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Reformed Dogmatics: Anthropology
Like books, people can become classics. Great in their day, but richer and more fulfilling with time. Not yet a classic, Vos s never-before-published "Reformed Dogmatics" is more like a lost Shakespeare play recently discovered. Michael Horton
Until recently, "Reformed Dogmatics" was only available in its original Dutch. But now you too can access Geerhardus Vos monumental work of systematic theology. This brand-new English translation was edited by biblical theologian and Vos expert, Richard B. Gaffin, Jr.
In "Volume Two, Anthropology," Vos discusses: Humanity Sin The covenant of grace The body and the soul God s covenants And more "
Until recently, "Reformed Dogmatics" was only available in its original Dutch. But now you too can access Geerhardus Vos monumental work of systematic theology. This brand-new English translation was edited by biblical theologian and Vos expert, Richard B. Gaffin, Jr.
In "Volume Two, Anthropology," Vos discusses: Humanity Sin The covenant of grace The body and the soul God s covenants And more "
162 pages, Hardcover
First published October 1, 2014
28 people are currently reading
152 people want to read
About the author
Geerhardus Vos
102 books86 followersGeerhardus Johannes Vos was an American Calvinist theologian and one of the most distinguished representatives of the Princeton Theology. He is sometimes called the father of Reformed Biblical Theology.
Vos was born to a Dutch Reformed pastor in Heerenveen in Friesland in the Netherlands. In 1881, when Geerhardus was 19 years old, his father accepted a call to be the pastor of the Christian Reformed Church congregation in Grand Rapids, Michigan.
Geerhardus Vos began his education at the Christian Reformed Church's Calvin Theological Seminary in Grand Rapids, before moving to Princeton Theological Seminary. He completed his studies in Germany, receiving his doctorate in Arabic Studies from the Philosophy Faculty of Strassburg University in 1888.
Herman Bavinck and Abraham Kuyper tried to convince Vos to become professor of Old Testament Theology at the Free University in Amsterdam, but Vos chose to return to America. Thus, in the Fall of 1888, Vos took up a position on the Calvin Theological Seminary faculty. In 1892, Vos moved and joined the faculty of the Princeton Theological Seminary, where he became its first Professor of Biblical Theology.
In 1894 he was ordained as a minister in the Presbyterian Church in the USA.
At Princeton, he taught alongside J. Gresham Machen and Benjamin Breckinridge Warfield and authored his most famous works, including: Pauline Eschatology (1930) and Biblical Theology: Old and New Testaments (1948). Despite his opposition to the growing modernist influence at Princeton in the late 1920s, he decided to remain at Princeton Seminary after the formation of Westminster Theological Seminary by Machen, as he was close to retirement. Vos did indeed retire to California in 1932, three years after the formation of Westminster.
Vos's wife, Catherine, authored the well-known Child's Story Bible. She died in 1937, after 43 years of marriage. They had three sons and one daughter, and their son J. G. Vos studied at Princeton Theological Seminary and also became a minister.
Vos was born to a Dutch Reformed pastor in Heerenveen in Friesland in the Netherlands. In 1881, when Geerhardus was 19 years old, his father accepted a call to be the pastor of the Christian Reformed Church congregation in Grand Rapids, Michigan.
Geerhardus Vos began his education at the Christian Reformed Church's Calvin Theological Seminary in Grand Rapids, before moving to Princeton Theological Seminary. He completed his studies in Germany, receiving his doctorate in Arabic Studies from the Philosophy Faculty of Strassburg University in 1888.
Herman Bavinck and Abraham Kuyper tried to convince Vos to become professor of Old Testament Theology at the Free University in Amsterdam, but Vos chose to return to America. Thus, in the Fall of 1888, Vos took up a position on the Calvin Theological Seminary faculty. In 1892, Vos moved and joined the faculty of the Princeton Theological Seminary, where he became its first Professor of Biblical Theology.
In 1894 he was ordained as a minister in the Presbyterian Church in the USA.
At Princeton, he taught alongside J. Gresham Machen and Benjamin Breckinridge Warfield and authored his most famous works, including: Pauline Eschatology (1930) and Biblical Theology: Old and New Testaments (1948). Despite his opposition to the growing modernist influence at Princeton in the late 1920s, he decided to remain at Princeton Seminary after the formation of Westminster Theological Seminary by Machen, as he was close to retirement. Vos did indeed retire to California in 1932, three years after the formation of Westminster.
