In one convenient, parallel arrangement, Drs. Beek and Ferguson have harmonized seven important Reformed confessions that have never before been published together.

Reformed Confessions of the Sixteenth Centurymakes available a number of confessional documents that are not easily accessible elsewhere. Arthur Cochrane's introduction to the work and to each confession indicates each document's importance and its theological emphases. A new introduction by Jack Rogers focuses on developments in the study of Reformed Confessions since the first appearance of Cochrane's book in 1966.

With the rise of Pentecostalism in the early twentieth century and growth in the charismatic movement since, a resurgence of interest in the Holy Spirit and Christian spirituality in both theology and the church’s life has become evident. Along with increased interest in the doctrine of the Holy Spirit, there are criticisms of the treatment of the doctrine in church history for having neglected the Holy Spirit in both theology and the church’s life. Critical studies of the treatments of the doctrine of the Holy Spirit in church history have been laboriously conducted. However, there have not been many studies on the doctrine of the Holy Spirit in Reformed orthodoxy, particularly in its confessional standards. Recognizing the gap in the history of scholarship, this work explores and provides a systematic account of the person and some aspects of the work of the Holy Spirit as presented in the major Reformed confessions and catechisms of the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries. Attention is particularly given to those aspects of the work of the Holy Spirit that have not been greatly explored but are pertinent to contemporary discussions.

The problems with the Bible that New Testament scholar Bart Ehrman discussed in his bestseller Misquoting Jesus—and on The Daily Show with John Stewart, NPR, and Dateline NBC, among others—are expanded upon exponentially in his latest book: Jesus, Interrupted. This New York Times bestseller reveals how books in the Bible were actually forged by later authors, and that the New Testament itself is riddled with contradictory claims about Jesus—information that scholars know… but the general public does not. If you enjoy the work of Elaine Pagels, Marcus Borg, John Dominic Crossan, and John Shelby Spong, you’ll find much to ponder in Jesus, Interrupted.

In this important new volume, Arand, Kolb, and Nestingen bring the fruit of an entire generation of scholarship to bear on these documents, making it an essential and up-to-date class text. The Lutheran Confessions places the documents solidly within their political, social, ecclesiastical and theological contexts, relating them to the world in which they took place. Though the book is not a theology of the Confessions, readers will clearly understand the issues at stake in the narratives, both in their own time, and in ours.

Out of the Protestant Reformation came several important doctrines, including a renewed understanding of repentance. Instead of viewing repentance as a one-time confession, the reformers began to teach what the Bible teaches—that it is both radical and perpetual. In this redesigned, concise volume Sinclair Ferguson examines how the Bible defines repentance and how the doctrine has fared in today’s evangelical churches. He finds many sorely lacking in proper theological understanding: “Once again we need to proclaim the full-orbed doctrine of repentance within an evangelical world that has begun to manifest symptoms of the same medieval sickness.” This reversion to a kind of medieval theology includes the viewing of repentance as an isolated, emotional event. Ferguson combats this trend by pointing us toward repentance in the Bible. As we embrace continual confession and turning from sin, we will find our spiritual walk transformed and our fellowship with Christ renewed. This is an important book for every Christian who wants the grace of repentance to regain rightful prominence in evangelical churches.

A growing trend among Reformed churches is the practice of admitting young children to the Lords Supper. In Children at the Lords Table?, Cornelis P. Venema provides an insightful analysis of the theoretical arguments used by advocates of this recent trend. After clarifying terms and explaining arguments often made in favor of paedocommunion, he considers the history of the churchs confessions, teaching, and practice regarding the proper recipients of the Lords Supper. Presenting a historical, exegetical, and systematic treatment of the subject, Venema demonstrates the validity and value of having covenant children partake of first communion subsequent to their personal profession of faith. This is an invaluable resource for every pastor within the Reformed tradition.

Recent years have seen a number of high profile scholars converting to Roman Catholicism and Eastern Orthodoxy while a trend in the laity expresses an eclectic hunger for tradition. The status and role of confessions stands at the center of the debate within evangelicalism today as many resonate with the call to return to Christianity's ancient roots. Carl Trueman offers an analysis of why creeds and confessions are necessary, how they have developed over time, and how they can function in the church of today and tomorrow. He writes primarily for evangelicals who are not particularly confessional in their thinking yet who belong to confessional churches—Baptists, independents, etc.—so that they will see more clearly the usefulness of the church's tradition.