This book relates the beginnings of the Protestant Reformed Churches in America, starting from its roots many years before it’s actual formation in 1925. From the doctrines and church order laid down at the historic Synod of Dordrecht of 1618-1619 and revitalized in the early 19th century by dissenters to the established state church of the Netherlands, the author traces the immigration of Dutch Calvinists to the United States when they were forced to escape ecclesiastical and economic persecution.

Several CRC ministers and congregations who opposed the Arminian tendencies in the CRC led to the formation of the PRC. Amid severe controversy, first in 1924 as they broke away from the CRC and later in 1953 amongst themselves, this fledging group of churches fought for its existence.

For Thy Truth’s Sake is not a mere relating of the people, places, and events involved – although they are included and make fascinating reading. The focus is rather on the PRC’s struggle to maintain the truth of sovereign, particular grace. The author clearly and concisely defines Protestant Reformed doctrinal distinctives. His history is brought further to life by the inclusion of 24 pages of more than 70 historic photos.

Includes Scripture and subject indexes, entire text of ten historic documents, and 24 pages of historic photos.

This book was reviewed in the Protestant Reformed Theological Journal.  Click here to read the review.

To read chapter 11 in Italian, click here.

Two books on early Protestant Reformed history may be read on-line:

A Study of the Relation Between the Views of Prof. R. Janssen and Common Grace by Herman Hanko (covers two, related, doctrinal controversies in the Christian Reformed Church [1920-1925]: the Janssen controversy over the nature and authority of Scripture and the common grace controversy, shedding much light on PRC origins)

The History of the Protestant Reformed Churches by Herman Hoeksema (covers 1924-1936)

“For Thy Truth’s Sake certainly is a good read. My immediate reaction was to think, ‘Here we go again—another book I can’t put down!’ – Warwickshire, England

“I want to share with you what a great blessing For Thy Truth’s Sake is being to me. I must admit that, initially I wasn’t interested as I thought it wasn’t about the church in England’s history. Then I saw how wrong that was of me, as the church in any land is our history, so I ordered it from you and it arrived safely last Monday. Thank you! It is so very wonderful! I hadn’t really taken in what ‘A Doctrinal History’ would mean. I have already read the first three parts and a bit of part 4. It has been really thrilling! – Halifax, England

“In pursuing the doctrinal side of the PRC, I have been through Prof. Hanko’s For Thy Truth’s Sake. Brilliant!” – Gloucestershire, England

“Lately I been profiting greatly by reading For Thy Truth’s Sake. I have been especially impressed by the portrayal of Herman Hoeksema. He comes across as someone given both to original thinking, as well as confessional fidelity. The origins of the common grace controversy is fascinating. That’s all been new to me; also the connection between diverse doctrines has also helped me to ‘piece things together,’ especially the covenant and the doctrine of marriage.” – London, England

“Ignore this book … at your peril. For its implications concern the whole Church of God militant” (British Reformed Journal).

To watch the video of the author interview concerning this book, click here.

Belgic Confession Class, Vol. I: Introduction and Articles 1-7

13 classes on 12 CDs with 8 class handouts

The Belgic Confession is one of the most important and oldest doctrinal statements of the Reformed churches. Written in 1561, it became a confession of Protestant believers in the Netherlands in the face of persecution from the Roman Catholic church and government. “Hold fast the form of sound words” (II Tim. 1:13).

 Introduction: Why Study the Belgic Confession? (1 class)
Article 1: There Is One Only God (2 classes)
Article 2: By What Means God Is Made Known Unto Us (2 classes)
Article 3: The Written Word of God (2 classes)
Article 4: Canonical Books of the Holy Scriptures (1 class)
Article 5: From Whence the Holy Scriptures Derive Their Dignity and Authority (1 class)
Article 6: The Difference Between the Canonical and Apocryphal Books (1 class)
Article 7: The Sufficiency of the Holy Scriptures to be the Only Rule of Faith (3 classes)

“Thanks for the notice the volume 2 of the Belgic Confession Class is now available. Listening to volume 1 has been a great blessing and a challenge. I didn’t realize the implications and extent of the true nature of the Anabaptist constituency, its history and present manifestations … Now I am beginning to understand the insidious nature of all that comes under the umbrella of so much evangelical/fundamentalist/charismatic/social gospel/liberalism; and how diametrically opposed all this is to the Reformed faith, the Holy Scriptures, and the Confessions; and just how key the Confessions are in the fight against the falsehood of man-centred religion.” – Wolverhampton, England

“Greetings in the name of the Lord and a big thank you for the great CDs I ordered of the Belgic Confession classes on Scripture. I have learned so much by listening to them.” – Co. Antrim

Is Scripture man’s word or God’s word? This book develops the truth of the infallible inspiration of Scripture, presenting Scripture as God’s inerrant word and our authority for faith and life. The author directs the reader to the Reformed confessions and to Scripture itself, providing a clear understanding of this fundamental doctrine.