Vos's wife, Catherine, authored the well-known Child's Story Bible. She died in 1937, after 43 years of marriage. They had three sons and one daughter, and their son J. G. Vos studied at Princeton Theological Seminary and also became a minister.
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Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews
March 2, 2022
Whew. Grab a lunch pail and be ready to work with this one. Many theologians have been described as difficult to read, but truly, Vos takes effort.
This volume is broken into two halves. The first is on the Covenant of Works. It's the stuff you'd typically associate with anthropology—the creation and corruption of man. The second section is the Covenant of Grace, and boy did Vos kick it into another gear here. His articulation of the plan of redemption in Christ is phenomenal.
The book is written in the style of a catechism, but at times Vos drifts in a train of thought and the question-answer format just makes things awkward. That jarring style, stacked with his lofty vocabulary, stacked with threads of reasoning that trail for miles, is the reason for the lunch pail comment. Plenty of reward to be had for the work though.
This volume is broken into two halves. The first is on the Covenant of Works. It's the stuff you'd typically associate with anthropology—the creation and corruption of man. The second section is the Covenant of Grace, and boy did Vos kick it into another gear here. His articulation of the plan of redemption in Christ is phenomenal.
The book is written in the style of a catechism, but at times Vos drifts in a train of thought and the question-answer format just makes things awkward. That jarring style, stacked with his lofty vocabulary, stacked with threads of reasoning that trail for miles, is the reason for the lunch pail comment. Plenty of reward to be had for the work though.
June 1, 2021
Vos is superb in this volume.
He breaks anthropology into two categories:
1) Covenant of Works
2) Covenant of Grace
By doing so, he deals extensively with man’s essence and the creator/creature relationship in both dispensations.
Of particular interest in this volume is Vos’ distinction in the Covenant of Grace between covenant relationship and covenant fellowship. Vos contends, quite persuasively, both adult converts and covenant children are under the same covenant relationship and both carry the obligation to covenant fellowship. This can only be accomplished by the grace of God. This distinction is one to be contended with by the 1689 Reformed Baptism group who want to appropriate covenant theology but limit God’s promise to be a God to us and to our children to a temporary relationship with the Abrahamic and Sainitic covenants. Ultimately Vos’ distinction forces one to contend with the reality that whether you take a paedobaptism or a credobaptism view, both positions result in a covenant that isn’t “pure” as the Baptist’s contend, but allows the paedobaptist position to avoid placing our children in this odd, third category as little pagans we bring to church and pray for.
He breaks anthropology into two categories:
1) Covenant of Works
2) Covenant of Grace
By doing so, he deals extensively with man’s essence and the creator/creature relationship in both dispensations.
Of particular interest in this volume is Vos’ distinction in the Covenant of Grace between covenant relationship and covenant fellowship. Vos contends, quite persuasively, both adult converts and covenant children are under the same covenant relationship and both carry the obligation to covenant fellowship. This can only be accomplished by the grace of God. This distinction is one to be contended with by the 1689 Reformed Baptism group who want to appropriate covenant theology but limit God’s promise to be a God to us and to our children to a temporary relationship with the Abrahamic and Sainitic covenants. Ultimately Vos’ distinction forces one to contend with the reality that whether you take a paedobaptism or a credobaptism view, both positions result in a covenant that isn’t “pure” as the Baptist’s contend, but allows the paedobaptist position to avoid placing our children in this odd, third category as little pagans we bring to church and pray for.
May 7, 2025
Anthropology is really a shortsighted title here. Really it is the doctrine of man and the doctrine of sin. The most space is given to the doctrine of sin. However, it is not doom and gloom because it barely beats out the fantastic conclusion, which is the covenant of grace. Yet in the conversation of the covenant of grace, it remarked on the fact that we could not save ourselves, so God himself did what was necessary. There is an emphasis on his love and mercy, and as always with Vos covenant language in eschatology is ever present.
September 11, 2022
Creation, Covenant of Works, Sin, Covenant of Grace (and Redemption). A really solid work. I particularly enjoyed his extended treatment on “conditions” in the Covenant of Grace.
December 31, 2019
This originally appeared at The Irresponsible Reader, and yes, it covers the set as a whole, but I'm posting it to each volume here on Goodreads 'cuz I'm not clever enough/too lazy to write up something on each volume.
