Archibald Alexander Hodge (July 18, 1823 – November 12, 1886), an American
Presbyterian minister
Presbyterian (or presbyteral) polity is a method of church governance ("ecclesiastical polity") typified by the rule of assemblies of presbyters, or elders. Each local church is governed by a body of elected elders usually called the session (o ...
, was the principal of
Princeton Seminary
Princeton Theological Seminary (PTSem), officially The Theological Seminary of the Presbyterian Church, is a private school of theology in Princeton, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. Established in 1812, it is the second-oldest seminary in the ...
between 1878 and 1886.
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]
Biography
He was born on July 18, 1823, to Sarah and Charles Hodge
Charles Hodge (December 27, 1797 – June 19, 1878) was a Reformed Presbyterian theologian and principal of Princeton Theological Seminary between 1851 and 1878.
He was a leading exponent of the Princeton Theology, an orthodox Calvinist theo ...
in Princeton, New Jersey
The Municipality of Princeton is a Borough (New Jersey), borough in Mercer County, New Jersey, United States. It was established on January 1, 2013, through the consolidation of the Borough of Princeton, New Jersey, Borough of Princeton and Pri ...
.[ He was named after Charles' mentor, the first principal of Princeton Seminary, ]Archibald Alexander
Archibald Alexander (April 17, 1772 – October 22, 1851) was an American Presbyterian theologian and professor at the Princeton Theological Seminary. He served for 9 years as the President of Hampden–Sydney College in Virginia and for 39 year ...
.
Hodge attended the College of New Jersey (later Princeton University) in 1841 and then Princeton Theological Seminary
Princeton Theological Seminary (PTSem), officially The Theological Seminary of the Presbyterian Church, is a Private university, private seminary, school of theology in Princeton, New Jersey, Princeton, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. Establish ...
in 1847.[
He served as a missionary in ]India
India, officially the Republic of India, is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by area, seventh-largest country by area; the List of countries by population (United Nations), most populous country since ...
for three years (1847–1850). He held pastorates at Lower West Nottingham, Maryland
Maryland ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. It borders the states of Virginia to its south, West Virginia to its west, Pennsylvania to its north, and Delaware to its east ...
(1851–1855), Fredericksburg, Virginia
Fredericksburg is an Independent city (United States), independent city in Virginia, United States. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, the population was 27,982. It is south of Washington, D.C., and north of Richmond, Virginia, R ...
(1855–1861), and Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania
Wilkes-Barre ( , alternatively or ) is a city in Luzerne County, Pennsylvania, United States, and its county seat. Located at the center of the Wyoming Valley in Northeastern Pennsylvania, it had a population of 44,328 in the 2020 census. It ...
(1861–1864). In 1864 he accepted a call to the chair of systematic theology
Systematic theology, or systematics, is a discipline of Christian theology that formulates an orderly, rational, and coherent account of the doctrines of the Christian faith. It addresses issues such as what the Bible teaches about certain topics ...
in Western Theological Seminary (later Pittsburgh Theological Seminary
Pittsburgh Theological Seminary (PTS) is a Presbyterian graduate seminary in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Founded in 1794, it houses one of the largest theological libraries in the tri-state area.
History
Pittsburgh Theological Seminary was for ...
) in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Pittsburgh ( ) is a city in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, United States, and its county seat. It is the List of municipalities in Pennsylvania#Municipalities, second-most populous city in Pennsylvania (after Philadelphia) and the List of Un ...
. There he remained until in 1877 he was called to Princeton to be the associate of his father, Charles Hodge, in the distinguished chair of systematic theology. He took on the full responsibilities of the chair of systematic theology in 1878.
He died on November 12, 1886, in Princeton, New Jersey
The Municipality of Princeton is a Borough (New Jersey), borough in Mercer County, New Jersey, United States. It was established on January 1, 2013, through the consolidation of the Borough of Princeton, New Jersey, Borough of Princeton and Pri ...
, from "a severe cold ... which settled in his kidneys".
Influence
At the time of his death, he was a trustee of the College of New Jersey and a leader in the Presbyterian Church. His interests extended beyond religion. He touched the religious world at many points. During the years immediately preceding his death he did not slacken his work, but continued his work of writing, preaching, lecturing, making addresses, coming into contact with men, influencing them, and by doing so widening the influence of Christianity
Christianity is an Abrahamic monotheistic religion, which states that Jesus in Christianity, Jesus is the Son of God (Christianity), Son of God and Resurrection of Jesus, rose from the dead after his Crucifixion of Jesus, crucifixion, whose ...
. Among the most influential was an article titled ''Inspiration'' that began a series in the ''Presbyterian Review'' which established the discipline of biblical theology
Because scholars have tended to use the term in different ways, Biblical theology has been notoriously difficult to define. The academic field of biblical theology is sub-divided into Old Testament theology and New Testament theology.
Academic ...
as a historical science. This article was coauthored with B. B. Warfield in 1880.
