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Book Review - "A Fantastic Way to Refresh and Sharpen Our Minds"
The following review was written by Jayden Bylsma on the 3rd edition of the book The Protestant Reformed Churches in America by Herman Hoeksema (Jenison, MI: Reformed Free Publishing, 2025). The review was originally published in the Summer 2025 edition of the Grandville Gleaner.
We live in a day and age where many people, both in the church and in the world, repeat the same mistakes that men made all throughout history. As Christians, and more specifically members of the Protestant Reformed Churches in America, it is of utmost importance that we know and study the past events of our churches, so that we are more capably able to handle and address current issues and topics, without making the same mistakes that were made in the past. In "The Protestant Reformed Churches in America", Rev. Herman Hoeksema gives a detailed and accurate account of a crucial point of history in the life of the PRC, which was the events of 1924. He describes the rights and wrongs of how the church handled controversy, and then later on in the book explains the main doctrines that were discussed throughout the book.
"The Protestant Reformed Churches in America" is split into two parts, with the first section being about the actual history that took place, and the second dealing with doctrine. Rev. Hoeksema does a great job in laying out and explaining everything that happened, with a clear perspective on the different issues that took place. When reading this history, the resemblance to things that have happened in recent years and are currently happening is astounding!
Reading this book is a fantastic way to refresh and sharpen our minds on what we believe, and why we actually believe it. Rev. Hoeksema really emphasizes the importance of knowing what is right and wrong on topics like church order and governance, common and particular grace, and being spiritually resilient and steadfast in our faith through controversy and schism. Knowledge of how men handled these things in the past and where they went wrong is a very valuable tool for us today as we strive to uphold God's truth in the church.
Reverend Hoeksema's "The Protestant Reformed Churches in America" is not just a book of history, but rather a testimony of God's grace in sustaining the PRC throughout controversy. It shows the importance of correct doctrine, church order, and trusting God's sovereign plan in our walk on this earth. By knowing our history; both the good and the bad, we are better equipped to learn from the mistakes of others, and remain anchored in the truth of God's Word.
May we study the history of the church, apply what we learn to our lives, and go forth with a renewed sense of purpose in our positions in the church of God!
Click the image or this link to order the book reviewed in this post!
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The content of the article above is the sole responsibility of the article author. This article does not necessarily reflect the opinions and beliefs of the Reformed Free Publishing staff or Association, and the article author does not speak for the RFPA.
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