Charles R. Erdman
Encyclopedia
Charles Rosenbury Erdman, Sr. (1866-1960) was an American Presbyterian
minister and professor of theology at Princeton Theological Seminary
.
to William J. Erdman, a leader in the premilennialist
and holiness
movements of the late nineteenth century. He earned his B.A.
(1886) from the College of New Jersey (now Princeton University
) and went on to study at Princeton Theological Seminary
from 1887 to 1891. Erdman was ordained on May 8 1891 in the Presbytery of Philadelphia North, PCUSA.
from 1897 to 1906. He joined the faculty at Princeton Theological Seminary
in 1905, where he served as professor of practical theology until his retirement in 1936. During that time, Erdman was elected the Moderator of the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church in the United States of America in 1925, and also served as pastor of First Presbyterian Church in Princeton, New Jersey
from 1924 to 1934.
Erdman was a major voice for tolerance toward deviation from the Westminster Standards
, in opposition to J. Gresham Machen, which led to the reorganization of the seminary and some faculty breaking off from Princeton to form Westminster Theological Seminary
in 1929.
of the Nassau Presbyterian Church.
.
Presbyterianism
Presbyterianism refers to a number of Christian churches adhering to the Calvinist theological tradition within Protestantism, which are organized according to a characteristic Presbyterian polity. Presbyterian theology typically emphasizes the sovereignty of God, the authority of the Scriptures,...
minister and professor of theology at Princeton Theological Seminary
Princeton Theological Seminary
Princeton Theological Seminary is a theological seminary of the Presbyterian Church located in the Borough of Princeton, New Jersey in the United States...
.
Early life and education
Erdman was born on July 20 1866 in Fayetteville, New YorkFayetteville, New York
Fayetteville is a village located in Onondaga County, New York, United States. As of the 2000 U.S. Census, the village had a population of 4,190. The village is named after Lafayette, a national hero of both France and the United States...
to William J. Erdman, a leader in the premilennialist
Premillennialism
Premillennialism in Christian end-times theology is the belief that Jesus will literally and physically be on the earth for his millennial reign, at his second coming. The doctrine is called premillennialism because it holds that Jesus’ physical return to earth will occur prior to the inauguration...
and holiness
Holiness movement
The holiness movement refers to a set of beliefs and practices emerging from the Methodist Christian church in the mid 19th century. The movement is distinguished by its emphasis on John Wesley's doctrine of "Christian perfection" - the belief that it is possible to live free of voluntary sin - and...
movements of the late nineteenth century. He earned his B.A.
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
(1886) from the College of New Jersey (now Princeton University
Princeton University
Princeton University is a private research university located in Princeton, New Jersey, United States. The school is one of the eight universities of the Ivy League, and is one of the nine Colonial Colleges founded before the American Revolution....
) and went on to study at Princeton Theological Seminary
Princeton Theological Seminary
Princeton Theological Seminary is a theological seminary of the Presbyterian Church located in the Borough of Princeton, New Jersey in the United States...
from 1887 to 1891. Erdman was ordained on May 8 1891 in the Presbytery of Philadelphia North, PCUSA.
Career
Erdman served as pastor of Overbrook Presbyterian Church in Philadelphia from 1891 to 1897, and then at First Presbyterian Church in GermantownGermantown, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Germantown is a neighborhood in the northwest section of the city of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States, about 7–8 miles northwest from the center of the city...
from 1897 to 1906. He joined the faculty at Princeton Theological Seminary
Princeton Theological Seminary
Princeton Theological Seminary is a theological seminary of the Presbyterian Church located in the Borough of Princeton, New Jersey in the United States...
in 1905, where he served as professor of practical theology until his retirement in 1936. During that time, Erdman was elected the Moderator of the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church in the United States of America in 1925, and also served as pastor of First Presbyterian Church in Princeton, New Jersey
Princeton, New Jersey
Princeton is a community located in Mercer County, New Jersey, United States. It is best known as the location of Princeton University, which has been sited in the community since 1756...
from 1924 to 1934.
Erdman was a major voice for tolerance toward deviation from the Westminster Standards
Westminster Standards
The Westminster Standards is a collective name for the documents drawn up by the Westminster Assembly. These include the Westminster Confession of Faith, the Westminster Shorter Catechism, the Westminster Larger Catechism, the Directory of Public Worship, and the Form of Church Government, and...
, in opposition to J. Gresham Machen, which led to the reorganization of the seminary and some faculty breaking off from Princeton to form Westminster Theological Seminary
Westminster Theological Seminary
Westminster Theological Seminary is a Presbyterian and Reformed Christian graduate educational institution located in Glenside, Pennsylvania, with a satellite location in London.-History:...
in 1929.
Death
Erdman died in 1960 and is buried in the Princeton CemeteryPrinceton Cemetery
Princeton Cemetery is located in Borough of Princeton, New Jersey. It is owned by the Nassau Presbyterian Church. John F. Hageman in his 1878 history of Princeton, New Jersey refers to the cemetery as: "The Westminster Abbey of the United States."...
of the Nassau Presbyterian Church.
Selected publications
Erdman was the author of over thirty popular biblical commentaries and books of pastoral theology. Two of his essays entitled "The Coming of Christ" and "The Church and Socialism" were included in The FundamentalsThe Fundamentals
The Fundamentals or The Fundamentals: A Testimony To The Truth edited by A. C. Dixon and later by Reuben Archer Torrey is a set of 90 essays in 12 volumes published from 1910 to 1915 by the Bible Institute of Los Angeles. They were designed to affirm orthodox Protestant beliefs and defend against...
.
- "Modern Spiritual Movements" in Biblical and theological studies, Princeton Theological Seminary, ed. (1912)
- The Gospel of Mark: an exposition (1917)
- The General epistles: an exposition (1918) ISBN 1103512706
- The Acts: An Exposition (1919) ISBN 1103776223
- The Gospel of Matthew: an exposition (1920) ISBN 0801034027
- The Gospel of Luke: an exposition (1921) ISBN 1406892629
- The Gospel of John: an exposition (1922) ISBN 1458877876
- The Return of Christ (1922)
- Within the Gateways of the Far East: A Record of Recent Travel (1922) ISBN 1103877119
- The First epistle of Paul to the Corinthians: an exposition (1928) ISBN 0801033942
- The Epistle of Paul to the Ephesians: an exposition (1931) ISBN
- The Epistles of Paul to the Colossians and to Philemon: an exposition (1933) ISBN 0801033934
- The Epistle to the Hebrews: an exposition (1934) ISBN 0801033993
- The Revelation of John: an exposition (1936) ISBN 0801034051
- The Pastoral epistles of Paul: an exposition (1966) ISBN 1113589035