Heinrich Bullinger and the Doctrine of Predestination

by Cornelis P. Venema

Heinrich Bullinger is one of the most important figures of the Reformed heritage, yet his theological contribution is often overlooked by those familiar with his more famous contemporaries, Luther, Calvin, and Zwingli. Removing him from the shadows, Heinrich Bullinger and the Doctrine of Predestination offers an evaluation of this important theologian. Cornelis Venema examines key writings of Bullinger, analyzes his doctrine of predestination, and argues for continuity between Bullinger and the later Reformed tradition. This book will sharpen the church's understanding of its Reformed heritage while paying tribute to Bullinger as a central figure in its development.

Genres: Theology

144 pages, Paperback

First published November 1, 2002

About the author

Venema is Dean of the Faculty and Professor of Doctrinal Studies at Mid-America Reformed Seminary, Dyer, Indiana. He gained his doctorate from Princeton Theological Seminary for work on the theology of John Calvin and has served as a pastor in the Christian Reformed Church in Ontario, California, and South Holland, Illinois.

Reviews

[Daniel · Rating 3 out of 5]

This monograph informs us that Henry Bullinger held to a softer form of predestination, which differed a bit from John Calvin's hard-core double predestination. Despite this difference of opinion the author concludes that Bullinger was not part of a different Reformed tradition from Calvin, and that attempts to set Bullinger's covenant theology in opposition to Calvin's predestinarian theology are crudely reductionist. This information is all very well, but did we really need another book (albeit a short one) in order to grasp these facts? Could it not all have been covered in an essay/journal article? That said, it is still worth reading if you are interested in this subject. It is also easy to read, and I read 75% of it on the bus back from Dublin.