Federal Theology: Reformed Origins and the Cocceius-Voetius Debate

1. Lectures Listen to the lectures in order. Those marked supplementary are optional.

   • Heidelcast series: The Comfort of the Covenant (Caspar Olevianus) Dr. R. Scott Clark 36 episodes (Aug 2024 - May 2025) Open source Doctrinal Heidelberg Reformation Association / Westminster Seminary California
   • The Origins of the Heidelberg Catechism in Ecumenical Perspective Lyle Bierma Open source History H. Henry Meeter Center, Calvin University Academic historians, several in the CRC milieu, not confessional subscribers in the school's sense; none of the retained lectures teaches doctrine. Retained strictly as history-context; the researcher's open question (whether history lectures by non-subscribers are acceptable) stands for the faculty.
   • What Do We Mean by the Dutch Further Reformation? Dr. Joel Beeke 53 min Open source Doctrinal ZRFC School of Theology 2015, via SermonAudio

   Total: 0.9 hours

2. Reading Read in the order given. Public-domain and free texts are linked; purchases are optional and never required.

   • The Doctrine of the Covenant in Reformed Theology Geerhardus Vos Open source Doctrinal 1891 (rectoral address). Free online
   • The History of Covenant Theology R. Scott Clark Open source Doctrinal 2006. Free online
   • The Covenant Terminology of Johannes Cocceius: The Use of Foedus, Pactum, and Testamentum in a Mature Federal Theologian Brian J. Lee 26 pp (MJT 14, pp. 11-36) Open source History 2003. Free online
   • Covenant Theology: The Need for a Reappraisal and Reaffirmation Rev. John N. MacLeod (1926-2002) Open source Doctrinal 1983. Free online
   • The Decades of Henry Bullinger Heinrich Bullinger 4 vols. Open source Primary text 1849-1852. Public domain
   • The Federal Theology of Johannes Cocceius (1603-1669) Willem J. van Asselt Open source Supplementary Purchase (optional)

   Total: 26 pages

3. Assignment Write a research paper of 30 pages on a topic drawn from the lectures and readings of this course. Argue from Scripture, the Westminster Standards (1647 text) and the Three Forms of Unity, cite the primary sources you read, and state the points on which the sources differ.

   Open the assignment

Every lecture and reading carries its role. "Under review" means the teacher's subscription to the Westminster Standards or the Three Forms of Unity is not yet established; "Read as comparison" means the material teaches the 1788 American text of WCF 20.4, 23 or 31 or of Larger Catechism Q.109, which the school reads beside the 1647 text. Nothing has been removed.