This review will not be a critical take of Vos’s theology. I am convictionally a reformed baptist and there would be aspects in which I would disagree with Vos. However, every believer can benefit from this volume and have a great respect to what he has written.
Geerhardus Vos was born in 1862 and died in 1949. He served on Princeton’s faculty as the first chair of biblical theology.
This one volume of Reformed Dogmatics by Lexham Press was translated and edited by Richard Gaffin. Lexham Press has previously published 5 volumes of Vos’s Reformed Dogmatics, but now have made it into one volume.
In this work, there are 5 different sections.
- Theology Proper
- Anthropology
- Christology
- Soteriology
- Ecclesiology, The Means of Grace, Eschatology
Lexham has done a fantastic job with this volume. It is not overwhelmingly large compared to other systematics so you will not feel weighed down if you carry it in a backpack. They have also made it at an accessible price point for $59.99 retail. The only negative with this volume is how thin the paper is. As a result, I would suggest taking notes in a journal.
Readers will benefit from this volume even if they disagree with some of Vos’s points. Reformed Dogmatics is laid out in a manner that the chapter begins with question one and then Vos answers the question that was raised. Each chapter looks like a Q&A back and forth. Unlike some volumes where the layout makes it hard to find a place and refer back to it. This volume has made it accessible to find the information you are seeking and will be a handy reference. At the end of the volume, Lexham has put an index for all of the questions brought up in this work. It contains a subject and author index as well. Lexham Press has done a fantastic job with making this volume a valuable resource that will be used for years to come.
Evan Knies is from West Monroe, LA. He is married to Lauren and father to Maesyn. He is Pastor of Families and Missions at North Hills Church. He is a graduate of Boyce College and The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. You can follow him on Twitter @Evan_Knies.
The King’s Table 