The Highway Forums General Discussion Open Forum Going back to the Berkhof question

I assume Berkhof's one-volume Systematic Theology does a good job in covering the whole of Reformed theology, but subjects such as 'unconditional hardening' are not covered directly, if indirectly. How would you rate the one-volume book in terms of being sufficient for a layman. Are there areas that he does address?

Jeff, I know you gave a reply to the thread that had to be destroyed, so I assume that thread with the two posts are permanently destroyed. Did you ever discovered what was the problem?

Working in reverse...

1. Yes, the thread in total had to be removed. It was corrupted and I have no clue why it happened. Sorry!

2. Berkhof's Systematic Theology is one of my favorites, if not THE favorite of all the systematics I own. It is most definitely "sufficient". However, the question is whether it is practical for a layman. That, of course, depends upon the individdual's capacity to learn. There are two smaller books which Berkhof wrote which one could also consider if the large Systematic Theology seems to difficult. There is the Manual of Christian Doctrine and the smaller Summary of Christian Doctrine, which is more of a grade school level.

3. The question you ask about "unconditional hardening" is most likely covered under the section on Predestination, election and reprobation. As I have responded before, one's answer while depend upon one's view of the decrees; Supralapsarian or Infralapsarian. Since I hold to the later, then I would deny any "unconditionality" to God's hardening since reprobation falls logially after the decree to permit the Fall, thus all mankind is viewed as haven fallen and worthy of hardening, i.e., to keep them in their sinful state and not bestow saving grace upon them.

Although Berkhof doesn't use the wording 'unconditional hardening', he does (I think) answer the question in the section - Predestination, Election, Reprobation.

That's how I understood that section when I read it too.