Studies in Dogmatics and Homiletics Written by Nicolaas J. Gootjes, Edited by Cornelis Van Dam For over twenty years, Dr. Nicolaas Gootjes served the Canadian Reformed Theological College as professor of Dogmatics. The book contains previously published articles, a number of them translated from the Dutch language. Some of the articles are written on a popular level, others are more scholarly. The editor has collated the chapters under such headings as Revelation, The Birth and Work of Christ, The Holy Spirit, The Sacraments, Other Dogmatic Studies, Reformed Confessions and Preaching. Among the highlights are those that examine the relationship between science and Scripture. For instance, Prof. Gootjes discusses the proper understanding of “general revelation” in article 2 of the Belgic Confession and he takes on voices in the Christian Reformed Church which equated creation and providence in the interests of making room for evolutionary theories about origins. Another contemporary debate concerns the imputation of the active obedience of Christ. This is the teaching that all of Christ’s law-keeping is imputed to us as a part of our justification. Some writers associated with the Federal Vision movement have denied this doctrine or minimized its importance. In this book, Gootjes firmly outlines the development of this doctrine, its presence in the Belgic Confession, its biblical basis, and its importance for preaching and teaching. He tackles the error that says that all baptized children receive not only the promises of God in baptism, but also the very things that are promised. Gootjes deals with the promises of baptism and examines the promises of the Triune God that are outlined in the first part of the Form for Infant Baptism. He especially focuses on the promise that the Spirit will dwell in us. He carefully works through the historical, confessional, and biblical data, coming to the conclusion that the Form does not assert an existing situation, but summarizes what is promised to the covenant people of God. Paperback, 420 pages, Scripture index,
