Presbyterian Creeds: A Guide to the Book of Confessions

Rating:
Summary: Weak in Explaining Presbyterian Doctrine
Review: Dr. Rogers' classic historical and theological explication of the creeds making up the PC(USA) Book of Confessions is profound, exciting, and enlightening. He shows us how to use the confessions intelligently and wisely to understand who we are as Christians and as Presbyterians and to see how "the church reformed, always being reformed" has grown and deepened in relationship with the living God. This book is illuminates a part of where we come from and who we are.

Rating:
Summary: Presbyterian Creeds by Jack Rogers
Review: Dr. Rogers' classic historical and theological explication of the creeds making up the PC(USA) Book of Confessions is profound, exciting, and enlightening. He shows us how to use the confessions intelligently and wisely to understand who we are as Christians and as Presbyterians and to see how "the church reformed, always being reformed" has grown and deepened in relationship with the living God. This book is illuminates a part of where we come from and who we are.

Rating:
Summary: Weak in Explaining Presbyterian Doctrine
Review: This book is useful to a good understanding of how a large portion of the clergy in the PCUSA today view the confessional standards of the PCUSA. However, as many of these clergy do not have an understanding, nor do they teach, the doctrines that our pious fathers in the Presbyterian Church once taught from the same pulpit, this book also is very weak as a tool for the Christian who aspires to become an elder or other church officer.

The author has a weak understanding of reformed theology. What he feels to be the essential tenets of the reformed faith are ten tenets listed in the Book of Order (not the Book of Confessions) which he belives summarize the reformed faith. A much better understanding is required of church officers. Church officers must be sound in the faith, and this book lacks the guidance to help church officers. It does not properly give an understanding of reformed faith, and it does not serve as an effective tool to understanding reformed faith and doctrine.

The whole argument of essential tenets has been especially fierce in the last 100 years (more so in the early 1900's). The author of this book comes down on one side of the essential tenet argument. He is biased, and he is biased against subscription. He does not say that he is biased, and therefore will not explain or defend his position. Indeed, the whole issue of subscription is avoided. Thus, an accurate history on the subject of subscription to the Confession is not offered in this book. Presbyterian ministers and elders historically subscribed to the Confession of Faith as their own confession - to be what they believe scripture teaches. This they continued until the 1900's. Also, the use of the word "tenets" is a rather new invention. Our Presbyterian fathers used the word "articles", as the Confession was made up of articles (Each chapter of the confession consists of several articles). The word "tenets", which is now used, does not refer to the articles, but to a set of beliefs. So we now have the "essential tenets" of the reformed faith and confessions. This was not the talk of Presbyterians before.

The author of this book quotes a part of a sentence from the Adopting Act of 1729. He subverts the meaning of the Adopting Act by drawing a wrong conclusion about it based on this one part of a sentence from it. His conclusion is what he wants you to accept without going into an analysis of the Act itself or explaining that there are those that disagree with him. For if it is explained that there is disagreement, then an explanation would be required to establish why he believes as he does. This however takes time and work. So it is avoided. Many clergy in the PCUSA take his side on this point. But you are not getting the whole story from this book. You need more knowledge to understand the issue. Thus the meaning of the ministers that wrote the Adopting Act is not explained, and you will not understand it unless you exert yourself to learn more. This book will not help you. And thus, the whole argument of what is required of those who aspire to be church officers is misreprented by many, including this author. This issue of essential articles was actually decided by the 1729 Synod. And of course, they did not use the word - "tenets".

The author of this book gives his biased argument for his position. However, he does not present the other position. He doesn't even acknowledge that there are those that disagree with him. There are whole denominations that disagree with him on these points, including the Orthodox Presbyterian Church and the Presbyterian Church in America. Seminaries disagree with him, including Reformed Theological Seminary and Reformed Presbyterian Theological Seminary (viz. disagreement about the issue of subscribing to the confessions and what is essential in reformed faith). There are resources available that present the arguments that are lacking in this book. These other resources can give you a better understanding of Presbyterianism and help you to understand the reformed faith and therefore understand more about our faith in God and what it means to be Christ's disciple.

Again, this book is useful as tool to understand the author's side on the issues he presents. He does not work to establish his position as he does not acknowledge any other position. This book helps you to know how many of the clergy look at the confessions of the church and how arrogant they are about telling you how you should believe.