BOOK REIVEW: "A Body of Divinity" (Ussher)

Title: A Body of Divinity: Being the Sum and Substance of the Christian Religion.
Author: Archbishop James Ussher (1581-1656)
Publisher: Solid Ground Christian Books
Year: 2007
Cover: Hardcover
Pages: 467
Binding: Smyth-sewn
Dust jacket: Yes
Reading level: 2.5 (average)
ISBN-10: 1599251086
Price USD: $39.95 from Solid Ground ($50.00 list price)

Review: 2007 was a wonderful year for classic reprints (and 2008 looks even more impressive). Yet in the frantic hustle of online reviewers, bloggers, and book watchdogs, this amazing title seems to have missed the recognition it deserves.

Archbishop James Ussher was an instrumental figure among the Irish Puritans. He was greatly admired among his fellow countrymen, as well as across the channel in England. He is best known today for his Annuals of the World, which was a important interpretation of history through a Biblical framework. Ussher was also the first person to formulate the theory that the earth is 6,000 years old (which he arrived at from a study of the genealogy lists of the Old Testament). While his science may have been a bit lacking, he made up for it by possessing profound theological and biblical insight. Dr. Francis Nigel Lee, Professor-Emeritus of the Queensland Presbyterian Theological College, states that "Dr. Ussher soaked himself in the Holy Scriptures without ceasing. He also read the Early Church Fathers - systematically, every day, for eighteen years."

Reformed believers have unknowingly stood on the theological shoulders of Ussher. During the formulation of the Westminster documents at the Westminster Assembly, copies of Ussher's Body of Divinty were present and regularly consulted. Probably no single individual was more influential on the content and form of the documents than Dr. Ussher.

There is some evidence that Ussher never intended this work for publication. He viewed it as a private work to aid his own thought-formulations, and readily admitted having borrowed many ideas, expressions, and thoughts from others in its construction. As such, the book is a virtual mine of propositional gems. I have been using the book for my evening devotional reading over the past month. The work is in a question and answer format, with the answers generally being a sentence or two, or perhaps a brief paragraph in length. While incredibly profound, the work is marked by clarity of thought. You will not find useless jargon in Ussher's Body of Divinity. It is practical, accessible, and user-friendly.

For example, Ussher asks the question What is the Love of God". His answer states, "It is an Essential Property in God, whereby he loveth himself above all, and others for himself". Ussher covers the diverse field of theology in a similar fashion. His dual aim seems to be (1) to solidly ground the reader in true Biblical knowledge, and (2) to prick the heart with the beauty of this knowledge.

Regarding this specific edition: The edition has been completely retype set, and now includes a helpful introduction. There are, however, some minor flaws. In comparing this edition to a 17th century (non-bound) facsimile edition I have in my possession, I noticed the editors inserted parenthetical comments. While this in and of itself is not problematic, it quickly becomes an issue for two reasons. First, Ussher himself inserted parenthetical comments, and (2) the editors do not distinguish between the two. Thus, the reader cannot know which comments are Usshers, and which belong to the editor. For example, on page one (5th question down), the editors insert the word (Humanism) in parenthesis after the word Heathenism and the words (Roman Catholicism) after the term Papism. Four questions down (still on page 1), there are several parenthetical comments, though these appear in the 17th edition I consulted. For a historical reprint, greater care should have been taken to distinguish the editors comments from the authors. However, I am 1/3 of the way through the book and am glad to see the editors only rarely insert comments.

The second quibble is in regards to a footnote found on page 16. Ussher is discussing the subjects of Mary's perpetual virginity and the Baptism of Infants. The editors include the following footnote:

On both of these points we would strongly yet respectfully disagree with Ussher. We do not believe the Scriptures allow for the opinion of the perpetual virginity of Mary (Mathew 1:25; 13:55; John 7:5). Nor do we agree that Infant Baptism is sufficiently warranted by reasons of Scripture, but rather such a practice is inconsistent with it.

While I agree with the editors on both points, such a footnote is unbecoming in a historical reprint. Thankfully, that is the only footnote I could find in the entire work.

All in all, this is an excellent work that deserves a much wider audience in contemporary Christianity. With the resurgence of Puritan studies, now is the time to begin seriously studying those that shaped the minds of the Puritans themselves.

Physical construction of this edition: This book is beautifully bound in a green hardcover board with an attractive dust jacket. The binding is superb (smyth-sewn), and the text is white, clean, and tight. It was constructed to last a few lifetimes, and with normal care will certainly do so.