# Essential systematic theology works



## The Mexican Puritan (Aug 2, 2010)

What books do you think would be necessary for a solid understanding of systematic theology? If you had two-three years to read theology, what would you read?


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## Steve Curtis (Aug 2, 2010)

Calvin - several times


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## JML (Aug 2, 2010)

*A Body of Doctrinal and Practical Divinity* by John Gill


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## Willem van Oranje (Aug 2, 2010)

Reformed Dogmatics by Heinrich Heppe


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## Contra_Mundum (Aug 2, 2010)

1. Calvin's _Institutes_.
2. a'Brakel, _The Christian's Reasonable Service_

Other tried and true, such as Dabney, Berkhof. 
Ask your pastor, he's probably got a good selection.


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## jwithnell (Aug 2, 2010)

No one's mentioning Berkhof? And a 3-year read for me would include Biblical theology too.


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## jogri17 (Aug 2, 2010)

1. Hodge (Good solid presbyterianism)
2. Calvin (classic)
2. À Brakel (devotional and practical quality)
4. Vos' Biblical Theology (keep balance)
5. Concise Reformed Dogmatics (you can get a taste of Bavinck in there plus the wide Dutch Tradition).


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## NB3K (Aug 2, 2010)

Calvin's Institutes
Charles Hodge's ST
Berkhof's ST
James Boyce Abstract of ST
EVERYTHING FROM AW Pink


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## nicnap (Aug 2, 2010)

Contra_Mundum said:


> 1. Calvin's _Institutes_.
> 2. a'Brakel, _The Christian's Reasonable Service_
> 
> Other tried and true, such as Dabney, Berkhof.
> Ask your pastor, he's probably got a good selection.


 
This is exactly what I would say...a'Brakel is outstanding.


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## Willem van Oranje (Aug 2, 2010)

Economy of the Covenants by Herman Witsius.


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## Miller (Aug 2, 2010)

Bavinck!

John Murray Collected Writings Vol. 2


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## Jack K (Aug 2, 2010)

jwithnell said:


> No one's mentioning Berkhof? And a 3-year read for me would include Biblical theology too.


I was raised on Berkhof, so that's what comes first to mind for me.


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## py3ak (Aug 2, 2010)

For Reformed dogmatics Turretin, _Institutes of Elenctic Theology_, is indispensable.


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## TaylorOtwell (Aug 2, 2010)

I really like Gill. Watson's Body of Divinity is good as well.


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## eqdj (Aug 2, 2010)

Calvin's Institutes (also available online at ccel)
Wilhelmus a Brakel's Christian's Reasonable Service (also available online as a pdf)
Herman Bavinck's Reformed Dogmatics and Our Reasonable Faith
Robert Reymond's New Systematic Theology of the Christian Faith
Thomas Watson's Body of Divinity (available online at shortercatechism.com)
Graeme Goldsworthy's Gospel-Centered Hermeneutics


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## Hamalas (Aug 2, 2010)

And of course Calvin's Institutes! ;-)


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## baron (Aug 2, 2010)

I did not see this set posted.

Chafer's Systematic Theology 4 Volumes
By: Lewis Sperry Chafer 
Kregel Publications / 1993 / Hardcover
5 out of 5 stars(37 Reviews)
$69.99 (CBD Price)
Retail: $179.99 
Save: $110.00 (61%)

Just kidding but a pastor friend suggested I read it to understand his views.


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## Andres (Aug 2, 2010)

baron said:


> I did not see this set posted.
> 
> Chafer's Systematic Theology 4 Volumes
> By: Lewis Sperry Chafer
> ...


 
you put a lot of information there for a joke. lol. good to see you were committed.


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## interalia (Aug 3, 2010)

Reymond has become my go-to after Calvin and Berkhof.


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## JOwen (Aug 3, 2010)

a' Brakel, The Christian's Reasonable Service.


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## baron (Aug 3, 2010)

Andres said:


> baron said:
> 
> 
> > I did not see this set posted.
> ...



I also tried to post a picture of the four volumes but I could not get it to paste.

---------- Post added at 12:29 PM ---------- Previous post was at 12:24 PM ----------




interalia said:


> Reymond has become my go-to after Calvin and Berkhof.



Not to change direction of post but I just picked up Reymond A New Systematic Theology of the Christian Faith and do not see why people like him. I have tried reading him and get nothing out of it. I would rather read Charles Hodge, A A Hodge, or any one else than Reymond but its probably just me.


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## DMcFadden (Aug 3, 2010)

baron said:


> I did not see this set posted.
> 
> Chafer's Systematic Theology 4 Volumes
> By: Lewis Sperry Chafer
> ...


