“Dabney believed that this “penal substitutionary theory” of the atonement was the keystone of Christianity. ‘There is scarcely a leading head of divinity which is not changed or perverted as a logical consequence of this denial of penal substitution consistently carried out,’ Dabney taught. Forsake the penal substitutionary theory of the atonement and other key doctrines were sure to go: God’s distributive justice; God’s immutability; the doctrines of adoption and perseverance; and the church’s teaching on the eternal punishment of the reprobate. Most important, however, was what the denial of the penal theory of the atonement would do to the doctrine of providence. If there was no special providence in Christ’s sufferings, then the problem of evil would forever remain an ‘insoluble mystery.’ Such an idea was unthinkable to Dabney. The scoffers against Christianity would have his objections answered in ‘our doctrine of redemption through Christ’s substitution, and nowhere else.’ God permitted evil in the world and suffered with that world in order to demonstrate his glory through the cross-work of Jesus. Dabney exclaimed exultantly, ‘The Messiah is our complete theodicy!’ Divine providence was saved through the penal substitutionary atonement of Jesus” (Sean Michael Lucas, Robert Lewis Dabney, 91-92).

“[Dabney] thought that seminary training should be instructed to intellectual labor and “thorough mental culture.” If ministers were to gain pastoral skills, such training would have to occur “under the pressure of pastoral responsibilities,” not in the seminary classroom” (Sean Michael Lucas, Robert Lewis Dabney, 77).

“Dabney believed that Union Seminary was a necessary bulwark against the concentration of power in a single institution, such as Princeton Theological Seminary. “Suppose that such an institution [were] training all or nearly all the ministers of our church, and consequently becoming the fountain of literary and theological opinion for the whole church,” Dabney wrote. “The result would be most un-Presbyterian and dangerous, even while this school remained orthodox.” And if this school were to begin to teach heresy, such an institution “might spread its poison unresisted through the whole body.” Hence, Union Seminary was vitally necessary and deserved the support of the Synods of Virginia and North Carolina” (Sean Michael Lucas, Robert Lewis Dabney, 64).

“The common threads in all of these contemporary appraisals of Dabney’s preaching were his pulpit intensity, his lack of polished oratory, and his didacticism. And an examination of the extant sermons demonstrates that these appraisals were fair and accurate. These sermons indicate that the majority of Dabney’s preaching generally shifted back and forth between passionate and direct evangelistic appeals to unrepentant sinners to come to Christ, and doctrinal sermons on points related to soteriology” (Sean Michael Lucas, Robert Lewis Dabney, 51).

“Dabney suffered from camp fever once again, a sickness ‘which brought me to death’s door.’ The illness forced him to resign his commission, which Jackson accepted with ‘great reluctance’ . . . In summary, Dabney’s career as a Civil War chaplain and soldier is difficult to assess with accuracy because he did not participate long enough in either office to be noticed” (Sean Michael Lucas, Robert Lewis Dabney, 117).

“From [John] Randolph and [John C.] Calhoun, Dabney learned that, while God himself had ordained human government, human sinfulness also made government a necessity” (Sean Michael Lucas, Robert Lewis Dabney, 29).

“What [Robert] Dabney desired above all else was that the past be remembered and given its due weight in contemporary discussions. “Prove all things; hold fast that which is good” not only was the biblical motto placed on Dabney’s tombstone in the Union Seminary cemetery in Farmville, Virginia, but also was Dabney’s policy for New South Presbyterians. What was necessary, Dabney claimed, was the rising generation to learn the history of the past truly”” (Sean Michael Lucas, Robert Lewis Dabney, 21).