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Reformed Systematic Theology, Volume 4: Church and Last Things
Accessible Study of Ecclesiology and Eschatology from a Reformed Perspective
Reformed Systematic Theology explores key Scripture topics from biblical, doctrinal, experiential, and practical perspectives, helping readers grow in their understanding and application of the truth presented in God’s Word. Written by Joel R. Beeke and Paul M. Smalley, each volume presents a comprehensive yet accessible study of the Reformed Christian faith that ministers to the whole person―head, heart, and hands. The final volume, Church and Last Things , unpacks important topics around ecclesiology (the doctrine of the church) and eschatology (the doctrine of last things), including the biblical significance of church membership, Jesus’s model for the church, and 7 practical lessons from Revelation. A set of all 4 Reformed Systematic Theology volumes is also available.
Reformed Systematic Theology explores key Scripture topics from biblical, doctrinal, experiential, and practical perspectives, helping readers grow in their understanding and application of the truth presented in God’s Word. Written by Joel R. Beeke and Paul M. Smalley, each volume presents a comprehensive yet accessible study of the Reformed Christian faith that ministers to the whole person―head, heart, and hands. The final volume, Church and Last Things , unpacks important topics around ecclesiology (the doctrine of the church) and eschatology (the doctrine of last things), including the biblical significance of church membership, Jesus’s model for the church, and 7 practical lessons from Revelation. A set of all 4 Reformed Systematic Theology volumes is also available.
1360 pages, Hardcover
Published May 28, 2024
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113 people want to read
About the author
Joel R. Beeke
445 books345 followersDr. Joel R. Beeke serves as President and Professor of Systematic Theology, Church History, and Homiletics at Puritan Reformed Theological Seminary. He has been in the ministry since 1978 and has served as a pastor of his current church, Heritage Reformed Congregation, since 1986. He is also editor of the Banner of Sovereign Grace Truth, editorial director of Reformation Heritage Books, president of Inheritance Publishers, and vice-president of the Dutch Reformed Translation Society. He has written, co-authored, or edited fifty books and contributed over fifteen hundred articles to Reformed books, journals, periodicals, and encyclopedias. His Ph.D. (1988) from Westminster Theological Seminary is in Reformation and Post-Reformation Theology. He is frequently called upon to lecture at Reformed seminaries and to speak at conferences around the world. He and his wife, Mary, have three children: Calvin, Esther, and Lydia.
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July 10, 2024
Reformed Systematic Theology: Church and Last Things: Church and Last Things by Joel Beeke and Paul Smalley concludes their four volume study. Like the other three works, these authors demonstrate their allegiance to the authority of Scripture by exalting God and encouraging others to follow their example.
The section on ecclesiology focus on terminology and biblical metaphors for the church. Special attention is given to the Christ’s teaching about the church as well as attributes and marks of the church. The most aspect of this section was the treatment of church membership. This topic has been neglected by many churches. The necessary corrective and biblical instruction are included this book.
Beeke and Smalley explain the doctrine of the church’s authority and work and pay especially close attention to the sacraments. As a Reformed Baptist, I am not convinced by the arguments for paedobaptism. However, I am greatly encouraged by the humility that Dr. Beeke demonstrates when advocating for his view.
Dispensationalists will struggle with some of the content here as the authors argue that “the church is the supernatural work of God. God’s people are the beginning of the new creation, the first installment of his promise in Isaiah 65:17-18: ‘Behold, I create new heavens and a new earth … Behold, I create Jerusalem a rejoicing, and her people a joy.’” The authors conclude, “The church in the New Testament is the eschatological Israel.” I encourage dispensational thinkers to approach this volume with an open mind and a heart inclined to be persuaded.
The section on eschatology includes the usual categories of personal and general eschatology. The authors contest their ammillenial position in contrast to classical dispensationalism.
The section entitled, the doctrine of hope in Christ aloneis worth the price of the book as the authors focus their attention on eternal judgment and eternal life with God in Christ.
One highlight that especially intrigued me was the disagreement between Dr. Beeke and Mr. Smalley on the matter of baptism. Dr. Beeke advocates for paedobaptism. Mr. Smalley embraces credo baptism. A very helpful appendix is included by Mr. Smalley where he argues winsomely for his position.
What these two authors model is something to behold. Here are two godly men who agree on most areas of theology. Yet, they part ways on the matter of baptism. Their disagreement is no cause for disunity, however. They respect and love one another while holding firm to their doctrinal convictions. May God use these men to sufficiently model charity and humility in the academic and ecclesiastical arenas. May God be greatly honored by their respective approaches.
I received this book free from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review.
The section on ecclesiology focus on terminology and biblical metaphors for the church. Special attention is given to the Christ’s teaching about the church as well as attributes and marks of the church. The most aspect of this section was the treatment of church membership. This topic has been neglected by many churches. The necessary corrective and biblical instruction are included this book.
Beeke and Smalley explain the doctrine of the church’s authority and work and pay especially close attention to the sacraments. As a Reformed Baptist, I am not convinced by the arguments for paedobaptism. However, I am greatly encouraged by the humility that Dr. Beeke demonstrates when advocating for his view.
Dispensationalists will struggle with some of the content here as the authors argue that “the church is the supernatural work of God. God’s people are the beginning of the new creation, the first installment of his promise in Isaiah 65:17-18: ‘Behold, I create new heavens and a new earth … Behold, I create Jerusalem a rejoicing, and her people a joy.’” The authors conclude, “The church in the New Testament is the eschatological Israel.” I encourage dispensational thinkers to approach this volume with an open mind and a heart inclined to be persuaded.
The section on eschatology includes the usual categories of personal and general eschatology. The authors contest their ammillenial position in contrast to classical dispensationalism.
The section entitled, the doctrine of hope in Christ aloneis worth the price of the book as the authors focus their attention on eternal judgment and eternal life with God in Christ.
One highlight that especially intrigued me was the disagreement between Dr. Beeke and Mr. Smalley on the matter of baptism. Dr. Beeke advocates for paedobaptism. Mr. Smalley embraces credo baptism. A very helpful appendix is included by Mr. Smalley where he argues winsomely for his position.
What these two authors model is something to behold. Here are two godly men who agree on most areas of theology. Yet, they part ways on the matter of baptism. Their disagreement is no cause for disunity, however. They respect and love one another while holding firm to their doctrinal convictions. May God use these men to sufficiently model charity and humility in the academic and ecclesiastical arenas. May God be greatly honored by their respective approaches.
I received this book free from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review.
December 23, 2024
I’m not going to write a full review of this work, it’s too lengthy to do it justice.
