Well-known Reformed theologian and philosopher Professor Paul Helm has died.
An expert and writer on John Calvin, he was also known for his work on the doctrine of God, defending classical theism at a time when it was under attack.
Born in 1940, Helm studied at Worcester College, Oxford. He subsequently started teaching at Liverpool University (1964–93). Later he became Professor of the History and Philosophy of Religion at King's College, London (1993–2000).
He was also the first holder of the JI Packer Chair of Theology at Regent College, Vancouver from 2001 to 2005. He then served as Professor of Theology at Highland Theological College, Scotland, between 2007 and 2010.
His publications included Calvin and the Calvinists (Banner of Truth, 1982); John Calvin's Ideas (Oxford, 2004); Calvin: A Guide for the Perplexed (T & T Clark, 2008) and Calvin at the Centre (Oxford, 2010). He contributed a series of articles on Calvin for The Guardian newspaper and website in the UK. Much of his work was also on the doctrine of God, including The Providence of God, which was published by IVP in 1993.
In 2023, a collection of Helm's writing was published with the title Reason in the Service of Faith. More than 30 of Helm's essays and four unpublished articles were gathered into five parts: Metaphilosophical issues, Action, Change and Personal Identity, Epistemology, God and Creation, Providence and Prayer.
Calm, informed
Writing on social media, American Presbyterian scholar and pastor Ligon Duncan said: "When I was studying in seminary and the 'Calvin versus the Calvinists' historiography was flourishing, Helm was one of the voices that spoke with calm, informed, persuasive reason into the debate. Furthermore, he was defending 'classical Christian theism' before we were calling it that."
en contributor Chris Sinkinson wrote: "[I am] sad to hear the passing of Professor Paul Helm - I served with him as secretary of the Tyndale Philosophy of Religion group in the 1990s. He was remarkable for having the most incredible intellect (look at his books and Universities where he taught) but also being easy to talk to and humble - not common among philosophers!"
Generosity and humility
Matthew Barrett, Research Professor of Theology at Trinity Anglican Seminary in the USA, wrote on Substack: "I met Paul at a pivotal time in my life: seminary. Paul came to teach a course in philosophy, which gave the two of us the opportunity to spend time together in person.
"I’ve never forgotten how he patiently entertained what must have seemed to him like elementary questions about philosophical theology from someone just beginning. Paul had taught with the best at King’s College London back in the day and then at other schools like Regent. And yet, he took no little time to sit down and help a pilgrim barely on his way...
"Many know him for his intellectual prowess, but I knew him for his generosity and humility as well."
Explaining Helm's role in defending classical theism, Barrett wrote: "He is a major reason why theologians like me came to a fork in the road—with revisionist evangelicalism to the left and classical theism to the right—and chose the road less travelled by.
"Back then evangelicals were flirting with open theism, yet even many of those who reacted against open theism were not retreating to classical theism but inventing some new modification of it. Paul saw through it all. He was one of those few voices standing up for pure classical theism in a day when few evangelicals understood it well.
Metaphysical
"To this day, I’m still unsure those who appreciate him fully understand that Paul’s defence of classical theism was metaphysical at heart. I hope that becomes more apparent as others consider Paul’s legacy."
For many years, Helm wrote a theology blog, entitled Helm's Deep, where each month the draft of a paper on a topic in philosophical theology was posted.
In one post, from 2013, Helm wrote about Ecclesiastes, and concluded: "While we are to live in the present, we are not to live for the present. We are to do our best at work, and enjoy the company of those we love. These are God’s gifts to us now.
"As young people our tendency is to live in the future, investing all our hopes and energies in it; as older people, we tend to live more and more in the past. But both these attitudes should be corrected, by the recognition that God has given us the present.
"We don’t know what’s around the corner. In a way we should ‘live each day as if thy last’, and ‘for the great day thyself prepare’ as the old hymns put it."
