DAVID G. WHITLA

About

I am an historian of early modern religious history, from the Protestant Reformations to the rise of Evangelicalism in the Atlantic world, with a particular research interest in the theology and spirituality of English Puritanism and the Scottish Covenanters of the late 16th and 17th centuries, as disseminated through a nascent print culture, diaries, letters and preaching.
In my role as Professor of Church History at Reformed Presbyterian Theological Seminary, I teach all Masters-level courses in Patristic, Medieval, Reformation and Modern Church History, and supervise DMin and Masters students in diverse historical and theological subjects, including early modern English and Scots paleography.

Publications

Books and Chapters

• Samuel Rutherford, The Complete Works of Samuel Rutherford, Vols 6,18,19,20 (Grand Rapids: Reformation Heritage Books, contracted, 2024, 2026, 2027), contributor, co-editor.
• Foreword, J. Gresham Machen, Christianity and Liberalism: 100th Anniversary Chinese Edition (Reformation Translation Fellowship, 2023).
• Archibald Johnston of Wariston: Scots Worthies Series (Edinburgh: Scottish Reformation Society, contracted, 2025).
• “Archibald Johnston of Wariston (1611-63),” Edinburgh Biographical Dictionary of Scottish Writers (Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press, forthcoming, 2025).
• David Dickson and James Durham, The Sum of Saving Knowledge, with complete Study Guide ed. David G. Whitla (Pittsburgh: Crown and Covenant, 2023).
• “Preaching and Sermons in Post-Reformation Scotland,” (with Crawford Gribben), in The Brill Companion to the Reformation in Scotland, ed. Ian Hazlett (Leiden: Brill Academic, 2022).
• Foreword, James Guthrie and James Durham, Preventing Ministry Failure, ed. Matthew Vogan and Catherine Hyde (Grand Rapids: Reformation Heritage Books, 2022).
• Foreword, Redemption, Reconciliation and Reformation. The Shorter Writings of Alexander McLeod D.D. 1802-1833 (Pittsburgh: Crown and Covenant, 2021).
• Portraits of Christ (with Gordon J. Keddie) (Pittsburgh: Crown and Covenant, 2020).
• John Owen, Rules for Walking in Fellowship, ed. David G. Whitla (Grand Rapids: Reformation Heritage Books, 2014).

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Journal Articles

• “Review: Chris R. Langley, Catherine E. McMillan, Russell Newton (eds.). The Clergy in Early Modern Scotland. St Andrews Studies in Scottish History (Woodbridge: Boydell, 2021).” Journal of British Studies 62, no. 4 (October 2023).
• “Review: Chris R. Langley (ed.), The National Covenant in Scotland, 1638-1689 (Woodbridge: Boydell, 2020).” Journal of the Northern Renaissance (2022).
• “Review: Whitney G. Gamble, Christ and the Law: Antinomianism at the Westminster Assembly (Grand Rapids, MI: Reformation Heritage, 2018).” Studies in Puritanism and Piety Journal 3 (2021): 131-4.
• “Review: Chad Van Dixhoorn, God’s Ambassadors: The Westminster Assembly and the Reformation of the English Pulpit, 1643-1653 (Grand Rapids, MI: Reformation Heritage, 2017).” Reformed Theological Journal 37 (2021): 72-73.
• “‘The Right Channel of New Obedience’: Sanctification in The Sum of Saving Knowledge (1651)” Reformed Presbyterian Theological Journal 7, no. 2 (2020): 37-50.
• “Four Centuries Ago: An Historical Survey of the Synod of Dort,” Reformed Presbyterian Theological Journal 6, no. 1 (2019): 4–15.
• “‘What Is My Present Life but a Death to Me?’ Archibald Johnston of Wariston (1611-63) and the Puritan Experience of Melancholy,” Puritan Reformed Journal 11, no. 2 (July 2019): 92-109.
• “Review: Alexander Campbell, The Life and Works of Robert Baillie (1602-1662): Politics, Religion and Record-Keeping in the British Civil Wars. St Andrews Studies in Scottish History (Woodbridge: Boydell, 2017).” Journal of the Northern Renaissance (2018).
• “Telling Tales: A Survey of Scottish Covenanter Historiography,” Reformed Theological Journal 33 (2017): 47–65.
• “Review: Robert Letham, The Westminster Assembly: Reading Its Theology in Historical Context (Phillipsburg, 2009).” Puritan Reformed Journal 3, no. 1 (2011): 378–85.

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Conference Papers

• “Death, Depression, and the Diarist: A case study of the Puritan treatment of melancholy,” Evangelical Theology Society, San Diego, CA, November 21, 2024 (Invited lecturer).
• “Wariston at Prayer: Lessons on the Use and Abuse of Prayer from the Diary of a Scottish Covenanter,” Westminster Conference (Reformed Presbyterian Theological Seminary, Pittsburgh, PA, September 16, 2023) (Invited lecturer).
• “Not Ashamed of the Gospel: John Hooper (1495-1555): Reformer, Pastor, Martyr,” The Banner of Truth Ministers’ Conference (Elizabethtown College, PA, May 31 and June 1, 2023) (Two invited lectures).
• “Wariston at the Table: Lessons on the Use and Abuse of the Lord’s Supper from the Diary of a Scottish Covenanter,” Westminster Conference (Reformed Presbyterian Theological Seminary, Pittsburgh, PA, September 10, 2022) (Invited lecturer).
• “Reassessing a Radical’s Roots: The Spiritual Formation of Archibald Johnston of Wariston (1611-63),” Evangelical Theology Society (Fort Worth, TX, November 16, 2021) (Invited lecturer).
• “The Reformation: Then and Now,” Oklahoma Conference on Reformed Theology (Oklahoma City, OK, October 22-23, 2021) (Four invited lectures).
• “Wariston on the Word: Lessons on the Use and Abuse of Scripture from the Diary of a Covenanter,” Westminster Conference (Reformed Presbyterian Theological Seminary, Pittsburgh, PA, September 11, 2021) (Invited lecturer).
• “‘The Right Channel of New Obedience’: Sanctification in The Sum of Saving Knowledge,” Westminster Conference (Reformed Presbyterian Theological Seminary, Pittsburgh, PA, September 12, 2020) (Invited lecturer).
• “Four Centuries Ago: An Historical Survey of the Synod of Dort,” Westminster Conference (Reformed Presbyterian Theological Seminary, Pittsburgh, PA, September 13, 2019) (Invited lecturer).
• “Reassessing a Radical’s Roots: The Spiritual Formation of Archibald Johnston of Wariston (1611-63),” Rutherford Redivivus Conference (St. Mary’s College, St. Andrews University, Scotland, May 25, 2018) (Invited lecturer).
• “‘Qhat is my present lyfe bot ane death to me?’ Archibald Johnston of Wariston (1611-63) – Interpreting an early modern narrative of depression,” Borderlines XXII Symposium (Queen’s University Belfast, Northern Ireland, April 13-15, 2018).

Pastoral & Teaching Experience

Education

Associations

• Member, Board of Reference, Reformation Translation Fellowship.
• Member, Evangelical Theological Society. Program Unit Steering Committee: Puritan Theology in Post-Reformation Context.
• Member, Presbyterian Historical Society of Ireland.
• Chairman, Synodical Church History Committee (RPCNA).

Resources