I will, however state that the chapters on baptism (including the appendix) are very well done. The main chapters are from a paedobaptist position, which makes sense as Beeke is Presbyterian, but he is abundantly gracious towards credobaptists while stressing unity amongst the universal church. As a Reformed Baptist, I’m thankful for Reformed paedobaptists like Beeke who are more than willing to be friends with those who differ.
In addition, Smalley’s appendix concerning the Reformed Baptist view of credobaptism is well written (again, while stressing unity amongst brothers and sisters).
I will, however state that the chapters on baptism (including the appendix) are very well done. The main chapters are from a paedobaptist position, which makes sense as Beeke is Presbyterian, but he is abundantly gracious towards credobaptists while stressing unity amongst the universal church. As a Reformed Baptist, I’m thankful for Reformed paedobaptists like Beeke who are more than willing to be friends with those who differ.
In addition, Smalley’s appendix concerning the Reformed Baptist view of credobaptism is well written (again, while stressing unity amongst brothers and sisters).
September 15, 2024
A satisfying conclusion to a very long and laborious project. Beeke and Smalley should be commended for their diligence in producing high-quality writing throughout, and I think that this consistency will pay dividends in keeping this series useful and relevant for many years/decades to come.
Their ecclesiology section is robust. I particularly enjoyed the way they handled the mode and subjects of baptism. Beeke is a Presbyterian, and Smalley is a Baptist, so they independently wrote and submitted two chapters, each vigorously defending their own position on the proper mode and subjects of baptism. It is delightful when brothers in Christ who openly disagree on so fundamental an issue dwell in unity.
That said, this last volume has received a slightly lower rating than the rest from me due to some weaknesses in their eschatology section.
Even though they give the basics of each major eschatological position, they never steel-man their interlocutors by developing the holistic arguments behind either the premil or postmil positions (and they seem too ecumenically eager to lump most today who claim the title of postmil into their own amil camp instead). This renders the section shallow and disappointing as their refutation of both positions comes down to disagreeing on the interpretation of a few select verses (in the briefest of fashion) rather than engaging the systems as a whole (they do extensively engage Dispensationalism, however, giving the view its own chapter). In a volume of this size, where they seemingly had no word count or page limit, they certainly had time and space to engage each more fully than they did.
They also sadly did not define "preterist" in a clear, helpful way. Anyone interested should consult R.C. Sproul's "The Last Days According to Jesus," or David Chilton's "Paradise Restored."
Their ecclesiology section is robust. I particularly enjoyed the way they handled the mode and subjects of baptism. Beeke is a Presbyterian, and Smalley is a Baptist, so they independently wrote and submitted two chapters, each vigorously defending their own position on the proper mode and subjects of baptism. It is delightful when brothers in Christ who openly disagree on so fundamental an issue dwell in unity.
That said, this last volume has received a slightly lower rating than the rest from me due to some weaknesses in their eschatology section.
Even though they give the basics of each major eschatological position, they never steel-man their interlocutors by developing the holistic arguments behind either the premil or postmil positions (and they seem too ecumenically eager to lump most today who claim the title of postmil into their own amil camp instead). This renders the section shallow and disappointing as their refutation of both positions comes down to disagreeing on the interpretation of a few select verses (in the briefest of fashion) rather than engaging the systems as a whole (they do extensively engage Dispensationalism, however, giving the view its own chapter). In a volume of this size, where they seemingly had no word count or page limit, they certainly had time and space to engage each more fully than they did.
They also sadly did not define "preterist" in a clear, helpful way. Anyone interested should consult R.C. Sproul's "The Last Days According to Jesus," or David Chilton's "Paradise Restored."
December 12, 2024
THE FOURTH AND FINAL VOLUME OF A MAJOR SYSTEMATIC THEOLOGY
Authors Joel Beeke and Paul Smalley wrote in the Preface to this 2024 book, “The focus of ecclesiology … posed particular challenges … since the authors of this book come from two ecclesiastical traditions: Dutch Reformed [Beeke] and Reformed Baptist [Smalley]. Nevertheless, we found significant agreement in the doctrine of the church…” (Pg. 19-21) Here are some examples of the teachings to be found within this huge volume:
“in the Bible, the church is not a building but a PEOPLE… Therefore, when we speak of the church, we … refer to… the people of God who regularly assemble to worship him in his special presence.” (Pg. 48-49)
“We live in a world of vast religious diversity, and people are often inclined to blend together elements of spirituality taken from various religions and philosophies… For example, one person might mingle Protestant liberalism with Buddhism and environmentalism… [another] might practice a mixture of Roman Catholicism, animism, and devotion to a self-proclaimed prophet who purportedly receives visions from God or the Virgin Mary. However, the Holy Scriptures assert that there is only one God and that he had instructed us not only WHOM to worship (him alone) but HOW to worship and serve him…” (Pg. 62)
“God’s covenant with his people naturally lends itself to marital illustrations. The Bible often personifies cities and nations as women… The bridal imagery used of Israel in the Old Testament is applied to the church in the New Testament… The book of Revelation contrasts two cities and two women as images of the two peoples that make up the human race. The first is Babylon, the great harlot… The second is Jerusalem, the pure bride of the Lamb… Another aspect of this bridal imagery is the metaphor of the church as our mother…” (Pg. 105-107)
“Roman Catholic theologians quote Matthew 16:18-19 to argue that Christ ordained a visible head to lead his church in his absence, which the Roman Catholic Church identifies as the bishop of Rome, the successor of Peter… However, even if ‘this rock’ refers to Peter, Christ’s statement still tells us nothing about a perpetual office… that holds Peter’s authority today.” (Pg. 141-142) “Some scholars argue that in Aramaic… both terms for ‘rock’ would have been the same word… Rather than base doctrine on a speculative Aramaic reconstruction of Jesus’s words, we must look to the New Testament as God’s Word.” (Pg. 144)
“In the Reformed and Presbyterian churches, the children of church members are considered to already possess membership … by virtue of the covenant of grace… Baptism initiates formal membership and reception into the visible church. However, no one can participate in the Lord’s Supper until he or she has ‘made confession of religion…’” (Pg. 197-198)
“The New Testament refers to ruling church leaders primarily with two terms: ‘bishop’ [episkopos] and ‘elder’ [presbyteros]… a bishop or overseer of the church is the same as an ‘elder’… Hence, we conclude that ‘episkopos’ and ‘presbyteros’ pertain to the same office.” (Pg. 220)
“Though the authority of presbyteries and synods remains a disputed point between Presbyterianism and congregationalism, proponents for both perspectives may recognize that there is a strong biblical case for CONNECTIONALISM, the formation of a committed and organic network of local churches, as an expression of the larger body of Christ…” (Pg. 230)
“it is fitting that we give some attention to the church’s employment of professors, teachers who train other teachers and preachers… the work of training future ministers normally falls upon a group of specialized teachers known as ‘theology professors’ or ‘doctors of theology,’ who work at schools known as ‘seminaries.’” (Pg. 321)
“Some of the most admirable figures in the Bible are women… However, God has prohibited the church from placing women in positions in which they would exercise authoritative offices, preach, or publicly teach groups of adult men in the church.” (Pg. 344) “Phoebe was a great and godly woman who helped many but was not identified by Paul as one with an office of spiritual authority.” (Pg. 351)
“The central flaw of the ecumenical movement is its doctrinal minimalism. We cannot pursue unity to the neglect of sound doctrine.” (Pg. 369)
