What Systematic Theology Should I Buy? Review of Systematic Theology Books

[@narniasc]

Thanks Dane for taking the time with these very helpful comments. I am an Anglican priest and have been working through several intro systematics to build a list of recommendations. I had started Berkhof but had the same reaction you did.. I was completely unaware of Bavinck's Wonderful Works of God. After your explanation of what it was and reading an excerpt, I've found it to be just what I was looking for.

[@wordmagazine]

Enjoyed listening to this Dane. Many good points made. I see that various ideas have been given for future topics in the comments. Along these lines, it might be interesting to hear a "Let the reader beware" episode on Systematic Theologies you might not recommend for general readers or to be read by Pastors only with caution/discernment. You did this a little bit with Grudem. It'd be interesting to hear your take on Barth's Church Dogmatics, etc.

[@DaneKristjan]

Thanks pastor Riddle! That is a really good idea, and think will be helpful for many people! God bless you!

[@vanessaboman8143]

I grew up on the Westminster confession of faith, and our minister had a lot of the books you recommend. It's was strong meat ... But it's so harsh and legalistic.now I am starting again with the Westminster and my bible and several ST books... Just started this week 1/5/21.. Then I found Your video. This is my 2021 bible study here in the UK... I am NOT Calvinistic, but I have to research it all myself. So here we go. We are locked down for a few months so I lost my job and have a lot of time on my hands. I do have several books to help me. I found Your recommendations helpful. Dr Martin Lloyd Jones is EXCELLENT! I have his work on Ephesians. Brilliant!

[@saintonfire77]

I came across your videos this evening. I also highly recommend Beeke's 'Reformed Systematic Theology'. I also recommend H. Bavinck's 'Reformed Dogmatics' Four Volumes. I recommend all of Bavinck's writings. When I first came into the Reformed Faith I read for several years Louis Berkhof's 'Systematic Theology'.

[@DaneKristjan]

Thanks Jonny! I have watched a great majority of your videos. Love all the book talk. Rare to find booktubers who talk about christian books, especially reformed spirituality. I appreciate the content. Yes, Bavinck is one of the greatest. I have read Volume one of the Dogmatics 3 times straight through. Thats how life changing it was for me. I also have a copy of the Dogmatics in Dutch from the 20's. I dream of learning dutch and reading it in the original one day!

[@saintonfire77]

@@DaneKristjan Many years ago I read Bavinck's Doctrine of God published by Baker Book House and was very excited when I found out they (Dutch Translation Society) were going to translate the four volumes 'Reformed Dogmatics'. When I was in seminary (Reformed Theological Seminary, Jackson Miss. Sproul used Bavinck's Doctrine of God when he taught a class on the Doctrine of God. I really enjoyed Bavinck's Reformed Ethics and look forward to the next volume in this series. Pray all is well. blessings here is a list of books I have Bavinck in our library-www.librarything.com/catalog/bookmountain&collection=-1&deepsearch=Bavinck

[@TheJesusNerd40]

Love this Dane!!! Keep these coming!!!

[@DaneKristjan]

Thanks brother! I saw your comment on the "which TR". I will make a video when I have some extra time! Dr. Jeff Riddle has a great answer to this in one of his podcasts. You can read the written blog version here, which also links you to the fuller audio version. Highly recommended. www.jeffriddle.net/2019/11/wm-140-responding-to-which-tr-objection.html

[@VinylFlesh]

I have another video idea for you, covering the different christian or reformed publishers. Which you favor most, the differences in the content they publish. Your opinion on more mainstream publishers like Crossway. I think that'd be cool. Love how in depth you go with these videos, thanks again.

[@DaneKristjan]

That is a great idea! I think that would be very helpful for people!

[@erickoteyamon2179]

Dane K. Jóhannsson can't wait for it

[@annlarosa3030]

Thank you just discovered your channel So needed! and very informative. I appreciate all of your help. Keep helping us please from New England where the puritans first came.

