This course examines the life and thought of John Witherspoon—a Scottish parish minister, a college president, and the only clergyman to sign the Declaration of Independence. Adopting a biographical approach, this course will examine Witherspoon’s influence as a minister, theologian, and statesman in the Church of Scotland, in the American Founding, and in the tradition of Old Princeton. Although lesser known now than he once was, this course will endeavor to show that Witherspoon has been one of the most consequential Christians in American history—a Presbyterian theologian whose example and ideas are surprisingly relevant for life and ministry today.
February 23, 2024