“God instituted civil government… The authority of civil government stands on the religious recognition of God’s glory and man’s dignity as created in God’s image.” (Pg. 384) “civil rulers have a right to honor and taxes… Even when suffering persecution, Christians should honor the powers that be.” (Pg. 390-391) “Christians may work in civil or military service under wicked rulers.” (Pg. 402)
“the synagogue and its practices … were not instituted by God… the Holy Scriptures do not record the beginning of the synagogue, and no explicit divine command requires it. However, the synagogue meetings were means of obeying the Lord’s commands for ‘holy convocation’ on the Sabbath…” (Pg. 416)
“Baptism and the Lord’s Supper are means of grace that Christ commanded his disciples to use until he returns in glory… As commands of our Lord, they are mandatory practices for all Christians as they have opportunity.” (Pg. 471)
“Though baptism does not save, it is a necessary part of obedience to the Lord Jesus… Someone might object that the outward rite of water baptism has been replaced by the inward reality of baptism by the Holy Spirit… In reply, we observe that the New Testament never indicates that Spirit baptism replaces water baptism but teaches that the two coexist in the life of the church.” (Pg. 512)
“While it is indeed the case that no EXPRESS command for or example of infant baptism is given in the Scriptures… there is no EXPRESS command for or example of the baptism of an adult who is already part of the household of faith… this argumentation assumes that for the regulative principle to hold, Scripture must EXPRESSLY command or exemplify not only the institution of a sacrament but also the exact recipient of a sacrament.” (Pg. 537)
“immersion in water is an appropriate mode of baptism… pouring is an appropriate mode of baptism… sprinkling is an appropriate mode of baptism… all three modes have biblical precedent and rich symbolism.” (Pg. 565)
“Reformed theologians differed from both Roman Catholics and Lutherans by asserting the real presence in the Supper of Christ as the God-man… not in a bodily or corporate manner but by the Spirit uniting believers to the ascended Christ through faith.” (Pg. 582)
“… in a break from the Reformation practice, many modern churches sing extrabiblical hymns and virtually no psalms… richly doctrinal hymns have been replaced by highly repetitive songs of more recent composition. Some churches so emphasize the priority of contemporary worship that they sing virtually nothing except songs written in the last few decades.” (Pg. 629)
“As to Christ’s sayings that seem to suggest his coming in the immediate future, they are best interpreted in other ways… If Christ’s eschatology were a failed expectation, Christianity would be a lie and Jesus would not be God the Son incarnate but a false prophet.” (Pg. 729-730)
“Another mistaken approach to eschatology is ‘full preterism,’ which regards all eschatological passages in the Bible as already fulfilled in history… we agree that … some New Testament predictions were fulfilled in the first century, such as the destruction of Jerusalem. However, full preterism denies the return of Christ in visible glory, the resurrection of the dead, and judgment day.” (Pg. 730-731)
“there are serious problems with prosperity theology that must be addressed… First, prosperity theology says that believers have dominion now… However, Christians do not yet exercise an earthly dominion… [Christ’s] redemption is not completely applied to us yet… prosperity theology … is a human philosophy imposed on the Bible.” (Pg. 560-765)
“Purgatory contradicts the clear teaching of the Holy Scriptures. The souls of believers immediately enter the blessed rest of Christ’s presence upon death.” (Pg. 807)
“The destruction of Jerusalem in the 1st century was an eschatological event, a sign of the last days… however, the phrase ‘great tribulation’… can simply mean ‘a great distress.’… The whole period between Christ’s first and second comings is the tribulation of the church… it would have been misleading for Christ to speak so cryptically of a future, end-times Jerusalem when his disciples had asked him about their temple.” (Pg. 822-823)
“the antichrist… is not a pagan king but a false leader of God’s people… He is a MAN, the pinnacle of humanity in its fallen state… Unbelievers, including many false brethren in the church, will follow the antichrist… When God permits this evil person to arise, man’s hatred for the Creator will burst forth.” (Pg. 836-837) “There are good reasons to consider the pope of Rome to be the man of sin… However, there are also factors favoring … that the man of sin will arise within the professing church near the end of the age… recognizing the antichrist when he arises must be based on biblical exegesis, not speculation or treating the Bible like a secret code.” (Pg. 842-843)
“we believe the best approach to Revelation is ECLECTICISM, which combines elements of preterism, historicism, idealism, and futurism… We should not interpret Revelation’s images with a literalism inconsistent with its symbolism or abstract it from real historical events…” (Pg. 850-851)
“dispensationalist eschatology is subject to serious objections… For example, the Holy Scriptures never say that Christ will return twice, once to rapture the church and seven years later to judge the world… Revelation 20 says nothing about Israel’s special leadership function toward the Gentile nations… dispensationalist eschatology involves a false dichotomy between Israel and the church… the Christian church is the eschatological Israel---that is, God’s people under the new covenant… a basic principle of the New Testament eschatology is the impossibility of knowing which Christ will come… However, dispensationalist eschatology says that he will come on a seven-year schedule of public events that God has already announced.” (Pg. 874-879)
“Dispensationalists derive their timetable for the tribulation from Daniel’s prophecy of ‘seventy weeks’ (9:24-27). However, this passage is quite enigmatic… Given the questions about its meaning , does it warrant the dogmatic assertion of a future seven-year tribulation for Israel? We think not.” (Pg. 879)
“Paul describes the salvation of the Jews not as the restoration of a Jewish state distinct from the Gentile nations but as the grafting of branches back into the same tree… The future of the church remains intertwined with the future of the Jews…. God’s dealings with Israel reveal his intention to bless the physical offspring of Abraham, and his intention will not fail.” (Pg. 892-893)
“We have not found clear evidence for a future millennium in the Old Testament, the Gospels, or the Epistles… Premillennialists … take [Rev] chapter 20 as following chapter 19 in time, arguing thereby that the millennium must follow Christ’s return. However, chapter 19 ends with the complete slaughter of mankind when Christ comes to ‘smite the nations’… chapter 20 opens with the binding of Satan so that he will not deceive the ‘nations,’ which… are evidently not smitten but alive and well.” (Pg. 910-912)
“we should live in a state of expectancy, anticipation, and readiness for Christ to come in his glory.” (Pg. 958) “There will not be a secret rapture, but one done with ‘a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God.” (Pg. 976)
“the Lord will judge man according to the standard of GENERAL REVELATION… his created world clearly showed… that they should honor him… those ignorant of God’s Word will still be condemned for sinning against God when they violated their consciences… The only way for nations to be saved is by hearing the gospel of Jesus Christ and responding in saving faith.” (Pg. 1017-1018) “There will be degrees of punishment inflicted in condemnation, since God will judge each person according to his works, and various sins have different degrees of heinousness.” (Pg. 1033) “Having rejected God, the source of all good, sinners should not be surprised to be rejected by God and excluded from all good.” (Pg. 1055)
“If God decreed all things and executes his decrees with unstoppable power, it is said, eternal damnation implies that he made people for no other purpose than to destroy them… God did not create some peoples in a state of sin and condemnation. He created the whole human race in the purity of this image… Man went astray to his own destruction…” (Pg. 1065)
“we acknowledge that the Lord uses metaphorical images for eternal punishment… Thus, fire is a symbol of an eschatological reality… Some theologians teach that God will save all mankind… Universalism has been taught by modern liberal theologians… In reply, we assert that the angel of Revelation 14 … declares that ‘the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever: and they have no rest day or night.’” (Pg. 1072-1073) “The doctrine of eternal conscious punishment for the wicked is sobering and humbling, but it is a clear teaching of Christ and his prophets and apostles.” (Pg. 1083)
In its complexity and detail, this Systematic Theology will be of great interest to those studying Reformed doctrine (including Reformed Baptists, whose perspective on baptism is given in an Appendix).