[@ashleygovender4104]

Thank you Pastor Dane. Excellent video. Durban, South Africa.

[@Alex27011969]

Thank you very much for this video!

[@TannerLDikinSermons]

Very good stuff brother. I'd love to hear you talk about Marrow Theology sometime.

[@DaneKristjan]

Its that good stuff brother!

[@BiblicalStudiesandReviews]

Very enjoyable video! Today Wayne Grudem’s Systematic Theology popped up in my recommended books from Amazon. I haven’t been looking for a systematic theology. I’m thinking it’s because I watched this video. Amazing how big tech is watching us.

[@BiblicalStudiesandReviews]

And now Herman Bavinck’s 4 volume set is being recommended. (I still haven’t searched for any of these, although I would like to beef up my library with some). Crazy...

[@DaneKristjan]

@@BiblicalStudiesandReviews Lol, that is really creepy. With big-tech and big-pharma I won't be surprised if pretty soon you will be sitting at your computer and a needle will come out automatically and administer a vaccine to you lol.

[@DaneKristjan]

@@BiblicalStudiesandReviews But you should get Bavinck for sure! Idk where you stand theologically? A Spurgeonite I hope.

[@BiblicalStudiesandReviews]

@@DaneKristjan Spurgeon is one of my heroes, but my influences have been rather eclectic. Lots of theology but little system 😂 Honestly I am rethinking a lot of stuff right now....very long story. But do you have anything you would recommend in regards to covenant theology?

[@DaneKristjan]

@@BiblicalStudiesandReviews from a Baptist perspective is recommend Greg Nichols book on covenant, along with Blackburn. From a reformed perspective (paedobaptist) I would say "The Christ of The Covenants" by O Palmer Robertson. Good intros

[@DavidRamirez-ww5kv]

Hello, very informative and well organized presentation. I’m reading Berkhof and Hodge. Thank you for sharing. Blessings in Christ.

[@mikejameshupfer]

"Tradition, viewed as the past teaching of the church in its confessions, creeds, and representative theologians, effectively represents the sum total of the accumulated biblical exegesis of the Christian church. It is not on par with Scripture--some of it may even mislead--but we neglect it at our peril and use it to our great advantage" (Robert Letham, "Systematic Theology," pp. 33-34).

[@TheJesusNerd40]

Norman Geisler 4 volume systematic. Also, review Millard Erickson which is better than Grudems. Erickson's and Grudems ST are the main ST used in baptist seminaries other than Southern Seminary. Go over the different editions of Hebrew and Greek Bibles.

[@VinylFlesh]

Thank you!!

[@helgeevensen856]

yes, exactly, the "church you pastor", not "your church"... that is a very important correction of language... :-)

[@Pastor-Brettbyfaith]

Pastor Dane, If I may express a concern, it would be this: If all believers were instructed to read theology (from any author), where would the need for Pastors, evangelists, teachers, etc... fit in? If every believer even possessed half of the desire to read what you have read, not to mention the specific gifts that you have, then all believers would not need you or I to teach or guide them. If I were to change anything you have said, I would instruct young believers to stay rooted in the King James Bible alone; then after 2 or 3 years, one should begin to prayerfully consider studying theology. It is wisdom to leave matters of frontal lobotomy to brain surgeons. So it is likewise wisdom to leave matters of theology in the hands of those called to that particular calling. You have a unique gift my brother, and I am certain that it is because of your unique calling that God, in his sovereignty, has given you this gift, to use for the instruction of the lay people. Ephesians 4:7-16 should make my point clear. Not everyone has the same calling. I do not want to be guilty of laying too heavy a burden on young saints. I remember once, a long time ago when preaching to a congregation, the Lord had shown me something extremely powerful. I was dumbfounded when they didn't see it as I did. It wasn't meant for them. I understand that now. I hope you understand my words to you. God's best to you Pastor Dane.

