Richard B. Gaffin, Jr. (born 1936) is a

Calvinist Reformed Christianity, also called Calvinism, is a major branch of Protestantism that began during the 16th-century Protestant Reformation. In the modern day, it is largely represented by the Continental Reformed Protestantism, Continenta ...

theologian Theology is the study of religious belief from a religious perspective, with a focus on the nature of divinity. It is taught as an academic discipline, typically in universities and seminaries. It occupies itself with the unique content of ...

Presbyterian Presbyterianism is a historically Reformed Protestant tradition named for its form of church government by representative assemblies of elders, known as "presbyters". Though other Reformed churches are structurally similar, the word ''Pr ...

minister, and was the Charles Krahe Professor of

Biblical The Bible is a collection of religious texts that are central to Christianity and Judaism, and esteemed in other Abrahamic religions such as Islam. The Bible is an anthology (a compilation of texts of a variety of forms) biblical languages ...

and

Systematic Theology Systematic theology, or systematics, is a discipline of Christian theology that formulates an orderly, rational, and coherent account of the doctrines of the Christian faith. It addresses issues such as what the Bible teaches about certain topics ...

Westminster Theological Seminary Westminster Theological Seminary (WTS) is a Protestantism, Protestant Christian theology, theological seminary in the Reformed theology, Reformed theological tradition in Glenside, Pennsylvania. It was founded by members of the faculty of Prince ...

Philadelphia Philadelphia ( ), colloquially referred to as Philly, is the List of municipalities in Pennsylvania, most populous city in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania and the List of United States cities by population, sixth-most populous city in the Unit ...

Pennsylvania Pennsylvania, officially the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, is a U.S. state, state spanning the Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic, Northeastern United States, Northeastern, Appalachian, and Great Lakes region, Great Lakes regions o ...

from 1999 to 2008. He became the Professor Emeritus,

and

in 2008.

Biography

Gaffin was born in 1936 to

missionaries A missionary is a member of a religious group who is sent into an area in order to promote its faith or provide services to people, such as education, literacy, social justice, health care, and economic development.Thomas Hale 'On Being a Miss ...

China China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is a country in East Asia. With population of China, a population exceeding 1.4 billion, it is the list of countries by population (United Nations), second-most populous country after ...

.
/sup> His father
Richard B. Gaffin, Sr.
(1907-1996) was one of the founders of the Reformed Presbyterian Church in Taiwan and was also the first person who introduced confessional reformed faith to the people in Taiwan. Gaffin, Jr. received a

B.A. A Bachelor of Arts (abbreviated B.A., BA, A.B. or AB; from the Latin ', ', or ') is the holder of a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate program in the liberal arts, or, in some cases, other disciplines. A Bachelor of Arts degree ...

from

Calvin College Calvin University, formerly Calvin College, is a private Christian university in Grand Rapids, Michigan, United States. Founded in 1876, Calvin University is an educational institution of the Christian Reformed Church and stands in the Reforme ...

(1958), a B.D. (1961), Th.M. (1962), and

Th.D. Doctor of Theology (, abbreviated DTh, ThD, DTheol, or Dr. theol.) is a terminal degree in the academic discipline of theology. The ThD, like the ecclesiastical Doctor of Sacred Theology, is an advanced research degree equivalent to the Doctor of ...

(1969) from

, and undertook graduate studies at

University of Göttingen The University of Göttingen, officially the Georg August University of Göttingen (, commonly referred to as Georgia Augusta), is a Public university, public research university in the city of Göttingen, Lower Saxony, Germany. Founded in 1734 ...

(1962-1963). He married Jean Young, daughter of E. J. Young, in 1958. Gaffin has taught at Westminster since 1965. He was the leading defender of then fellow-faculty member

Norman Shepherd Norman Shepherd (born 1933) is an American theologian who served as associate professor of systematic theology at Westminster Theological Seminary from 1963 to 1981. He later served for almost two decades as a minister in the Christian Reformed Ch ...

during the controversy over the doctrine of justification that took place at Westminster Theological Seminary from 1975 to 1982.Paul M. Elliott, "Christianity and Neo-Liberalism: The Spiritual Crisis in the Orthodox Presbyterian Church and Beyond," pp. 146-147. He is an

ordained Ordination is the process by which individuals are Consecration in Christianity, consecrated, that is, set apart and elevated from the laity class to the clergy, who are thus then authorized (usually by the religious denomination, denominationa ...

minister in the

Orthodox Presbyterian Church The Orthodox Presbyterian Church (OPC) is a confessional Presbyterian denomination located primarily in the United States, with additional congregations in Canada, Bermuda, and Puerto Rico. It was founded by conservative members of the Presbyte ...