Authors Joel Beeke and Paul Smalley wrote in the Preface to this 2024 book, “The focus of ecclesiology … posed particular challenges … since the authors of this book come from two ecclesiastical traditions: Dutch Reformed [Beeke] and Reformed Baptist [Smalley]. Nevertheless, we found significant agreement in the doctrine of the church…” (Pg. 19-21) Here are some examples of the teachings to be found within this huge volume:
“in the Bible, the church is not a building but a PEOPLE… Therefore, when we speak of the church, we … refer to… the people of God who regularly assemble to worship him in his special presence.” (Pg. 48-49)
“We live in a world of vast religious diversity, and people are often inclined to blend together elements of spirituality taken from various religions and philosophies… For example, one person might mingle Protestant liberalism with Buddhism and environmentalism… [another] might practice a mixture of Roman Catholicism, animism, and devotion to a self-proclaimed prophet who purportedly receives visions from God or the Virgin Mary. However, the Holy Scriptures assert that there is only one God and that he had instructed us not only WHOM to worship (him alone) but HOW to worship and serve him…” (Pg. 62)
“God’s covenant with his people naturally lends itself to marital illustrations. The Bible often personifies cities and nations as women… The bridal imagery used of Israel in the Old Testament is applied to the church in the New Testament… The book of Revelation contrasts two cities and two women as images of the two peoples that make up the human race. The first is Babylon, the great harlot… The second is Jerusalem, the pure bride of the Lamb… Another aspect of this bridal imagery is the metaphor of the church as our mother…” (Pg. 105-107)
“Roman Catholic theologians quote Matthew 16:18-19 to argue that Christ ordained a visible head to lead his church in his absence, which the Roman Catholic Church identifies as the bishop of Rome, the successor of Peter… However, even if ‘this rock’ refers to Peter, Christ’s statement still tells us nothing about a perpetual office… that holds Peter’s authority today.” (Pg. 141-142) “Some scholars argue that in Aramaic… both terms for ‘rock’ would have been the same word… Rather than base doctrine on a speculative Aramaic reconstruction of Jesus’s words, we must look to the New Testament as God’s Word.” (Pg. 144)
“In the Reformed and Presbyterian churches, the children of church members are considered to already possess membership … by virtue of the covenant of grace… Baptism initiates formal membership and reception into the visible church. However, no one can participate in the Lord’s Supper until he or she has ‘made confession of religion…’” (Pg. 197-198)
“The New Testament refers to ruling church leaders primarily with two terms: ‘bishop’ [episkopos] and ‘elder’ [presbyteros]… a bishop or overseer of the church is the same as an ‘elder’… Hence, we conclude that ‘episkopos’ and ‘presbyteros’ pertain to the same office.” (Pg. 220)
“Though the authority of presbyteries and synods remains a disputed point between Presbyterianism and congregationalism, proponents for both perspectives may recognize that there is a strong biblical case for CONNECTIONALISM, the formation of a committed and organic network of local churches, as an expression of the larger body of Christ…” (Pg. 230)
“it is fitting that we give some attention to the church’s employment of professors, teachers who train other teachers and preachers… the work of training future ministers normally falls upon a group of specialized teachers known as ‘theology professors’ or ‘doctors of theology,’ who work at schools known as ‘seminaries.’” (Pg. 321)
“Some of the most admirable figures in the Bible are women… However, God has prohibited the church from placing women in positions in which they would exercise authoritative offices, preach, or publicly teach groups of adult men in the church.” (Pg. 344) “Phoebe was a great and godly woman who helped many but was not identified by Paul as one with an office of spiritual authority.” (Pg. 351)
“The central flaw of the ecumenical movement is its doctrinal minimalism. We cannot pursue unity to the neglect of sound doctrine.” (Pg. 369)
“God instituted civil government… The authority of civil government stands on the religious recognition of God’s glory and man’s dignity as created in God’s image.” (Pg. 384) “civil rulers have a right to honor and taxes… Even when suffering persecution, Christians should honor the powers that be.” (Pg. 390-391) “Christians may work in civil or military service under wicked rulers.” (Pg. 402)
“the synagogue and its practices … were not instituted by God… the Holy Scriptures do not record the beginning of the synagogue, and no explicit divine command requires it. However, the synagogue meetings were means of obeying the Lord’s commands for ‘holy convocation’ on the Sabbath…” (Pg. 416)
“Baptism and the Lord’s Supper are means of grace that Christ commanded his disciples to use until he returns in glory… As commands of our Lord, they are mandatory practices for all Christians as they have opportunity.” (Pg. 471)
“Though baptism does not save, it is a necessary part of obedience to the Lord Jesus… Someone might object that the outward rite of water baptism has been replaced by the inward reality of baptism by the Holy Spirit… In reply, we observe that the New Testament never indicates that Spirit baptism replaces water baptism but teaches that the two coexist in the life of the church.” (Pg. 512)
“While it is indeed the case that no EXPRESS command for or example of infant baptism is given in the Scriptures… there is no EXPRESS command for or example of the baptism of an adult who is already part of the household of faith… this argumentation assumes that for the regulative principle to hold, Scripture must EXPRESSLY command or exemplify not only the institution of a sacrament but also the exact recipient of a sacrament.” (Pg. 537)
“immersion in water is an appropriate mode of baptism… pouring is an appropriate mode of baptism… sprinkling is an appropriate mode of baptism… all three modes have biblical precedent and rich symbolism.” (Pg. 565)
“Reformed theologians differed from both Roman Catholics and Lutherans by asserting the real presence in the Supper of Christ as the God-man… not in a bodily or corporate manner but by the Spirit uniting believers to the ascended Christ through faith.” (Pg. 582)
“… in a break from the Reformation practice, many modern churches sing extrabiblical hymns and virtually no psalms… richly doctrinal hymns have been replaced by highly repetitive songs of more recent composition. Some churches so emphasize the priority of contemporary worship that they sing virtually nothing except songs written in the last few decades.” (Pg. 629)