[@DaneKristjan]

Pastor Brett, I think you make some good points, thank you. First and foremost, your point on Bible study is exactly right. It is far better to spend hours in the Word than hours in a theology book. But I think there can and should be a balance. For clarification, this video is made for those already interested in theology and wanting to study it. Additionally, I do not think it is an "either or" kind of situation. The person reading their Bible is already doing theology, they should desire that their theology be accurate, and there are many godly books to help them achieve that goal, the easiest and most accessible being the reformed protestant confessions. If someone only ever read one of those confessions and their Bible they would be fine, no need for anything else to have an accurate theological position imo. Your point on pastors is very important. Pastors are called to study these things and teach them to the people, but the people must still be Bereans who study to see if these things be so. The finer points of theology and the highly intricate debates within even reformed theology are mostly useless, even for the pastor, so I agree that the average christian does not need to know all of this. But the foundational aspects of theology should be studied by all imo. On the whole I agree with the spirit of what you are saying, but I think there can be a balance. I attempted to ascend in difficulty and necessity in my video, starting with the confessions for people first getting into theology. If a person never went past those and was in a godly biblical church, they would be doing more than fine. Many members in my congregation have never read a work of systematic theology, and some have never even read the entirety of the confession we hold to, yet they are all diligent students of the bible and live godly, Christ-honoring lives. They get a steady diet of Biblical and theological teaching from the pulpit (at least I try my best to give them that!). I dont think they are missing out on anything. But most of them have a couple of good systematic theologies at home I have recommended to them if they ever need to reference them or look something up on their own. I hope that I have given them the tools to do their own study while at the same time not making them feel that it is necessary for them to stress about reading complex theological tomes. Hopefully this comment adds to your point! Blessings brother!

[@jesus_saves_from_hell_]

Awesome! Thank you so much! 🙏🙏🙏

[@howardmanley3388]

I appreciated all your advice, I ended up buying Christian theology by Miller J Erickson....However it’s a little over my head as I’m new to this world of systematic theology... so I’m going to circle back and start with Wayne Gruden’s book the one you said you started with ..You helped me so much, and was really thorough with your teaching on this subject... much appreciated...Howie

[@DaneKristjan]

I'm glad it was of some help brother!

[@stevehawke9819]

Thanks, Pastor Dane! Not sure if you've already answered this in another comment, but any thoughts on John Frame's or Robert Letham's systematic theology books? Thanks in advance!

[@leopoldodah9346]

I purchased 1. Puritan Reformed Theology: Historical, Experiential, and Practical Studies for the Whole of Life, - 2 Meet the Puritans: With a Guide to Modern Reprints, 3. Puritan Reformed Spirituality: A Practical Biblical Study from Reformed and Puritan Heritage. and 4. A Puritan Theology: Doctrine for Life. Which order do you recommend reading them to get the best out of the book?

[@DaneKristjan]

I would peruse "Meet The Puritans" reading whatever interests you as you go along, while reading "Puritan Reformed Spirituality" cover to cover. The other two are also best read but just reading whatever chapters interests you the most IMO.

[@TheJesusNerd40]

Whose the hardest in your opinion, Dane? 1. Turrentin 2. Charles Hodge 3. Bavinck

[@DaneKristjan]

It would really depend on where someone is starting from. If they have little to no experience with philosophy (especially modern philosophy), Bavinck's 4 volumes is going to be quite difficult and they are going to need to stop often to look up who these philosophers were and what they taught to understand what point Bavinck is making. Hodge will generally be very intimidating to most people since there is so much latin, greek, hebrew, german and french. But if people just read his english sections, they would probably be fine. Turretin is honestly the most accessible imo even though he is much older. It also depends on what section of these works one starts in. Some sections will be much easier than others.

