For those just getting started in covenant theology I recommend:
- R. Scott Clark, “A Brief History of Covenant Theology.”
- Audio: What Is Covenant Theology And What Are The Implications For The Church And Family?
- Mike Brown and Zach Keele, Sacred Bond: Covenant Theology Explored. This is the best basic introduction to covenant theology that I have read. Highly recommended. It has study questions at the end of each chapter so it’s perfect for small groups and adult classes. Here’s an interview with the authors.
- Mike Horton, Introducing Covenant Theology. This volume is a little more advanced and assumes some knowledge of the issues. It is quite helpful.
- Harrison Perkins, Reformed Covenant Theology: A Systematic Introduction (Lexham Academic, 2024). Here’s a bit about this volume from Dr Clark.
- Herman Witsius, Economy of the Covenants. This is more advanced reading. It is a 2-volume, 17th-century work by one of our best theologians. It is a classic text. After the first two volumes you should be well prepared tackle this work.
- R. Scott Clark, Caspar Olevian and the Substance of the Covenant: The Double Benefit of Christ. This work will help you see how covenant theology developed in the late 16th century.
- ——, “Christ and Covenant: Federal Theology in Orthodoxy,” in Herman Selderhuis, ed., Companion to Reformed Orthodoxy (Leiden: Brill, 2013).
- ——, ed. Covenant, Justification and Pastoral Ministry: Essays by the Faculty of Westminster Seminary California (Phillipsburg: P&R Publishing, 2006).
- ——, Baptism, Election, and the Covenant of Grace (Grand Rapids: Reformed Fellowship, 2007).
- Resources On The Unity Of The Covenant Of Grace
- Resources On The Internal/External Distinction In The Covenant Of Grace
- Resources On The Covenant Of Works
- Resources On The Republication Of The Covenant Of Works
- Resources On A Covenantal Approach To The Christian Life
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Dr. Clark, I saw the link you recently posted on the Puritanboard to your series on Baptists and the New Covenant, but it appears it was an older blog series and thus comments are closed – are you willing to entertain questions about it anywhere?
FYI – Michael Horton’s _God of Promise_ has been republished by Zondervan as _Introducing Covenant Theology_.
Another excellent resource for beginners is former Pastor Gene Cook going through Bahnsen’s “Always Ready” for n00bs: http://confessingbaptist.com/gene-cook-jrs-presuppositional-apolgetic-series-based-on-bahnsens-always-ready-audio/
Jason,
It’s good you posted as it illustrates something I try to explain to students. There are lots of “covenant theologies.” That’s why we should be specific about what kind of covenant theology we’re discussing. I should probably put the word “Reformed” in the title to distinguish it from medieval or Franciscan or Federal Vision or even Baptist. The latter do have a covenant theology but it’s not ours. It similar but it’s distinct in important ways. We don’t see Abraham the same way. I doubt that we define the substance of the covenant the same way and we don’t understand the nature of the new covenant (and its relations to Moses and Abraham) in the same way.
Indeed there are differences. These charts are helpful in showing differences between some of the school verses what the 1689 Baptist confession teaches: http://confessingbaptist.com/1689-federalism-charts-charts-charts/
Jason,
Will you be directing your readers to investigate historic Reformed covenant theology at your site?
There are already many resources on our site dealing with the various streams of Covenant Theology and more to come (including some upcoming podcast)
Sites advocating historic Reformed (as distinct from Baptist) theology?
Not sure what are you getting at? Even withing Baptist Covenant Theology there is a spectrum. Site just point to various resources, not trying to prove one way or the other.
Dr. Clark, I doubt the primary objective of the Confessing Baptist is “directing readers to investigate historic Reformed [paedobaptist] covenant theology”. Will the Heidelblog be directing readers to investigate historic particular baptist covenant theology? (Have you had opportunity to do so?)
Brandon,
I only asked because he was posting links here directing readers to investigate Baptist views. I was asking if he was being as liberal as I am in allowing such links.
Gotcha, thanks for clarifying
ah apologies i thought this was collection of post on Presupposition/Reformed/Covenantal Apologetics… I simply misread.
Are you familiar with”Encountering Christ in the Covenants: An Introduction to Covenant Theology” By Daniel W. McManigal? (WSCal alumnus, with endorsements by two of your colleagues) Any idea how it compares to Sacred Bond?
Hi David,
Thanks for this. I haven’t seen it yet but I look forward to reading it.
Driscoll recommends Scott Hahn’s book on BT. Hmmmm; me thinks there are many better choices done by folks who believe in sola fide. Driscoll makes me scratch my head, which still has hair on it, BTW. 🙂
I would also recommend Lorraine Boettner’s The Reformed Doctrine of Predestination
Thank you for this list.
As one who started in dispensationalism, moved to progressive dispensationalism, then spent a few years in no man’s land more based on ignorance of the exegetical arguments for Covenant Theology, Witsius was a godsend. I had always heard the attacks on CT especially the CoW and let them stand, because when I would talk to people about it who held to CT they would not (or could not) give an exegetical argument. It was Witsius’ exegetical arguments for the CoW that broke my last resistance.
I look forward to reading your book on Caspar Olevian.