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The great Reformed theologian Herman Bavinck (1854–1921) was famous for his study of many disciplines, including psychology. The pinnacle of his studies in theological psychology is Biblical and Religious Psychology. The book is divided into two parts which work in harmony to cultivate a theological anthropology that attends to who man psychologically is, in relation to God, according to both special and general revelation. Both readers acquainted with Bavinck and new readers will be captivated by the author’s typically rich and erudite style. 

Biblical and Religious Psychology, translated by Herman Hanko and edited by Gregory Parker Jr, with revisions by Annemarieke Ryskamp, is an enlightening and stimulating work that will help all readers think more deeply about the relationship between theology and psychology and appreciate the theological complexities of being human.

What others are saying about the book:

In recent years there has been a renewal of interest in a “theological psychology.” While a rift may have existed in the recent past between theology and psychology, this has not always been the case. Herman Bavinck was one of many theologians who thought deeply about the connection between these two disciplines. He did this in a time when psychology was asserting itself as a science. For anyone interested in how one can put the words “biblical” and “psychology” together, this is an important work to consider. The readers will find themselves challenged and encouraged to take up the task of constructing a “theological psychology” anew. – Cameron Clausing, lecturer in applied theology and missional engagement at Christ College (Sydney, Australia)

This book showcases Bavinck’s attentiveness to the empirical granularity of biblical teaching on humanity. Further, the text represents Bavinckʼs mature writings on these topics, so readers who want a fuller picture of his reflections on the issue cannot neglect reading these texts. The editors and translators should be celebrated for bringing this accessible yet profound work to a wider audience, and the incisive introduction by John Bolt makes it all the more worthwhile. Take up and read! – N. Gray Sutanto, assistant professor of systematic theology of Reformed Theological Seminary (Washington D.C.), author of God and Knowledge: Herman Bavinck’s Theological Epistemology, cotranslator and coeditor of Herman Bavinck’s Christian Worldview

Bavinck spent his career as a theologian thinking about the human subject. Here you get his final thoughts on the psyche, consciousness, and particularly what the Bible teaches about human beings and how we respond to God’s presence. This is the work of the mature Bavinck, which makes it worth paying attention to. – Cory Brock, minister in the Free Church of Scotland at St. Columba’s (Edinburgh) and lecturer in systematic theology and preaching at Edinburgh Theological Seminary

As the 20th century dawned, the discipline of psychology celebrated its emancipation from the Bible and theology. As the new psychology was explaining more and more of the human experience, the rich, previously theologically informed constructs such as soul, spirit, and heart were being reduced to mere consciousness that could be measured in a laboratory. The divorce between psychology and theology seemed to be final. However, thanks to the work of Hanko, Ryskamp and Parker, we now know this was not the case. In their very readable translation of Bavinckʼs Biblical and Religious Psychology, we see that Bavinck was still trying to carve out a place for a theological informed psychology. Not only will this volume be of historical benefit, but Bavinck’s treatment of the human soul in all of its fullness can and should inform contemporary psychology-theology integration discussions. – Bryan N. Maier, associate professor of Psychology and Counseling at Cairn University

When framed in a biblical anthropology, psychology as the study of human soul activity is a necessary and valuable tool for educating children. – John Bolt, "Introduction," professor emeritus of Calvin Theological Seminary and editor of Herman Bavinck's Reformed Dogmatics (Gereformeerde Dogmatiek)

I consider this material to be of such interest and help, especially to those who are engaged in the work of teaching covenant children, that a translation and publication of it is worthwhile in spite of elements with which I disagree. Bavinck did work in the area of Christian psychology which is not to be found in any English writings. – Herman Hanko, "Translator's Foreword," professor emeritus of Protestant Reformed Theological Seminary

Read reviews by John Jambura, @reformedandreading, and @biblebookstheology.

HERMAN BAVINCK (1854-1921) was a Dutch Reformed theologian. He earned his doctorate from the University of Leiden in 1880. He taught at the Theological School in Kampen and Free University of Amsterdam. He is well regarded as the foremost theologian of neo-Calvinism.

