# Two questions regarding Systematic Theology books.



## Username3000 (Nov 9, 2015)

Greetings,

1)If you could have only one Systematic Theology in your possession for the rest of your earthly life, what would it be, and why?

2) Same question, but limited only to Systematics from the 1600's and 1700's. I am leaning toward John Brown of Haddington, any reviews of his work?

I am currently scaling down my library in the hopes of being better acquainted with fewer books, than to be strangers with many, and I therefore am seeking Systematic recommendations. 

Thank you.


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## johnny (Nov 10, 2015)

1) Calvin's Institutes, WHY? Because I'd hate to have to live without it. 
2)


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## rickclayfan (Nov 10, 2015)

1) Save as above. Book One in particular is my favorite.
2) The Economy of the Covenants by Herman Witsius. He does a remarkable job of including a vast amount of doctrine in two volumes.


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## Guido's Brother (Nov 10, 2015)

1. Herman Bavinck's 4 volume Reformed Dogmatics is a great distillation of all the best Reformed theology that came before him. Historical and biblical. 

2. The Leiden Synopsis (Synopsis Purioris Theologiae) is just appearing in English. I've written a review of volume 1 for The Confessional Presbyterian. It was long a standard Reformed theology text in Europe. You get not only one top-notch Reformed theologian, but four.


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## RamistThomist (Nov 10, 2015)

~1. Bavinck, volume 1.
~2. Turretin volume 2


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## timfost (Nov 10, 2015)

I would rather have them all on my kindle.


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## Username3000 (Nov 10, 2015)

So far there is a preference for theologians from the European continent, as opposed to the UK. Is there a definable, general difference that makes them better?

Can you tell me a bit about Charnock and Boston?


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## Username3000 (Nov 10, 2015)

Double post.


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## Guido's Brother (Nov 10, 2015)

E.R. CROSS said:


> So far there is a preference for theologians from the European continent, as opposed to the UK. Is there a definable, general difference that makes them better?



The problem, I think, is that after the post-Reformation period, the Enlightenment (and other influences) did a lot of damage in the UK. There was damage in the Netherlands and elsewhere in Europe too, but there was also a period of recovery. Herman Bavinck was part of that in the Netherlands -- I don't think there were any comparable Reformed or Presbyterian theologians in the UK during the late 1800s and early 1900s. The closest match from that time would be Charles Hodge and B.B. Warfield in the US, but only Hodge wrote a systematic theology.


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## Backwoods Presbyterian (Nov 10, 2015)

1. A'Brakel

2. Westminster Standards (directories included)


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## Username3000 (Nov 10, 2015)

Enlightenment effects in the UK, interesting. I haven't read any history of that period yet.

I have been looking into a Brakel today actually, and I am very interested. The advertised devotional and practical qualities of his work sound very appealing. I have Charles Hodge's ST, and as good as it is, I haven't come across much in the way of practical, devotional applications.


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## bookslover (Nov 11, 2015)

In answer to the first question in the OP, it's interesting that no one mentioned either Louis Berkhof (the odds-on favorite during the last half of the 20th century) or Robert L. Reymond (possibly the best of the newer ones). Just sayin'.


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## lynnie (Nov 11, 2015)

Interesting post. Interesting answers. I will let better readers answer for themselves. 

I found myself thinking of the many, many young adults we've known and how a lot of people don't read much. They tweet and text and look at online articles, but books...nah. If we do have a revival, and I pray all the time that we experience another Great Awakening/Reformation, you'd want to be prepared to work with new disciples. 

For that, you'd want to have stack of printed out confessions as mentioned above. And I don't know if you can exactly call this an ST, but Sinclair Ferguson's book "The Christian Life", an introduction to doctrine, lays out the highlights systematically with a lot of bible references. Excellent for a group. Then there is the edited Grudem....he put out a ST for laymen, and they made a edited version, and then they put out a third even more edited one. You ask how low we need to go? Low. At least low in circles I know with minorities, ex prisoners, and kids who just never read books. Maybe the churches represented here with homeschooled smart kids can go through better STs in classes, but I'd want to have a few of the simple ones stocked up. This subject makes me sad to be honest, we have been librarians in three different churches and the subject is just plain tragic to me. 

