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Covenant Theology Sample Notebook 0ST601 – Covenant Theology Reformed Theological Seminary, Distance Education Dr. J. Ligon Duncan III, Chancellor and CEO GUIDE Format in Course Notebook This course notebook is for the coordination of all your course materials, including reading assignments and lecture recordings. Each course notebook for RTS Distance Education is arranged by the GUIDE acronym. The five components of GUIDE are organized in each lesson by the following steps in the notebook: 1. Getting Started: To do the lessons, reading and listening assignments are listed. 2. Understanding: To maximize learning, purposes are given. 3. Investigating: To explore the content, outlines are provided for note taking. 4. Developing: To expand content, readings are suggested. 5. Evaluating: To help review, lesson questions are provided. Lesson 1: Introduction to Covenant Theology GETTING STARTED • Read: Berkhof, pgs. 211-218 • Read: MacLeod, “Covenant Theology”, All • Read: Robertson, Part 1: “Introduction to the Divine Covenants”, pgs. 3-63 • Read: Westminster Confession of Faith, Chapter 7 • Read: Westminster Larger Catechism, Questions 20-22, 30-36 • Read: Westminster Shorter Catechism, Questions 12, 16, and 20 • Listen: What is Covenant Theology? • Listen: Defining Covenant • Listen: Covenant Terminology • Listen: History of Covenant Theology • Listen: Objections to Covenant Theology UNDERSTANDING Purpose • To introduce the student to the general concept of covenants, with particular emphasis on the definition and translation of Berit and Diatheke • To explore the implications and common misunderstandings of Covenant Theology • To provide an overview of the various terminologies used in Covenant Theology • To examine the history of Covenant Theology and the key theologians who have espoused Covenant Theology INVESTIGATING I. Approaching Covenant Theology A. Study of Covenant Theology: 1. Exegetically 2 Covenant Theology, 0ST601 – Dr. J. Ligon Duncan III © 2013 Reformed Theological Seminary, Distance Education 2. Theologically 3. Historically B. Covenant Theology is the bible’s way of explaining: the atonement, the Christians’ assurance of salvation, sacraments, redemptive history, and the dynamic of God’s sovereignty and our human responsibility in living out the Christian life. C. History of Covenant Theology D. Survey of the covenants E. How do the Old Testament and the New Testament relate? F. Objectives of the course: 1. Mastering an outline of Covenant Theology 2. Understand the: a. Terminology b. Implications c. History d. Objections II. What is Covenant Theology? A. “The gospel set in the context of God’s eternal plan of communion with his people; and its historical outworking in the covenant of works and grace.” B. J.I. Packer: “The gospel of God is not properly understood until it is viewed within a covenantal framework.” C. Historical outworking of Covenant Theology D. Covenant Theology explains and deepens our understanding of: 1. The atonement 2. Assurance of faith 3. The sacraments 4. The continuity of redemptive history 5. The Christian life E. Covenant Theology is a hermeneutic that attempts to explain the unity of God’s revelation F. Covenant Theology is a blending of both biblical and systematic theology 3 Covenant Theology, 0ST601 – Dr. J. Ligon Duncan III © 2013 Reformed Theological Seminary, Distance Education 1. Biblical Theology 2. Systematic Theology G. Covenant Theology is central not peripheral to the biblical story 1. Jesus and the disciples in the upper room a. Use of covenantal language in explaining his own death b. Exodus 24:8 2. God’s word of promise to Abram in Genesis 15 a. Covenant ritual ceremony with Abram b. Covenantal sign given for assurance 3. Covenantal signs: a. Rainbow given to Noah b. Circumcision given to Abram c. Sacraments given to Believers 4. Luke’s explanation to first-century believers a. Luke 1:72-73 b. Jesus’s work was the fulfillment of the Covenant with Abraham 5. Psalm 78 and 89 6. Hebrews 6-10 III. What Covenant Theology is not A. Not a response to Dispensationalism B. Not a response to baptize infants C. Main issues of Covenant Theology: 1. Imputation of Adam’s sin and nature 2. Extent of the atonement 3. Seeking to understand all of redemptive history IV. Defining the term covenant A. What is a covenant? “Covenant is a bond in blood sovereignly administered.” – O. Palmer Robertson “An agreement between two or more persons.” – St. Augustine 1. Technical terminology: a. Hebrew: Berit 4 Covenant Theology, 0ST601 – Dr. J. Ligon Duncan III © 2013 Reformed Theological Seminary, Distance Education b. Greek: Diatheke c. Latin: i. Testamentum ii. Foedus iii. Pactum B. Unpacking O. Palmer Robertson’s definition: “Covenant is a bond in blood sovereignly administered.” 