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SYSTEMATIC THEOLOGY: EXPANDED EDITION: INCLUDING INTRODUCTORY VOLUME TO SYSTEMATIC THEOLOGY
LOUIS BERKHOF
BOOK DESCRIPTION
Louis Berkhof’s loyalty to the well-defined lines of the Reformed faith, his concise and compact style and his up-to date treatment have made this work the most important twentieth century compendium of Reformed theology. ‘The work seemed particularly important to me’, writes the author, ‘in view of the widespread doctrinal indifference of the present day, of the resulting superficiality and confusion in the minds of many professing Christians, of the insidious errors that are zealously propagated even from the pulpits, and of the alarming increase of all kinds of sects. If there ever was a time when the church ought to guard her precious heritage, the deposit of the truth that was entrusted to her care, that time is now’.
This expanded edition contains Berkhof’s Introductory Volume, which was designed to be read together with the Systematic Theology itself.
‘Objections have frequently been raised against a systematic presentation of the doctrinal truths of Scripture; and also in the present day some are decidedly averse to it. There seems to be a lurking fear that the more we systematize the truth, the farther we wander from the presentation of it that is found in the Word of God. But there is no danger of this, if the system is not based on the fundamental principles of some erring philosophy, but on the abiding principles of Scripture itself. God certainly sees the truth as a whole, and it is the duty of the theologian to think the truths of God after Him.’
— LOUIS BERKHOF in the Introductory Volume included with this edition.
Professor Berkhof died in 1957, at the age of 83. He was an outstanding American teacher and the author of some 22 books. After two pastorates, he began his long career as professor at Calvin Seminary, Grand Rapids, in 1906. Here he remained for 38 years, devoting his talents and immense stores of knowledge to the training of men for the ministry. His Systematic Theology was his magnum opus, being revised and enlarged during his lifetime until it reached its present final form.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
INTRODUCTORY VOLUME
The Idea and History of Dogmatic Theology
I. Names Applied to the Systematic Presentation of Theology 3
II. The Nature of Dogmas 6
III. The Idea of Dogmatic Theology 25
IV. The Task, Method, and Distribution of Dogmatics 44
V. History of Dogmatics 69
The Principia of Dogmatics
I. Principia in General 87
II. Religion 93
III. The Principium Cognoscendi Externum (Revelation) 112
IV. The Inspiration of Scripture 142
V. The Principium Cognoscendi Internum 170
Select Literature 189
Index of Authors 193
Index of Subjects 197
SYSTEMATIC THEOLOGY
Part One – THE DOCTRINE OF GOD
The Being of God
I. The Existence of God: 19
II. The Knowability of God: 29
III. Relation of the Being and Attributes of God: 41
IV. The Names of God: 47
V. The Attributes of God in General: 52
VI. The Incommunicable Attributes: 57
VII. The Communicable Attributes: 64
VIII. The Holy Trinity: 82
The Works of God
I. The Divine Decrees in General: 100
II. Predestination: 109
III. Creation in General: 126
IV. Creation of the Spiritual World: 141
V. Creation of the Material World: 150
VI. Providence: 165
Part Two – THE DOCTRINE OF MAN IN RELATION TO GOD
Man in His Original State
I. The Origin of Man: 181
II. The Constitutional Nature of Man: 191
III. Man as the Image of God: 202
IV. Man in the Covenant of Works: 211
Man in the State of Sin
I. The Origin of Sin: 219
II. The Essential Character of Sin: 227
III. The Transmission of Sin: 237
IV. Sin in the Life of the Human Race: 244
V. The Punishment of Sin: 255
Man in the Covenant of Grace
I. Name and Concept of the Covenant: 262
II. The Covenant of Redemption: 265
III. Nature of the Covenant of Grace: 272
IV. The Dual Aspect of the Covenant: 284
V. The Different Dispensations of the Covenant: 290
Part Three – THE DOCTRINE OF THE PERSON AND WORK OF CHRIST
The Person of Christ
I. The Doctrine of Christ in History: 305
II. The Names and Natures of Christ: 312
III. The Unipersonality of Christ: 321
The States of Christ
I. The State of Humiliation: 331
II. The State of Exaltation: 344
The Offices of Christ
I. Introduction: The Prophetic Office:
II. The Idea of the Offices in History 356
III. The Prophetic Office 357
IV. The Priestly Office:
V. The Scriptural Idea of a Priest 361
VI. The Sacrificial Work of Christ 362
VII. The Cause and Necessity of the Atonement:
VIII. The Moving Cause of the Atonement 367
IX. Historical Views Respecting the Necessity of the Atonement 368
X. Proofs for the Necessity of the Atonement 370
XI. Objections to the Doctrine of the Absolute Necessity of the Atonement 371
The Nature of the Atonement:
I. A. Statement of the Penal Substitutionary Doctrine of the Atonement: 373
II. Divergent Theories of the Atonement: 384
The Purpose and Extent of the Atonement: 392
III. A. The Purpose of the Atonement 392
B. The Extent of the Atonement 393
IV. The Intercessory Work of Christ: 400
V. The Kingly Office: 406
Part Four – THE DOCTRINE OF THE APPLICATION OF THE WORK OF REDEMPTION
I. Soteriology in General: 415
II. The Operation of the Holy Spirit in General: 423
III. Common Grace: 432
III. The Mystical Union: 447
IV. Calling in General and External Calling: 454
V. Regeneration and Effectual Calling: 465
VI. Conversion: 480
VII. Faith: 493
VIII. Justification: 510
IX. Sanctification: 527
X. Perseverance of the Saints: 545
Part Five – THE DOCTRINE OF THE CHURCH AND OF THE MEANS OF GRACE
The Church
I. Scriptural Names of the Church and the Doctrine of the Church in History: 555
II. Nature of the Church: 562
III. The Government of the Church: 579
IV. The Power of the Church: 593
The Means of Grace
I. The Means of Grace in General: 604
II. The Word as a Means of Grace: 610
III. The Sacraments in General: 616
IV. Christian Baptism: 622
V. The Lord’s Supper: 644
Part Six – THE DOCTRINE OF THE LAST THINGS
Individual Eschatology
I. Introductory Chapter: 661
II. Physical Death: 668
III. The Immortality of the Soul: 672
IV. The Intermediate State: 679
General Eschatology
I. The Second Coming of Christ: 695
II. Millennial Views: 708
III. The Resurrection of the Dead: 720
IV. The Final Judgment: 728
V. The Final State: 735
Bibliography 739
Index of Authors 747
Index of Subjects 751
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