• 288 pages
• Hardcover
• ISBN 978-1-959515-06-7
  
• Release date: February 2024

eBook version available

This book teaches children...

• what God’s law is: his ten words to his people
• how we obey God's law: by loving him and our neighbor
• why we keep God's law: to thank him for delivering us from our sin, to be assured that he has made us his children, and more

This book explains and applies each commandment in two to three chapters, covering both what God forbids and requires. Chapters include discussion questions, a Bible memory verse, and a related psalm to be sung.

Read reviews by Amanda DeBoer (Clarion), Judy Joyce (Embracing a Healthy Family), Abby VanSolkema (The Left Fork), Dawn Peluso (Schoolin' Swag), Vanessa Le (The Outlook), and Todd and Nicole Kooienga (The Grandville Gleaner)! Also, check out our feature on Challies.com here!

Ronald L. Cammenga is professor of dogmatics and Old Testament studies at the Protestant Reformed Theological Seminary in Wyoming, Michigan. Ten Commandments is his first children's book.

Ana Sebastián is a digital illustrator and visual development artist based in Madrid, Spain. 

• 63 pages
• Hardcover
• ISBN 978-0-916206-30-7
• Release date: May 2023

Find other Reformed children's books here.

Find other New Releases here.

Other books in the Doctrine for Children series: COMING SOON!

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Contrary to what many believe today, neither the truth that Jesus is both really God and really man nor the way that he views the people on this earth are ideas that you can simply form your own opinion on. These truths are clearly taught in the pages of Scripture and are “profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness” (2 Tim. 3:16).

So who is Jesus? John’s inspired gospel account of our Savior’s ministry will help you answer this question biblically, and it will also help you understand just how important the answer to your question is. When you fall into sin or are tempted to sin or when you suffer hardship and loss, there is great comfort in knowing who Jesus is—the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.

Read reviews by Luke Potjer, Sarah Mowery, Michelle Drnek, and Elizabeth Machiele!

Abby Van Solkema has been writing devotionals for young people since 2018. She is a graduate of Grand Valley State University and lives with her husband, Tedd, and their four children in Byron Center, Michigan. Follow Abby on Instagram @the.left.fork.

• 89 pages
• paperback
• ISBN 978-1-944555-92-4
• Release date: December 2023

eBook version available

Other books in the Devotions on the Gospel of John series: COMING SOON! Subscribe to our email list to stay informed of new teen book releases and sales!

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The Apostles' Creed declares truths that transcend time and space, uniting all of Christ’s saints from past, present, and future.

In the early- to mid-1950s, Herman Hoeksema delivered a series of radio sermons on each of the articles of the Apostles’ Creed, thereby presenting and explaining all of the foundational doctrines of the Christian faith. This collection of those sermons is therefore an excellent introduction to a Reformed understanding of the fundamental doctrines of the Christian faith.

But the sermons in this book are more than theological expositions of the doctrines of the Apostles’ Creed. Hoeksema offers insightful, practical applications that flow from the truths of the Creed. Both the Creed’s doctrines and practical implications are crucially important—not only to the individual Christian—but also to the church as a whole. By expounding the Apostles’ Creed, Hoeksema demonstrates that its truths are not empty propositions but living declarations pointing to the Christian’s only hope and comfort in life and death—the triune God and the Lord Jesus Christ. 

Read a review by Mitchell Dick (URC) and Ben House (The Heavy-Laden Bookshelf blog).

What others are saying about the book:

"As God’s people we embrace the teachings of the Apostles’ Creed. We embrace these teachings because we believe them. However, we believers can easily fall into the practice of treating the Creed as only a simple statement, a statement which we do not think about too deeply. We do not seek to understand the depths of its riches. Consequently, we do not grow in our faith. This fine volume on the Apostles’ Creed, replete with many Scripture references, will cause our faith and understanding of biblical truth to grow." – REV. JEROME JULIEN, emeritus minister in the United Reformed Churches in North America

"Straight-forward, doctrinally tight, unwavering Reformed emphasis." -BEN HOUSE, The Heavy-Laden Bookshelf blog

HERMAN HOEKSEMA (1886–1965) was a prolific writer who pastored churches in western Michigan. He also served as a professor at the Protestant Reformed Theological Seminary in Grand Rapids, Michigan from its founding until his retirement in 1964.