1. An oath bound commitment a. Joshua 9 b. Hebrews 6 2. A bond in blood a. Genesis 15 i. Covenant ritual in the Ancient Near East with lords (suzerains) and vassals ii. Symbolism of the slaughtered animal iii. Covenant is a life and death commitment 3. Sovereignly administered a. God sets the terms of the relationship and the covenant b. No room for bargaining V. Bible’s usage of the term Covenant A. Misconceptions about Covenants 1. Not a contract 2. No conditions B. Biblical understanding of covenant 1. Special/unique oath bound relationship a. Joshua 9 i. Treaty between peoples ii. Covenant of life between the Gibeonites and Israelites iii. The Gibeonites deception b. Hebrews 8 i. Superiority of the revelation of Christ 5 Covenant Theology, 0ST601 – Dr. J. Ligon Duncan III © 2013 Reformed Theological Seminary, Distance Education ii. Purpose and failure of the old covenant iii. New covenant/relationship being created 2. Securing and structuring the special oath bound relationship i. God’s election and calling create the relationship ii. Covenants structure and secure the relationship iii. Confirmation of a relationship o 1 Samuel 18 – David and Jonathan o Genesis 21 – Abraham and Abimelech iv. Assurance of that relationship 3. A sign of confirmation for the oath bound relationship a. Genesis 17 i. “I will be your God and you will be my people.” ii. Abraham has to keep the covenant iii. Circumcision is the sign of the covenant 4. Written revelation associated with a specific biblical covenant a. 2 Corinthians 3:14 b. 10 Commandments VI. Covenant Terminology A. Covenant between God and Adam: 1. Westminster Confession of Faith: Covenant of Works, Covenant of Nature, and Covenant of Life 2. Meredith Kline and O. Palmer Robertson: Covenant of Creation B. Covenant of Grace: O. Palmer Robertson prefers it to be called the Covenant of Redemption C. Covenant of Redemption was historically used to refer to the intra-Trinitarian relationship of God before the foundations of the world 1. Louis Berkhoff: Pactum Solutis 2. O. Palmer Robertson is opposed to calling this “event” a covenant 3. Can a covenant be between peers? 4. Example of marriage D. Number of Covenants 6 Covenant Theology, 0ST601 – Dr. J. Ligon Duncan III © 2013 Reformed Theological Seminary, Distance Education 1. Puritans: Covenant of Redemption, Covenant of Works, and Covenant of Grace 2. O. Palmer Robertson: Covenant of Creation and Covenant of Redemption 3. WCF: Covenant of Works and Covenant of Grace E. John Murray 1. No pre-temporal covenant between the trinity 2. Adamic Administration not Covenant of Works 3. Covenant of Grace F. Testament 1. Not found in the Bible 2. Hebrews 9 3. Difference between covenant and testament 4. Similarities between covenant and testament G. Implications of a bi-Covenantal structure 1. Penal-substitutionary Atonement 2. Particular Redemption H. Republication of the Covenant of Works in the Mosaic Covenant 1. John Owen 2. Westminster Confession of Faith 3. Westminster Seminary in California VII. History of Covenant Theology A. Patristic Period 1. Early church Fathers used the category of Covenant theology 2. Pre-Nicene theology on Covenant theology: a. Stressed moral obligations on Christians b. Show that Gentiles are included in God’s promises to Abraham c. Denial that Israel in the flesh is the only proper recipient of the Abrahamic promises d. Show the continuity of God’s plan of redemption e. To explain the differences/discontinuity of the divine economy B. Medieval Period 7 Covenant Theology, 0ST601 – Dr. J. Ligon Duncan III © 2013 Reformed Theological Seminary, Distance Education 1. Recession of Hebrew language in the early medieval period 2. Covenant terminology reclaimed later by William of Ockham and Gabriel Biel a. Associated with late medieval nominalism b. Martin Luther disdained this kind of theology c. “To the one who does what he can, God will not deny grace.” C. Reformation Era 1. Ulrich Zwingli 2. John Calvin 3. Henry Bullinger 4. Kaspar Olevianus 5. Hermann Witsius 6. Zacharias Ursinus 7. Heidelberg Catechism 8. Westminster Confession of Faith D. Modern Era 1. Push back against Covenant Theology a. Karl Barth b. T.F. Torrence c. R.T. Kendall d. Against the idea of Limited Atonement 2. Richard Muller VIII. Decline of Covenant Theology A. John Lafayette Girardeau 1. Lectures given at Columbia Seminary on Covenant Theology in 1881 2. Concerned over a departure of Covenant theology B. Hugh Martin, The Atonement in its Relations to the Covenant, The Priesthood, and the Intercession of our Lord 1. Federal theology is suffering a measure of neglect which does not bode well for the future of the church C. Twentieth Century and the rejection of Covenant Theology 8 Covenant Theology, 0ST601 – Dr. J. Ligon Duncan III © 2013 Reformed Theological Seminary, Distance Education 1. Holmes Rolston III, John Calvin vs. The Westminster Confession of Faith 2. Karl Barth’s ten page footnote in Church Dogmatics 4.1 3. Writings of Perry Miller on the Puritans a. Argued that Puritans were authors of a revision of Calvinism b. The New England Mind c. Driving a wedge between Calvin and the later Puritans 4. Rise of Dispensationalism IX. Objections to Covenant Theology A. Barthian Theologians 1. Covenant Theology misunderstands covenant as a contract 2.
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