The Conditionalist Faith of Our Fathers, vol. 2

II. Five General Observations on Petavel’s Work

1. MASTERFUL KNOWLEDGE OF CONDITIONALIST LITERATURE

Petavel’s intimate acquaintance with the Conditionalist literature of the nineteenth century (Continental, British, and American) surpassed that of any other investigator, as his copious references attest. His two major lists (pages 18-26 and 500-501) ² of contemporary Conditionalists and their works are the most complete and thorough produced by any investigator, except that of his translator, Frederick A. Freer, who continued the tabulation in sequence beyond the Petavel list. ³ CFF2 606.2

Facile in German and English, and of course in French, his mother tongue (and in Hebrew, Greek, and Latin), he had personally examined and analyzed the Continental writers as no one else had attempted to do. He knew their content, and exhibited their strength and exposed the weakness of some of their arguments as no one else had done. ⁴ That established his mastery of the field. He was not speaking as a lone investigator. CFF2 606.3

2. MASTERFUL GRASP OF BIBLICAL EVIDENCE

Petavel’s mastery of the Biblical evidence is impressive. First, the evidence of all texts bearing thereon was collected and correlated under a series of appropriate headings (with annotations). This is unique, for this tabulation gets the total pertinent Biblical evidence before the reader, that he may evaluate and draw his own conclusions. And in the process of assemblage, Petavel first formulated and then established his own views. And in technical semantics he was unsurpassed. CFF2 606.4

Then his mastery of the technical intent and significance of the Hebrew and Greek terms involved was remarkable. In this he was strengthened and safeguarded by a careful exchange of findings and views with other great specialists, such as Dr. R. F. Weymouth, of Mill Hill School. And this was all put to test by polemical jousts with scholarly critics. But Petavel was adroit in seeking out the chinks in the foeman’s armor and exposing their fallacies. Sometimes he was devastating. CFF2 607.1

3. CLARIFICATION OF MORAL AND PHILOSOPHICAL ISSUES

One of Petavel’s greatest contributions was his probing and analysis of the moral, philosophical, and ethical issues involved. Here was a shadowland for most writers that was often murky and confused. Moral government, free will, the excesses and inconsistencies of Calvin’s predestinarian positions, the errors and inconsistencies of Universalism, and the inhumanities and injustices of Eternal Tormentism-all came under the fire of his keen, analytical mind, buttressed by a mastery of the Biblical evidence. CFF2 607.2

Petavel helped to settle some of these moot points and to expose half truths and clever artifices. These were among his major contributions. By overthrowing error he exalted and established truth. All in all, he was an extraordinary contender for the faith of Conditionalism, with a scholarly touch that few men had and none surpassed. CFF2 607.3

4. REMARKABLE GRASP OF PHILOSOPHICAL AND HISTORICAL EVIDENCE

Petavel’s intimate knowledge of the contentions of Platonic philosophy and of the testimony of the Church Fathers enabled him to challenge and discredit the sweeping generalities frequently indulged in by the proponents of Immortal-Soulism. Only by knowing the evidence better than his adversaries could he know whether their contentions were true or false. And only thus could he be sure of his own ground. CFF2 607.4

Finally, Petavel’s grasp of the historical facts not only of pagan Platonic philosophy but of Jewish history and early Christian Church literature made him invulnerable to the sophistries of men whose main burden was to sustain a position, and in so doing seek out expressions (often out of context) that seemingly supported their philosophical view of pagan, Jewish, and early Christian Church testimony. This, added to his competence in related fields, made him unique in contemporary Conditionalism. CFF2 608.1

5. CONSUMMATION OF CONDITIONALIST INVESTIGATION

As mentioned, unquestionably Petavel’s The Problem of Immortality was the greatest Continental treatise on Conditionalism produced in the nineteenth century. And many features surpass any British or American production. Petavel grappled with the great philosophical, moral, and historical issues, as well as with the Biblical aspects. And he dealt ably with the semantics of the question. CFF2 608.2

Since his conclusions were based upon the same basic facts and principles accessible to all scholars, it was inevitable that the general outline of his book and its major conclusions would be similar. But its grasp of the entire question, its penetration into the underlying principles, its grappling with basic issues, and its skill in relating part to part surpass any other single treatise of which we have knowledge. CFF2 608.3

Petavel had the advantage of access to the most scholarly Conditionalist findings of the centuries, in addition to proximity to the greatest libraries of Continental Europe and Britain. He knew personally many of the greatest contemporary investigators in the field of Conditionalism, and he lived late enough to have the advantage of both past and present findings. CFF2 608.4

But Petavel’s product was not a mere assemblage of the thoughts of others or simply a rehash of others’ reasonings. His was a fresh investigation of the whole subject, conducted by a highly trained mind, fortified by the knowledge of what had been done before him. And with the technical qualifications and equipment for doing superb work, more was therefore to be expected of him-and he did not disappoint. CFF2 609.1

In his 597-page volume with its twelve large chapters and its twenty-three supplements every major angle is compassed and all fundamental problems and objections are examined. It is more complete in coverage than any other treatise before it—or since. With some minor matters others will, of course, disagree. But with the great fundamental verities all Conditionalists must agree, as they are drawn from unassailable premises, acknowledged and proclaimed by the ablest Conditionalists of the centuries. CFF2 609.2

In a sense, then, Petavel’s is the consummation of the Conditionalist investigative study up to his day. The timing, 1890, makes this logical when produced by a well-equipped mind, with all the facts and findings immediately accessible, and association and correspondence with the other great Conditionalists of the time as a safeguard and stimulus. Let us now survey the essentials of The Problem of Immortality in some detail. CFF2 609.3