“As to Christ’s sayings that seem to suggest his coming in the immediate future, they are best interpreted in other ways… If Christ’s eschatology were a failed expectation, Christianity would be a lie and Jesus would not be God the Son incarnate but a false prophet.” (Pg. 729-730)
“Another mistaken approach to eschatology is ‘full preterism,’ which regards all eschatological passages in the Bible as already fulfilled in history… we agree that … some New Testament predictions were fulfilled in the first century, such as the destruction of Jerusalem. However, full preterism denies the return of Christ in visible glory, the resurrection of the dead, and judgment day.” (Pg. 730-731)
“there are serious problems with prosperity theology that must be addressed… First, prosperity theology says that believers have dominion now… However, Christians do not yet exercise an earthly dominion… [Christ’s] redemption is not completely applied to us yet… prosperity theology … is a human philosophy imposed on the Bible.” (Pg. 560-765)
“Purgatory contradicts the clear teaching of the Holy Scriptures. The souls of believers immediately enter the blessed rest of Christ’s presence upon death.” (Pg. 807)
“The destruction of Jerusalem in the 1st century was an eschatological event, a sign of the last days… however, the phrase ‘great tribulation’… can simply mean ‘a great distress.’… The whole period between Christ’s first and second comings is the tribulation of the church… it would have been misleading for Christ to speak so cryptically of a future, end-times Jerusalem when his disciples had asked him about their temple.” (Pg. 822-823)
“the antichrist… is not a pagan king but a false leader of God’s people… He is a MAN, the pinnacle of humanity in its fallen state… Unbelievers, including many false brethren in the church, will follow the antichrist… When God permits this evil person to arise, man’s hatred for the Creator will burst forth.” (Pg. 836-837) “There are good reasons to consider the pope of Rome to be the man of sin… However, there are also factors favoring … that the man of sin will arise within the professing church near the end of the age… recognizing the antichrist when he arises must be based on biblical exegesis, not speculation or treating the Bible like a secret code.” (Pg. 842-843)
“we believe the best approach to Revelation is ECLECTICISM, which combines elements of preterism, historicism, idealism, and futurism… We should not interpret Revelation’s images with a literalism inconsistent with its symbolism or abstract it from real historical events…” (Pg. 850-851)
“dispensationalist eschatology is subject to serious objections… For example, the Holy Scriptures never say that Christ will return twice, once to rapture the church and seven years later to judge the world… Revelation 20 says nothing about Israel’s special leadership function toward the Gentile nations… dispensationalist eschatology involves a false dichotomy between Israel and the church… the Christian church is the eschatological Israel---that is, God’s people under the new covenant… a basic principle of the New Testament eschatology is the impossibility of knowing which Christ will come… However, dispensationalist eschatology says that he will come on a seven-year schedule of public events that God has already announced.” (Pg. 874-879)
“Dispensationalists derive their timetable for the tribulation from Daniel’s prophecy of ‘seventy weeks’ (9:24-27). However, this passage is quite enigmatic… Given the questions about its meaning , does it warrant the dogmatic assertion of a future seven-year tribulation for Israel? We think not.” (Pg. 879)
“Paul describes the salvation of the Jews not as the restoration of a Jewish state distinct from the Gentile nations but as the grafting of branches back into the same tree… The future of the church remains intertwined with the future of the Jews…. God’s dealings with Israel reveal his intention to bless the physical offspring of Abraham, and his intention will not fail.” (Pg. 892-893)
“We have not found clear evidence for a future millennium in the Old Testament, the Gospels, or the Epistles… Premillennialists … take [Rev] chapter 20 as following chapter 19 in time, arguing thereby that the millennium must follow Christ’s return. However, chapter 19 ends with the complete slaughter of mankind when Christ comes to ‘smite the nations’… chapter 20 opens with the binding of Satan so that he will not deceive the ‘nations,’ which… are evidently not smitten but alive and well.” (Pg. 910-912)
“we should live in a state of expectancy, anticipation, and readiness for Christ to come in his glory.” (Pg. 958) “There will not be a secret rapture, but one done with ‘a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God.” (Pg. 976)
“the Lord will judge man according to the standard of GENERAL REVELATION… his created world clearly showed… that they should honor him… those ignorant of God’s Word will still be condemned for sinning against God when they violated their consciences… The only way for nations to be saved is by hearing the gospel of Jesus Christ and responding in saving faith.” (Pg. 1017-1018) “There will be degrees of punishment inflicted in condemnation, since God will judge each person according to his works, and various sins have different degrees of heinousness.” (Pg. 1033) “Having rejected God, the source of all good, sinners should not be surprised to be rejected by God and excluded from all good.” (Pg. 1055)
“If God decreed all things and executes his decrees with unstoppable power, it is said, eternal damnation implies that he made people for no other purpose than to destroy them… God did not create some peoples in a state of sin and condemnation. He created the whole human race in the purity of this image… Man went astray to his own destruction…” (Pg. 1065)
“we acknowledge that the Lord uses metaphorical images for eternal punishment… Thus, fire is a symbol of an eschatological reality… Some theologians teach that God will save all mankind… Universalism has been taught by modern liberal theologians… In reply, we assert that the angel of Revelation 14 … declares that ‘the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever: and they have no rest day or night.’” (Pg. 1072-1073) “The doctrine of eternal conscious punishment for the wicked is sobering and humbling, but it is a clear teaching of Christ and his prophets and apostles.” (Pg. 1083)
In its complexity and detail, this Systematic Theology will be of great interest to those studying Reformed doctrine (including Reformed Baptists, whose perspective on baptism is given in an Appendix).
