Adapted from Michael Allen and Scott R. Swain, ed., Christian Dogmatics: Reformed Theology for the Church Catholic (Baker Academic, 2016). Before addressing the biblical bases of the covenant of redemption, we must consider two potential pitfalls that are to be avoided. On the one hand, there is the pitfall of overinterpretation. According to John Owen, […]
Defending the Covenant of Redemption: Part 1
Adapted from Michael Allen and Scott R. Swain, ed., Christian Dogmatics: Reformed Theology for the Church Catholic (Baker Academic, 2016). The doctrine of the covenant of redemption (also known as “the pactum salutis” and “the counsel of peace”) is a beautiful doctrine. It concerns the eternal purpose of the blessed Trinity to communicate the bliss of […]
Geerhardus Vos on membership in the covenant of grace
Scholastic theology is often derided for the subtle distinctions it makes. Seemingly unable to provide a simple “yes” or “no” regarding disputed theological questions, the common scholastic reply, “we distinguish,” sounds more like the response of a slick politician than that of a dutiful shepherd. Distinctions, however, are essential to sound theology. Indeed, much in […]
Turretin’s Treasure
Book Review: Institutes of Elenctic Theology by Francis Turretin About fifteen years ago at one of the annual meetings of the Evangelical Theological Society, Allan Fisher gave me, a poor doctoral student at the time, one of the best gifts that an aspiring student of theology could ever receive: a copy of Francis Turretin’s three-volume […]
Some thoughts on the Mosaic Covenant
I have read with profit Mark Jones’s recent posts on the covenant of works (see here and here), having benefited from his other writings on this topic as well. Such theological clarity and historical awareness are much to be appreciated when it comes to the relationship between the covenant of works, made with Adam in the Garden, and the […]
Owenian musings on God’s eternal decree
I’ve been working of late on the doctrine of the pactum salutis, i.e., the eternal covenant between the Father and the Son concerning the redemption of elect sinners. Here, as in so many places, John Owen is instructive. Although it is not central to my own project, Owen’s discussion of the particular delight that God takes […]
