It Vos Worth It

Earlier this year we had a week at the PC on Biblical Theology. It was a fascinating and very helpful study, and one that I’m definitely going to keep pursuing after this year is over. In the course of our studies, we found that one of the most influential figures in Biblical Theology was a Dutch genius named Geerhardus Vos. And in my studies of Vos, I found that not only was he a brilliant professor at Princeton, but also that he summered in an obscure northern Pennsylvania town called Roaring Branch, and that after he died, he was buried there. So last Friday my brother Shawn and I went on an unusual road trip. We left Lancaster around 8:30 am and drove for a little over 3 hours nearly straight north. Shortly before noon we pulled into Roaring Branch and began our hunt. I had very little information about this man and his life—or even where he was buried—other than what I had read in a very interesting piece by James Dennison that you can read here.

I’m sure we looked strange with Shawn’s California plates and me running around with my camera snapping pictures of the town sign and the little Methodist church where Vos worshiped during the summer. Then Shawn looked up on the hillside and spotted what looked like gravestones. We wound our way up the hillside and found our way to the entrance of the cemetery. As we drove around, I spotted a small series of markers set down the hillside, off by themselves, with the distinctive lettering of the last name V-O-S. I jumped out of the truck and ran down to see not only Geerhardus and his wife Catherine, but also two of his sons and their wives. It was pretty cool (in an admittedly nerdy sort of way). I imagined this theological genius spending relaxed summer days in this quiet town, worshiping at a church which he almost certainly found to be theologically incompatible, and writing some of the most remarkable theological treatises of the 20th century. It must have been a considerable change of pace from his heady life at Princeton, taking long walks with his close friend BB Warfield and influencing some of the most remarkable minds of the 20th century, including Cornelius Van Til.

Anyway, that was my trip. I’ve posted some pictures below to give you a taste of what our day was like. I’m hoping to make this the first of many trips to dead theologians’ graves, and if I get to any others I’ll be sure to update it here.


The town sign at the entrance to Roaring Branch, PA


The little Methodist church where Vos worshiped


The view from the cemetery up on the hillside. The Vos graves are down the side of the hill (out of sight) on the left 1/3 of the photo


These are the 3 grave stones: Geerhardus & Catherine are on the right


Here is a picture of me by their marker


Finally, a close-up of their marker.