Books (commentaries) on the WCF

RickyReformed · #1 (**permalink**) 09-13-2004, 12:05 AM

A.A. Hodge - The Confession of Faith
Robert Shaw - An Exposition of the Westminster Confession
Gordon Clark - What Do Presbyterians Believe?
G. I. Williamson - The Westminster Confession of Faith for study classes

I have Clark's and Williamson's in paperback; and Hodge's and Shaw's in electronic format. These are the only ones that I'm aware of. Are there any more?

C. Matthew McMahon · #2 (**permalink**) 09-13-2004, 03:18 PM

You have listed the best known.

There are some others that are in that genre:
A Guide: The Westminster Confession of Faith : Commentary, by John H. Gerstner, Douglas F. Kelly, Philip Rollinson
The Minutes of the Session of the Westminster Assembnly, by Alexander Mitchell
Commentary on the Larger Catechism, by Thomas Boston
Commentary on the Shorter Catechism, by Thomas Ridgley
The Shorter Catechism Explained, by Thomas Vincent
A Harmony of Protestant Confessions, by Peter Hall
The Westminster Larger Catechism, By J.G. Vos
The Westminster Confession into the 21st Century, By J. Ligon Duncan III

RickyReformed · #3 (**permalink**) 11-14-2004, 03:36 PM

Matt,

I don't think I ever thanked you for providing this list.

Thanks!

Ricky

Ivanhoe · #4 (**permalink**) 11-14-2004, 03:37 PM

How good is Warfield's volume on the Westminster Assembly (I think it is volume 6)? I know it is not an exhaustive work, but what say ye, gentlemen?

VirginiaHuguenot · #5 (**permalink**) 11-14-2004, 04:09 PM

Another commentary on the Westminster Confession (the first, in fact) was David Dickson's Truth's Victory over Error (1684). It can be found online at: http://www.truecovenanter.com/dickso...hsvictory.html

Ivanhoe · #6 (**permalink**) 11-14-2004, 09:36 PM

Would Thomas Watson's Body of Divinity count?

RickyReformed · #7 (**permalink**) 11-15-2004, 05:13 AM

Thanks (again!), Andrew; I wasn't aware of that one. I do have several of David Dickson's works on CD (SWRB), but they do not include "Truth's Victory Over Error."

Jacob, I'm not familiar with either of those two works you mentioned, but perhaps Matt or someone else might know?

fredtgreco · #8 (**permalink**) 11-15-2004, 06:44 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Finn McCool
Would Thomas Watson's Body of Divinity count?

Yes. It is essentially his commentary on the Shorter Catechism

Irishcat922 · #9 (**permalink**) 11-15-2004, 02:19 PM

I read it, "Body of Divinity" to my six month old Daughter. She loved it!

VirginiaHuguenot · #10 (**permalink**) 01-15-2006, 05:08 PM

Theology of The Westminster Symbols A Commentary Historical, Doctrinal, Practical, on the Confession of Faith and Catechisms (1900) by Edward D. Morris

[Edited on 1-15-2006 by VirginiaHuguenot]

VirginiaHuguenot · #11 (**permalink**) 04-27-2006, 03:07 PM

Faith of Our Fathers: A Commentary on the Westminster Confession of Faith by Wayne R. Spear

crhoades · #12 (**permalink**) 04-27-2006, 03:47 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by VirginiaHuguenot
Faith of Our Fathers: A Commentary on the Westminster Confession of Faith by Wayne R. Spear

I've really enjoyed his chapters on Chapter One - Holy Scripture and the WCF in the commemoration volume linking it to Whitaker's Disputations. Should be a good book.

beej6 · #13 (**permalink**) 04-28-2006, 01:18 AM

Rowland Ward from Australia has a study guide for the WCF.
Joseph Pipa has a WCF study guide geared for the classroom.

Jeff_Bartel · #14 (**permalink**) 09-19-2006, 02:52 PM

Truths We Confess by R.C. Sproul.

VirginiaHuguenot · #15 (**permalink**) 01-24-2007, 03:23 PM

There are more commentaries on the Westminster Confession listed here at the Westminster Assembly Project.

