Caspar Wistar Hodge Jr. (September 22, 1870 – February 26, 1937) was an American theologian. He was the son of Caspar Wistar Hodge Sr. and grandson of

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 ...

, and like both of them, he taught at

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 ...

, serving as Professor of

Dogmatic Theology Dogmatic theology, also called dogmatics, is the part of theology dealing with the theoretical truths of faith concerning God and God's works, especially the official theology recognized by an organized Church body, such as the Roman Catholic Chu ...

from 1915 to 1921 and then as Professor 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 ...

from 1921 to 1937. Hodge was born 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 ...

on September 22, 1870. He studied at

Princeton University Princeton University is a private university, private Ivy League research university in Princeton, New Jersey, United States. Founded in 1746 in Elizabeth, New Jersey, Elizabeth as the College of New Jersey, Princeton is the List of Colonial ...

(earning an A.B. degree in 1892 and a Ph.D. degree in 1894),

Heidelberg University Heidelberg University, officially the Ruprecht Karl University of Heidelberg (; ), is a public research university in Heidelberg, Baden-Württemberg, Germany. Founded in 1386 on instruction of Pope Urban VI, Heidelberg is Germany's oldest unive ...

, the

University of Berlin The Humboldt University of Berlin (, abbreviated HU Berlin) is a public research university in the central borough of Mitte in Berlin, Germany. The university was established by Frederick William III on the initiative of Wilhelm von Humbol ...

and Princeton Theological Seminary. Hodge taught philosophy at Princeton University and ethics at

Lafayette College Lafayette College is a private college, private Liberal arts colleges in the United States, liberal arts college in Easton, Pennsylvania. Founded in 1826 by James Madison Porter and other citizens in Easton, the college first held classes in 18 ...

before coming to the Seminary in 1898. After graduating in 1901, he was ordained as a minister by the

Presbytery of New Brunswick The former Presbytery of New Brunswick is now part of the Coastlands Presbytery as of March 1, 2021 The Presbytery of New Brunswick was a presbytery of the Presbyterian Church (USA). In 1738 the Presbytery of East Jersey was merged with the Pr ...

in 1902. Hodge joined the seminary theology faculty in 1901, becoming an assistant professor in 1907. Caspar Wistar Jr. was the last member of the Hodge family to sit on the faculty of Princeton Seminary. He was conferred a D.D. degree by

Grove City College Grove City College (GCC) is a private, conservative Christian liberal arts college in Grove City, Pennsylvania, United States. Founded in 1876 as a normal school, the college emphasizes a humanities core curriculum and offers 60 majors and si ...

in 1935. John Murray said of him,

He had brought to bear upon his exposition and defense of this, the Reformed Faith in its integrity, remarkable carefulness of thought, accuracy of knowledge and breadth of scholarship. It was just such qualities that made him admirably worthy of the great Princeton tradition and placed him in the front rank of the Reformed theologians of this generation.

Hodge married Sarah Henry (1872–1929) in November 1897. They had one daughter, Lucy Maxwell Hodge Ernlund (1902–1977). Hodge died from pneumonia at Princeton Hospital in Princeton on February 26, 1937.

References

1870 births 1937 deaths People from Princeton, New Jersey Princeton University alumni Heidelberg University alumni Humboldt University of Berlin alumni Princeton University faculty Lafayette College faculty Princeton Theological Seminary alumni American Presbyterian ministers Princeton Theological Seminary faculty American Calvinist and Reformed theologians Systematic theologians Deaths from pneumonia in New Jersey {{US-theologian-stub