June 16, 2024
I recently received the four volumes of Reformed Systematic Theology (hereafter RST) by Joel Beeke and Paul Smalley for review. After many hours of reading many parts of RST, I’m ready to write a review and share my reflections. I’m writing this review from the perspective of someone who has read many of the other Reformed theologians and systematic theologies (STs), (e.g. Francis Turretin, Herman Bavinck, Louis Berkhof, Petrus Van Mastricht, John Calvin, Charles Hodge, Thomas Brooks, etc). I’m also writing this review with a question in mind: “Do you, the readers of this blog, need to get Reformed Systematic Theology?” Hopefully, this somewhat critical review will help you decide if you want to purchase this set.
First, this four-volume ST set was written by a Reformed theologian (Joel Beeke) and a Baptist theologian (Paul Smalley). It’s nice to see how these men worked together to produce such a comprehensive overview of theology. In many ways, RST is very similar to other systematic theologies. It covers the doctrines of Scripture, God, creation, man, sin, Christ, the church, etc. I’m guessing that around 60-70% of RST is the same as other STs. There isn’t any theological groundbreaking in RST. If you’ve read other Reformed STs, this one will be a review of those in many areas.
Second, RST does a nice job interacting with Scripture and theologians from the past. In RST, you’ll find a healthy dependence upon and exposition of Scripture and its doctrines. This four-volume ST also contains many quotations from various other theologians of the past, from early church history to modern church history. There is quite a bit of historical theology in RST. The biblical and historical aspect of RST is a strong point of these volumes. Speaking of strong points, the Scripture, author, general, and topical indexes are also helpful.
Third, RST is not concise at all. The authors seemed to have no word limits in writing. The set is well over 5,000 pages long. That’s as long as Bavinck and Turretin combined! When I was reading various sections of RST I was frustrated with the length and wordiness. This set is very long because there is a lot of repetition. It’s not word-for-word repetition, but it is repetition of topics. For example, the authors write extensively about faith in the first two volumes. When the specific topic of faith comes up in the third volume, the authors end up repeating themselves again. This happens with many topics throughout the set.
RST is also very lengthy because the application points are repetitive. For example, over and over, the application points include similar calls – e.g. the call to repent, believe, obey, love, and glorify God. Those are great points, but after reading them repeatedly in every other section, they begin to lose their force. In other words, the numerous and lengthy lists sometimes sound pedantic, moralistic, and overwhelming. (Interestingly, despite the overall length, the authors only mention the Federal Vision errors very briefly and in passing in the section on justification.)
Fourth, RST is not a regular systematic theology. Instead, it is a systematic theology with a sermonic aspect. For example, the doctrinal headings are often given in alliterations: The 1) priority, 2) picture, 3) price, 4) power, and 5) perfection of Christ’s victory. These points are followed by sermon-like applications: trust Christ, honor him, obey him, glorify him, treasure him. At times, the repeated sermon-like application sounds a bit preachy to me: “Do this, don’t do that, you must do this, you must not do that. Do you treasure Christ enough? Are you seeking to grow in grace?” (etc.). Those sections didn’t sit well with me.
Speaking of RST being sermonic, there are topics in this four-volume series that you don’t usually find in STs. For example, the authors give little sermonettes on birth control, psalm-singing, sex, family worship, the personal holiness of ministers, aspects of experiential preaching, the duty of using spiritual gifts, and many others. There are longer sections with sermon points like these: eight motives for unbelievers to repent, seventeen personal benefits of the Lord’s Supper, and a list of instructions for family worship. Interestingly, I even came across several calls to the unregenerate person who might be reading the book. That struck me as a bit out of place. On that note, RST uses the KJV. Although some might disagree, it seems odd to use an archaic translation in a modern ST.
Overall, RST contains a ton of solid Reformed doctrine and is right in line with all the other Reformed STs from the past. It’s a strong Reformed ST that covers the same ground as all the previous Reformed STs. But RST is not a regular systematic theology. It’s more of a hybrid systematic theology that contains doctrinal sermons with lengthy neo-Puritan application points and mini-sermons on various topics that fall outside the purview of regular STs.
As you can probably tell, RST is not my favorite ST. It is far too wordy in my opinion. And it overlaps so much with my other STs. Furthermore, I didn’t find the sermonic aspect of this four-volume set helpful. When I read an ST, I don’t want to read mini-sermons, nor do I want to hear the authors’ views about birth control, family worship, or experiential preaching. And if I want to read a Puritan sermon (which I often enjoy), I’ll pick up a volume from Boston or Owen’s works. In other words, I don’t prefer an ST to have sermon-like neo-Puritan application and mini-sermons mixed in.
Back to my question: “Do you, readers of this blog, need to get Reformed Systematic Theology?” The answer is for sure “yes” if 1) you can afford it, 2) if reading 5,000 pages isn’t a big deal to you, 3) if you don’t have other popular Reformed STs or books by Beeke or the Puritans, and 4) if you want lengthy application points that include ethics and moral instructions based on the various doctrines. Some readers of this blog will find RST helpful if they don’t have similar resources on their shelves or hard drives.
On the other hand, you probably don’t need to get RST if you 1) are on a tighter budget, 2) aren’t up for reading 5,000 pages, 3) do have other Reformed STs, and 4) already have various other books by Beeke or Puritan works that include lengthy ethical and moral application points. In a word, readers of this blog who already have other Reformed STs and Puritan works probably don’t need to get Reformed Systematic Theology. In many ways it is an excellent resource for Reformed Theology, but it’s not at the top of my “favorite” list.
First, this four-volume ST set was written by a Reformed theologian (Joel Beeke) and a Baptist theologian (Paul Smalley). It’s nice to see how these men worked together to produce such a comprehensive overview of theology. In many ways, RST is very similar to other systematic theologies. It covers the doctrines of Scripture, God, creation, man, sin, Christ, the church, etc. I’m guessing that around 60-70% of RST is the same as other STs. There isn’t any theological groundbreaking in RST. If you’ve read other Reformed STs, this one will be a review of those in many areas.
Second, RST does a nice job interacting with Scripture and theologians from the past. In RST, you’ll find a healthy dependence upon and exposition of Scripture and its doctrines. This four-volume ST also contains many quotations from various other theologians of the past, from early church history to modern church history. There is quite a bit of historical theology in RST. The biblical and historical aspect of RST is a strong point of these volumes. Speaking of strong points, the Scripture, author, general, and topical indexes are also helpful.
