The Reformed Faith: An Exposition of the Westminster Confession of Faith

by Robert Shaw

The Westminster Confession is the most accurate and comprehensive creed so far produced by the church. Many of its statements are short explanations of a profound doctrine that needs to be unpacked. The classic explanation of the confession provides a thorough theological grounding. This book is completely re–typeset for this 5th reprint by Christian Focus Publications.

Genres: Theology, Religion, Christian, Nonfiction

420 pages, Hardcover

First published July 1, 1847

Reviews

[Corbin Byler · Rating 5 out of 5]

Shaw's exposition of the Westminster Confession of Faith is excellent. I highly recommend it to anyone seeking to better understand the amazing summary of biblical doctrine and "form of sound words" set forth in the WCF and discover that this Confession of Faith is indeed most orthodox and grounded upon the Word of God.

[Benjamin Glaser · Rating 4 out of 5]

Easily the best commentary on the Westminster Confession of Faith. Readable, on point, and devotional in many places.

Highly recommend.

[Caleb Freeman · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a great book to read if you want to know Presbyterian theology. It was a little bit dull at times though. The author is very knowledgeable but tends to present the theology in a way that is sometimes overly dogmatic although I still agree with him 99% of the time.

[Peter Bringe · Rating 4 out of 5]

I continue to have a high respect for the Westminster Confession of Faith (originally written in 1647), and it was helpful to go through it again with this exposition of the confession by Robert Shaw. Shaw was a Scottish Presbyterian who wrote this book in 1845. As he mentions in his preface, this book seeks to be concise and to the point. He does not wander into many of the rabbit trails that are possible to explore, and gives us a relatively strait forward exposition of the confession. Nevertheless, the book is not quite at a beginner's level, especially if one is unfamiliar with 19th century writing, and he is not superficial in his handling of the subjects.

I especially appreciated his chapter on God's covenant with man. I thought his critique of the three covenant system (i.e. the covenants of works, of redemption, and of grace) was helpful, and puts appropriate emphasis on union with Christ and its connection with covenant theology.

[Frank · Rating 5 out of 5]

Initially I thought why would anyone write, much less need, a commentary on the Westminster Confession of Faith since it was pretty much self-explanatory. Now I can see how such a commentary complements the WCF. For those that may need further explanation on one or more points then you will most likely find this book useful.

One thing you should keep in mind though, keep a dictionary handy as there are a number of words that will require its use.

[Alex Houston · Rating 4 out of 5]

Originally published in 1845 this exposition includes the complete 1647 Westminster confession of faith with Scripture proofs. Seeing that the WCF is considered to be the "fullest and most carefully constructed exposition of the Christian Faith ever written" and is the standard of Presbyterian churches, this book would be a helpful addition to any Christians bookshelf.

[Jessica]

Free online here

[Zach de Walsingham · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this 1845 reprint for a church officer class (OPC), it is an outstanding Scottish exposition of the original WCF. Much more indepth than Sproul's similar work on the 1788 version, and I would say the explanations given for sections that us Americans dropped were really insightful and worth pondering. Even if you don't agree with everything Reverand Shaw says, it's worth reading for the historical value.

Something I learned while reading this, the modern American version takes out the "he" pronouns from the civil magistrates sections and makes it plural (a shift from male monarch to gender neutral republicanism).

This work has solid sections on the Covenant of Works, imputation, the Sabbath, infant baptism, and on how the WCF functioned historically in calling for the civil magistrate to uphold the 10 commandments (both tables) in the public sphere in Scotland.

I will be using this as a reference from now on.

For the record of this reviewer, the OPC currently uses a 1903 version of the WCF.

[Jeffrey Brannen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Written 200 years after the Westminster Confession of Faith, the commentary on that document is a masterclass of succinct exposition. Moving through all of the principle points of systematic theology, Robert Shaw allows the WCF to speak by a simple expounding of the ideas without twisting the text.

Format to the book: each chapter corresponds to its chapter in the WCF. The WCF chapter is broken down to its respective paragraphs which are dealt with singly or in groups. Each paragraph or group then receives an explanation. Most of the exposition is positive (“This is what is meant...”) rather than combative. In fact, most of the criticism leveled at differing beliefs is gentle and patient rather than dismissive or harsh.

Even though the book is 200 years old, the content is surprisingly contemporary. The issues on the table in the 1840s are still the theological concerns we face today.

[Brandon Burley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Robert Shaw’s "The Reformed Faith" provides an accessible exposition of the Westminster Confession of Faith, a foundational document for Presbyterians. Shaw's work offers a detailed explanation of Christian doctrine, particularly the nature of sin and justice, which are central themes in my book, "Understanding Criminal Justice: A Christian Youth Perspective." Shaw’s discussion on the moral law and the role of civil authorities is a perfect complement to the ideas I present, where I explore how these theological principles can be applied to modern-day justice issues, especially for young Christians navigating their role in society.

[Judson Marvel · Rating 4 out of 5]

A clear and concise guide to the WCF.

[Justin · Rating 2 out of 5]

An older review and study of the Confession, which is interesting in bringing to light the issues of controversy from a prior age.

[Kerry · Rating 5 out of 5]

A wonderful book, we went through this one as a family.

[Matthew Rawlings · Rating 4 out of 5]

Solid.

[Scott Korljan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Finally finished this 19th century exposition of the Westminster Standards.

[Michael · Rating 4 out of 5]

A primary source for teaching a class on the Confession.