CONFESSING THE FAITH
A reader’s guide to the Westminster
Confession of Faith
By Chad van Dixhoorn
Banner of Truth. 484 pages. £19.81
ISBN 978 1 848 714 045
The Westminster Confession of Faith has been one of the most influential summaries of Reformed Christian belief in the English speaking world.
While foundational for Presbyterian churches it has been adapted and adopted by Calvinistic Congregationalists and Baptists. Chad van Dixhoorn, an American Presbyterian minister, is perhaps the leading living authority on the confession and the assembly of divines that drew it up. He is the editor of the recently published minutes of the assembly.
This book is essentially a commentary on the Confession. Following its structure, each chapter includes the historic text as well as a modern version, Scripture proofs, and succinct but penetrating comments on the paragraph under consideration. Beginning with the doctrine of Scripture, the book moves through the confession to its final chapter on the resurrection of the dead.
Lightness of touch
In our day of much shorter statements of faith, this is a reminder of the value of fuller and more comprehensive confessions. Of course, originating in the 17th century, there are many contemporary issues that are not dealt with that more recent confessions such as that of the World Reformed Fellowship take up. Nevertheless, being entirely in sympathy with the Westminster Confession’s theology, van Dixhoorn helps us to understand how it sought to express the faith revealed in the Bible and its continuing relevance for the church and Christians today. Behind his comments is a vast hinterland of theological and historical knowledge that is distilled with a lightness of touch. Added to this is a devotional tone and an easy style that makes the book accessible and readily usable. As well as for personal use I would encourage ministers and other teachers in churches to use it to teach doctrine. Credo-Baptists, Independents and others will need to do some adaptation at points, but certainly I plan to use this book in teaching the faith to a new generation. I wholeheartedly recommend this excellent book.