Characteristics
Hodge's distinguishing characteristic as a theologian was his power as a thinker. He had a mind of singular acuteness, and though never a professed student of metaphysics
Metaphysics is the branch of philosophy that examines the basic structure of reality. It is traditionally seen as the study of mind-independent features of the world, but some theorists view it as an inquiry into the conceptual framework of ...
, he was essentially and by nature a metaphysician. His theology was that of the Reformed
Reform is beneficial change.
Reform, reformed or reforming may also refer to:
Media
* ''Reform'' (album), a 2011 album by Jane Zhang
* Reform (band), a Swedish jazz fusion group
* ''Reform'' (magazine), a Christian magazine
Places
* Reform, Al ...
confessions. He had no peculiar views and no peculiar method of organizing theological
Theology is the study of religious belief from a religious perspective, with a focus on the nature of divinity. It is taught as an academic discipline, typically in universities and seminaries. It occupies itself with the unique content of an ...
dogma
Dogma, in its broadest sense, is any belief held definitively and without the possibility of reform. It may be in the form of an official system of principles or doctrines of a religion, such as Judaism, Roman Catholicism, Protestantism, or Islam ...
s; in this he may be identified with his father, who claimed at the end of his life that he had taught and written nothing new. Though he taught the same theology that his father had taught before him, he was independent as well as reverent. His first book and that by which he is best known was his ''Outlines of Theology'' (New York City
New York, often called New York City (NYC), is the most populous city in the United States, located at the southern tip of New York State on one of the world's largest natural harbors. The city comprises five boroughs, each coextensive w ...
, 1860; enlarged ed., 1878; reprinted 1996, ), which was translated into Welsh
Welsh may refer to:
Related to Wales
* Welsh, of or about Wales
* Welsh language, spoken in Wales
* Welsh people, an ethnic group native to Wales
Places
* Welsh, Arkansas, U.S.
* Welsh, Louisiana, U.S.
* Welsh, Ohio, U.S.
* Welsh Basin, during t ...
, modern Greek
Modern Greek (, or , ), generally referred to by speakers simply as Greek (, ), refers collectively to the dialects of the Greek language spoken in the modern era, including the official standardized form of the language sometimes referred to ...
, and Hindustani
Hindustani may refer to:
* something of, from, or related to Hindustan (another name of India)
* Hindustani language, an Indo-Aryan language, with Hindi and Urdu being its two standard registers
* Hindustani Muslims are the Urdu-speaking, Hindust ...
. ''The Atonement
Atonement, atoning, or making amends is the concept of a person taking action to correct previous wrongdoing on their part, either through direct action to undo the consequences of that act, equivalent action to do good for others, or some othe ...
'' (Philadelphia
Philadelphia ( ), colloquially referred to as Philly, is the List of municipalities in Pennsylvania, most populous city in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania and the List of United States cities by population, sixth-most populous city in the Unit ...
, 1867; reprinted 1989, ) is still one of the best treatises on the subject. This was followed by his commentary on the Westminster Confession of Faith
The Westminster Confession of Faith, or simply the Westminster Confession, is a Reformed confession of faith. Drawn up by the 1646 Westminster Assembly as part of the Westminster Standards to be a confession of the Church of England, it becam ...
(1869, ), a very useful book, full of clear thinking and compact statement. He contributed some important articles to encyclopedias – Johnson's, McClintock and Strong's, and the Schaff-Herzog (the Schaff-Herzog encyclopedia furnished the kernel from which this article developed). He was one of the founders of the ''Presbyterian Review'', to the pages of which he was a frequent contributor.
Sermons
In the pulpit, Hodge had few sermon
A sermon is a religious discourse or oration by a preacher, usually a member of clergy. Sermons address a scriptural, theological, or moral topic, usually expounding on a type of belief, law, or behavior within both past and present context ...
s, and he preached them frequently. They were never written nor deliberately planned. They grew from small beginnings and, as he went through the process of thinking them over as often as he preached them, they gradually became more elaborate.
