An Interview with Michael Horton - Part Two

Matthew Miller at Christianbook.com Academics has posted part two of his interview with Michael Horton which focuses on issues raised in Horton's systematic theology, The Christian Faith.

In the interview Horton discusses Karl Barth, N.T. Wright, the role of the Trinity in the doctrine of election, and the necessity of engaging with wider Christian thought when doing theology.

Below is an excerpt on Horton’s thoughts about the New Perspective on Paul, and you can read the rest of part two here, and read part one here.

"Matthew: Since the publication of E.P. Sanders’ Paul and Palestinian Judaism (1977), the so-called traditional Protestant understanding of Paul has been reevaluated by many NT scholars and given rise to the “new perspective” on Paul. How has this scholarship influenced your articulation of forensic justification in Paul?

Horton: The “new perspective” is not as new as advertised. Many of its concerns were anticipated and comprehended in Calvin’s commentaries on Paul’s letters (for example, recognition that some passages do treat “works of the law” as referring to the ethnic boundary markers, while in other cases including the whole system of “works-righteousness” over against faith in Christ.

Nevertheless, it has been a good debate and it has blown the dust off of some aspects of Paul’s teaching that have been eclipsed in more recent exegesis and theology. My goal at least is to wade into that tempestuous and deep water without drowning. Here is another instance where I have come to a greater appreciation both of the exegetical strength of classic Reformed (covenant) theology and of the need to address some of the genuinely fresh insights and emphases from New Testament scholarship."