Contents:
1. The Basic Principle
2. Scripture’s Self-Testimony, the Principles
3. Scripture’s Self-Testimony Through the Prophecies and Fulfillment of Christ’s Coming
4. Scripture’s Self-Testimony: Scriptural Conclusion
5. Does Scripture Have a Human Element?
6. The Consequence of Conceding a Human Element in Scripture
7. Organic Inspiration

The Doctrine of Scripture, by Homer C. Hoeksema. 93pp. [Reviewed by Prof. R. Decker.]

The contents of this little volume were prepared by Prof. Hoeksema for an elective class in the Protestant Reformed Seminary. The class was intended to introduce the students to “Contemporary Views of Scripture.” The material found in this book was really an introduction, a positive statement of the doctrine of Holy Scripture. Prof. Hoeksema was taken to glory before he had opportunity to complete the work. 

Hoeksema answers this question: “What has been historically, and what is now, the Reformed and confessional view of Scripture?” It is Hoeksema’s contention that this question must first be answered, before any critical analysis of contemporary views of Scripture can be properly done. 

The reader will find in this book a treatment of the doctrine of Scripture as taught in the Reformed Creeds. He will also find detailed treatment of “Scripture’s Self-Testimony.” In two very important chapters (5 & 6) Hoeksema argues convincingly that there is no “human factor” or “element” in the production of Holy Scripture. The book concludes with a comprehensive statement on the concept “Organic Inspiration.” 

We are convinced that the key doctrine under attack in our day is the doctrine of Holy Scripture itself. For this reason the book is must reading for seminarians, office-bearers, Christian school teachers, and all believers. It will provide the Reformed believer with the necessary, foundational understanding of this crucial truth. Thus the believer will be enabled to evaluate the false views of Scripture so prevalent in our day.

CONTENTS

Foreword

PART I
Chapter 1: The Reformed Worldview
Chapter 2: The Organic Development of Sin
Chapter 3: The Abolition of Truth
Chapter 4: The Reformed Believer and Money
Chapter 5: The Sexual Revolution
Chapter 6: Towards a One-World Government

PART II
Chapter 7: The Unbreakable Scripture
Chapter 8: The Call to Spiritual Cleansing

APPENDIX
About the British Reformed Fellowship

FOREWORD

Everyone has a worldview, whether they are conscious or unconscious of having one and whether their worldview is relatively simple or sophisticated, consistent or inconsistent, true (i.e., biblical) or false.

Moreover, everyone necessarily has a view of themselves and the universe; God and man; right and wrong; the beginning, the meaning and the goal of all things—a worldview. Even if they deny the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ and try to avoid thinking about many of the biggest issues of life, some sort of worldview, no matter how truncated or limited, is unavoidable.

The issue is what worldview will we hold? The worldview taught in the Scriptures and the Reformed confessions or one of the lying worldviews which suppress and pervert God’s truth in unrighteousness, and call forth His wrath from heaven (Rom. 1:18)?

This little book is designed to help Christians (and any others who may read it in God’s good providence) to believe, understand, speak and behave in all spheres of life according to the gospel of the Lord Jesus revealed in the Holy Bible. In other words, its goal is that, by God’s grace, our faith and life be more consciously conformed to a more completely and consistently Reformed worldview, over against the various Antichristian worldviews, especially those most prevalent and powerful in our modern, Western world. In this way, we will be obeying what Christ calls “the first and great commandment:” “Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind” (Matt. 22:37-38).

There is a logic to the order of the chapters. Chapter 1 introduces, and gives an overview of, the Reformed worldview, while the next chapter explains the idea of the development of sin. Chapters 3-5 set forth our calling as regards various forms of wickedness: the “big lie” of postmodernism (ninth commandment), the ensnaring love of money (tenth commandment) and the ubiquitous promotion of promiscuity (seventh commandment) in our mendacious, covetous and adulterous generation. The final chapter of part 1 explains how the development of sin brings in a one-world Antichristian government.

These six chapters began life as the six main lectures at the biennial British Reformed Fellowship (BRF) Conference in Hebron Hall, near Cardiff, in Wales in the summer of 2010. After much transcribing, editing and even rewriting, they are presented here in a more permanent form and for a wider audience.

