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THE CERTAINTY OF FAITH: New Edition of a Classic Work
HERMAN BAVINCK (1854–1921), Foreword by Sinclair Ferguson, Introduction by Daniel Schrock
PRICE REDUCED AGAIN ON 11/6/25
“When the intoxication in which we so often and so long live has passed, when joy is silenced and the conscience is awakened, when the mystery of life or the pain of suffering overtake us—then the thought of death and the grave, of judgment and eternity, impresses itself upon every mind; then none can persevere in their indifference or continue to hide behind a shield of neutrality. In this respect, men are better than we are sometimes inclined to think; there are no atheists, no men without heart or conscience. Or, to put it more accurately, God does not leave himself without a witness to anyone. Whether in the form of blessings or trials, God speaks to the conscience of each and every person.” - from Bavinck's introduction.
Originally published in Dutch in 1901 and first translated into English in 1980, this new edition—beautifully rendered by Daniel Schrock with assistance from Albert Gootjes—captures the clarity, conviction, and theological depth of Herman Bavinck’s original work.
With a fresh foreword by Sinclair Ferguson and a thoughtful introduction by Daniel Schrock, this edition invites a new generation of readers to rediscover a timeless classic—one you’ll want to revisit often and share widely. In a world marked by uncertainty, Bavinck’s insights offer enduring assurance rooted in Christ alone.
ENDORSEMENTS
“Two of the most important questions that a Christian believer can ask are, ‘How can I be sure that Christianity is true?’ and ‘How can I be sure that I am a Christian?’ In The Certainty of Faith, Herman Bavinck guides non-specialists through these questions with disarming simplicity and clarity. B. B. Warfield, who differed with some of Bavinck’s conclusions, rightly observed that in this work, as in all of Bavinck’s writings, “extensive learning, sound thinking, and profound religious feeling are smelted intimately together into a product of singular charm.” Dr. Daniel Schrock and Westminster Seminary Press, in this newly translated and annotated edition, have placed the Reformed church in their debt by making this classic work available once again to contemporary English-speaking audiences.” -Guy Waters, James M. Baird, Jr. Professor of New Testament, RTS, Academic Dean (Jackson, Brazil)
“[In these pages] extensive learning, sound thinking, and profound religious feeling are smelted intimately together into a product of singular charm.” -B. B. Warfield
“The Certainty of Faith is a multum in parvo (much in little). It is a book I usually included on seminary class reading lists on the doctrine of assurance, even though it was no longer in print. If, in terms of theological literature, we are living in gold rush days, some of the finest quality gold is to be mined in Herman Bavinck Hills! Dan Schrock and Westminster Seminary Press together have given us one more grace-gift from the prolific ministry of a truly great theologian.” -Sinclair Ferguson, From the foreword
“Few topics are as frequently addressed in pastoral ministry as the quest for assurance of salvation. Its absence breeds anxiety, while its presence brings profound peace. Daniel Schrock has served the church well by translating Herman Bavinck’s seminal work on this very subject. This treatise is well worth your time to read, ponder, and meditate upon. Bavinck is no ivory tower theologian, nor is he a mere sentimentalist. Instead, he combines biblically grounded reasoning with a pastoral heart and a gentle touch. Truly, this is one of the most important works on the doctrine of assurance. Read it, and rejoice in the Christ who grants such precious gifts to His people in His person.” -Jason Helopoulos, Senior Pastor, University Reformed Church, East Lansing, Michigan
“What a gem! The certainty of faith and the assurance of faith are interwoven superbly in brief compass. In this little book we meet Bavinck the pastor – it reads like a letter, or, better yet, a conversation. It will not only inform your mind but enlarge your heart to receive Christ with all his benefits.” -Michael Horton, J. Gresham Machen Professor of Systematic Theology and Apologetics, Westminster Seminary California
“Bavinck's book is a great classic Reformed text, biblical and edifying.” -John Frame
“Everything that Herman Bavinck writes is a must-read, but The Certainty of Faith stands out amidst his large corpus. In this classic work, Bavinck sets the certainty that is grounded in divine revelation and which we receive by faith against the non-certainty of other means of knowledge. In contrast to our world that renders faith merely subjective and fanciful, Bavinck accounts for why faith is the highest expression of our response to our triune God and his revelation. This is must reading for all Christians as they think through the importance of saving faith and how it results in an unshakeable confidence in our covenant Lord in the face of Jesus Christ.” -Stephen Wellum, Professor of Christian Theology, The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary
“Herman Bavinck was a brilliant theologian-philosopher, unique for his capacity to combine the disciplines of theology, science, and philosophy into a coherent, constructive world-and-life-system (Weltanschauung) within the matrix of orthodox Calvinism. Living as we are in the post-Enlightenment age, many Christians (including those in the theological guild) are far more influenced by the skepticism of modernism and postmodernism than they are ready to admit. It is for this reason that such a refreshing corrective—in this profound treatise on the certainty of the Christian faith—is as necessary for the twenty-first century church as it was when Bavinck first penned it. Describing the nature of faith, which lays hold of God revealed in His Word as the ultimate authority for belief and life, Bavinck shows that true faith is an experiential reality that provides lasting peace for the believer in the face of pain, suffering, death, and uncertainty, for it satisfies the deepest longings of the human soul that science and scholarship (wetenschap) can never satisfy. Taking us back to a Reformational, almost premodern epistemology without discounting the value of modern science, Bavinck shows how God’s Word answers the ‘why’ questions that science, with its emphasis on the ‘what’ and ‘how,’ can never answer. Now presented afresh to the English-speaking world, this treatise is sure to become a staple in the growing corpus of ably-translated Bavinck literature that has blossomed, for good reason, in recent decades.” -Joel Beeke, Chancellor and Professor of Systematic Theology and Homiletics, Puritan Reformed Theological Seminary, and pastor of Heritage Reformed Congregation, Grand Rapids, Michigan
TABLE OF CONTENTS
FOREWORD BY SINCLAIR FERGUSON . . . . . . . . . . . xvii
INTRODUCTION BY DANIEL SCHROCK . . . . . . . . .. . xxi
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . xxxv
PREFACE TO THE SECOND EDITION . . . . . . . . . . . xxxix
INTRODUCTION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1
CHAPTER 1 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7
CHAPTER 2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .29
CHAPTER 3 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .53
HB2025
BRAND NEW EDITION IN OCTOBER 2025
 SGCB Price: $11.95 (list price $18.00)
PRICE REDUCED
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