James Boyce's Abstract of Theology is back in print, and the pre-order price is just $12.50 until Nov. 30! This is a 500 + page volume. Get one for yourself and for a friend.
Good question. He was a standard Baptist Covenant Theologian of the 19th century. Boyce was also one of Charles Hodge's students, so he stands in the Princeton tradition. Also, all the churches that formed the SBC in 1845 affirmed the Philadelphia Confession. If I recall, he doesn't discuss the covenants much in this work...it is an abstract after all (albeit a 500 + page one) and is written not just for the seminarian, but for the Average Joe of his day (who had considerably more aptitude than they do today, but I digress). That said, he was a Sabbatarian, and he was not a dispensationalist, and he does speak about the Covenant of Works in Chapter 22 on the Fall. For a more detailed discussion, he points his readers to A.A. Hodge's Outlines of Theology.
RBC Howell articulates the standard position at this time here:
http://www.founders.org/library/ covenants/
The position of the SBC's founders (including Boyce) is outlined in detail here: http://www.graceheritage.org/ bapt_sum.html
is a particularly good link. I don't know how I missed it when I was canvassing the 'net for anything I could find on covenant theology.
I notice again how the Baptists covenant theologians made a point to say something about the Holy Spirit in the Covenant of Redemption. Gill was where I noticed that first. That always bothered me when reading other covenant theologians. I mean, Calvinists should be very aware of the role of the Holy Spirit in everything, Calvin (and Owen) having the nickname of theologian of the Holy Spirit...
What is Boyce's position re Covenant of Redemption, Covenant of Works, Covenant of Grace?
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ReplyDeleteGood question. He was a standard Baptist Covenant Theologian of the 19th century. Boyce was also one of Charles Hodge's students, so he stands in the Princeton tradition. Also, all the churches that formed the SBC in 1845 affirmed the Philadelphia Confession. If I recall, he doesn't discuss the covenants much in this work...it is an abstract after all (albeit a 500 + page one) and is written not just for the seminarian, but for the Average Joe of his day (who had considerably more aptitude than they do today, but I digress). That said, he was a Sabbatarian, and he was not a dispensationalist, and he does speak about the Covenant of Works in Chapter 22 on the Fall. For a more detailed discussion, he points his readers to A.A. Hodge's Outlines of Theology.
ReplyDeleteRBC Howell articulates the standard position at this time here:
http://www.founders.org/library/
covenants/
The position of the SBC's founders (including Boyce) is outlined in detail here: http://www.graceheritage.org/
bapt_sum.html
Also, you can preview Boyce's book en toto here:
http://www.founders.org/library/
boyce1/toc.html
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
ReplyDeleteThanks for that and the links.
ReplyDeleteThis:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.founders.org/library/covenants/
is a particularly good link. I don't know how I missed it when I was canvassing the 'net for anything I could find on covenant theology.
I notice again how the Baptists covenant theologians made a point to say something about the Holy Spirit in the Covenant of Redemption. Gill was where I noticed that first. That always bothered me when reading other covenant theologians. I mean, Calvinists should be very aware of the role of the Holy Spirit in everything, Calvin (and Owen) having the nickname of theologian of the Holy Spirit...