 
This was my first SysTheo, read as a junior in high school, all 2,700 pgs over a two month period.

I would read the following:

Calvin
Turretin
a' Brakel
Witsius (?)
Dabney or Hodge
Bavinck or Berkhof
Reymond or Grudem

(When reading the post-Reformation guys, Muller PRRD would be invaluable)


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## SemperEruditio (Aug 3, 2010)

a'Brakel, Calvin, a'Brakel, Calvin, a'Brakel, Calvin...then some of those other guys.


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## sastark (Aug 3, 2010)

BERKHOF! (What, is Berkhof no longer in vogue?)


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## passingpilgrim (Aug 3, 2010)

when everyone says Hodge, do they mean Charles or AA (mostly)?


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## JML (Aug 3, 2010)

passingpilgrim said:


> when everyone says Hodge, do they mean Charles or AA (mostly)?


 
Can't speak for everyone, but I have A.A. Hodge *Outlines of Theology* and it is good. Also, *Marrow of Theology* by William Ames hasn't been mentioned yet.


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## Steve Curtis (Aug 3, 2010)

A. A. is good, too, but I would imagine most who say "Hodge" when discussing systematic theology mean his dad.


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## Notthemama1984 (Aug 3, 2010)

I have been blessed with Calvin, Berkof, and Bavinck. Hodge was tough for me mainly because I do not know Latin at all. 

How is it that I have never heard of a'Brakel?


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## passingpilgrim (Aug 4, 2010)

Boliver,
I noticed that about Hodge too. He does like his latin. Anyone found a trick or technique on how not to make the reading so choppy. Other than learn Latin;~)


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## DMcFadden (Aug 4, 2010)

sastark said:


> BERKHOF! (What, is Berkhof no longer in vogue?)


 
There is nothing "wrong" with Berkhof. He is an excellent summary of Bavinck. Now that Bavinck is out in English (and all volumes translated), those of us Dutch impaired types might want to drink directly from the firehose.

BTW, if someone wants a more evangelical neo-orthodoxy than Barth, there is also Bloesch's 7 volumes of Christian Foundations. The boy seems to have read EVERYTHING ever written. And, nobody mentioned Kelly's great start with his Volume 1. Morton Smith is also worth reading (in my opinion).

We are blessed in our day with a BUNCH of good contemporary Reformed (or at least Reformed leaning) systematics appearing during the last 20 years in addition to so many of the classics in pdf form (free!)


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## Theogenes (Aug 4, 2010)

1. Calvin's Institutes
2. Robert Reymond
3. Berkhof
4. Charles Hodge
5. John Gill
6. Turretin
7. Shedd


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## KMK (Aug 4, 2010)

I am surprised that Ames is not recommended more. I refer to him regularly. But then I much prefer succinct writers.


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## DMcFadden (Aug 4, 2010)

KMK said:


> I am surprised that Ames is not recommended more. I refer to him regularly. But then I much prefer succinct writers.


 
Shame on you, Ken! If I were close enough, I'd whip you with an über-dense John Owen paragraph.


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## Blue Dog (Aug 5, 2010)

"No one's mentioning Berkhof?" Likewise, Louis Berkhof, is a most firm foundation foundation in Theology in conjuction with the Calvins "Institutes of the Christian religion", After one has wraped thier brain around that, one could move on to the 3 Volumes of "Systematic Theology" 
by Charles Hodge.

---------- Post added at 11:06 PM ---------- Previous post was at 11:05 PM ----------

"No one's mentioning Berkhof?" Likewise, Louis Berkhof, is a most firm foundation in Theology in conjuction with the Calvins "Institutes of the Christian religion", After one has wraped thier brain around that, one could move on to the 3 Volumes of "Systematic Theology" 
by Charles Hodge.


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## Willem van Oranje (Aug 5, 2010)

There there is an excellent sir recommended reading list for each locus of theology in reformed confessions harmonized edited by Beeke and Ferguson.


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## yskamp (Aug 12, 2010)

passingpilgrim said:


> Boliver,
> I noticed that about Hodge too. He does like his latin. Anyone found a trick or technique on how not to make the reading so choppy. Other than learn Latin;~)


 
Edward N. Gross edited an abridged addition without the latin that you can get on Amazon. The only problem with it is that he tells you what he took out. So I find myself constantly being interested in what he is telling me he took out. So I end up refering to the original anyway. Just skip the latin.


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## puritanpilgrim (Aug 13, 2010)

No one has mentioned Robert Culver's systematic theology. I go to that one now before Grutem or Reymond.


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