Review of Progressive Covenantalism: Charting a Course Between Dispensational and Covenant Theologies

Wellum, Stephen J., and Brent E. Parker, eds. Progressive Covenantalism: Charting a Course Between Dispensational and Covenant Theologies. Nashville, TN: B&H Academic, 2016, pp. 300, $25, paperback.

The biblical-theological student that interacts with this book will grow in his understanding of the covenants and how they interact. This is because Progressive Covenantalism is an incredibly important addition to the ongoing conversation on the relationship between the Old and New Covenants.

Steven J. Wellum is the editor for the Southern Baptist Journal of Theology. Wellum has written many articles and reviews for this journal. He is also a professor of Christian theology at Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. Most relevant for this review, Wellum co-wrote Kingdom Through Covenant: A Biblical-Theological Understanding of the Covenants with Peter J. Gentry.Brent E. Parker is the assistant editor for the Southern Baptist Journal of Theology. In 2022, Parker edited Covenantal and Dispensational Theologies: Four Views on the Continuity of Scripture with Richard J. Lucas. Wellum and Parker (as well as the various authors who contribute chapters to the book) are well-versed in the scholarship around Dispensationalism, Covenant Theology, and Progressive Covenantalism.

            Progressive Covenantalism is an edited collection of essays. Each essay is written by a different author (ten in all). While these essays do not build off one another, the editors have grouped them into three major sections. The first group of chapters (chs. 1–4) discusses topics around how the covenants interact (p. 4). These first four chapters deal with general issues and uses these to illustrate how Progressive Covenantalism differs from Covenant Theology and Dispensationalism. By highlighting these issues and distinguishing Progressive Covenantalism from Covenant Theology and Dispensationalism, these four chapters lay the groundwork for the arguments to come.

            The second section of the book (chs. 5–8) focuses on issues that pertain to Covenant Theology arguments (p. 5). These four chapters focus on issues that are divisive between Progressive Covenantalists and Covenant Theologians (circumcision, the Sabbath, the warning passages of Hebrews, and ethics). These four chapters do not necessarily connect or rely on each other. Instead, they are separate arguments that further clarify Progressive Covenantalism. The reader should note that these chapters address highly debated topics.

            The final two chapters (chs. 9-10) focus on issues that differentiate a Progressive Covenantalist from a Dispensationalist (p. 6). Similar to the second section of Progressive Covenantalism arguing against Covenant Theology, these two chapters dive into topics Dispensationalists use to argue against Progressive Covenantalism. These two topics are Romans 11 and national Israel in the millennium (chapter 9) and national Israel fulfilling the Old Testament land promise in the millennium (chapter 10).

This book has taken the positions explored in Kingdom Through Covenant, synthesized them, and presented them in a comprehensive package. This book allows the reader to explore Progressive Covenantalism in the context of the systems close to it (Covenant Theology and Dispensationalism).

As someone who is not convinced by Progressive Covenantalism, this reviewer disagrees with many of the arguments within Progressive Covenantalism. The reason I could not agree with the conclusions of many of the book’s arguments was that I did not share the author’s presuppositions. The reader (whether or not the reader agrees with the conclusions) should look to Progressive Covenantalism as an example of clear argumentation. The quality of the writing and the ability to form an argument was excellent throughout the book.

Steven Wellum’s chapter on ethics is an example of excellent writing that depends on a few beliefs unique to Progressive Covenantalism. Because the scope of this review is not to debate Progressive Covenantalism, this section will interact with a common Progressive Covenantalism argument; that there is no tripartite distinction of the Mosaic law. The greatest positive about Wellum’s argument against the tripartite distinction of the Mosaic law is his fairness. Wellum treats the tripartite distinction honestly and does not create a strawman argument. Instead, he focuses on three reasons the tripartite distinction is not morally binding.

While these three reasons (assumed true) create a compelling argument, this section of Wellum’s chapter could have interacted more with Covenant Theology’s arguments. That said, he does acknowledge a few points that commonly arise in this discussion. For example, Wellum acknowledges that distinctions can be seen within the law (p. 218). Other than the occasional mention, the lack of interaction with Covenant Theology arguments highlights the presuppositional nature of the position.

The biblical-theological student that interacts with this book will grow in his understanding of the covenants and how they interact. This is because Progressive Covenantalism is an incredibly important addition to the ongoing conversation on the relationship between the Old and New Covenants. This book has taken the positions explored in Kingdom Through Covenant, synthesized them, and presented them in a comprehensive package. This book allows the reader to explore Progressive Covenantalism in the context of the systems close to it (Covenant Theology and Dispensationalism). If one read Kingdom Through Covenant and was curious about Progressive Covenantalism, he needs this book.

The biblical-theological student will also grow in more specific areas than the covenants. The major topics of the book include typology, ethics, the Sabbath, an understanding of both promise and fulfillment, the relationship between law and grace, and many other essential topics in biblical theology. The intended audience of the book goes beyond those who subscribe to Progressive Covenantalism. This book deepens the reader’s understanding of the topics above, whether or not he agrees with the Progressive Covenantalist position. The dutiful student knows the importance of wrestling with tough issues. This book provides the reader with an opportunity to sharpen himself—on his position and the position of others.

While reading Progressive Covenantalism, the biblical-theological student must look for the major arguments. These arguments debate against Covenant Theology and Dispensationalism. This can most clearly be seen in the book’s overall structure (4–6). These debates appear in every chapter, and the reader would benefit from carefully reading each essay with an open mind and pen at the ready. While clearly explained and easy to follow, these arguments require some prior knowledge to be most beneficial. The prior knowledge required is reasonable for the biblical-theological student. Such knowledge includes a basic understanding of the Mosaic law, covenants, current popular arguments (i.e., the Sabbath, theological systems, typology), and the biblical narrative. These topics should be familiar to the biblical-theological student.