Our two main conference speakers, Herman Hanko and David Engelsma, emeritus professors of the Protestant Reformed Seminary in Michigan, USA, also preached at the Sunday services during the week-long conference. It was the will of the BRF membership that these fine sermons also be included in this book, especially as they dealt with issues related to our theme. In part 2, chapter 7, “The Unbreakable Scripture,” shows us the basis for our Reformed worldview: the infallible Word of God, while chapter 8, “The Call to Spiritual Cleansing,” summarizes our Christian life in this fallen, evil world as one of sanctification.

Saints from the various parts of the British Isles and several countries in continental Europe, N. America and Asia who had the privilege of attending the 2010 BRF Conference may require a word about the book’s title. The conference’s theme, “The Word of God for Our Generation” is the subtitle, for the two main authors decided upon the more specific The Reformed Worldview as the main title.

The Reformed Worldview: The Word of God for Our Generation is the fourth BRF book co-authored by Profs. Engelsma and Hanko, the others being Keeping God’s Covenant (2006), The Five Points of Calvinism (2008) and The Work of the Holy Spirit (2010).

We hope that this new work is even more widely circulated and well received than the previous three BRF books! May it, too, serve the honour of our glorious Triune God!

Rev. Angus Stewart
BRF Chairman

This book can also be read on-line.

To read 5 chapters of this book in Afrikaans, click here.
To read the foreword and chapters of this book in Indonesian, click here.
To read all this book in Polish, click here.
To read all this book in Russian, click here.

“‘How should we then live?’ is a question that has confronted every believer from the fall onwards, for the world we pass through constantly impacts on our lives, and can prove a very hostile environment. The practical issues of Christian living were the theme of the 2010 British Reformed Conference. The main addresses, delivered by Professors Engelsma and Hanko of the Protestant Reformed Churches (US), have been expanded and are now offered to a wider Christian audience. Through eight thoroughly biblical presentations, we are given detailed instruction and advice on the Reformed (or biblical) worldview: the organic development of sin; the abolition of truth; the believer and money; the sexual revolution; towards a one-world government; the unbreakable Scripture, and, finally a call to spiritual cleansing. The writers pull no punches when exposing the evil around us so some of the material is ‘strong stuff,’ but we should never shy away from seeing the world as it is, as we seek to witness to it … it is, throughout, a sincere attempt to confront a sin-soaked society with the infallible word of God and to challenge the believer to examine where he or she stands. The sections on the abolition of truth (‘newspeak,’ making wrong seem good and driving out the old, plain, words) and towards a one-world government (are current events leading up to the final world dictatorship of the Antichrist?) are especially valuable and thought provoking. The book concludes on a positive note: God is in control, even the evil around us is working out His gracious plan. Events that shock and dismay us today may testify loudly that the Lord’s return is near at hand.” – British Reformed Newspaper

“We see much truth in this book [i.e., The Reformed Worldview]. Now we can see the origin of the apostasy in the GKN and the Reformed Churches in the Netherlands (Liberated). It was always puzzling us, why they put so much emphasis on mundane culture instead of Christian one. This book is an eye opener for most Christians.” – Belgium

“I am halfway through the book and thoroughly impressed by it because it confirms the way I see the world … I am considering buying copies for my two Christian grandsons.” – Avon, England

“The Reformed Worldview has been a great help to me in understanding what is happening in the world now and also learning what God says to us in His Word about it.” – England

“I have given away a couple copies of Profs. Hanko and Engelsma’s amazing book [The Reformed Worldview], which is the core of what they both spoke upon [at the 2010 BRF] Family Conference. I marvel anew at the faithfulness of God in His keeping these two giants of the faith active and able to produce from the Scriptures such strong, bold truths. One friend [said] he was overjoyed to have read it. I now would like some more copies …” – New Zealand

“Many thanks for [The Reformed Worldview] and other material. I am halfway through the book and thoroughly impressed by it because it confirms the way I see the world. I am considering buying copies for my two Christian grandsons.” – England

“This is a very good book. I especially liked the chapter ‘The Abolition of Truth.’ It explains in great detail the root of many problems when there is no absolute standard for truth.” – Washington, USA

“I’m just re-reading The Reformed Worldview by D. Engelsma and H. Hanko. It is so very, very edifying that I want to give a copy to the pastor here.” – W. Yorkshire, England

“We’ve found The Reformed Worldview very helpful in dealing with college students and have used it in pre-confession classes over the past years making it required reading for everyone who makes confession of faith.” – S. Dakota, USA

“The Reformed Worldview is a book for such a time as this. I am now ready to read it again! Please send a copy to a brother … Many thanks.” – England

“We are enjoying The Reformed Worldview at Ladies Bible Study. It’s been great for us!” – Ontario, Canada