• 336 pages
• Hardcover
• ISBN 978-1-936054-63-3
• Edited by Dr. Marco Barone
• Release date: June 2023

eBook version available

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The Belgic Confession of Faith is a beloved summary of the Christian faith—for the building up of the church of Christ and to the glory of the triune God. But the Belgic Confession is not only a statement of faith. The theological depths and the personal character of this beloved document make it a more-than-suitable resource to which the believer can turn for the daily practice of personal devotions. 

The 365 meditations in this book will daily guide the reader toward a better understanding of those scriptural truths for which the author of the Belgic Confession, Guido de Brès, lived and died.

• 416 pages
• softcover
• ISBN 978-1-944555-69-6
• Release date: August 2023

eBook version available

Table of Contents (click here for full TOC, or click Article 1 below for a sample):

Introduction 3
Article 1: There is One Only God, 4
Article 2: By What Means God Is Made Known unto Us, 18
Article 3: The Written Word of God, 26
Article 4: Canonical Books of the Holy Scripture, 31
Article 5: From Whence the Holy Scriptures Derive their Dignity and Authority, 35
Article 6: The Difference Between the Canonical and Apocryphal Books, 35
Article 7: The Sufficiency of the Holy Scriptures to be the Only Rule of Faith, 43
Article 8: God is One in Essence, Yet Distinguished in Three Persons, 58
Article 9: The Proof of the Foregoing Article of the Trinity of Persons in One God, 66
Article 10: Jesus Christ Is True and Eternal God, 74
Article 11: The Holy Ghost Is True and Eternal God, 82
Article 12: Of the Creation, 90
Article 13: Divine Providence, 105
Article 14: The Creation and Fall of Man, and His Incapacity to Perform What Is Truly Good, 127
Article 15: Original Sin, 142
Article 16: Eternal Election, 157
Article 17: The Recovery of Fallen Man, 172
Article 18: The Incarnation of Jesus Christ, 180
Article 19: The Union and Distinction of the Two Natures in the Person of Christ, 188
Article 20: God Hath Manifested His Justice and Mercy in Christ, 196
Article 21: The Satisfaction of Christ, Our Only High Priest, for Us, 204
Article 22: Faith in Jesus Christ, 219
Article 23: Justification, 228
Article 24: Man's Sanctification and Good Works, 249
Article 25: The Abolishing of the Ceremonial Law, 265
Article 26: Christ's Intercession, 273
Article 27: The Catholic Christian Church, 295
Article 28: Every One Is Bound to Join Himself to the True Church, 303
Article 29: The Marks of the True Church, and Wherein She Differs from the False Church, 311
Article 30: The Government of and Offices in the Church, 319
Article 31: The Ministers, Elders, and Deacons, 334
Article 32: The Order and Discipline of the Church, 342
Article 33: The Sacraments, 357
Article 34: Holy Baptism, 370
Article 35: The Holy Supper of Our Lord Jesus Christ, 379
Article 36: The Magistrates, 388
Article 37: The Last Judgment, 396

The form itself was adopted by the Synod of Dordt (1618–19) as the authoritative form for the administration and celebration of the sacrament of the Supper by both the Reformed churches in the Netherlands and by Dutch-speaking churches in the tradition of Dordt elsewhere in the world. Over the years the form has been adopted, translated, and used by most—if not all—Reformed churches that stand in the tradition of Dordt.

The Lord’s supper form, therefore, expresses the faith of orthodox, Reformed Christianity concerning the supper and all the rich implications of the supper for doctrine and life.

Read reviews by H. D. Schuringa and Dan Key!