Third, RST is not concise at all. The authors seemed to have no word limits in writing. The set is well over 5,000 pages long. That’s as long as Bavinck and Turretin combined! When I was reading various sections of RST I was frustrated with the length and wordiness. This set is very long because there is a lot of repetition. It’s not word-for-word repetition, but it is repetition of topics. For example, the authors write extensively about faith in the first two volumes. When the specific topic of faith comes up in the third volume, the authors end up repeating themselves again. This happens with many topics throughout the set.
RST is also very lengthy because the application points are repetitive. For example, over and over, the application points include similar calls – e.g. the call to repent, believe, obey, love, and glorify God. Those are great points, but after reading them repeatedly in every other section, they begin to lose their force. In other words, the numerous and lengthy lists sometimes sound pedantic, moralistic, and overwhelming. (Interestingly, despite the overall length, the authors only mention the Federal Vision errors very briefly and in passing in the section on justification.)
Fourth, RST is not a regular systematic theology. Instead, it is a systematic theology with a sermonic aspect. For example, the doctrinal headings are often given in alliterations: The 1) priority, 2) picture, 3) price, 4) power, and 5) perfection of Christ’s victory. These points are followed by sermon-like applications: trust Christ, honor him, obey him, glorify him, treasure him. At times, the repeated sermon-like application sounds a bit preachy to me: “Do this, don’t do that, you must do this, you must not do that. Do you treasure Christ enough? Are you seeking to grow in grace?” (etc.). Those sections didn’t sit well with me.
Speaking of RST being sermonic, there are topics in this four-volume series that you don’t usually find in STs. For example, the authors give little sermonettes on birth control, psalm-singing, sex, family worship, the personal holiness of ministers, aspects of experiential preaching, the duty of using spiritual gifts, and many others. There are longer sections with sermon points like these: eight motives for unbelievers to repent, seventeen personal benefits of the Lord’s Supper, and a list of instructions for family worship. Interestingly, I even came across several calls to the unregenerate person who might be reading the book. That struck me as a bit out of place. On that note, RST uses the KJV. Although some might disagree, it seems odd to use an archaic translation in a modern ST.
Overall, RST contains a ton of solid Reformed doctrine and is right in line with all the other Reformed STs from the past. It’s a strong Reformed ST that covers the same ground as all the previous Reformed STs. But RST is not a regular systematic theology. It’s more of a hybrid systematic theology that contains doctrinal sermons with lengthy neo-Puritan application points and mini-sermons on various topics that fall outside the purview of regular STs.
As you can probably tell, RST is not my favorite ST. It is far too wordy in my opinion. And it overlaps so much with my other STs. Furthermore, I didn’t find the sermonic aspect of this four-volume set helpful. When I read an ST, I don’t want to read mini-sermons, nor do I want to hear the authors’ views about birth control, family worship, or experiential preaching. And if I want to read a Puritan sermon (which I often enjoy), I’ll pick up a volume from Boston or Owen’s works. In other words, I don’t prefer an ST to have sermon-like neo-Puritan application and mini-sermons mixed in.
Back to my question: “Do you, readers of this blog, need to get Reformed Systematic Theology?” The answer is for sure “yes” if 1) you can afford it, 2) if reading 5,000 pages isn’t a big deal to you, 3) if you don’t have other popular Reformed STs or books by Beeke or the Puritans, and 4) if you want lengthy application points that include ethics and moral instructions based on the various doctrines. Some readers of this blog will find RST helpful if they don’t have similar resources on their shelves or hard drives.
On the other hand, you probably don’t need to get RST if you 1) are on a tighter budget, 2) aren’t up for reading 5,000 pages, 3) do have other Reformed STs, and 4) already have various other books by Beeke or Puritan works that include lengthy ethical and moral application points. In a word, readers of this blog who already have other Reformed STs and Puritan works probably don’t need to get Reformed Systematic Theology. In many ways it is an excellent resource for Reformed Theology, but it’s not at the top of my “favorite” list.
July 3, 2024
My big summer read has finally come to a close. And it was simply brilliant! I have loved this series since the first volume dropped a couple of years ago. In “Reformed Systematic Theology,” Beeke and Smalley seek to expound how Reformed theology has historically understood the systems of systematics. Throughout the series, you get the overwhelming sense that the authors are incredibly pastoral, and many of the chapters even come off as sermonic, in a way that feels eerily similar to the Puritans. Each chapter ends with a song of praise, a series of questions for deeper reflection, and a few classroom style assignments to help the reader further dive into each subject.
This volume fits right in with the rest of the series. The first half covers ecclesiology, while the second half delves into eschatology.
Ecclesiology was wonderful. Beeke and Smalley clearly love the church, and that affection comes across on every page. They explore how Reformed theology distinguishes itself from other traditions and discuss the origins of many of the traditions we have today. Beeke asserts from volume one that to be Reformed is to be paedobaptist, and the argument is clearly presented in the section on baptism. There is an appendix defending the Reformed Baptist position on baptism that I got a little chuckle out of. However, it struck me as odd that the diaconate gets only a page and a half of coverage, while the offices of ruling elder and teaching elder receive entire chapters. Additionally, the topic of whether or not women can enter ministry (including the diaconate) receives a full ten pages. This seemed like an odd oversight from authors who have proven to be so pastoral in their approach to Reformed systematic theology.
The second section, on eschatology, was far less interesting to me. It was incredibly repetitive and did little to actually set Reformed eschatology apart from other eschatologies. The section heavily references Andrew Hoekema to explain his view of inaugurated eschatology and spends the rest of the section defending Reformed eschatology from different pagan and cultic eschatologies. As a future minister, I was hoping to see more on how Reformed eschatology is distinct from dispensationalism and preterism.
Overall, this was a great read. I can see myself referencing the ecclesiology section often. It may have presented one of the most pastoral defenses of infant baptism I have ever read.
You may ask yourself, “If there are a lot of Reformed thinkers writing their own systematic theologies, why read this particular series?”
Reformed theology thrives in systematics. From Calvin and Hodge to Vos and Bavinck, we just can't get enough. What Beeke and Smalley offer is a work that is incredibly pastoral. Not only that, but they cross denominational and ideological divides to provide a work that is truly Catholic in the Reformed tradition.
This volume fits right in with the rest of the series. The first half covers ecclesiology, while the second half delves into eschatology.
Ecclesiology was wonderful. Beeke and Smalley clearly love the church, and that affection comes across on every page. They explore how Reformed theology distinguishes itself from other traditions and discuss the origins of many of the traditions we have today. Beeke asserts from volume one that to be Reformed is to be paedobaptist, and the argument is clearly presented in the section on baptism. There is an appendix defending the Reformed Baptist position on baptism that I got a little chuckle out of. However, it struck me as odd that the diaconate gets only a page and a half of coverage, while the offices of ruling elder and teaching elder receive entire chapters. Additionally, the topic of whether or not women can enter ministry (including the diaconate) receives a full ten pages. This seemed like an odd oversight from authors who have proven to be so pastoral in their approach to Reformed systematic theology.
