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Rev. G. H. Kersten (1882–1948)

Autor(a) de Reformed Dogmatics (2 Volume Set)

21 Works 185 Membros 2 Reviews

About the Author

Séries

Obras de Rev. G. H. Kersten

Etiquetado

Conhecimento Comum

Nome padrão
Kersten, Rev. G. H.
Nome de batismo
Kersten, Gerrit Hendrik
Data de nascimento
1882
Data de falecimento
1948
Sexo
male
Nacionalidade
Netherlands

Membros

Resenhas

In Reformed Dogmatics: A Systematic Treatment of Reformed Doctrine, Rev. G. H. Kersten accomplishes exactly what the subtitle claims, i.e. he methodically works his way through the major division of Christian doctrine from a Reformed point-of-view. He is amazingly thorough, given the relative brevity of writing his dogmatics in two volumes totaling less than 600 pages, compared to the writing of others in the Reformed tradition, such as John Calvin, Wilhelmus a Brakel and Herman Bavinck. I think he accomplishes so much in such a relatively small space because his writing his precise and concise. I have read through both Calvin and Bavinck and Kersten spends less time in addressing the viewpoints of the opponents of his positions, preferring to clearly lay out the position he holds on any particular topic and let the reader then decide the merits of his position. Like the giants of Reformed theology, Kersten is relentlessly biblical, making sure that every point to takes is grounded in scripture. Kersten is also thoroughly acquainted with the history of Reformed doctrine within his geographical setting of the Netherlands, from which he draws deeply, but with the exception of Calvin he does not often draw from others, such as John Knox, John Owen or Francis Turretin. I found Kersten's dogmatics to be a masterwork of Reformed theology and I highly commend it.… (mais)
 
Marcado
BradKautz | Sep 23, 2016 |
The Heidelberg Catechism was written in 1653 by two young pastors in what was then the emerging Reformed branch of Protestant Christianity, Zacharias Ursinus and Caspar Olevianus. They wrote this catechism at the direction of Frederick III, the Elector of Palatine, who wanted a tool to teach those people living under his rule the basics of Christian belief. Ursinus and Olevianus wrote 128 question-and-answers to provide, in a thorough yet manageable manner, the information they believed should be known by all who profess faith in Christ. These question-and-answers were then grouped into 52 parts so that a pastor could preach one of them each week and thereby work through the entire catechism over the course of one year.

Within many Reformed congregations there has been a habit of worshipping twice on Sunday, with the evening service devoted to the teaching of the catechism. This is the framework for which G. H. Kersten has written The Heidelberg Catechism in 52 Sermons (Sioux Center, IA: Netherlands Reformed Book and Publishing, 2nd ed., 1992).

I have read the Heidelberg Catechism several times and once read Andrew Kuyvenhoven’s excellent study of it, Comfort and Joy. I had never heard of Kersten before coming across this book but now, having read it, I view Kersten’s work perhaps a bit like John Sutter may have felt when he found gold at his mill in California, for Kersten has written a rare treasure for all who want to understand the riches of God poured out in Christ.

Kersten is a methodical preacher and each sermon uses a set structure. There is an introduction, a reading of the catechism question-and-answer, a brief outline of the points of the sermon followed by a fuller discussion of each point, and then closing with a section of application to one’s daily life.

Kersten’s preaching is saturated in scripture. Each answer of the Catechism, as written by its authors, is based in scripture but Kersten goes far beyond those scriptures, using both the Old and New Testaments, to dig deeply into each point that is being taught. He is also both warm and practical in his preaching. He cares deeply for those who are hearing God’s Word explained, and he never loses sight of the fact that not all of his hearers will be believers, so his purpose is always two-fold, being to bring non-Christians to faith and to deepen the faith of those who already know Christ as their Lord and Savior.

At the time he wrote and preached these sermons Kersten’s ministry context was in the Netherlands, just a few years after World War II. As a result of those circumstances he very occasionally touches on issues that were very relevant to his congregation, such as the spread of Communism across parts of Europe, that are not really a concern today for the reader in North America in the 21st century.

Those rare context-specific thoughts aside, Kersten has produced a real treasure for all who want to understand more deeply the riches of Christian belief to be found in the Reformed tradition. This is a book which will nourish faith again, and again, and again.
… (mais)
1 vote
Marcado
BradKautz | Jun 10, 2013 |

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Estatísticas

Obras
21
Membros
185
Popularidade
#117,260
Avaliação
4.0
Resenhas
2
ISBNs
5
Idiomas
1

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