Encyclopedia of the Reformed Faith
Overview
More than two hundred international scholars from a variety of denominations contribute to this outstanding, one-volume reference book. Comprehensive in scope, it stresses the importance of events, persons, and theological concepts that have been significant to the Reformed tradition.
Key Features
- Provides a comprehensive resource for the study of Reformed theology and history
- Features contributions from over 200 scholars
- Includes bibliography for further study
Top Highlights
“Given the great gulf between God and humankind, by virtue of God’s transcendence and human finiteness, God’s holiness and human sinfulness, for God to communicate with humanity and God’s revelation to occur God must condescend to communicate in ways humans can understand, according to the limits of human capacities. This method of revelation of God’s speaking and acting in human forms is God’s accommodation.” (Page 1)
“In Reformed churches, worship is the service of God’s glory. This service is in Jesus Christ, continuing his preaching of the gospel, his acts of mercy, his ministry of prayer, and celebration of the sacraments he instituted. It is both in Christ’s name and in the fellowship of his body. Finally, worship is a divine work initiated, inspired, and constantly supported by the Holy Spirit at work in the individual human heart and the assembled congregation.” (Page 410)
“Worship has an epicletic dimension; it calls on God’s name for our help and salvation.” (Page 411)
“The confession’s authors were sure God was revealed through ‘the light of nature,’ an revelation of God implanted in the human heart as well as in the created order. The confession did not denigrate this revelation, but insisted it was not sufficient for human salvation. The Scriptures are indispensable, and they are the norm of all theological work. The chapter predates historical criticism but is so carefully done that it does not require revision in the light of what is known as the critical study of the Scriptures today.” (Page 393)
“They argued that Schleiermacher’s understanding of doctrine as the expression of Christian experience substitutes subjective anthropology for the objective Word of God and that his concern for making faith intelligible in the modern world led him to abandon the central themes of Reformed theology. This discussion is by no means closed.” (Page 341)
Product Details
- Title: Encyclopedia of the Reformed Faith
- Editor: Donald K. McKim
- Publisher: Westminster John Knox
- Publication Date: 1992
- Pages: 440
- Christian Group: Reformed
- Resource Type: Encyclopedia
- Topic: Reformed Theology