[@claysidenbender6182]

Hello, Pastor Dane, Great video! I was wondering if you have engaged with or read Christopher Morgan’s Christian Theology: The Biblical Story and Our Faith. I think it just came out this year, so if you haven’t read it, I wouldn’t be surprised. It has just been recommended to me by a seminary professor of the Reformed Baptist tradition, but I know nothing of Christopher Morgan.

[@hackrat2]

Well its rather simple. You have to use biblical theology which isn't the calvanistic theology that people like jonathan edwards used. He learned from a calvanistic theologian. Augustus Hopkins Strong (1836-1921) in his Systematic Theology on the other hand exposed the protestants of his day, their false theology, and their errors.

[@hoover8699]

Excellent reviews. Thank you. Have you heard of or read Robert Duncan Culver's Systematic Theology? It's huge, about 1,300 pages. Along with many of those you covered, I highly recommend it.

[@ordosolutis]

Did you have the link to the Confession of Faith? Just came across your channel. Good content. Thanks brother!

[@DaneKristjan]

Thanks brother, glad you have found it helpful. It's located on our website, Agroschurch.com But if you search "1689 London Baptist Confession of Faith" you will find it.

[@ordosolutis]

@@DaneKristjan Thank you sir!

[@pvb777]

Thanks for pointing me to a lesser known book of Bavinck (Magnalia Dei). I am dutch and also follow (for the most part) the 1689 confession. Maybe you have said this in some of your other video's (that I have not watched yet), but I have 2 questions for you: 1. Do you use print books exclusively or do you also use Logos Bible Software? 2. What seminary did you go to? Greetings from the Netherlands!

[@jacobyates4016]

Commentaries next?

[@DaneKristjan]

Full commentary sets, or individual books?

[@jacobyates4016]

Dane K. Jöhannsson perhaps you could do sets and then individual commentaries at the end that you think are extraordinary.

[@DaneKristjan]

@@jacobyates4016 I will be doing a video on commentaries next.

[@danielr.6800]

Hello pastor, thank you for the recommendations. Quick question, I have heard many reformed folk recommend Robert Reymonds Systematic and I am curious about your thoughts on it, or anyone in the comments who has read it. Thanks!

[@DaneKristjan]

I have dipped into him a few times, but have not read a great deal of his work. I do know that there was some controversy concerning his views of the trinity, specifically the eternal generation of the Son, when it was published. He would line up more with Wayne Grudem's view. But I also heard the same men that criticize his work in this place also speak highly of it in other regards.

[@1Skeptik1]

Those closest to me identify as Christian, I know what they were taught and believe. I also know religion (the GOD business) is an $82 billion-a-year enterprise in the USA alone and I understand the utility of religion. Observation: Man has prayed to and worshipped hundreds of gods for thousands of years and those no longer in favor or outside your circle are considered myth or legend or even delusion. Yes? I should hope one day we find higher ground. When the next extinction-level event befalls our world and humanity's time is ended we will take our GODs with us. Religion - GIGO

[@barryloeber8999]

Hi Dane, absolutely love this. Probably watched approximately 4 times! I would love to hear your thoughts on Systematic Theology by Robert Letham. God bless brother. Barry Loeber

[@pseudonymman9382]

Dane, I was brought up catholic nut have a deep Compulsion to study the bible alone and have studied reformed church material and done courses.....Of course always feel torn but wondering are there catholics who come to this or am I alone ?....

[@christsavesreadromans1096]

You should remain Catholic, that’s what all the earliest Christian’s were.

[@michaelspears4488]

Every book you recommend holds to infant baptism and a biblical view of the Lord's table we spiritual feed on Christ. How can you be a Baptist all the men you recommend do not hold to your views

[@DaneKristjan]

Good question. First, when I recorded this I was a "reformed baptist" holding to the London Baptist Confession of Faith, which has Biblical view of the supper, i.e., the Spiritual Presence of Christ in the supper. My covenant theology was inconsistent with my beliefs on the proper subject of baptism at this time. I held to one covenant of grace in two administrations. Now I am a paedobaptist presbyterian in the OPC. Second, I actually recommended many books in this video that were written by men who held to credo baptism. I do not think I recommended any men who taught a memorialist view of the supper. That has never been my view. Thanks for the question.

