Meta Description: Join Dr. David Noe and Dr. Jeff Winkle as they discuss the life of Scottish commissioner Samuel Rutherford, the “Examen Arminianismi,” and the arduous process of translating 800 pages of scholastic Latin.
Introduction: From Vomitorium South
Welcome back to the “vomitorium,” listeners! In Episode 112 of the Ad Navseam Podcast, hosts Dr. David Noe and Dr. Jeff Winkle broadcast from “Vomitorium South”—the basement of the Reformation Heritage Books warehouse. While the weather outside involves “tiny little stinging pellets of frozen precipitation,” the conversation inside is all about the warmth (and occasional drudgery) of 17th-century theology.
In this episode, Dr. Noe takes the hot seat to discuss his monumental project: translating the works of the Scottish Presbyterian Samuel Rutherford. If you think Puritans were just dour killjoys who hated fun, think again. As H.L. Mencken famously (and sarcastically) quipped, Puritanism is “the haunting fear that someone somewhere may be happy”—but Rutherford’s life proves otherwise.
Who Was Samuel Rutherford?
Samuel Rutherford (1600–1661) was a man of immense intellect and surprising controversy. Born in the parish of Nisbet, he began his Latin education at a young age, walking four miles to school.
The Scandal
Rutherford’s academic career hit an early snag. At age 21, he was appointed to the Chair of Humanities at the University of Edinburgh. However, he held the position for less than two years before resigning due to a scandal. He was charged with having “fallen in fornication” with a woman named Euphem Hamilton—whom he later married. While some biographers try to dismiss this as a minor indiscretion, the evidence suggests it was a significant stumble from which he had to recover.
The Bounce Back
Recover he did. Rutherford became a pastor in Anwith, where he was known for his diligence, waking at 3:00 a.m. to study and visiting parishioners door-to-door. He later fell afoul of the King, was placed under house arrest in Aberdeen, and eventually became one of the five Scottish commissioners at the Westminster Assembly, where he helped frame the documents that define Presbyterianism to this day.
The Project: Examen Arminianismi
Dr. Noe’s translation focus is Rutherford’s Examen Arminianismi (A Careful Review of Arminianism). This massive work, comprising over 800 pages of text, tackles the theological debates between the Calvinists and the Arminians (Remonstrants) of the 17th century.
The Grind of Scholastic Latin
Translating Rutherford is not like translating the flowing prose of Cicero or the “limpid” style of Melanchthon. Dr. Noe describes Rutherford’s Latin as “Byzantine,” “bloodless,” and “rococo” 11. It is highly scholastic, filled with technical adverbs like formaliter, materialiter, and the jaw-breaking reduplicative.
The text itself is a “pastiche” stitched together by a Dutchman named Matthias Nethen, combining Rutherford’s handwritten manuscript with student notes. This leads to some textual oddities, such as the Dutch spelling of “Jacobus” appearing in a Scottish work.
The Theological Stakes
Rutherford’s goal was to refute the followers of Jacob Arminius, such as Simon Episcopius. But he goes further than just debating predestination. In one striking section, Rutherford accuses the Arminians of being “highly suspected of Arianism” (anti-Trinitarianism) because they refused to use orthodox terms like homoousios (consubstantial) to describe Christ.
A Life of “Seraphic” Piety
Despite the density of his scholastic arguments, Rutherford is perhaps best known for his Letters. These personal correspondences reveal a man of deep emotion and “seraphic” piety. Charles Spurgeon called them “the nearest thing to inspiration which can be found in all the writings of mere men”.
Rutherford died in 1661, just as he was about to be tried for treason by the restored monarchy. His last words were a testament to his faith: “I shall shine; I shall see him as he is” .
A Gustatory Parting Shot
The episode concludes with a fascinating historical tidbit from Clarissa Dickson Wright. It turns out that livestock has changed significantly over the centuries:
“As late as the early 18th century, a sheep wasn’t much bulkier than a Labrador dog.”
So, if you are picturing ancient shepherds wrestling massive beasts, think again—they were essentially wrangling woolly Labradors.
Sponsors:
- Hackett Publishing: For excellent translations of the classics, use the coupon code found in the episode for a discount on your order.
- Ratio Coffee: For a machine that “blooms” the coffee (even if “bloom” isn’t a transitive verb), visit the Ratio website and use the code ANCO for a discount.
Valete!
