puritan reformed journal

Puritan Reformed Journal

Prts journal

If you haven't checked out the Puritan Reformed Journal (from Puritan Reformed Theological Seminary) before, I suggest you grab a subscription. The seminary gave me the two most recent copies at the Desiring God Pastors Conference and so far it's outstanding...

1. It's book size rather than magazine size. Great for shelving and referencing rather than sticking it in a magazine file. And it deserves book space.

2. It covers more categories than most theological journals.

  • Biblical Studies
  • Systematic & Historical Theology
  • Experiential Theology
  • Pastoral Theology & Missions
  • Contemporary & Cultural Issues
  • Book Reviews
  • Joel Beeke's Book Endorsements

The issues I have contain at least 3 articles in each category, often 4 or 5, at times even more. So that's 20+ articles plus reviews & endorsements. And because of the wide variety of articles and categories, this isn't just a journal for scholars. From Reformation 21: "I have increasingly been finding theological journals rather esoteric, philosophical and generally unhelfpul (with some exceptions, of course), but PRJ is a fine blend of confessional, experiential and practical theology." 

3. The articles I've read so far are really strong.

For example, Joel Beeke's "The Age of the Spirit and Revival" was a big help for my current sermons on revival. Joe Thorn read and recommended to me for my studies "Preparationism as Taught by the Puritans" by Cor Harinck and "An Uncommon Union: Understanding Jonathan Edward's Experimental Calvinism" by William M. Schweitzer. I've yet to read "Samuel Davies: On of America's Greatest Revival Preachers" by John E. Skidmore or "Jonathan Edwards and A Divine and Supernatural Light" by Kevin C. Carr. Tons of great stuff just for my current series.

Yet revival only covers a small bit of the articles. There are articles on specific Scripture passages, comparing confessions of faith, concerning Jeremiah Burroughs on worship, considering the relevance of John Bunyan for today, on raising a spiritual family with Jonathan Edwards, on theological writing, and tons more.

*****

There is no theological journal I've seen that I've been this excited about. Themelios is another one I enjoy, it's free and has some great content. But I feel compelled to plug PRJ for putting together an outstanding offering to the church out of a rich, reformed, Puritan heritage. A subscription is $20 a year.