Bastiaan Wielenga was a minister of the word in the Reformed Churches in the Netherlands (GKN) in the early- to mid-1900s. He attended the Theological School in Kampen and earned his doctorate at the University of Heidelberg in 1899.

• 426 pages
• Hardcover
• ISBN 978-1-936054-57-2
• Release date: March 2023

eBook version available

Other Books in this Series:

Reformed Baptism Form

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Rewards.

For many Christians, this word is a cause for fear and suspicion. It suggests doctrines of merit and a salvation based on works, as well as other ideas at odds with the teachings of the Christian faith.

But that need not be so.

In this accessible book, Brian Huizinga offers a rare historical and theological exposition of the biblical and Reformed teaching on the oft-neglected topic of the rewards of grace for the saints—in both the present life and in the life to come. Excluding any merit, and in full harmony with his sovereign and particular grace, the Lord indeed promises to reward the good works of believers. Far from unbiblical or dangerous, the truth of rewards occupies a surprisingly large and important place in Scripture. As such, it demands our attention. Crowning His Gifts will help all believers better grasp this topic by deepening their understanding of salvation in Christ and by offering fresh encouragements for a renewed life of godly zeal, to God’s glory.

What others are saying about the book:

"The relation between our good works and God’s rewards is unavoidable because our Lord himself often made this connection. Today, also because of the prosperity gospel, many are confused. In this book, with its wonderfully fitting title, Brian Huizinga builds on the spiritual and theological wisdom of Augustine, Calvin, Francis Turretin, Abraham Kuyper, Herman Bavinck, and Herman Hoeksema, among others, and provides a reliable guide through the tricky shoals of this subject. Huizinga’s treatment is biblically grounded and confessionally sound in its careful distinctions, clear definitions, and appropriate cautions. This is a groundbreaking, thorough, practical, and timely book."
– John Bolt, Professor emeritus of systematic theology, Calvin Theological Seminary (Grand Rapids, MI), editor of Herman Bavinck’s English editions of Reformed Dogmatics and Reformed Ethics


"The author shows that the doctrine of God’s rewards for our works is in line with the Reformed tradition…Crowning His Gifts is a solid, biblical, Reformed study of our covenantal relationship with God. Pick up this book and read it carefully!"
– Jürgen-Burkhard Klautke, Akademie für Reformatorische Theologie (Academy for Reformed Theology, Giessen), Evangelisch-Reformierten Gemeinde (Confessing Evangelical-Reformed Congregation, Giessen), Germany

Brian Huizinga is professor of Dogmatics and Old Testament Studies at the Theological School of the Protestant Reformed Churches in Wyoming (MI). He is also an editor of the Standard Bearer magazine. Before his appointment to professorship, he served for eight years in the pastoral ministry in Redlands, California. Crowning His Gifts is his first book.

• 288 pages
• Hardcover
• ISBN 978-1-959515-00-5
• Release date: May 3, 2024

eBook version will be made available on May 3, 2024

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As the Son of God, Jesus had it all—perfect communion with both the Father and the Holy Spirit and the glories of heaven. But Jesus left it all behind to humble himself, taking on our human flesh and suffering his whole life long and especially at the cross.

In life Jesus faced humiliation through outright rejection. Even as he preached the gospel and performed mighty miracles, his enemies falsely accused him and even took up stones to kill him (John 5–9).

So, why would the Son of God become a humble, suffering servant?

Because Jesus cares deeply for you and all his people—those who know themselves to be spiritually blind, lame, and hungry. Read from the gospel of John and meditate on how he gave himself so that you might be made whole and be nourished unto eternal life.

Click here to review or buy the first book in this series, Who is Jesus?

Abby Van Solkema has been writing devotionals for young people since 2018. She is a graduate of Grand Valley State University and lives with her husband, Tedd, and their four children in Byron Center, Michigan. Follow Abby on Instagram @the.left.fork.

• 106 pages
• paperback
• ISBN 978-1-959515-18-0
• Release date: April 26, 2024

eBook version available

Other books in the Devotions on the Gospel of John series: COMING SOON! Subscribe to our email list to stay informed of new teen book releases and sales!