The second section, on eschatology, was far less interesting to me. It was incredibly repetitive and did little to actually set Reformed eschatology apart from other eschatologies. The section heavily references Andrew Hoekema to explain his view of inaugurated eschatology and spends the rest of the section defending Reformed eschatology from different pagan and cultic eschatologies. As a future minister, I was hoping to see more on how Reformed eschatology is distinct from dispensationalism and preterism.
Overall, this was a great read. I can see myself referencing the ecclesiology section often. It may have presented one of the most pastoral defenses of infant baptism I have ever read.
You may ask yourself, “If there are a lot of Reformed thinkers writing their own systematic theologies, why read this particular series?”
Reformed theology thrives in systematics. From Calvin and Hodge to Vos and Bavinck, we just can't get enough. What Beeke and Smalley offer is a work that is incredibly pastoral. Not only that, but they cross denominational and ideological divides to provide a work that is truly Catholic in the Reformed tradition.
June 7, 2024
This book is the final volume in a systematic theology set, and although some people may want to pursue the entire collection, this book works well as a standalone. If someone is primarily interested in studying the topics of the church and the end times, then this book will be sufficient by itself, without someone having already read the previous books.
The authors addresses a variety of topics in a thorough, detailed manner, and the structure of the book includes assertions and explanations of doctrinal teachings, common objections that people might make, and counter-arguments to these objections. Also, even though the table of contents only identifies the chapters, there is an analytical outline that spans from pages 25-44, laying out each of the topics and subtopics that each section covers.
This book explores complex topics and uses specialized vocabulary, but the authors wrote this in a very readable style. They clearly define special theological terms that they are using, and they articulate concepts in normal English, instead of using the types of tortured academic phrasing that I've often seen elsewhere. This book isn't dumbed down at all, but it's not written in a lofty or inscrutable way. This will be of great value to scholars in seminary contexts, and to average churchgoers who want to better understand their faith and church teaching.
This book is longer than necessary, in some ways, since the authors include a great deal of practical teaching alongside the systemic theology content. If someone is looking for a more succinct, closely focused systematic theology, another series might be better for them, but this book provides helpful biblical perspectives on topics like evangelism and different elements of corporate worship and church life. The authors also include a hymn at the conclusion of each chapter, offer questions for meditation and discussion, and include deeper reflection questions.
The authors engage charitably with different views, and they explain their own positions well. People can benefit from this even when they disagree with the authors' on certain points of doctrine or practice, because the book provides a well-reasoned approach to thinking through important issues, even when people end up in different places. Overall, this book is very thoughtful and well-organized, and it will appeal to people who are looking for a systematic theology book that is readable for non-academics, and which also shares practical advice alongside its exploration of doctrine.
I received a free copy from the publisher through Amazon Vine in exchange for an honest review.
The authors addresses a variety of topics in a thorough, detailed manner, and the structure of the book includes assertions and explanations of doctrinal teachings, common objections that people might make, and counter-arguments to these objections. Also, even though the table of contents only identifies the chapters, there is an analytical outline that spans from pages 25-44, laying out each of the topics and subtopics that each section covers.
This book explores complex topics and uses specialized vocabulary, but the authors wrote this in a very readable style. They clearly define special theological terms that they are using, and they articulate concepts in normal English, instead of using the types of tortured academic phrasing that I've often seen elsewhere. This book isn't dumbed down at all, but it's not written in a lofty or inscrutable way. This will be of great value to scholars in seminary contexts, and to average churchgoers who want to better understand their faith and church teaching.
This book is longer than necessary, in some ways, since the authors include a great deal of practical teaching alongside the systemic theology content. If someone is looking for a more succinct, closely focused systematic theology, another series might be better for them, but this book provides helpful biblical perspectives on topics like evangelism and different elements of corporate worship and church life. The authors also include a hymn at the conclusion of each chapter, offer questions for meditation and discussion, and include deeper reflection questions.
The authors engage charitably with different views, and they explain their own positions well. People can benefit from this even when they disagree with the authors' on certain points of doctrine or practice, because the book provides a well-reasoned approach to thinking through important issues, even when people end up in different places. Overall, this book is very thoughtful and well-organized, and it will appeal to people who are looking for a systematic theology book that is readable for non-academics, and which also shares practical advice alongside its exploration of doctrine.
I received a free copy from the publisher through Amazon Vine in exchange for an honest review.
September 30, 2025
With this last volume of the Beeke/Smalley four volume ST, we have a clearly written, thoroughly discussed and eminently practical discussion of ecclesiology and eschatology. Having read through this entire set, I am comfortable saying that this will be the go-to multivolume conversative Presbyterian Reformed ST for years if not generations to come, especially given its lucid writing, thoroughness and clear and sound representation of the Reformed faith. While not the most creative, this set will be an excellent tool for training those desiring to pursue ministry in a Reformed Presbyterian setting or for the layman who seeks to serve in some kind of ministry capacity, whether as an elder, deacon, missionary or apologist. My only real quibbles are their argument for exclusive psalmody, a strict understanding of the regulative principle and a somewhat lacking understanding of ecclesiology given the fact that it assumes a very specific and therefore limiting understanding of the church's overall ministry.
December 17, 2024
RST V.4 has proven to be an outstanding conclusion to 4 years of study through this complete set. I cannot begin to express how thankful I am for for these books. This is truly one of the best Systematics I have ever read. The subject matter is well organized and perfectly designed for use as a text for a seminary course, small group, or Sunday school class. It will certainly always have a home on the top shelf in my library. I will suggest it for others and plan to use it as a treasured resource as a Pastor and disciple. The eschatology section of this volume was such a delight. I think the authors were fair and represented the different views accurately and gave a wonderful representation of the Amillennial perspective. The final chapter regarding the paedo/credo Baptism debate was generous and informative and as a Credo baptist I was delighted to see our view represented and defended.. You won't go wrong with this set. Get it!!
September 9, 2025
This 4 volume set has fed my soul over the past few years. The writing js clear, warm, and full of Puritan quotes. While it is 4 large volumes, each chapter is about 20 pages and can be read in one sitting. This will probably be my go-to resource in Systematic Theology.
December 31, 2025
Beeke and Smalley’s Reformed Systematic Theology is approachable, warm, and illuminating. Since beginning this series 4 years ago, I have grown spiritually and to greater understanding of God and His Word. I’m grateful for this work and the resource that it is.
May 17, 2025
Phew… finally finished the whole series.
December 17, 2025
Check out my review on my blog here: https://preachertalk.blog/2025/07/29/...
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