjoyed reading this book in two separate instances: once when I was in seminary as something I had to read through rather quickly and the second instance being after seminary at a slower pace as part of my morning routine of devotional-theological readings.  I would recommend the second approach as the best way to read this volume.

If it isn’t obvious already:  I enjoyed this book very much.  I appreciated Frame’s desire to be biblical in his approach towards systematic theology and also his openness to admit areas he’s not as certain about or have concerns with.  At the same time this book is robust in its presentation of what is clear from Scripture and this gives readers the confidence in the certainty of what God’s Word teaches concerning God’s attributes, actions and the Trinity.  There was so many gold in the book. Here are a few:

• John Frame is right to note the Bible’s central theme of God’s covenant lordship.  This observation concerning the Lordship of God is also the central theme of this work on the doctrine of God.  Readers will be immensely edified with Frame’s discussion of the various aspects of God’s Lordship.  A big part of Frame’s theology is his analysis of how these aspects which he call “perspectives” can be distinct from one another and yet are also interdependent.
• Often the perspectives Frame observes are triadic by nature.  Many examples abound in the book and Frame even have the book’s first appendix be a list of these theological triads and other triads found in God’s creation.  A big triad motif in the book is the paradigm that God’s Lordship is demonstrated in His control, authority and presence.
• Frame’s desire to be biblical enriches the contemporary discussion in theology of God’s imminence and transcendence.  Frame critiques the unbiblical definitions and understanding of God’s imminence and transcendence.  Often in unbiblical theology and philosophy God’s imminence and transcendence are pitted against one another however a biblical definition of each are actually logically consistent and without tension.  Frame argues that biblical transcendence is really God’s control and authority as opposed to the unbiblical notion of transcendence that asserts God is unknowable.  Likewise with a biblical view of God’s imminence Christians means God’s presence and the unbiblical notion that assert God is totally and fully knowable.  One shouldn’t miss the diagram on page 113.
• There was six parts to the book and my favorite among them is part five that covers the biblical descriptions of God.  It was an edifying read to go over God’s attributes.  For instance I enjoyed the book’s discussion of the unchangibility of God on pages 566-572.
• While this work is theological and about theology proper I found that it was beautifully more than just another theology book.  It is as if this work is also a work on apologetics, Christian philosophy and theological methods.  Again this is the beauty of Frame’s Perspectivalism and also the beautiful exploration of how various doctrines and disciplines are inter-related so beautifully.  It makes me worship God more profoundly reading this book!

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