De Moor on Creation

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Get in on the ground-floor of De Moor's study of the Biblical Doctrine of Creation!

And, first, who is De Moor?

Who Is De Moor?

Bernardinus de Moor was born on January 29, 1709. He studied at the great Dutch University of Leiden, which had been a center of Reformed scholarship from the time of its founding in 1575. Its faculty had included some prominent Reformed theologians, such as Franciscus Junius (1592-1602),[1]...

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Get in on the ground floor of De Moor's study of the Doctrine of Creation!

Here, De Moor introduces his System as a whole...

De Moor's Preface to the Reader

Greetings. When in the latter part of Psalm 22 the Messiah joyfully gives a presentiment of the saving and super-abounding fruit, that, by His Sponsorial Merits and vicarious Passion, the people, given to Him by the Father to be redeemed to Himself, were going to carry off, which people were to...

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As we get ready for De Moor's study of the Doctrine of Creation...

Let us look at his System as a whole, and how Creation fits into it!

Outline of the Entire System of Doctrine

A TREATMENT OF REVEALED CHRISTIAN THEOLOGY HERE FOLLOWS:I. A Nominal treatment, Chapter I, § 1-6,II. A Real treatment, in which you may see True Theology’s A. Diverse distribution, Chapter I, § 7-26, B. Definition as Revealed Theology, Chapter I, § 27, which Definition is explained, א. With...

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De Moor's treatment of the Doctrine of Creation is deep and detailed; it is certainly not a light read.

So, how do we go about tackling a volume like this? And, is it worth it?

Reading Difficult Books: A Personal Reminiscence (by Dr. Steven Dilday)

Shortly after my conversion to Christ, I became a regular listener to the radio broadcast of Dr. R.C. Sproul. Through Dr. Sproul I was exposed to Reformed theology for the first time, and, from the first, I was captivated. I was quite interested, of course, when he mentioned that he thought...

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Here, we learn a little about De Moor himself, from his own pen!

De Moor: Dedicatory Epistle for Volume 2

To the Most Serene and Lofty PRINCE WILLIAM V of Orange-Nassau, Hereditary Governor of the Dutch Federation, and the Military’s Supreme Commander over Land and Sea,[1] etc., etc., etc. MOST LOFTY AND SERENE PRINCE, You will grant with no difficulty at all, MOST LOFTY PRINCE, that I receive with...

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Since the rise of Materialistic-Naturalism, the historic Christian Doctrine of Creation has been under assault!

De Moor gives us an outline of his study of this fundamental doctrine...

De Moor VIII: Outline of the Doctrine of Creation

Chapter VIII treats of the CREATION, I. To the treatment of which our AUTHOR approaches by a suitable Transition, § 1. II. It is treated, A. With respect to the Term, and its, א. Etymology, ב. Synonymy, to which also pertains the language of doing, עָשָׂה, ποιεῖν, γίνεσθαι, against the...

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A major transition point in the system of theology...

De Moor moves from the internal works of God to the external (Creation and Providence)...

De Moor VIII:1: From the Internal to the External Works of God

After the Internal, Immanent, Eternal Acts of God now follow the External, Transient, Temporal Works of God, which posit an effect outside of God, in which they are terminated; in which manner God delivers His eternal Counsel for execution in time. Some such External Works are called Works of...

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It is sometimes said that the Scholastics cared much for logic and philosophy, but little for Biblical Exegesis.

Rubbish! De Moor treats the Biblical terms used to describe the Creation...

De Moor VIII:2: The Term, "Creation": Part 1

Perhaps CREATION was so called from the Hebrew קָרָא/qara, to call. In his Compendio our AUTHOR makes mention of various other conjectures concerning the Etymology of the Latin term, Creatio, and verb, Creo, which one may find in MARTINIUS’[1]Lexico philologico and VOSSIUS’[2] Etymologico...

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Next installment is almost done...

 

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De Moor continues his detailed discussion of the Biblical and theological terminology surrounding the Doctrine of Creation!

Further debunking the myth that the old Scholastics were only interested in philosophy and theology, but not Biblical exegesis...

https://www.fromreformationtoreformation.com/post/de-moor-viii-3-the-term-creation-part-2

 

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Next installment is lengthy, but almost finished...

 

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The pretensions of Modern Science notwithstanding, our finite, time-bound universe is not able to explain itself. Creation is a rational necessity.

De Moor marshals the arguments...

De Moor VIII:4: The Truth of Creation

The Truth of Creation is taught generally, 1. not only by Scripture, in many Passages to be cited in this Chapter, especially in Genesis 1; 2, where not only is the Second Creation mentioned as perfected within the first hexameron; but in Genesis 1:1 is also related the First Creation of the...

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In good Scholastic style, De Moor provides a careful and precise definition of "Creation".

Note: It includes "in the space of six days"...

De Moor VIII:5: The Definition of Creation

It is defined; etc.[1] A similar definition of Creation, which is then admirably explained, is related in ’t Examen van ’t Ontwerp van Tolerantie, part 9, pages 158-162. Concerning the Creation, ATHANASIUS wrote vigorously, de Incarnatione Verbi Dei, opera, tome I, page 55: Ἡ δὲ ἔνθεος...

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Next installment on the way...

 

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The next section: "God as the Efficient Cause of Creation"...coming soon...

 

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In assailing ancient Atomism, De Moor defends the Biblical Doctrine of Creation, a defense still effectual against modern Materialistic Naturalism.

De Moor VIII:6: The Efficient Cause of Creation, Part 1

Thus before all things we attribute this Work to God as Author; who, 1. Himself testifies or causes to testify to this concerning Himself, Isaiah 40:26, 28; etc.: and concerning whom, 2. all the saints, both under the Old Testament and under the New, both those that abide on the earth, and...