---
Why am I talking about this as a set instead of individual volumes? That's a decent question, but I guessed when I finished Volume 1 that I'd end up saying the same things each time. And now looking back on the set, I think I agree. Sure, I could've talked some in some more detail about each one, but I'm not sure there'd have been a lot of profit in that for anyone reading this.
Honestly, what I should do here is just post a link to Lane Tipton's review/article, Vos’s Reformed Dogmatics and be done with it. Lipton says in two paragraphs, what I would flail around for 10-12 paragraphs to say:
But just pointing to (and/or reposting) Tipton would be cheating, albeit efficient. So let's see what I can say.
This was my big project read for the year and was so worth it. As Tipton said, it's great devotional reading—and you even learn a little bit. Okay, that's a gross understatement, you can learn a great deal from these (relatively) slim volumes.
Vos displays a fantastic economy of words here—especially if you contrast his Dogmatics with, say, Bavinck. He's basically the Hemingway of Reformed Theology. There are no wasted words here, he says everything he needs to say and you rarely say to yourself, "I wished he'd covered something more thoroughly." The segment on Individual Eschatology, however, works as an example of something he could've done more with—if you ignore his addressing the errors like purgatory, soul sleep, and annihilation, there's practically nothing there.
The downside to his style and vocabulary is, like Hemingway, you can look at his writing and think "oh, this is simple and basic" and read too quickly and without reflection. This is a giant mistake. Vos is subtle. He's profound. He's also, thankfully, clear. You read this carefully and you'll benefit greatly.
As the titles of the individual volumes suggest, he covers the major loci, and not much else. But he covers everything you'd need to cover in those, the topics covered are:
The Knowability of God
Names, Being, and Attributes of God
The Trinity
Of God’s Decrees in General
The Doctrine of Predestination
Creation
Providence
The Nature of Man
Sin
The Covenant of Grace
Names of Christ
Person and Natures of Christ
Offices of Christ
States of Christ
The Ordo Salutis
Regeneration and Calling
Conversion
Faith
Justification
Sanctification
The Doctrine of the Church
Essence of the Church
Organization, Discipline, Offices of the Church
The Means of Grace
Word and Sacraments
Baptism
The Lord’s Supper
Eschatology: The Doctrine of Last Things
Individual Eschatology
General Eschatology
Which looks like a lot for so few pages, but Vos somehow pulls it off.
I expected that I'd have a favorite volume or two out of the set, but I really didn't. There were sections within each I found more interesting/useful to me, but I am willing to bet that your list would vary from mine. Except maybe the section on the covenants in Volume 2, I can't imagine there's anything else in that one nearly as interesting to anyone. Not that the rest of the volume is lacking or uninteresting, it's just that it's so good.
The book is clearly written for his Dutch-speaking students in Michigan, focusing on that Church Order and controversies in contemporary Holland. So there are bits and pieces of it that will seem awfully foreign to those of us not in those circles. But even those parts have something we can profit from if we don't get too bogged down in trying to suss out names/positions/etc.
Gaffin does provide the occasional footnote to explain the text or translation choice, but he's largely silent, letting Vos speak for himself. I wouldn't have minded a little more commentary, but honestly, it wasn't necessary (but maybe was helpful).
I'm glad I read this and will be returning to it in years to come, both for reference and re-reading. I'm also glad that I found an electronic copy on sale over a year ago, so I can keep it on my phone for easy reference. One side-benefit of his pithiness is that you can do a quick check on the high points while having a conversation (something you can't do so easily with Hodge, Turretin or Bavinck). Scholarly, yet approachable, simple and profound—oh, and piously orthodox--I really can't recommend it highly enough.
---
Why am I talking about this as a set instead of individual volumes? That's a decent question, but I guessed when I finished Volume 1 that I'd end up saying the same things each time. And now looking back on the set, I think I agree. Sure, I could've talked some in some more detail about each one, but I'm not sure there'd have been a lot of profit in that for anyone reading this.
