Journal: Southern Baptist Journal of Theology
Volume: SBJT 29:3 (Fall 2025)
Article: Peering Over The Fence: Presbyterian Reflections On Baptist Neighbors Doing Covenant Theology
Author: Harrison Perkins

Peering Over The Fence: Presbyterian Reflections On Baptist Neighbors Doing Covenant Theology1

Harrison Perkins

Harrison Perkins is pastor of Oakland Hills Community Church (OPC), Farmington Hills, Michigan. He earned his PhD from Queen’s University, Belfast, UK. Dr. Perkins also serves as a senior research fellow at the Craig Center for the Study of the Westminster Standards, online faculty in church history at Westminster Theological Seminary, visiting faculty at Birmingham Theological Seminary, and visiting lecturer in systematic theology at Edinburgh Theological Seminary. He is the author of several books, including Catholicity and the Covenant of Works: James Ussher and the Reformed Tradition (Oxford University Press, 2020); Reformed Covenant Theology: A Systematic Introduction (Lexham Academic, 2024); Righteous By Design: Covenantal Merit and Adam’s Original Integrity (Mentor, 2024); and A Penitent People: The Doctrine of Repentance (Focus, 2025). He is also the author of numerous articles, and he posts at Modern Reformation, The Heidelblog, and Christ Over All.

Introduction

My wife and I are in the process of looking to buy a house. Property, houses, and neighborhoods have, therefore, been much on my mind recently. In regard to developing theological currents, thinking about it like navigating life with interesting neighbors might have some value. Reformed theology has long lived on a street called “Covenant Theology.” In some ways, it used to feel like a somewhat secluded street. As I imagine life on this street, my backyard is complete with a stone birdbath.

After some time on my secluded covenant street with my birdbath, a new neighbor moves in. I can imagine looking over the fence into my

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new neighbor’s yard and seeing what I think is a big above-ground swimming pool. One day, I get to talk to my new neighbor over the fence. Obviously, I commend his lovely pool. To my surprise, he says, “No, no, that’s a birdbath.” Then he directs me to a small sign by what I thought was a pool, which reads, “birds must be fully immersed to be truly bathed.” It dawns on me that not everyone on our covenantal street might see eye-to-eye about how to get things done.

After time goes by again, we finally get a neighbor on the other side of me. This neighbor seems very exciting because he builds a full waterslide with an above ground pool at the bottom in his backyard. On our first meeting, I certainly commend his amazing slide. As you probably guessed, however, he replies, “No, no, that’s a birdbath.” Readers are free to allegorize those neighbors as representatives for my two conversation partners...