Publications
* The Rule of Faith and Practice
* The Protestant rule of faith
*
*
The Inspiration of the Bible
Commentary on the Westminster Confession of Faith
*
*
Outlines of Theology
Justification (Part 1)(Part 2)(Part 3)
*A commentary on the Confession of Faith : with questions for theological students and Bible classes
**(1869) https://archive.org/details/commentaryonconf00hodguoft (Robarts - University of Toronto)
**(1869) https://archive.org/details/acommentaryonthe00hodguoft (Knox - University of Toronto)
**(1869) https://archive.org/details/commentaryonconf00hodg (Princeton Theological Seminary Library)
**(1901 printing) https://archive.org/details/commentaryonconf1901hodg (Princeton Theological Seminary Library)
*A commentary on the confession of faith f the Assembly of divinesed. by W.H. Goold (1870)
**https://archive.org/details/acommentaryonco00hodggoog (Oxford University)
*Comentario de la Confesion de fe de Westminster de la Iglesia Presbiteriana (1897)
**https://archive.org/details/comentariodelaco00hodg (Princeton Theological Seminary Library)
*The atonement (1867)
**(1867) https://archive.org/details/theatonement00hodguoft (Trinity College - University of Toronto)
**(1867) https://archive.org/details/atonement00hodguoft (Robarts - University of Toronto)
**(1867) https://archive.org/details/atonement00publgoog (New York Public Library)
**(1867) https://archive.org/details/atonement00hodg (New York Public Library)
*Outlines of theology
**(1860) https://archive.org/details/outlinesoftheolo1860hodg (Princeton Theological Seminary Library)
**(1861) https://archive.org/details/outlinesoftheolo00hodg (Princeton Theological Seminary Library)
**(1863) https://archive.org/details/outlinestheolog03hodggoog (Harvard University)
**(1863) (ed. by W.H. Goold) https://archive.org/details/outlinestheolog01hodggoog (Oxford University)
**(1865) https://archive.org/details/outlinesoftheolo1865hodg (Princeton Theological Seminary Library)
**(1866) https://archive.org/details/outlinestheolog02hodggoog (unknown library)
**(1876) https://archive.org/details/outlinesoftheo00hodg (New York Public Library)
**(1877) https://archive.org/details/outlinesoftheolo00hodguoft (Emmanuel - University of Toronto)
**(1878) https://archive.org/details/outlinesoftheolo1878hodg (Princeton Theological Seminary Library)
**(1879) https://archive.org/details/outlinesoftheolo1879hodg (Princeton Theological Seminary Library)
**(1879) (ed. by W.H. Goold) https://archive.org/details/outlinestheolog00hodggoog (Oxford University)
**There is also a companion to this book by William Passmore (1873)A compendium of evangelical theology given in the words of holy Scripture https://archive.org/details/acompendiumevan00unkngoog
*The life of Charles Hodge ... professor in the Theological seminary, Princeton, N.J. (1880)
**https://archive.org/details/lifeofcharleshodg00hodg (Princeton Theological Seminary Library)
**https://archive.org/details/lifeofcharleshod00hodg0 (Princeton Theological Seminary Library)
**https://archive.org/details/lifeofcharlesh00hodg (Princeton Theological Seminary Library)
**https://archive.org/details/lifeofcharleshod00hodgrich (University of California Libraries)
**https://archive.org/details/lifecharleshodg01hodggoog (University of California)
**https://archive.org/details/lifecharleshodg02hodggoog (New York Public Library)
**(1881) https://archive.org/details/lifecharleshodg00hodggoog (Oxford University)
*Popular lectures on theological themes (1887)
**https://archive.org/details/popularlectures00hodggoog
**https://archive.org/details/popularlectures00publgoog
**https://archive.org/details/popularlectures00hodguoft
**https://archive.org/details/popularlectureso00hodg
*Inspiration (1881) (Reprinted from the Presbyterian review, April, 1881) https://archive.org/details/inspiration00hodg (Princeton Theological Seminary Library)
*Westminster doctrine anent holy scripture : tractates by professors A. A. Hodge and Warfield (1891)
**https://archive.org/details/westminsterdoct00howi (Princeton Theological Seminary Library)
*Manual of forms for baptism, admission to the communion, administration of the Lord's Supper, marriage and funerals : conformed to the doctrine and discipline of the Presbyterian Church (1877)
**https://archive.org/details/manualofformsfor00hodg
**https://archive.org/details/manualofforms00hodg
**(1882 copyright, 1883 published) https://archive.org/details/manualofforms00hodguoft (Emmanuel - University of Toronto)
*The system of theology contained in the Westminster shorter catechism opened and explained (1888) https://archive.org/details/systemoftheology00hodg
*Questions on the text of the Systematic Theology of Dr. Charles Hodge : together with an exhibition of various schemes illustrating the principles of theological construction (by A. A. Hodge)(1885)
**https://archive.org/details/questionsontexto00hodg (Princeton Theological Seminary Library)
*Address at the funeral of the Rev. Henry Augustus Boardman, D.D. (1881)
**https://archive.org/details/addressatfuneral00hodg (Princeton Theological Seminary Library)
*Van Dyke, Joseph Smith (1886) Theism and evolution : an examination of modern speculative theories as related to theistic conceptions of the universe. With an introduction by d Alexander Hodge
**https://archive.org/details/theismandevolut00vanduoft (Trinity College - University of Toronto)
**https://archive.org/details/theismevolutione00vand (Princeton Theological Seminary Library)
Articles
*
*
*
References
External links
*
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Hodge, Archibald Alexander
1823 births
1886 deaths
19th-century American male writers
19th-century American non-fiction writers
19th-century Calvinist and Reformed theologians
19th-century American Presbyterian ministers
American Calvinist and Reformed theologians
American evangelicals
American male non-fiction writers
American Presbyterians
American religious writers
Calvinist and Reformed writers
Christianity in Pittsburgh
Contributors to the Schaff–Herzog Encyclopedia of Religious Knowledge
People from Fredericksburg, Virginia
Pittsburgh Theological Seminary faculty
Presbyterian Church in the United States of America ministers
Presbyterian writers
Presidents of Calvinist and Reformed seminaries
Princeton Theological Seminary alumni
Princeton Theological Seminary faculty
Princeton University alumni
Religious leaders from Pittsburgh