Book Review: Nature’s Case for God by John Frame

For those familiar with Frame’s work, this book does not read like one of his more formal theological writings. Rather, Nature’s Case For God is a short work (only 120 pages) considering how we can understand natural law or natural theology with a starting point of Scripture. Lacking some of the more complex considerations that often accompany works on Natural Law, this book is a helpful primer on the subject for anyone interested in starting with God’s Word as the foundation for study of the natural world and what it can accurately tell us about God and ourselves.

While this topic usually necessitates large volumes and hundreds of pages of material, Frame takes a different approach. Instead of beginning with nature and reason and arguing our way to the God of the Bible, He begins with the assumption, a presuppositional one, that the Bible is God’s Word and that it is the only proper starting point to understand natural law and natural theology correctly. Additionally, he argues against some evangelicals that the consideration of natural law is not antithetical to the protestant tradition of Sola Scriptura (pgs. 3-4). Rather, he argues that “Scripture itself tells us that God is revealed everywhere and that human beings are therefore under obligation, not only to hear God’s Word in Scripture, but to obey His revelation in all creation” (pg. 4). So, if God’s Word tells us that He is revealed everywhere in His creation, then it is a proper study for Christians to consider what the world around us teaches us of God and ourselves (image-bearers of God). But Frame is quick to point out from Scripture (Romans 1) that natural revelation cannot give us saving knowledge of God, it is insufficient for that task (pg. 6).

One more helpful caveat he gives is that his book will only consider that which is clear from natural revelation (pg. 13). Because his book focuses only on what is obvious in natural revelation, in keeping with Romans 1, it does not end up in the philosophical speculations that many books on this subject must consider.

The book is split into two sections: (1) the witness of the created world, and (2) the witness of human nature. In the first, he considers what the Bible has to say about the greatness, oneness, wisdom, goodness and presence of God that the world around us gives evidence of. True to form, Frame shows consistency by beginning with Scripture properly interpreted and then through that lens considers the natural world.

In the second half of the book, he considers what he terms “the witness of human nature” (pg. 71). He begins by considering the seared conscience of all humanity (pgs. 76-83). He concludes from Romans 1 that “one reason why our sin is so bad is that it is not committed in ignorance, but with a clear understanding of what God expects of us” (pg. 77). He then considers the role of the accusing conscience (pgs. 86-90). It is natural for mankind to accuse and judge all others of wrong-doing, but our consciences must first accuse ourselves of failing to live up to God’s standard. Only when it does so is a person on the right track (pg. 89). The next proper consideration is the awakened conscience (pgs. 92-97). Only after God has awakened our conscience through the new birth can the process of training our consciences according to God’s Word begin. By the Spirit’s guiding, this training will lead us to have consciences that are continually more attuned with God’s Word (pg. 96).

The book then concludes with a few pieces of correspondence on the subject of natural theology that Frame has undertaken over the years. Although some readers might be tempted to skip these last pages, they provide several helpful definitions and clarifications in response to helpful questions and critiques others have raised to the author. This section is an excellent way to complete this overview of a difficult subject.

Ultimately, John Frame’s books seeks to answer the question: how can a person understand nature in a Biblical way? (pg. 11). The reader will find that Frame is both successful and succinct in answering the question. This book is a welcome and readable addition to a difficult topic from an able and gracious theological writer.