Honestly, what I should do here is just post a link to Lane Tipton's review/article, Vos’s Reformed Dogmatics and be done with it. Lipton says in two paragraphs, what I would flail around for 10-12 paragraphs to say:
Richard B. Gaffin Jr.’s editorial oversight of the translation of Geerhardus Vos’s Gereformeerde Dogmatiek has brought to light yet another theological treasure from perhaps the finest Reformed theologian since Calvin. The sustained depth of penetration of the traditional loci of systematic theological discussion is coupled with the warmth of a theological reflection pursued in vital communion with the absolute, triune God through Spirit-gifted, faith-union with Christ. This renders it ideal for both seminary instruction and devotional reading.
On the one side, Vos’s work displays the proper, and it seems to me necessary, task of retrieving creedal doctrine in the preservation of Christian theology. On the other side, his work displays the proper, and it seems to me equally necessary, task of reforming that creedal doctrine in the formulation of a confessionally constructive, Reformed theology, tethered to its preceding creedal and confessional expressions, yet advancing organically beyond both, through biblical and systematic theological methods of interpreting the inerrant Scriptures. Vos not only expounds orthodox creedal theology in a faithful way, but, within the boundaries of confessionally Reformed theology, he advances that confessional theology with unparalleled insight. His work presents us with an orthodox, yet constructive, expression of the truth of the Scriptures that faithfully serves to instruct the church in the gospel of Jesus Christ.
But just pointing to (and/or reposting) Tipton would be cheating, albeit efficient. So let's see what I can say.
This was my big project read for the year and was so worth it. As Tipton said, it's great devotional reading—and you even learn a little bit. Okay, that's a gross understatement, you can learn a great deal from these (relatively) slim volumes.
Vos displays a fantastic economy of words here—especially if you contrast his Dogmatics with, say, Bavinck. He's basically the Hemingway of Reformed Theology. There are no wasted words here, he says everything he needs to say and you rarely say to yourself, "I wished he'd covered something more thoroughly." The segment on Individual Eschatology, however, works as an example of something he could've done more with—if you ignore his addressing the errors like purgatory, soul sleep, and annihilation, there's practically nothing there.
The downside to his style and vocabulary is, like Hemingway, you can look at his writing and think "oh, this is simple and basic" and read too quickly and without reflection. This is a giant mistake. Vos is subtle. He's profound. He's also, thankfully, clear. You read this carefully and you'll benefit greatly.
As the titles of the individual volumes suggest, he covers the major loci, and not much else. But he covers everything you'd need to cover in those, the topics covered are:
The Knowability of God Names, Being, and Attributes of God The Trinity Of God’s Decrees in General The Doctrine of Predestination Creation Providence The Nature of Man Sin The Covenant of Grace
Names of Christ Person and Natures of Christ Offices of Christ States of Christ The Ordo Salutis Regeneration and Calling Conversion Faith Justification Sanctification
The Doctrine of the Church Essence of the Church Organization, Discipline, Offices of the Church The Means of Grace Word and Sacraments Baptism The Lord’s Supper Eschatology: The Doctrine of Last Things Individual Eschatology General Eschatology
Which looks like a lot for so few pages, but Vos somehow pulls it off.
I expected that I'd have a favorite volume or two out of the set, but I really didn't. There were sections within each I found more interesting/useful to me, but I am willing to bet that your list would vary from mine. Except maybe the section on the covenants in Volume 2, I can't imagine there's anything else in that one nearly as interesting to anyone. Not that the rest of the volume is lacking or uninteresting, it's just that it's so good.
The book is clearly written for his Dutch-speaking students in Michigan, focusing on that Church Order and controversies in contemporary Holland. So there are bits and pieces of it that will seem awfully foreign to those of us not in those circles. But even those parts have something we can profit from if we don't get too bogged down in trying to suss out names/positions/etc.
Gaffin does provide the occasional footnote to explain the text or translation choice, but he's largely silent, letting Vos speak for himself. I wouldn't have minded a little more commentary, but honestly, it wasn't necessary (but maybe was helpful).
I'm glad I read this and will be returning to it in years to come, both for reference and re-reading. I'm also glad that I found an electronic copy on sale over a year ago, so I can keep it on my phone for easy reference. One side-benefit of his pithiness is that you can do a quick check on the high points while having a conversation (something you can't do so easily with Hodge, Turretin or Bavinck). Scholarly, yet approachable, simple and profound—oh, and piously orthodox--I really can't recommend it highly enough.