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Did God create immediately? or through the instrumentality of Angels?

De Moor considers...

De Moor VIII:7: The Efficient Cause of Creation, Part 2

Indeed, this work of Creation ought to be claimed for God Alone, on account of the clear passages asserting it, Nehemiah 9:6; Job 9:8; Isaiah 44:24, and for the same reasons that were just now given in § 6. Add, 1. that the one Creating will have to give to the thing created the whole Essence...

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Can the Power of Creation be communicated to a creature, or is it proper to God alone?

De Moor explores...

De Moor VIII:8: The Efficient Cause of Creation, Part 3

Indeed, the Power of Creation, because Omnipotent, is Incommunicable; for the divine Omnipotence is indivisible and incommunicable. Not only is this the divine Glory, that He alone is preeminent over all Creatures as their Creator, and by His infinite Virtues is distinguished from all finite...

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All the external acts of God are fully Trinitarian.

De Moor explores this reality with respect to the Creation...

De Moor VIII:9: The Efficient Cause of Creation, Part 4

The Act of Creation is common to the Trinity: we have already produced passages proving this, and have vindicated it at length, Chapter V, § 13, 15, 21, 26. In which, when all things are said to have been made By the Son, By will not denote an Instrument, but the Principal Cause; but the Order...

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God created all things, not through laborious effort, but by the power of His Word!

De Moor surveys the Biblical teaching, and considers the relationship between the Personal Word and the word of command.

De Moor VIII:10: The Formal Cause of Creation, Part 1

Moreover, the Creation considered Actively indicates; α. Not natural Generation, whereby through communication of Essence is produced something homogeneous, and participating in the same Essence with the one generating; which sort of natural Generation in divine things is proper to the Only...

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The Bible teaches, 1. that God is immutable; and, 2. that God is Creator. But does not creation imply a transition from passivity to activity?

De Moor tackles this slippery subject...

De Moor VIII:11: The Formal Cause of Creation, Part 2

In working the Creature passes from Idleness to Labor, from Potency to Act, and then returns again from labor to rest, because the Creature works through action diverse from its Essence; but in acting God is free from all Mutation of this sort, which acting is whatever God is on account of...

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[No Other Name]

De Moor's work is fascinating to me.

Are you formally publishing your translations anywhere?

 

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De Moor's work is fascinating to me.

Are you formally publishing your translations anywhere?

You can follow the translation in real time with the links above.

The first six loci are in print: https://www.lulu.com/search?page=1&q=Bernardinus+De+Moor&pageSize=10&adult_audience_rating=00

I'm grateful for your interest.

May the Lord bless your ongoing studies.

 

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Much has been made of the freedom of man...comparatively little of the freedom of God. Given that the chief end of all things is the glory of God, this seems out of balance.

Did God create by some necessity of His nature? or did He create freely? De Moor explores...

De Moor VIII:12: The Formal Cause of Creation, Part 3

Creation is also an Act of God so Free, that it was not necessary that God will to create: and so here obtains, not only the Liberty of Spontaneity, but also of Indifference and of Contradiction, if you attend to the Nature and Essential Attributes of God, abstracted from the determination of...

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Modern science's theories concerning origins presuppose the eternal existence of matter...an absurdity!

De Moor explains...

De Moor VIII:13: The Material Cause of Creation, Part 1a

But when we contemplate Creation more passively, it indicates an Apt Production of Things, flowing from that Command of Will; so that the Creation might be made of Nothing. Our AUTHOR understands, that the First Creation had absolutely No pre-existing Matter; but that the World through that...

www.fromreformationtoreformation.com

 

[No Other Name]

Modern science's theories concerning origins presuppose the eternal existence of matter...an absurdity!

De Moor explains...

De Moor VIII:13: The Material Cause of Creation, Part 1a

But when we contemplate Creation more passively, it indicates an Apt Production of Things, flowing from that Command of Will; so that the Creation might be made of Nothing. Our AUTHOR understands, that the First Creation had absolutely No pre-existing Matter; but that the World through that...

www.fromreformationtoreformation.com

Now modern science grants a beginning to matter appealing to a miracle by a nameless, faceless force "called vaccuum fluctuation" ... and begs indulgence just this once. Like a live TV studio host, they get right back to physical materialism apologizing profusely for the minor aberration and thanking their audience for staying with them through a smidge of technical difficulty.

 

[No Other Name]

Modern science's theories concerning origins presuppose the eternal existence of matter...an absurdity!

De Moor explains...

De Moor VIII:13: The Material Cause of Creation, Part 1a

But when we contemplate Creation more passively, it indicates an Apt Production of Things, flowing from that Command of Will; so that the Creation might be made of Nothing. Our AUTHOR understands, that the First Creation had absolutely No pre-existing Matter; but that the World through that...

www.fromreformationtoreformation.com

Is this Chapter VIII of his Didactio-Elentic Theology?

 

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Is this Chapter VIII of his Didactio-Elentic Theology?

Yes.

 

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I hope to have the next installment out next week...

In the meantime, you can follow the whole study thus far:

De Moor on Creation

The Biblical Doctrine of Creation is hotly controverted in the modern world. De Moor brings ancient wisdom to bear upon modern strongholds.

www.fromreformationtoreformation.com

 

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Modern cosmic mythology requires eternally existing matter. Although now in the modern dress of science, the error...the absurdity...is ancient.

De Moor confronts the errorists...

De Moor VIII:13: The Material Cause of Creation, Part 1b

This Truth is to be held, α. not only or exclusively against all Ancient Philosophers that, if they do not quite think the Matter, together with the Form, of the World to be eternal, which is said of Aristotle and others (see what things are taught concerning their opinion in § 4, 19), at least...

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