Author(s):

Caspar Oleviaus (1536–1587) is most known today for his role as one of the authors of the Heidelberg Catechism. He was also an able biblical commentator, passionate preacher, and influential churchman. His place in history is noted as a key transitional theologian, helping to bridge the gap between the first generation of the Reformation and the era of Reformed Orthodoxy.
Olevianus’s Exposition of the Apostles’ Creed is a collection of sermons he preached on the basic articles of the Christian faith. It serves as a reminder that the Reformed tradition did not see itself as separate from the universal church, though it was principally opposed to Rome. Rather, Olevianus and his tradition argue for a Reformed catholicity rooted in the ancient confession of the church.
This new translation by Lyle D. Bierma, along with R. Scott Clark’s historical introduction, will benefit both scholarly and general readers. Charged with federal language, An Exposition explains the Christian faith as the believer’s fellowship with God in the covenant of grace. Thus, it is significant for its contribution to the development of Reformed covenantal theology. In addition to exhibiting its historical value within the Reformed tradition, readers will be “directed,” as Olevianus had intended, “toward edification in true and sound piety.”

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