Fesko The Covenant of Redemption

Origins, Development, and Reception
1. Auflage 2015
ISBN: 978-3-647-55098-5
Verlag: Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht
Format: PDF
Kopierschutz: 0 - No protection

E-Book, Englisch, Band Band 035, 256 Seiten

Reihe: Reformed Historical Theology

The covenant of redemption (pactum salutis), the eternal intra-trinitarian covenant, was a common staple within Early Modern Reformed theology, yet there are very few historical works that examine this doctrine. J. V. Fesko's study, The Covenant of Redemption: Origins, Development, and Reception, seeks to address this lacuna.In the contemporary period the covenant of redemption has been derided as speculative, mythological, a declension from trinitarianism, or erroneously derived from one or two biblical proof-texts. Yet seldom have critics carefully engaged the primary sources to examine the different formulations, supporting exegesis, and ways in which the doctrine was employed.Far from speculation, sub-trinitarian, or a cold business transaction, proponents of the covenant of redemption constructed this doctrine based upon a web of interconnected biblical texts and were very sensitive to maintaining a robust doctrine of the trinity, as they employed this doctrine as a bulwark against the anti-trinitarian claims of Socinian theologians. Proponents of the doctrine also saw this pre-temporal covenant as the embodiment of intra-trinitarian love that overflows unto those chosen in Christ for their salvation and ultimate fellowship with the triune God.John V. Fesko explores the historical origins of the doctrine and then surveys its development in the seventeenth- through nineteenth-centuries, examining key advocates of the doctrine including, David Dickson, Herman Witsius, Johannes Cocceius, Francis Turretin, Patrick Gillespie, John Gill, Jonathan Edwards, Charles Hodge, and A. A. Hodge. He then examines the contemporary reception of the doctrine in the twentieth century with a survey of the doctrine's critics, including Karl Barth, Herman Hoeksema, Klaas Schilder, and John Murray. After exploring the claims of the critics, the study moves to examine the views of twentieth-century proponents, including Geerhardus Vos, Herman Bavinck, Abraham Kuyper, Louis Berkhof, and G. C. Berkouwer.

John V. Fesko ist Dekan und Associate Professor für Systematische und Historische Theologie am Westminster Seminary California in Escondido/Kalifornien.

Autoren/Hrsg.

Fesko, John V.

Fachgebiete

• Geisteswissenschaften Christentum, Christliche Theologie Systematische Theologie Geschichte der Theologie, Einzelne Theologen
• Geisteswissenschaften Christentum, Christliche Theologie Kirchengeschichte
• Geisteswissenschaften Christentum, Christliche Theologie Christliche Kirchen, Konfessionen, Denominationen Protestantismus, evangelische und protestantische Kirchen

Inhaltsverzeichnis

1;Cover;1
2;Title Page;4
3;Copyright;5
4;Table of Contents;6
5;Body;14
6;Abbreviations;10
7;Acknowledgements;12
8;Preface;14
9;Introduction;16
9.1;State of the Question;17
9.2;Argument for retrieval;23
9.3;Aim of the present study;25
9.4;Plan for the present study;26
9.5;Conclusion;29
10;1. Historical Origins;30
10.1;1.1 Introduction;30
10.2;1.2 David Dickson’s speech;31
10.3;1.3 Herman Witsius and the sources of the pactum salutis;33
10.4;1.4 Early references to an intra-trinitarian covenant;37
10.5;1.5 A key exegetical turning point;40
10.6;1.6 The doctrine’s birth and refinement;42
10.7;1.7 Conclusion;46
11;2. Seventeenth-Century England and Scotland;48
11.1;2.1 Introduction;48
11.2;2.2 Definition of a covenant;49
11.3;2.3 The pactum salutis and its scriptural support;51
11.4;2.4 The specific properties and elements of the pactum salutis;56
11.4.1;2.4.1 Elements;56
11.4.2;2.4.2 Properties;59
11.5;2.5 Critical issues ;62
11.5.1;2.5.1 The role of the Holy Spirit;62
11.5.2;2.5.2 Pactum salutis or covenant of grace?;69
11.5.3;2.5.3 Motivated by love;73
11.5.4;2.5.4 Pactum and revelation;74
11.5.5;2.5.5 Incarnation, union, and communion;75
11.5.6;2.5.6 Justification and imputation;76
11.6;2.6 Conclusion;82
12;3. Seventeenth-Century Continental Europe;84
12.1;3.1 Introduction;84
12.2;3.2 Exegesis;85
12.3;3.3 Pactum salutis defined and explained;90
12.4;3.4 Critical Issues;94
12.4.1;3.4.1 Christ’s merit and reward;94
12.4.2;3.4.2 Covenant terminology;98
12.4.3;3.4.3 Fideiussor or Expromisso?;100
12.4.4;3.4.4 Active and passive justification;105
12.5;3.5 Conclusion;108
13;4. The Eighteenth Century;110
13.1;4.1 Introduction;110
13.2;4.2 John Gill;111
13.2.1;4.2.1 Structure of the covenant;112
13.2.2;4.2.2 The role of the Holy Spirit;114
13.2.3;4.2.3 The doctrine of justification;118
13.3;4.3 Jonathan Edwards;123
13.3.1;4.3.1 Pactum salutis;123
13.3.2;4.3.2 Justification;128
13.4;4.4 Analysis;140
13.5;4.5 Conclusion;144
14;5. The Nineteenth Century;146
14.1;5.1 Introduction;146
14.2;5.2 The Intellectual Context;147
14.3;5.3 Hodge on the pactum salutis;150
14.4;5.4 Epistemology;155
14.5;5.5 Justification and Soteriology;160
14.5.1;5.5.1 Union with Christ;160
14.5.2;5.5.2 The timing of justification;162
14.5.3;5.5.3 Justification and the final judgment ;164
14.5.4;5.5.4 Faith as the instrument of justification;167
14.6;5.6 Conclusion;168
15;6. Twentieth-Century Critics;172
15.1;6.1 Introduction;172
15.2;6.2 Critics of the pactum salutis;173
15.2.1;6.2.1 John Murray;174
15.2.2;6.2.2 Herman Hoeksema;179
15.2.3;6.2.3 Klaas Schilder;183
15.2.4;6.2.4 Karl Barth;185
15.3;6.3 Analysis;188
15.3.1;6.3.1 Anti-Scholasticism;188
15.3.2;6.3.2 Solus Calvinus;199
15.4;6.4 Conclusion;204
16;7. Twentieth-Century Proponents;206
16.1;7.1 Introduction;206
16.2;7.2 Proponents of the pactum salutis;207
16.2.1;7.2.1 Vos, Kuyper, and Bavinck;207
16.2.2;7.2.2 Berkhof and Berkouwer;216
16.3;7.3 Critical Issues;220
16.3.1;7.3.1 The ordo salutis;220
16.3.2;7.3.2 Priority of the forensic in the ordo salutis;223
16.3.3;7.3.3 Justification from eternity;228
16.4;7.4 Conclusion;230
17;Conclusion;232
18;Bibliography;236
18.1;Primary Sources;236
18.2;Secondary Sources;245
19;Author Index ;254

Über Autor(innen)

Fesko, John V.
John V. Fesko ist Dekan und Associate Professor für Systematische und Historische Theologie am Westminster Seminary California in Escondido/Kalifornien.