Vicarious Atonement through Christ

by Louis Berkhof

Publisher:

Eerdmans

, 1936

Overview

The atonement is central to Christianity—orthodox theology rises and falls with the doctrine of the atonement. Yet throughout history, theologians have offered numerous theories of the atonement, some causing controversy, others gaining wide acceptance. In Vicarious Atonement through Christ, Berkhof interacts with thinkers from the church’s entire history, such as Anselm, Abelard, Aquinas, Duns Scotus, Grotius, and others to explain the development and current status of the atonement. He also writes at length on the status of the atonement in the context of the Reformation and the subsequent relationship between the atonement and notions of the covenant. Berkhof concludes with addresses to objections to the atonement, especially the Calvinist doctrine of limited atonement.

Product Details

• Title: Vicarious Atonement through Christ
• Author: Louis Berkhof
• Publisher: Eerdmans
• Publication Date: 1936
• Pages: 184

About Louis Berkhof

Louis Berkhof was born in 1873 in the Netherlands, and immigrated with his family to West Michigan in 1882. In 1893, he began attending the Theological School of the Christian Reformed Church (now Calvin Theological Seminary), where he studied under Hendericus Beuker and was influenced by the writings of Abraham Kuyper and Herman Bavinck. Berkhof graduated from Calvin Theological Seminary in 1900 and became the pastor of First Christian Reformed Church in Allendale, Michigan. He attended Princeton Theological Seminary from 1902 to 1904, where he studied under B.B. Warfield and Geerhardus Vos. H. Henry Meeter, a friend of Berkhof, remarked that “Berkhof frequently said that he owed more to Vos than anyone else for his insights into Reformed theology” (Reformed Theology in America, 156).

Berkfhof returned to Michigan in 1904 and became pastor of Oakdale Park Christian Reformed Church in Grand Rapids. In 1906, he was appointed professor of exegetical theology at Calvin Theological Seminary, and in 1926, became professor of dogmatic theology. He also delivered the Stone Lectures at Princeton in 1921. On September 9, 1931, Berkhof became president of Calvin Theological Seminary, where he served until his retirement in 1944. During his lifetime, he wrote prolifically, including numerous volumes on theology, social issues, politics, education, and missions. In addition to his books, he also published countless articles in Reformed periodicals, such as The Banner, De Wachter, and the Calvin Forum. He also served as the first president of the Reformed Ecumenical Synod in 1946.

Louis Berkhof died in 1957.

Sample Pages from the Print Edition

Contents

Top Highlights

“They regard the atonement as a satisfaction to the justice rather than to the honor of God, stress the penal nature of the sufferings and death of Christ, ascribe atoning significance also to the life of the Redeemer, and clearly point out that the fruits of His work are mediated to sinners through the mystical union and appropriated by faith. The penal substitutionary view of the atonement became the official doctrine of the Church and is found in all the great historic Confessions of Christendom. It is and remains to this day the heart of the gospel of Jesus Christ. One cannot exchange it for another view without introducing a gospel which is not a gospel.” (Page 15)

“He grounded the necessity of the atonement in the honor rather than in the justice of God, placed the whole burden of the atonement on the death of Christ, as if his life did not count, failed to do justice to the penal character of the supreme sacrifice, and represented the transfer of the merits of the Redeemer to the sinner in a rather external way, thus exposing his theory to the stricture embodied in the name ‘Commercial Theory.’” (Page 14)

“The advocates of the ethical view regard sin primarily as ignorance, as ethical corruption, and as an evil power, while the champions of the judicial theory consider it above all as guilt in the sight of God.” (Page 22)

“Anselm emphasized the seriousness of sin as an infringement of the honor of God, grounded the necessity of the atonement in the very nature of the divine Being, regarded the death of Christ as the only possible adequate satisfaction to the divine honor, and clearly taught that the merits of Christ were accredited to man.” (Page 14)

Product Details

• Title: Vicarious Atonement through Christ
• Author: Louis Berkhof
• Publisher: Eerdmans
• Print Publication Date: 1936
• Logos Release Date: 2009
• Era: era:modern
• Language: English
• Resources: 1
• Format: Digital › Logos Research Edition
• Subject: Atonement
• Resource ID: LLS:VICATONCHRIST
• Resource Type: Monograph
• Metadata Last Updated: 2020-03-24T22:42:06Z

About Louis Berkhof

Louis Berkhof (1873–1957) was a Reformed theologian whose works remain highly influential. He taught at at Calvin Theological Seminary from 1906 and served as its president from 1931–1944.

Berkhof’s writings, including his Systematic Theology, presented Reformed thought in the tradition of John Calvin, Abraham Kuyper, and Herman Bavinck. Throughout his tenure at Calvin, he stressed the importance of orthodoxy, a focus shown in his works.