Some Recommended Books on Covenant Theology

I am not a covenant theologian. However, I am very familiar with it in both its pedo- and credo-baptist forms. While my ongoing series critiquing CT shows that I am in disagreement with many of its major hermeneutical tenets, I want my readers to know that I have a long-standing admiration for CT for its comprehensiveness and its ability to address many areas of Theology and Apologetics. Later in the series I am writing (of which this is an interlude), I will express my appreciation of CT along those lines. But I had the thought today that I should perhaps write something about books about Covenant Theology for those not acquainted with it who may wish to dive in.

This list is not meant to be comprehensive.

Cornelius Van Til – An Introduction to Systematic Theology

An outstanding work which features Van Til’s robust approach to the doctrine of God and trinitarian perspectives. Not for the faint of heart but a book that relates Van Til’s apologetic understanding to his Reformed theology more directly than most of his other books, showing how one relates to the other. While I do not believe presuppositionalism requires CT (contra Scott Oliphint) I do agree that it requires something like CT’s teleology.

Cornelius Van Til – A Christian Theory of Knowledge

Ought to be reprinted. A wonderful exploration of the sufficiency of Scripture among other things. This is what opened my eyes to the relative barrenness of Dispensational theology (DT) and made me ask the question “Why?” Short answer: because DT is not teleological.

John Frame – Cornelius Van Til’: An Analysis of His Thought

My first encounter (other than a dip here and there) with Van Til’s thought. I include it here because it gives an idea of the range of his revelational epistemology, which he roots in CT. N.B. Not all CT’s agree with Van Til (e.g., John Gerstner, R. C. Sproul). Recently John V. Fesko has written a critique of Van Til which repeats the old misrepresentations of his work.

Peter Golding – Covenant Theology

A Congregational minister who wrote a fine historical overview of CT. This book doesn’t get the appreciation it deserves. Traces the development of CT as well as providing a decent introduction.

Pascal Denault – The Distinctiveness of Baptist Covenant Theology

To my mind if you want to know the difference between Baptist and Presbyterian approaches to CT this is the book to study. Denault both lets the authorities from both sides speak and provides helpful and readable commentary. Indispensable.

Greg Nichols – Covenant Theology : A Reformed and Baptistic Perspective on God’s Covenants

A very full Baptist approach which goes its own way on occasion. The benefit of this work is its interaction with major North American pedo-baptist systematicians and Nichols’ attempts to find scriptural supports for his doctrines.

Herman Bavinck – Reformed Dogmatics, Vol. 3: Sin and Salvation in Christ

For a long time writers such as Vos and Van Til were our only access into the Dogmatics of Bavinck. The translation of his four volumes was long overdue. This volume includes the most detailed chapter on the Covenant of Grace I have read.

Richard Gamble – The Whole Counsel of God

The first two volumes deal with the OT and NT. There is a lot to admire in this work. As far as CT goes it is important because it shows how CT mixes with Systematics.

Richard Belcher – The Fulfillment of the Promises of God

This is the best articulation of CT in print as far as I am concerned. A must-have.

Michael Brown & Zach Keele – Sacred Bond: Covenant Theology Explained

Now in a second edition, this book is worth reading because it successfully sets out CT while also (to my eyes) showing how the theological covenants force interpretations.

Guy Prentiss Waters, et al., Editors – Covenant Theology: Biblical, Theological, and Historical Perspectives

A recent very large book with some excellent discussions. Again, I am far from persuaded by the arguments in the first and third sections, but this is the book to have if one needs an up-to-date resource.

Herman Witsius – The Economy of the Covenants Between God and Man

A seminal work in two volumes. Witsius is pious and irenic and his concern is pastoral (although not the namby-pamby nonsense that passes for pastoralia today). I don’t think he is at his best when setting out the existence of the theological covenants, but he excels in explaining how they “work” with the Bible.

Robert Reymond – A New Systematic Theology of the Christian Faith

Reymond’s prolegomena is terrific. It’s Van Tillian without the author wanting to be Van Tillian! I include this work because I love its seriousness (he reminds me of John Murray), and because he argues in-depth for the scriptural (and even exegetical!) support for the theological covenants.

O. Palmer Robertson – The Christ of the Covenants

There would be howls of protest if I didn’t include this one. Personally I can’t really get on with it. I’m not sure why. Maybe it is because it so self-consciously works through the biblical covenants while warping them in service of the theological covenants? Maybe it’s his style? Maybe it’s his too easy dismissal of the land-promise to Israel? Whatever, this is an important book. There is a valuable excursus chapter which contrasts CT with DT as structural systems.

John Brown of Haddington – Systematic Theology

Brown is a legendary figure. Very pious, humble, but powerful in his writing. He reminds me of Thomas Boston, but is more concise. This book demonstrates how the theological covenants are joined to Scripture once the assumptions of the Westminster Confession are held.

Edward Fisher with notes by Thomas Boston – The Marrow of Modern Divinity

I have not read this famous book, but it is recommended frequently and Boston’s Memoirs and his Human Nature in Its Fourfold State both had an influence upon me so I include it here. In dialogical format (which I do not enjoy), its main purpose was to offset legalism. A recent “simplified” version by Andy Wilson is available.