I just learned of Geerhardus Vos (1862-1949). This makes many connections for me theologically and historically.
Who Was Geerhardus Vos?
Geerhardus Vos (1862–1949) was a Dutch-American Reformed theologian and is often called the father of Reformed biblical theology. He taught for many years at Princeton Theological Seminary during its classic Reformed era.
Primary Message
Vos argued that Scripture should be understood as the progressive unfolding of God’s redemptive revelation in history. Rather than treating the Bible merely as a system of doctrines (systematic theology), he emphasized:
- Revelation comes in stages.
- It unfolds through covenant history.
- It culminates in Christ and the Kingdom of God.
His most famous work, Biblical Theology, presents the Bible as a unified, historical drama moving from creation to consummation. For Vos, theology is not abstract philosophy; it is the record of God acting and speaking in history.
Level of Influence
Vos’s influence was initially quiet but deep. During his lifetime he was respected but not widely popular. In the 20th century, however, his approach profoundly shaped Reformed scholarship. He influenced later theologians such as Richard B. Gaffin Jr. and contributed to the broader redemptive-historical preaching movement.
Today, Vos is regarded as foundational for covenant theology and Kingdom-centered biblical interpretation. His influence is especially strong in conservative Reformed and Presbyterian circles, though his biblical-theological method has impacted evangelical scholarship more broadly.
In short: Vos reframed Scripture as the unfolding drama of God’s redemptive reign.
Does R. C. Sproul (one of my heroes) Cite Vos Much?
Short answer: Not extensively, but meaningfully.
R. C. Sproul does cite and acknowledge Geerhardus Vos, but Vos is not one of the theologians Sproul references as frequently as, say, Augustine, Luther, Calvin, Edwards, or Bavinck.
A few observations:
Sproul respected the redemptive-historical tradition Vos helped establish, but he did not heavily or frequently cite Vos in popular works. Sproul’s writing style was more pastoral and systematic, drawing widely from Augustine, Aquinas, Luther, and Calvin. However, Sproul’s covenantal framework and emphasis on the unity of Scripture reflect the same theological stream shaped by Vos.
- Vos’s redemptive-historical framework influenced Westminster theology broadly, which in turn influenced Sproul.
- Sproul often emphasized covenant theology, the Kingdom of God, and progressive revelation — themes very much in line with Vos.
- In Sproul’s popular-level books and teaching series, Vos is not frequently quoted by name.
- Sproul tended to cite Calvin, Augustine, Aquinas, Luther, Edwards, and Bavinck more directly.
- Vos’s influence on Sproul is more structural than explicit — present in framework rather than frequent citation.
So, in summary:
Sproul stands downstream of Vos’s biblical-theological tradition, even if he does not frequently foreground Vos in his references.
So Where is the Westminster Theological Seminary – sounds like England?
Westminster Theological Seminary was founded in 1929 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (BTW, R.C.Sproul attended and taught at Westminster College, but not at Westminster Theological Seminary.)
It has remained in the Philadelphia area, specifically in the Chestnut Hill section of the city.
It was established by J. Gresham Machen and other faculty who left Princeton Theological Seminary after theological liberalism began to reshape Princeton.
Today, Westminster Seminary is still located in Philadelphia, PA, and continues in the Reformed, confessional tradition.
Did Vos make the move to the new seminary?
No, Geerhardus Vos was not on the faculty at Westminster Theological Seminary. Vos was in his late-60’s in 1929 when WTS was founded.
Vos taught at Princeton Theological Seminary from 1893 until his retirement in 1932. Westminster Seminary was founded in 1929 by J. Gresham Machen and others who left Princeton due to doctrinal controversy.
Although Vos remained at Princeton and did not join Westminster’s faculty, his influence was significant. Many of Westminster’s founders and early professors had been shaped by Vos’s biblical-theological approach, especially his emphasis on redemptive history and progressive revelation.
