Reformed Covenant Theology: A Systematic Introduction

Harrison Perkins

Reviewed by: Ethan J. Bolyard

Reformed Covenant Theology: A Systematic Introduction, by Harrison Perkins. Lexham, 2024. Hardcover, 520 pages, $49.99. Reviewed by OP pastor Ethan J. Bolyard.

Although it is popular to reduce Reformed theology to a flowery acronym, Michael Horton was nearer the truth when he said, “Reformed theology is synonymous with covenant theology” (God of Promise, 11). If not exhaustive of the Reformed faith, the doctrine of the covenant is certainly a distinguishing and central mark. This conviction clearly animates Harrison Perkins’s Reformed Covenant Theology: A Systematic Introduction.

The last seventy-five years have seen an explosion of interest in the covenants, and given the vast number of books already available, one might wonder what contribution any new work can make to the conversation. But here Perkins charts a fresh course. Whereas other studies, such as O. Palmer Robertson’s The Christ of the Covenants or Meredith G. Kline’s Kingdom Prologue, have focused on biblical theology, this book considers “the covenants from the perspective of systematic theology” (viii), “emphasizing covenant theology’s categories rather than the covenants’ narrative” (xvii). In other words, Perkins draws a circle instead of a line (Vos, Biblical Theology, 16).

This distinctively dogmatic concern is reflected in the tri-covenantal structure of the book: 1) “The Covenant of Works,” 2) “The Covenant of Redemption,” 3) “The Substance of the Covenant of Grace,” 4) “The Administration of the Covenant of Grace,” and 5) “Living in God’s Covenant of Grace.” Within each section, the book’s method is threefold: an examination of Reformed confessional statements, a defense of those statements from Scripture, and a demonstration of continuity with the ancient and medieval church (xvii). Academic in rigor though often surprisingly pastoral in tone (e.g., it opens with a prayer, uses vivid illustrations, and concludes most chapters with application), the book is designed to help ministers teach this material to their congregations (xviii).

Diffuse and digressive at times, the book covers a lot of ground. Highlights include a discussion of the heavenly nature of Adam’s reward under the covenant of works (55–75; cf. Vos’s “deeper Protestant conception”), a defense of why the covenant of redemption sweetly complies with divine simplicity (109–111), and an explanation of how the Spirit applied the benefits of the covenant of grace to Old Testament saints prior to the incarnation (290–93). In discussing these and other themes, Perkins makes frequent use of classic distinctions (e.g., covenant-rule, procession-mission, principal-penalty).

Although broadly Reformed in outlook and irenic in approach, the book is not without its debatable points. For example, in contrast to the classic definition of covenant as an agreement between two or more parties, Perkins defines it as “a formal relationship” (5). Some readers will not be convinced this modern tweak of the older language is necessary or even an improvement. He also suggests that Adam was created in covenant with God (5), in apparent tension with WSC Q. 12, which classifies the making of this covenant as a “special act of providence.”

Additionally, Perkins relies heavily on a “hypothetical” (or “contingency”) reading of Romans 2:13 and the surrounding verses, which he treats at length in an appendix. Although his position is historically defensible, it is worth noting that many Reformed stalwarts—including Martin Bucer, John Ball, Thomas Manton, Herman Witsius, Wilhelmus à Brakel, and Petrus van Mastricht—held a “real” interpretation of verses 5–11 if not also of verses 12–16 (see Mark Jones’s foreword to Gaffin, By Faith, Not by Sight, x–xi).

Likewise, given the book’s emphasis on the sharp antithesis between works and grace, it is not always clear how a final judgment according to works functions meaningfully for new covenant believers (2 Cor. 5:9–11), nor how the prospect of rewards for obedience (James 1:12) and the threat of sanctions for apostasy (Heb. 10:26–31) genuinely motivate holy living (Heb. 12:14). In fact, despite data to the contrary (Matt. 25:31–40), Perkins seems to deny that the final judgment involves any consequential “evaluation of our works” (250) when he insists, “Believers were already judged at the cross . . . , so there is no future review of our works” prior to our reception of reward (238; cf. 252–53).

Perhaps the most controversial section is Perkins’s exposition of the Mosaic covenant. Although he affirms that this covenant was an administration of the covenant of grace (cf. WCF 7.5), he also argues that it “resembled the covenant of works” at the typological and national levels (320). While assessing his argument, the reader may benefit from reading the OPC General Assembly’s “Report of the Committee to Study Republication.”

Regardless of one’s position on these disputed points, the book remains a treasure trove of confessional statements, exegetical insights, and historical resources. At its best, it draws the reader into a deeper meditation on the Scriptures, a more serious engagement with the Christian tradition, a richer fellowship with the saints, and a sweeter communion with the triune God. This is what covenant (and thus Reformed) theology is all about.