Alexander Whyte, in his Exposition on the Shorter Catechism recommends particularly reading the introduction to John MacPherson's Exposition of the Westminster Confession (1882) for insight into the historical context of the Westminster Assembly. MacPherson's Exposition can be found online here.

Romans922 · #16 (**permalink**) 01-24-2007, 03:31 PM

http://host517.ipowerweb.com/~westmins/

VirginiaHuguenot · #17 (**permalink**) 03-01-2007, 05:37 PM

Any opinions on James Philip's Exposition on the Westminster Confession?

armourbearer · #18 (**permalink**) 03-01-2007, 05:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by VirginiaHuguenot

Alexander Whyte, in his Exposition on the Shorter Catechism recommends particularly reading the introduction to John MacPherson's Exposition of the Westminster Confession (1882) for insight into the historical context of the Westminster Assembly. MacPherson's Exposition can be found online here.

The Whyte and Macpherson volumes were part of the Handbooks for Bible Class series, completed mostly by Free Church ministers and professors who were more sympathetic to the critical movement which was apace at the back end of the 19th century.

bookslover · #19 (**permalink**) 03-01-2007, 10:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by armourbearer

The Whyte and Macpherson volumes were part of the Handbooks for Bible Class series, completed mostly by Free Church ministers and professors who were more sympathetic to the critical movement which was apace at the back end of the 19th century.

I remember reading Whyte's commentary a couple of years ago and being impressed with the breadth and depth of his reading. I don't remember there being anything doctrinally suspect in it.

Full title: A Commentary on the Shorter Catechism by Alexander Whyte (Edinburgh: T. & T. Clark, 1882).

An excerpt (from page 137):

The honouring of our parents comes in the order of the commandments after the honouring and worship of God; but in the order of nature, and in our actual lives, the fifth commandment is the first fulfilled. A child's father is more than a father to him; his father is both his father and his god. A little child cannot rise above his father. It is impiety, to him, to think that there can be anywhere anyone greater or better than his own greatest and best of fathers. To every child, his father is the man of men. There is nothing he cannot do. There is no valour, no nobleness, no resources, no wisdom with which he is not clothed. The pious heart which will afterwards rise to everlasting adoration and love of its Father in heaven, for a long time knows Him not, and feels no need of Him. What child cares for more than just to have his father ever near him to love and worship? And, in all this, "earthly fathers learn their craft from God." For God, for a time, clothes every father among us with His own attributes, and prerogatives, and dues. The divine throne, the divine sceptre, the divine sword, are immediately made over to the house of every man into whose keeping and care a little child is committed.

I think this paragraph is especially poignant in that Whyte grew up in a fatherless home.

armourbearer · #20 (**permalink**) 03-01-2007, 11:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bookslover

I remember reading Whyte's commentary a couple of years ago and being impressed with the breadth and depth of his reading. I don't remember there being anything doctrinally suspect in it.

Whyte kept himself fairly within orthodoxy; but Macpherson tried to rewrite reformed orthodoxy to a certain extent.

Beoga · #21 (**permalink**) 03-03-2007, 08:06 PM

I have J.A. Pipa Jr.'s study guide of the WCF. I haven't gone through it yet, but it looks pretty good. Not really a commentary though...

3John2 · #22 (**permalink**) 03-11-2007, 09:25 AM

Anyone have any comments on RC Sprouls new book on the Westminster?

VirginiaHuguenot · #23 (**permalink**) 03-12-2007, 09:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Beoga

I have J.A. Pipa Jr.'s study guide of the WCF. I haven't gone through it yet, but it looks pretty good. Not really a commentary though...

Joey Pipa's study guide is primarily about the WCF (PCA version) but it also incorporates references to the Westminster and Heidelberg Catechisms, as well as the Belgic Confession and Canons of Dordt. It does not cover every section of the WCF (notably absent is discussion on the chapter concerning the civil magistrate or the Pope or synods and councils, etc.). It has some flaws and there are better works out there, but overall it is a pretty good basic study guide, imo.