Reformed writers

[Brooksntea]

Hey again everyone!

Quite awhile ago I was curious about Herman Bavinck. I was wondering about if he was a good read or not. I felt inside this feeling “not to read him”. So I searched online “is Bavinck scriptural?”. One page came up and I’ll show you the link:

What Was Bavinck's Core Theology?

There is also Part 1 to that article.

This page has reference to Geerhardus Vos:

5 - What Is Perspectivalism, and Why Is It Dangerous?

Now this site seems to advocate Dispensationalism so is that why they are at odds with reformed theology? Or are the lines of Bavinck, Vos or Murray not that great to read and would hinder a person? Or are they good to read? Machen is one of my favourites and I don’t see much in him that’s contrary to scripture.

I would like help in this area connecting the dots. Is it one camp against another or does this person have a case that they are indeed bad theology?

Thanks!

 

[David Kent]

I didn't understand much of their writing, but dispensationalism will always be against reformed theology as that, orininally, taught that the papacy is antichrist, wheras they have been brainwashed into believing a future antichrist.

 

[Martin Marprelate]

To my shame I have read hardly anything by either Vos or Bavink. I found the latter's Reformed Dogmatics selling cheap somewhere, bought it, then never read it. I looked for it just now and I can't find it. I must have got rid of it at some stage.

In reading these guys, you have to understand two things: firstly, they are paedobaptists and Presbyterians, so you're not going to agree with everything they write. Secondly, they are writing for a learned audience so they're going to be pretty tough reading. If you are a newcomer to Reformed theology, I would recommend the 1689 Federalism website and/or the writings of A.W. Pink, both of which are baptistic.

I think I would trust this link rather more than yours: Why You Should Read Bavinck

 

[Martin Marprelate]

Another word to those interested in Reformed theology.
There is a clear difference between the Reformed Baptist and Paedobaptist understandings of the covenants, Reading Vos and Bavinck would lead one only to the Paedo view.
The differences are made clear in an excellent book, The Distinctiveness of Baptist Covenant Theology by Pascal Denault (Solid Ground Christian Books, 2013. I think there may now be a second edition with more information added).
Well worth a read if your interest runs in a Reformed direction.

 

[Yeshua1]

Hey again everyone!

Quite awhile ago I was curious about Herman Bavinck. I was wondering about if he was a good read or not. I felt inside this feeling “not to read him”. So I searched online “is Bavinck scriptural?”. One page came up and I’ll show you the link:

What Was Bavinck's Core Theology?

There is also Part 1 to that article.

This page has reference to Geerhardus Vos:

5 - What Is Perspectivalism, and Why Is It Dangerous?

Now this site seems to advocate Dispensationalism so is that why they are at odds with reformed theology? Or are the lines of Bavinck, Vos or Murray not that great to read and would hinder a person? Or are they good to read? Machen is one of my favourites and I don’t see much in him that’s contrary to scripture.

I would like help in this area connecting the dots. Is it one camp against another or does this person have a case that they are indeed bad theology?

Thanks!

Both Vos and Bavinck were excellent authors!

 

[Yeshua1]

To my shame I have read hardly anything by either Vos or Bavink. I found the latter's Reformed Dogmatics selling cheap somewhere, bought it, then never read it. I looked for it just now and I can't find it. I must have got rid of it at some stage.

In reading these guys, you have to understand two things: firstly, they are paedobaptists and Presbyterians, so you're not going to agree with everything they write. Secondly, they are writing for a learned audience so they're going to be pretty tough reading. If you are a newcomer to Reformed theology, I would recommend the 1689 Federalism website and/or the writings of A.W. Pink, both of which are baptistic.

I think I would trust this link rather more than yours: Why You Should Read Bavinck

Both of them were really good, and would also add in Berkhof would be a good intro read on theology...
Those who wish to get more of a Baptist flavor can go for Pink, or try to wade thru John Gill!

 

[Yeshua1]

Another word to those interested in Reformed theology.
There is a clear difference between the Reformed Baptist and Paedobaptist understandings of the covenants, Reading Vos and Bavinck would lead one only to the Paedo view.
The differences are made clear in an excellent book, The Distinctiveness of Baptist Covenant Theology by Pascal Denault (Solid Ground Christian Books, 2013. I think there may now be a second edition with more information added).
Well worth a read if your interest runs in a Reformed direction.

I would read someone like Berkhof for summary reformed, and maybe some like Strong/Gill for a Baptist flavoring?