Few churches today show much interest in church government. Either they assume that the Bible has nothing to say about the subject, or they leave the matter up to those in charge. But the truth is that a good understanding of the doctrine of the church has countless practical implications for the everyday life and practice of the church. This book is an attempt to help officers and non-officers alike understand their duties and the proper relationship of individuals within the body of Christ.

Without a doubt, the Heidelberg Catechism has been the most beloved confessional symbol of the Reformed Churches since it was first published in 1563. But who wrote it? And what was the theology of its authors? In his Ph.D. dissertation, Dr. Walker argues that, while Zacharias Ursinus appears to have been its primary author, many others, including Caspar Olevianus and Elector Frederick, made significant contributions. Further, in composing the Catechism, the authors drew from countless sources (both ancient and contemporary), resulting in an instructional tool that expresses the beauty of the...

Reformed or Presbyterian theology is often referred to simply as "covenant theology." That's because there's nothing more central to Reformed thinking than the fact that God has sovereignly and graciously established a covenant relationship with sinful men through his only begotten Son, Jesus Christ, the mediator of the covenant. Covenant theology is involved in every doctrine the church holds, either explicitly or implicitly. In this work, Dr. Walker traces the development of the doctrine of the covenant in Scripture, considering also the historical opinions of some of the church's great...