# Spirit of the Reformation vs Reformation Study Bible



## BlackCalvinist (May 7, 2005)

Okay, which one's best ? I've heard that the Spirit of the Reformation is GREAT (and I saw a copy for myself) and that it has a ton of references, resources, maps, confessions, etc..... in the back. How are the notes ? The NIV isn't my favorite translation for study, but it's better than much else available today.

I've heard the Reformation Study Bible includes most of what the Spirit of the Reformation has, but with a few less things (not exactly sure what). The upside is that it's an ESV.

Thoughts ? Opinions ? 

I need to make my purchase soon. The one with the best notes wins. 

Oh - and do both have charts, concordances, etc... illustrating things like Covenant of Works/Covenant of Grace/Administrations of the Covenant of Grace, etc.... ?


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## Arch2k (May 7, 2005)

Reformation Study Bible by far!


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## alwaysreforming (May 7, 2005)

Uh oh, I hope Jeff isn't going to be mad at me, but I really like the "Spirit of the Reformation" better than the other. My recommendation would be to go to any bookstore that sells them both and look through them for yourself to decide.

I don't recall the "Reformation Study Bible" having the Westminster CoF, the Catechisms, the Canons of Dordt, etc. in them. Am I wrong?

Plus the notes in the "Spirit" version will reference these other works for easy study. I think its fantastic!


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## Arch2k (May 7, 2005)

I'm not mad!


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## LawrenceU (May 8, 2005)

I just purchased a Reformation Study Bible. I does a great job. The notes in it are very good. The detailed note articles are tied and placed at key Scriptural junctions. It does not have the WCF, Catechisms, etc., in it; but that is not all bad. If they were years down the road some poor scribe working in a dimly light musty scriptorium might accidentally include them in the text and then we'd really have a mess on our hands

[Edited on 5-8-2005 by LawrenceU]


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## BlackCalvinist (May 8, 2005)

I may have to hold off until the Spirit of the Reformation does an ESV version.

Of course, that'll nudge it over the Reformation... maybe ?


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## jfschultz (May 8, 2005)

I now have both the NKJV and ESV copies of the Reformation Study Bible. I don't mind that it does not have the confessional documents.

For that I prefer my little green book from the Free Presbyterian Church of Scotland that has the complete Westminster documents (not just the WCF, WLC, and WSC) plus the National Covenant, the Solemn League and Covenant and various acts of Parliament and the Church of Scotlant General Assembly.


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## LawrenceU (May 9, 2005)

John, 
Were might one acquire such a 'little green book'?


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## BlackCalvinist (May 9, 2005)

Okay, so far:

Spirit of the Reformation

Pros:
Confessional Documents and Catechisms w/scripture proofs
Good notes
Other Extras

Cons:
NIV


Reformation Study Bible
Pros:
Good notes with plenty of scripture references
ESV

Cons:
No confessional statements

Looks like I might need both ?


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## jfschultz (May 9, 2005)

> _Originally posted by LawrenceU_
> John,
> Were might one acquire such a 'little green book'?



Check out https://fpbookroom.org/acatalog/Online_Catalogue_Free_Presbyterian_Publications_14.html it is near the bottom of the page.


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## sastark (May 9, 2005)

Am I out of the loop? Has the Reformation Study Bible switched over to ESV instead of NKJV?


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## Myshkin (May 9, 2005)

I would look at the contributors section of both versions first, if who the editors are plays a big role in your decision. For example John Frame is an editor of the "Spirit of the Reformation", while Keith Mathison and RC Sproul are editors of the "Reformation Study Bible".

For the most part though, the editors are the same for both versions. And I'm not sure how much of a difference it makes in the notes either. But in case it would make a difference for you, I thought I'd mention it.

[Edited on 5-9-2005 by RAS]


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## alwaysreforming (May 9, 2005)

Ok, I better do some "name dropping" about my "Spirit of the Reformation Study Bible."

We also have:
Richard Pratt
Bruce Waltke
Vern Poythress
JI Packer
James Boice (Assoc. Editor)
Edmund Clowney
Roger Nicole
Etc.

And a host of "Contributors" the likes of
Sinclair Ferguson and Tremper Longman to name a couple.


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## matthew11v25 (May 10, 2005)

> _Originally posted by sastark_
> Am I out of the loop? Has the Reformation Study Bible switched over to ESV instead of NKJV?



Yes...though you can still find it in the NKJV, the mass majority is now in the ESV.


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## matthew11v25 (May 10, 2005)

"The Spirit of the Reformation" study bible is actually the required study bible for my classes at Providence Christian College. I already have it...the confessions are great, and the notes are good also.


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## ChristianTrader (May 10, 2005)

> _Originally posted by OS_X_
> Okay, so far:
> 
> Spirit of the Reformation
> ...



From what I understand, the only thing that the Reformation Study Bible has over the other is that it has the ESV. The notes of the Spirit of the Reformation Bible are supposed to be an advance over the NKJV version of the Reformation Study Bible. The ESV version is supposed to be the same notes as the NKJV version.

You can also go to amazon and look at the reviews. A few compare the two Bibles.

CT


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