Our Reasonable Faith
Overview
Herman Bavinck authored this popular work as a compendium or synopsis of his classic four-volume Reformed Dogmatics. In the preface, Henry Zylstra noted, Our Reasonable Faith is less technical, less exclusively professional, more popularly intended than the Dogmatics, and is more fully supported by Scriptural reference and annotation, but it is, like the larger work, a book of basic Christian dogma." Bavinck clearly presents the fundamental doctrines of theology, providing a practical handbook of theology and serves as an outstanding comprehensive statement of Christian faith and doctrine. Many who utilize Bavinck's more extensive Reformed Dogmatics will profit from having this additional resource as it enables quick reference to the doctrine or passage under consideration and then move to the more extensive treatment in the larger work.
- Presents key theological topics from Bavinck’s Reformed Dogmatics
- Provides a popular reading of basic Christian dogma
- Contains a brief biographical sketch of Herman Bavinck
- Man’s Highest Good
- The Knowledge of God
- General Revelation
- The Value of General Revelation
- The Manner of Special Revelation
- The Content of Special Revelation
- The Holy Scriptures
- Scripture and Confession
- The Being of God
- The Divine Trinity
- Creation and Providence
- The Origin, Essence, and Purpose of Man
- Sin and Death
- The Covenant of Grace
- The Mediator of the Covenant
- The Divine and Human Nature of Christ
- The Work of Christ in His Humiliation
- The Work of Christ in His Exaltation
- The Gift of the Holy Spirit
- The Christian Calling
- Justification
- Sanctification
- The Church of Christ
- Eternal Life
Top Highlights
“But what the Scriptures require is a knowledge which has the fear of God as its beginning (Prov. 1:7). When it severs its connection with that principle it may still, under false pretenses, bear the name of knowledge, but it will gradually degenerate into a worldly wisdom which is foolishness with God. Any science, philosophy, or knowledge which supposes that it can stand on its own pretensions, and can leave God out of its assumptions, becomes its own opposite, and disillusions everyone who builds his expectations on it.” (Page 4)
“God gives Himself to His people in order that His people should give themselves to Him.” (Page 9)
“In the first place the Catholic Church raised tradition more and more to the plane of an independent rule of faith, standing next to and sometimes even over against, the Holy Scriptures.” (Page 105)
“The special revelation of God, consequently, is necessary also for a right understanding of His general revelation in nature and history, and in heart and conscience.” (Page 46)
“And if you, O man, want to know who God is, do not ask the wise, the Scribes, the disputers of this age, but look upon Christ and hear His word!” (Page 12)
- Title: Our Reasonable Faith
- Author: Herman Bavinck
- Publisher: Eerdmans
- Print Publication Date: 2016
- Logos Release Date: 2019
- Pages: 572
- Language: English
- Resources: 1
- Format: Digital › Logos Research Edition
- Subjects: Reformed church › Doctrines; Theology, doctrinal
- ISBNs: 9780802874894, 0802874894
- Resource ID: LLS:RRSNBLFTH
- Resource Type: Systematic Theology
- Metadata Last Updated: 2023-09-28T18:26:02Z
Herman Bavinck (1854–1921), was a Dutch Reformed theologian who contributed to the resurgence of Reformed theology. Bavinck studied at Kampen Theological Seminary and the University of Leiden and graduated in 1880. He taught at both Kampen Theological Seminary and Free University and was a contemporary of Abraham Kuyper and B. B. Warfield, both of whom he knew well.
His most well-known publications include his four-volume Reformed Dogmatics and The Philosophy of Revelation.
