The Theology of the Westminster Standards: Historical Context and Theological Insights
Overview
For centuries, countless Christians have turned to the Westminster Standards for insights into the Christian faith. These renowned documents—first published in the middle of the 17th century—are widely regarded as some of the most beautifully written summaries of the Bible’s teaching ever produced. Church historian John Fesko walks readers through the background and theology of the Westminster Confession, the Larger Catechism, and the Shorter Catechism, helpfully situating them within their original context. Organized according to the major categories of systematic theology, this book utilizes quotations from other key works from the same time period to shed light on the history and significance of these influential documents.
Top Highlights
“The doctrine of the covenant finds its origins not in the minds of theologians but in the biblical text” (Page 127)
“How can someone decide to choose to believe in the gospel if he does not yet exist? How can God watch the actions of people who do not yet exist except in his mind unless he decrees their existence and the choices they make? The only way a person can exist and consequently make choices is if God first decrees his existence and decisions.” (Page 115)
“The covenant of redemption is another example of a doctrinal teaching that was not addressed directly by the Standards but left as an orthodox extra-confessional matter, like the differing views on the relationship between the covenant of works and the Mosaic covenant.” (Page 166)
“, including a pre-temporal covenant between the Father and the Son to save fallen man” (Page 133)
“The sacraments—note the plural (e.g., both baptism and the Lord’s Supper, not just baptism)—and the preaching of the Word and prayer are effectual means of salvation (LC q. 154). Salvation is a broad encompassing term that has in view the entire process of redemption but more specifically the believer’s sanctification, as the sacraments are for the ‘perfecting of the Saints’ (25.3).” (Pages 317–318)
One of the ways of demonstrating the abiding relevance of our confessions is to understand the conversations and debates from which they emerged. John Fesko has done precisely this. Digging around each plant in the Westminster garden, Fesko exposes the rich soil that still nourishes our faith and practice. I picked up this book expecting to find a resource to be consulted, but found myself reading the whole work through with rapt attention. There is gold in these hills!
-Michael Horton, J. Gresham Machen Professor of Systematic Theology and Apologetics, Westminster Seminary California
Finally we have a solid analysis and an expert portrayal of the theology of the Westminster Standards in which the time of its writing and its direct influence are also described. John Fesko has gathered an enormous amount of information that makes this book a sourcebook par excellence. He does the church and its theology a great favor with this overview, helping us to understand the Westminster Confession and catechisms not only in their theological context, but also in their relevance for today.
-Herman Selderhuis, President, Theological University Apeldoorn, the Netherlands; Director, Refo500; President, Reformation Research Consortium
Drawing upon a significant body of recent research, John Fesko has written an admirably clear and accessible study of the teaching of the Westminster Confession. By situating the successive chapters in their original seventeenth-century setting, he provides an informed exposition of their content and significance. This study will be immensely useful not only for theological students, but for all who require a better understanding of the most important Reformed confession in the English-speaking world.
-David Fergusson, Professor of Divinity and Principal, New College University of Edinburgh
Seldom has an exposition of the Westminster Standards been as useful as John Fesko’s Theology of the Westminster Standards. Dr. Fesko understands the necessity of placing these monumental documents into their proper contexts. He has uncovered a massive amount of contemporary literature and expertly explains the theological statements of the Standards in the light of these works. For everyone interested in confessionalism, this is an essential volume. It will be a standard work for decades to come.
-James M. Renihan, Dean and Professor of Historical Theology, Institute of Reformed Baptist Studies
J.V. Fesko (PhD, University of Aberdeen) is academic dean and professor of systematic and historical theology at Westminster Seminary California, as well as an ordained minister in the Orthodox Presbyterian Church.