A Puritan Theology
What did the Puritans believe about the Bible, God, and life? In A Puritan Theology, Joel R. Beeke and Mark Jones present Puritan doctrine and teachings in a systematic theology.
At the Top of My Favorite Systematic Theologies
A masterwork and unparalleled resource, this is an incredible accomplishment and landmark work. It has quickly jumped to the top of my list on favorite systematic theologies.
The range of theology as well as the Puritans and works featured is staggering. 60 chapters cover prolegomena, theology proper, anthropology and covenant theology, Christology, soteriology, ecclesiology, eschatology, and theology in practice. At just over 1000 pages, this is a behemoth of a book.
Adoption and Preaching
My favorite was Chapter 34: The Puritans on Adoption. While not often mentioned in other works, Beeke and Jones show that the Puritan emphasis on adoption was indeed significant. While adoption is into God’s family, it actually impacts the entire life of the believer. John Cotton, expounding 1 John 3, taught that adoption affects our relationship to God, our relationship to the world, our relationship to the future, our relationship to ourselves, and our relationship to the Church as the family of God. It makes sense that Cotton would see these relationships, as the Puritans showed true spirituality while living between two worlds.
Two chapters are dedicated to Puritan Preaching, but I found the additional chapter on John Bunyan’s preaching to the heart to be most moving. Beeke and Jones examine Bunyan as a preacher, claiming that “oratory skill or passion did not make Bunyan such a powerful preacher,” but “by his own admission he preached what he felt.” They go on to explain three particulars of Bunyan’s preaching: it was participatory, pleading, and Christ exalting. I was captivated and encouraged, inspired with a new preaching hero.
Hear and Learn from Puritan Saints
My copy of this book was sent as a special Puritan Bundle set together with Meet the Puritans, Ore From the Puritans’ Mine, and a Free Study Guide. If you love the Puritans, you’ll want to get the full 3-piece set.
The book ends with practical lessons from Puritan theology today. Beeke and Jones call us to focus on Christ, maintain biblical balance, persevere in catechizing, pray without ceasing, handle trial Christianly, rebuke pride, and rely on the Spirit. They conclude that we should emulate Puritan spirituality, and I am eager to learn more these past saints. What a privilege it is to hear and learn from them today!
I received a media copy of A Puritan Theology and this is my honest review. Find more of my book reviews and follow Dive In, Dig Deep on Instagram - my account dedicated to Bibles and books to see the beauty of the Bible and the role of reading in the Christian life. To read all of my book reviews and to receive all of the free eBooks I find on the web, subscribe to my free newsletter.