[@aquinas2124]

I wonder if there are books and libraries and a learning process in Heaven. I think so. :-)

[@leopoldodah9346]

I want to buy "Puritan Reformed Theology: Historical, Experiential, and Practical Studies for the Whole of Life". It's still necessary to buy "A Puritan Theology: Doctrine for Life"?

[@DaneKristjan]

Yes. Two very different books. Puritan Theology is a systematic based on the puritans. Puritan Reformed Theology is a collection of essays (great essays), but not a systematic nor a study on Puritan thought proper.

[@semperfortior9671]

Surprised you didn't mention Beeke's Reformed Systematic Theology

[@semperfortior9671]

Nevermind apparently I responded too quickly you literally mentioned them RIGHT after I posted that

[@DaneKristjan]

@@semperfortior9671 I was gonna say, I could have sworn I did!

[@semperfortior9671]

@@DaneKristjan You did apprantly I am too fast on the keyboard. So here is my delimma. Trying to figure out which of these to start studying first, Wonderful Works of God, Reformed Systematic Theology, Puritan Theology or Reformed Dogmatics by Vos?

[@DaneKristjan]

@@semperfortior9671 What is your experience with systematic theology so far?

[@semperfortior9671]

@@DaneKristjan Not a ton. If read through a little bit of a couple different ones. The only one I have read through completely is the one we used for seminary which was Christian Theology by Erickson

[@fisherofmen7298]

Why do you baptize babies? Not trying to start a fight. I really want to know why would a christian do that

[@DaneKristjan]

It's a good question. Because children of believers are members of the covenant of grace, and therefore have a right to the sign and seal of that covenant.

[@fisherofmen7298]

@@DaneKristjan ok, and what is the covenant of grace? You mean verses where God is promising to keep the children of the righteous?

[@fisherofmen7298]

@@DaneKristjan Can I know what is your stance on remarriage? I heard some reformed church have position I agree with (that remarriage is not Biblical) but I need to know this before I listen to your sermons. You don't have to answer but I would appreciate if you do

[@xskoalx]

Replace "systematic theology" with "Bible" the first 1:30 and you have truth. Stopped watching.

[@DaneKristjan]

Then unfortunately you missed the entire point. The Bible is systematic theology, all theology is to be derived from the Bible. They are one and the same. God's Word teaches theology.

[@xskoalx]

@@DaneKristjan Some dudes thoughts on the Bible are not the same as the Bible. Forming a systematic theology is important, keeping it consistent is important, but claiming that reading systematic theologies is...all that you said it was...betrays your reliance on man not God's Word. Which is why your a Calvinist also, been there done that.

[@DaneKristjan]

@@xskoalx I mean you can syllable catch all you want, but you have made up your mind. Not really any point in me responding is there? I don't rely on man at all. The Bible is THE everything of the Christian life. Theology is derived FROM the Bible, or it is not theology. But, as is typical with your work, you have not heard a matter before speaking upon it, which, funny enough, the Bible speaks directly against.

[@xskoalx]

@@DaneKristjan I spent about 5 years being like you until, as ironic as it is, IFB preaching alongside hard bible study pulled me out of it. You elevate man above God while convincing yourself that you are being biblical. That is the core of Calvinism and listening through your opening it oozes that very thing you are just too blind to see it. There is no helping an arrogant Calvinist only, ironically, God can pull you out of it. You can try to claim that I am some meany evil person who's "work" is bad but I really don't care. You don't fool me. Here is part 1 of me 3 years ago talking about systemtic theology if you want to know the right way to understand it.

[@DaneKristjan]

@@xskoalx Sounds good. If you are unwilling to engage, there is not much I can do.