February 4, 2017
Book in a Nutshell: Vos answers questions pertaining to the doctrines of man, sin, and the covenant of grace. Major emphases in this work include the image of God, original sin, total depravity, Christ as the surety of the covenant, and the relationship between the covenant of grace and the law.
Reaction: Much shorter than his first volume on proper theology, Vos' volume on anthropology continues to provide substantial teaching on weighty doctrines that will give even experienced students of theology much to consider and learn. The sections on original sin, total depravity, and the gracious nature of the covenant are particularly helpful and will continue to serve the church well in the 21st century. The second volume does not soar to the same heights as the first, but it is a worthy read for any student interested in learning more from the Reformed perspective.
Quote: On the sin of unbelief: "[Man] has the sense that God wishes to deceive him and therefore considers His words to be untruth."
Ranking: 4 of 5 stars
Reaction: Much shorter than his first volume on proper theology, Vos' volume on anthropology continues to provide substantial teaching on weighty doctrines that will give even experienced students of theology much to consider and learn. The sections on original sin, total depravity, and the gracious nature of the covenant are particularly helpful and will continue to serve the church well in the 21st century. The second volume does not soar to the same heights as the first, but it is a worthy read for any student interested in learning more from the Reformed perspective.
Quote: On the sin of unbelief: "[Man] has the sense that God wishes to deceive him and therefore considers His words to be untruth."
Ranking: 4 of 5 stars
October 1, 2020
His unpacking of sin and the Covenant of Works is stellar. But the sections on the Covenant of Grace had me legitimately jumping out of my seat and cheering. Oh that Christian parents would heartily embrace his teaching about the efficacious and sure promises of the covenant to us *and* our children. IMO, Vos also unpacks/previews many of the issues that subsequently got connected to the FV debates of the early 21st century regarding what it means to be “in” the CoG. He also leans on Turretin to show how the CoG can be considered conditional or unconditional in different senses. Finally, I thought his closing sections on how the CoG functioned in its various administrations (especially pre/post Sinai) quite illuminating.
June 15, 2018
Refer to review of first volume. This volume contains additionally the clearest exposition of the covenant of grace of which I am aware alongside an overview of covenant theology, a good elenctic exposition of the main school of Reformed hamartiology, and an overview of theological anthropology. I disagree with some of his conclusions, but Vos argues persuasively from 'the Bible and right reason', in the words of Luther at the Diet of Worms. Four and one-half stars
March 10, 2023
Vos oscillates between insightful comments and unhelpful declarations. This series is drawn from his lecture notes, so that is forgivable, however there are oftentimes he'll state that such-and-such opinion results in such-and-such conclusion without satisfactory proof, even when the implications are of great importance. This is merely an aggravating occurance, and by no means a major demerit.
February 19, 2024
Similarly to the first volume of his dogmatics, the form and content of this work is incredibly insightful and easy to read. Vos is particularly strong in his anthropological elucidations, whether they pertain to the nature of the image of God or the covenant of grace. I highly recommend for a historically informed and biblically faithful articulation of Reformed doctrine.
March 5, 2017
Good material, but they should not have published it as a 4-volume set as the volumes are too short.
May 26, 2020
Good for morning devotions
June 30, 2022
Excellent. Vos' treatment of participation in the Covenant of Grace was on a whole other level.
February 19, 2020
A very helpful volume that demonstrates Vos’ facility with systematic theology, a nice complement to his well attested role in the foundation of redemptive-historical biblical theology. As a credobaptist, I disagree with some of his formulations of the covenant of grace, but found his discussion very helpful.
Also read in 2019.
Also read in 2019.
March 4, 2019
Challenging. Worthwhile
While I cannot join as far as Vos goes with some of his argumentation, this has been an excellent study. It has sharpened my thinking, given useful categories, and challenges me to dig deeper into God's Word.
While I cannot join as far as Vos goes with some of his argumentation, this has been an excellent study. It has sharpened my thinking, given useful categories, and challenges me to dig deeper into God's Word.
May 1, 2016
Very good. Do not like the format much, but great content!
October 4, 2016
Good stuff. Especially interesting seeing Vos' exposition of Covenant of Works / Covenant of Grace.
May 25, 2016
I read/studied the section on the Covenant of Grace. Very interesting. I really don't see anything that, taken in context, would support the Klinean Republication theory.
December 29, 2016
too good for the amount of time I spent with it. I will be returning to sections to give it a more proper reading.
Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews