Reformed Dogmatics

by Bolt, John

• ISBN13: 9780801036484
• ISBN10: 0801036488
• Edition: Abridged
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2011-06-01
• Publisher: Baker Academic

Summary

Herman Bavinck's four-volume Reformed Dogmatics is one of the most important theological works of the twentieth century. The recently completed English translation has received wide acclaim. Now John Bolt, one of the world's leading experts on Bavinck and editor of Bavinck's four-volume set, has abridged the work in one volume, offering students, pastors, and lay readers an accessible summary of Bavinck's masterwork. This volume presents the core of Bavinck's thought and offers explanatory materials, making available to a wider audience some of the finest Dutch Reformed theology ever written.Praise for Reformed Dogmatics"Bavinck's magisterial Reformed Dogmatics remains after a century the supreme achievement of its kind."--J. I. Packer, Regent College

Author Biography

Herman Bavinck (1854-1921) succeeded Abraham Kuyper as professor of systematic theology at the Free University of Amsterdam in 1902. John Bolt (PhD, University of St. Michael's College) is professor of systematic theology at Calvin Theological Seminary in Grand Rapids, Michigan, where he has taught for over twenty years.

Table of Contents

Editor's Preface	p. xi
Abbreviations	p. xv
Prolegomena: Introduction to Dogmatic Theology
Dogmatic Theology as a Science	p. 3
Terminology	p. 3
Theology as the Science of God	p. 8
The Problem of Certainty: Church and Scripture	p. 14
Faith and Method: The Organization of Theology	p. 20
The History and Literature of Dogmatic Theology	p. 29
The Formation of Dogma	p. 29
Dogma in the Early Church	p. 30
From Constantine to Augustine to the Middle Ages	p. 35
Roman Catholic Dogmatic Theology	p. 40
Lutheran Dogmatics	p. 42
Reformed Dogmatics	p. 44
Foundations of Dogmatic Theology	p. 49
Science and Thought (Principia)	p. 49
Realism and Universals (Logos)	p. 51
Religious Foundations	p. 53
Revelation	p. 62
The Idea of Revelation	p. 62
General Revelation	p. 68
Special, Scriptural Revelation	p. 73
ôNaturalö and ôSupernaturalö	p. 81
Miracles, Language, and History	p. 85
Holy Scripture	p. 90
God's Inspired Word to His People	p. 90
Scripture's Self-Testimony: Organic Inspiration	p. 101
Faith	p. 111
Faith and Theological Method	p. 111
Faith, Intellect, and Theology: Historical-Apologetic Method	p. 113
Faith, Feeling, and Theology: Religious-Empirical Method	p. 117
Faith, Morality, and Theology: Ethical-Psychological Method	p. 120
Faith and Its Ground	p. 126
The Testimony of the Holy Spirit	p. 131
Faith and Theology	p. 137
The Triune God and Creation
Knowing God	p. 147
Divine Mystery and Incomprehensibility	p. 147
The Problem of Atheism	p. 155
Natural Theology	p. 159
ôProofsö for God's Existence	p. 163
Naming God: Accommodation and Anthropomorphism	p. 167
The Living, Acting God	p. 173
The Names of God	p. 173
Divine Simplicity; Essence and Attributes	p. 175
God's Proper Names	p. 180
God's Incommunicable Attributes	p. 186
God's Communicable Attributes	p. 195
The Triune God and His Counsel	p. 217
The Holy Trinity in Scripture	p. 217
The Construction of Trinitarian Dogma	p. 224
The Opposition: Arianism and Sabellianism	p. 227
Trinitarian Language	p. 230
Distinctions Among the Three Persons	p. 234
The Trinitarian Economy, Analogies, and Arguments	p. 239
The Counsel of the Triune God	p. 245
The Pelagian Challenge	p. 248
Providence and the Objections to Predestination	p. 254
Predestination and Reprobation	p. 256
Creator of Heaven and Earth	p. 263
Creation and Its Religious Rivals	p. 263
Creatio ex nihilo by the Triune God	p. 267
