The Prelapsarian Covenant as Proposed by Zacharias Ursinus

Abstract

Abstract The idea of a prelapsarian covenant is not an absolute novelty in the history of Christian doctrine, but it was not utilised extensively in Reformed theology until the second half of the 16th century. There is no evidence of its use during the early Reformation. Zacharias Ursinus is the theologian who first utilized the idea of a prelapsarian covenant to any great extent in the 16th century. This chapter explores Ursinus's doctrine of the covenant, particularly the prelapsarian covenant, and examines it within the context of his doctrine of predestination. Ursinus's Opera theologica were published in 1612. The editor, Quirinus Reuter, arranged the works in three volumes. The chapter examines the treatises that are significant in Ursinus's discussion of the covenant.