I tell you what, if you weren’t Reformed before this tournament, you should be now. God’s providence is striking in this Elite 8 round! Calvin and Luther square off as 1-2 seeds to crown the champion of the Westminster region. (Cue Calvin versus the Puritans debate.)
Then, you have the students taking on their teachers. 3 seed John Frame survives Berkhof (by one vote) to take on the man who most influenced his thinking, Cornelius Van Til. Frame still is a friendly critic of Van Til. Though maybe Frame will have it out for his former professor after Van Til took down 1 seed Herman Bavinck (a major upset, in my book).
The lowest seed in the final eight, Sinclair Ferguson, faces his most daunting opponent in 1 seed John Owen. Ferguson has written extensively on Owen. Perhaps Sinclair’s Presbyterian polity can put himself over the congregationalist in Owen.
And finally, I contend you have two of North America’s most rigorous and intelligent theologians, Jonathan Edwards and B.B. Warfield, going at it in the other 1-2 matchup. Warfield doesn’t have the beauty of an Edwards, but his scholarship changed the game for confessional Presbyterians in the 20th century.
Voting lasts until Thursday, April 4. You may vote through Facebook, e-mail, or post a comment.
Westminster Region
1 John Calvin v 2 Martin Luther
Heidelberg Region
4 Cornelius Van Til v 3 John Frame
Dordt Region
1 Jonathan Edwards v 2 B.B. Warfield
Marburg
1 John Owen v 7 Sinclair Ferguson
Westminster Region
John Calvin
Heidelberg Region
Cornelius Van Til
Dordt Region
Jonathan Edwards
Marburg
John Owen
Calvin, Van Til, Warfield, Owen
Westminster Region:
John Calvin
Heidelberg Region:
Cornelius Van Til
Dordt Region:
B.B. Warfield
Marburg:
John Owen
Westminster: Luther- remember, Calvin was technically a Lutheran for a while. And while Calvin is certainly a giant, Luther is colossal. The reformation alone should tie up this victory, but I imagine Calvin lovers will come out in droves for this one.
Heidelberg: Van Til- without Van Til, frame wouldn’t be who he is today. Further, Van Til has easily been more influential than frame.
Dordt: Edwards
Marburg: Owen- Ferguson is great, but Owen’s mortification of sin takes it for me.
Calvin, Frame, Edwards, Owen
Calvin, Van Til, Edwards, Owen