Creation's Time and Goal: A Christian Worldview	p. 271
Heaven: The Spiritual World	p. 275
The Angels in Scripture	p. 277
The Ministry of Angels	p. 281
Earth: The Material World	p. 285
The Creation ôWeekö and Science	p. 286
The Bible and Geology	p. 291
From Creation to Preservation: Providence	p. 297
Preservation, Concurrence, Government	p. 301
Humanity and Sin
The Image of God	p. 311
Human Origins	p. 311
Human Nature	p. 317
Human Destiny	p. 328
The Covenant of Works	p. 329
Other Views of Human Destiny	p. 332
Human Origins in Unity: Destiny in Community	p. 334
The Fallen World	p. 340
The Origin of Sin	p. 340
The Universal Spread of Sin	p. 352
Realism and Federalism	p. 360
Sin and Its Consequences	p. 369
The Religious Character of Sin	p. 369
Essentials of Sin	p. 373
Varieties and Degrees of Sin	p. 376
The Punishment of Sin	p. 380
Suffering and Death	p. 386
Christ the Redeemer
The Only Begotten Son of the Father	p. 393
The Covenant of Grace	p. 393
The Covenant of Redemption, of Nature, and Election	p. 397
The Person of Christ the Mediator	p. 403
The Two Natures of Christ	p. 408
The Centrality of the Incarnation	p. 412
Christ's Humanity and Divinity	p. 415
The Servant Savior: Christ's Humiliation	p. 423
Religion, Culture, Redemption, and Sacrifice	p. 423
Jesus The Mediator	p. 432
Christ's Obedient Death for Us	p. 438
The Exalted Lord Christ	p. 449
Through Death and Humiliation to Life and Exaltation	p. 449
The Steps of Christ's Exaltation: Resurrection, Ascension, Session, and Return	p. 454
Reconciliation (Atonement)	p. 458
The Holy Spirit and salvation in Christ
The Order of Salvation	p. 473
The Way of Salvation	p. 473
Augustine and the Pelagian Threat; the Reformation	p. 478
The Modem Turn to the Subject	p. 486
The Trinitarian Way of Salvation and Truth	p. 495
Calling and Regeneration	p. 504
The Call of God	p. 504
Rebirth	p. 507
The Nature and Extent of Regeneration	p. 514
Faith and Conversion	p. 523
The Knowledge of Faith	p. 523
Regeneration, Faith, and Knowledge	p. 531
Conversion and Repentance	p. 536
Mortification and Vivification	p. 543
Confession of Sin, Penance, and Punishment	p. 547
Justification, Sanctification, and Perseverance	p. 553
Forgiveness	p. 553
Justification Is Forensic and Imputed	p. 563
Sanctification: Holiness as Gift and Reward	p. 570
Sanctification and the Critique of Justification	p. 575
Good Works, Perfectionism, and Perseverance	p. 580
The Spirit Creates a New community
The Church as a Spiritual Reality	p. 589
The Church's Spiritual Essence	p. 589
Unity and Catholicity	p. 592
Reformation Tangents; the People of God	p. 595
The Marks of the Church	p. 601
The Attributes of the Church	p. 605
The Church as Organism and Institution	p. 607
Christ Is King of the Church	p. 617
The Church's Spiritual Power	p. 623
The Offices and Assemblies of the Church	p. 631
The Spirit's Means of Grace	p. 643
The Means of Grace	p. 643
Proclamation of the Word	p. 645
The Spirit, the Word, and Power	p. 649
The Sacraments	p. 651
Baptism	p. 662
THe Mode and Manner of Baptism; Infant Baptism	p. 667
The Lord's Supper	p. 676
The Purpose of the Supper	p. 684
The Spirit Makes All Things New
The Intermediate State	p. 693
The Question of Immortality	p. 693
After Death, Then What?	p. 702
Between Death and Resurrection	p. 712
The Return of Christ	p. 720
Visions of the End	p. 720
Chiliasm	p. 726
Israel, the Millennium, and Christ's Return	p. 732
The Consummation	p. 749
The Day of the Lord	p. 749
Alternatives to Eternal Punishment	p. 758
The Renewal of Creation	p. 766
The Wideness of God's Mercy	p. 772
Scripture Index	p. 779
Name Index	p. 820
Subject Index	p. 831
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