.
/sup>

Publications

Gaffin is the author of books including: * ''Resurrection and Redemption: A study in Paul's Soteriology'', 2nd edition (P&R, 1987) (), * ''Perspectives on Pentecost: New Testament Teaching on the Gifts of the Holy Spirit'' (P&R, 1993) (), * ''God's Word in Servant-Form: Abraham Kuyper and Herman Bavinck and the Doctrine of Scripture'' (Reformed Academic Press, 2008)(), * ''No Adam, No Gospel: Adam and the History of Redemption'', (P&R, 2015) (), * ''Calvin and the Sabbath: The Controversy of Applying the Fourth Commandment'', revised edition (Mentor, 2009) () * ''By Faith, Not By Sight: Paul and the Order of Salvation'', 2nd edition (P&R, 2013) (), and * ''In The Fullness of Time: An Introduction to the Biblical Theology of Acts and Paul'', (Crossway, 2022) (ISBN 978-1433563348). He has contributed to or edited several volumes, including: * "Geerhardus Vos and the Interpretation of Paul,"in ''Jerusalem and Athens'', edited by E. R. Geehan (P&R, 1980) (a

Festschrift In academia, a ''Festschrift'' (; plural, ''Festschriften'' ) is a book honoring a respected person, especially an academic, and presented during their lifetime. It generally takes the form of an edited volume, containing contributions from the h ...

for

Cornelius Van Til Cornelius Van Til (May 3, 1895 – April 17, 1987) was a Dutch-American Reformed theologian, who is credited as being the originator of modern presuppositional apologetics. A graduate of Calvin College, Van Til later received his PhD from Pr ...

), * "Theonomy and Eschatology Some Reflections on Postmillennialism," in ''Theonomy: A Reformed Critique'', edited by William S. Barker and W. Robert Godfrey (Zondervan, 1990), * "A Cessationist View," in ''Are Miraculous Gifts for Today?'' edited by

Wayne Grudem Wayne A. Grudem (born 1948) is an American New Testament scholar, theologian, seminary professor, and author. He is a professor of theology and biblical studies at Phoenix Seminary in Phoenix, Arizona. Biography Early life and education Grud ...

(Zondervan, 1996), * "Union with Christ: Some Biblical and Theological Reflections," in ''Always Reforming: Explorations in Systematic Theology,'' edited by A. T. B. McGowan (IVP Academic, 2007), * "What “Symphony of Sighs”? Reflections on the Eschatological Future of the Creation," in ''Redeeming the Life of the Mind: Essays in Honor of

Vern Poythress Vern Sheridan Poythress (born 1946) is an American philosopher, theologian, New Testament scholar and mathematician, who is currently the New Testament chair of the ESV Oversight Committee. He is also the Distinguished Professor of New Testament ...

'', edited by John M. Frame,

, John J. Hughes (Crossway, 2017), *

Herman Nicolaas Ridderbos Herman Nicolaas Ridderbos (13 February 1909 – 8 March 2007) was a Dutch theologian and biblical scholar. He was an important New Testament theologian, having worked extensively on the history of salvation (''Heilsgeschichte'') and biblical theolo ...

, ''Redemptive History and the New Testament Scriptures'', revised edition, edited by Richard B. Gaffin Jr. (P&R, 1988), * ''Redemptive History and Biblical Interpretation: The Shorter Writings of

Geerhardus Vos Geerhardus Johannes Vos (March 14, 1862 – August 13, 1949) was a Dutch-American Calvinist theologian and one of the most distinguished representatives of the Princeton Theology. He is sometimes called the father of Reformed Biblical theology. ...

'', edited by Richard B. Gaffin Jr. (P&R, 2001), * J.P. Versteeg, ''Adam in the New Testament: Mere Teaching Model or First Historical Man?'' edited by Richard B. Gaffin Jr. (P&R, 2012), * ''Thy Word Is Still Truth: Essential Writings on the Doctrine of Scripture from the Reformation to Today'', edited by Richard B. Gaffin Jr.,

Peter A. Lillback Peter A. Lillback is an American theologian and church historian, the president and professor of historical theology and church history at Westminster Theological Seminary in Glenside, Pennsylvania. He has held the presidency since 2005. Educati ...

(P&R, 2013), and * the English translation of

, ''Reformed Dogmatics'', 5 vols., edited by Richard B. Gaffin Jr. (Lexham, 2014-2016). He has also written many academic articles such as: * "Paul as Theologian," ''

Westminster Theological Journal ''Westminster Theological Journal'' is an evangelical theological journal published by Westminster Theological Seminary Westminster Theological Seminary (WTS) is a Protestantism, Protestant Christian theology, theological seminary in the Refor ...

'', May 1968 * "The Usefulness of the Cross," ''

'', Spring 1979 * "The Holy Spirit," ''

'', Fall 1980 * "Old Amsterdam and Inerrancy?" ''

'', Fall 1982 and Fall 1983 * "The Holy Spirit and Eschatology," '' Kerux: The Journal of Northwest Theological Seminary'', December 1989 * "Some Epistemological Reflections on 1 Corinthians 2:6-16," ''

'', Spring 1995 * "Pentecost: Before and After," '' Kerux: The Journal of Northwest Theological Seminary'', September 1995 * "Paul the Theologian," ''

'', Spring 2000.

References

Faculty biography
at

Calvin University alumni American Calvinist and Reformed theologians American cessationists Orthodox Presbyterian Church ministers Westminster Theological Seminary alumni Westminster Theological Seminary faculty 20th-century American writers 21st-century American non-fiction writers 20th-century Calvinist and Reformed theologians 21st-century Calvinist and Reformed theologians University of Göttingen alumni Living people 1936 births {{US-theologian-stub