I visited the formerly Westerly Road Church in Princeton a few times years ago (I forget what the new name is.) One week the pastor Matt Ristuccia begged the church to try and read at least one book every year about God. He held up various great classics from his pulpit and exhorted his flock to read at least one during the next year. One. One book. This was Princeton, with nicely dressed "successful" looking people in the pews. And the pastor is begging them to read one book a year about God. Mind boggling. This is the age we live in. 

I'd also strongly urge you not to rely on electronics. The threats to the grid are too great, and the day may come when we have rolling blackouts. You really want hard copy back ups.


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## Ask Mr. Religion (Nov 11, 2015)

E.R. CROSS said:


> Greetings,
> 
> 1)If you could have only one Systematic Theology in your possession for the rest of your earthly life, what would it be, and why?


A. A. Hodge's _Outlines of Theology_ as it provides the simple basics of most topics in a concise, yet highly dense manner with extensive Scripture references for one to have plenty of thinking to do to pass the time.



E.R. CROSS said:


> 2) Same question, but limited only to Systematics from the 1600's and 1700's. I am leaning toward John Brown of Haddington, any reviews of his work?


Wilhelmus À Brakel's _The Christian's Reasonable Service_ as it is devotional yet informative via provided objections and answers to the same.


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## reaganmarsh (Nov 11, 2015)

1. J.P. Boyce's _Abstract of Systematic Theology_, because it does a great job condensing other significant Reformed writers and gives extensive Scriptural exegesis and proofs.

2. It would be a toss-up between a' Brakel or William Ames. Both are outstanding.


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## Username3000 (Nov 11, 2015)

Can someone who has read both a' Brakel and William Ames give a comparison? Brakel being 4 volumes as opposed to Ames' 1 is an obvious difference in amount of content.


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## Jim (Nov 11, 2015)

I was raised on Millard Erickson's _Christian Theology_; no one is recommending him...why? To answer the op, 1. Calvin's _Institutes_, 2. Bavinck's _Reformed Dogmatics_ followed by 3. John Frame's ST then 4. Grudem.

16-1700s: 1. Turretin, 2. John Owen's _Biblical Theology_


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## C. Matthew McMahon (Nov 12, 2015)

I was standing behind Dr. Sproul while he was buying Turretin in the RTS bookstore. Having already read Turretin, I said, "That's it! Get rid of Calvin and read that! " You should have seen his face drop off onto the floor. 

1) I'd go with Turretin.
2) I'd still go with Turretin.
3) If there was a #3, I'd go with Turretin again. 

Sent from my SPH-L720 using Tapatalk


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## yeutter (Nov 12, 2015)

Modern: Charles Hodge, followed by A. A. Hodge and Hoeksema
Early: Ussher, followed by Turretin


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## greenbaggins (Nov 12, 2015)

Turretin is amazing, although one needs a good background in philosophy to understand everything he says on certain subjects (thankfully, not all!). I would actually wait in judgment until I've seen Petrus Van Mastricht's systematic theology (which is currently being translated). It was Edwards's favorite ST, and he had read Turretin. As for later dogmatics, I've been blown away by Vos's Reformed Dogmatics. 3 of the five volumes are available, with the fourth on the verge of printing. On topic after topic, I have found that he says it better than Berkhof. In fact, my theory is currently that it was Berkhof who transcribed the notes (he studied under Vos at Princeton). At many points, Berkhof seems to be channeling Vos.


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## Username3000 (Nov 12, 2015)

I have decided to go with Wilhelmus a' Brakel. Thank you to everyone who responded, it was helpful and interesting.


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## reaganmarsh (Nov 16, 2015)

You'll enjoy a' Brakel! You're in for a treat.


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## Theogenes (Nov 18, 2015)

I'm just finishing up A'Brakel and it's truly been a feast! Enjoy!


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