Theological Studies

Interpreting the Covenant of Works (6 pages)

A short essay pointing out that Reformed theologians do not agree on the interpretation of the Covenant of Works. Four diverse approaches are introduced, all held by men who are orthodox Reformed theologians.

The Covenant of Works: A Litmus Test for Reformed Theology? (1 page)

Should the doctrine of the Covenant of Works be a litmus test for Reformed orthodoxy? This essay argues that it should not.

Paradox and Truth: Rethinking Van Til on the Trinity by Comparing Van Til, Plantinga, and Kuyper

Abraham Kuyper offered insight into the doctrine of the Trinity that has been largely neglected. Cornelius Plantinga and Cornelius Van Til, too, presented the doctrine of the Trinity in modern form, attempting to provide a more truly reformed perspective. Their contribution to the ongoing discussion of the doctrine deserve our attention.

Trinity and Covenant: The Christian Worldview  (6 pages)

The doctrine of the Trinity is the heart of the Christian confession. Evangelical and Reformed theologians have an obligation not only to show that the doctrine is true, but also to show how it relates to the rest of theology, Biblical and Systematic. More than that even, the Trinity must be expounded as the center of the entire Christian worldview.

Worldviews and Culture: Interacting with Charles Kraft, N. T. Wright, & Scripture  (7 pages)

Charles Kraft's views on culture and the Gospel have been influential in Christian missions for years, but a careful consideration of his views suggests that they are relativistic, in part because they are built upon fundamental misconceptions of the relationship between culture and worldview. N. T. Wright offers a more Biblical perspective on the meaning of worldview and the importance of narrative for Christian theology. This essay suggests the addition of a covenantal perspective on the subject.

The Trinity and Contextualization  (4 pages)

It has been often asserted that the doctrine of the Trinity is an example of "contextualization." This essay tries to show that this is an overly simplistic and basically inaccurate representation.

Calvin's Covenantal Pronomianism  (7 pages)

John's Calvin's view of the law of God was complex and scholars still debate it today. This essay takes into account Calvin's sermons on Deuteronomy and attempts to relate these to his well-known statements in the Institutes. Whatever else may be said, it is clear that Calvin considered the law of God in the Old Testament important enough for Christians to devote years to learning what it has to say.

Studies on Baptism  (4 pages)

This series (not yet complete) attempts to state a covenantal view of baptism. One of the reasons that modern Christianity has largely moved in the direction of Baptist theology is that the Biblical notion of a covenantal ceremony has been largely forgotten. This series attempts to point the way back to a more Biblical understanding of the covenant and the ceremonies it enjoins.

Nozomu Miyahira's Towards a Theology of the Concord of God: A Review by Rev. Ralph Allan Smith (6 pages)

A young Japanese theologian, Nozomu Miyahira, has offered what he considers a distinctly Japanese approach to the doctrine of the Trinity. In this review, his perspective is briefly introduced and criticized.