# What Systematic Theology Book Should I Get?



## ABondSlaveofChristJesus (Jul 20, 2004)

I'm looking for a good systematic theology book to read( for the first time). My friend who is attending a Bible college is having to read Systematic Theology by Wayne Grudem(sp?). I mention that book just so you all will have an idea of what I'm looking for. At the moment, I'm really interested in buying Berkhofs Systematic Theology. What do you guys know about that book and what recommendations do you have? I haven't bought anything yet.


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## wsw201 (Jul 20, 2004)

Tim,

You can't go wrong with Berkhof. His systematic has been the standard in most Reformed Seminaries for decades. You not only get the Reformed view but he will touch on other non-reformed views of particular doctrines. There are other good and more current systematics out there including Morton Smith's Systematic Theology or Robert Reymond. 

Some on this board have recommended Grudem but his views on the charismatic gifts makes me want to stay away from him and I definately would not recommend him to someone new to the Reformed Faith because of his charismatic views. If you do read Grudem, you need to understand where he is coming from.


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## C. Matthew McMahon (Jul 20, 2004)

Go with Berkoff.


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## fredtgreco (Jul 20, 2004)

Berkhof is a great choice. Very standard.


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## JonathonHunt (Jul 20, 2004)

I would say Berkhof and Reymond. In that order, but it is good to have more than one systematic.

Good to have more than one of any kind of book, and I have more than one of most...

And more than one set of shelves...

:no:


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## C. Matthew McMahon (Jul 20, 2004)

Reymond's Systematic is also good, but go with Berkhoff first.


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## fredtgreco (Jul 20, 2004)

[quote:3aceb66431="JonathanHunt"]I would say Berkhof and Reymond. In that order, but it is good to have more than one systematic.

Good to have more than one of any kind of book, and I have more than one of most...

And more than one set of shelves...

:no:[/quote:3aceb66431]

I would go with Shedd before Reymond


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## crhoades (Jul 20, 2004)

For another view...

Read Calvin's Institutes first. Then after reading them, reread them... :book: 
Another set to have on hand is Francis Turretin's Institutes. It is the systematic that Princeton used.

Also - I like Dabney's Systematic. Berkhof/Hodge/Shedd/Smith are all good of course. 

What the heck - buy them all!

And don't forget to round it out with Berkouwer's multi-volume set, Kuyper's Principles of Sacred Theology, Bavinck's Dogmatics, Heppe's Systematic, John Murray's Collected Writings, Works of Warfield, Francis Pfeiffer (Lutheran 4 vol.) and John Frame's DG and DKG (sorry Fred...)

One can never have too many dogmatics ya know?


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## FrozenChosen (Jul 20, 2004)

I'm working through Berkhof's systematic, and it's my first. I'm going through it pretty slow and working things out in my head. I'm also asking my pastor on the tough things I read.

It's very good, because it also catches you up on some of the movements in church history, like liberalism and all that. After Berkhof I might go ahead and get Institutes, who knows.


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## BobVigneault (Jul 20, 2004)

Great tomes all, for sure, but for the first time.... Berkhof.
Berkhof's summary of doctrine can be found at many sites on the net (for free), just for a quick overview while you're waiting for the whole enchilada.
:book:


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## yeutter (Jul 31, 2004)

I use Kersten more then I use Hodge or Hoeksema. The english language edition I have indexes everybody else.

Kersten has a warm style that makes the topic underdiscussion very personal.

Is there a Systematics or Dogmatics in English from those that are in agreement with K. Schilder?

[Edited on 5-30-2006 by yeutter]


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## voided user1 (Aug 14, 2004)

I'm a credo, and with that caveat I still prefer Berkhof. Grudem would be my second choice, with the pro that it's contemporary and the con already noted. 

Gill's Body of Divinity is a notable, weighty credo option. Dagg is a lighter credo option, written by a Reformed Southern Baptist a long time ago.

I highly recommend reading multiple systematics. As a Dispensational, I studied Thiessen, Ryrie, and Barackman. If nothing else, that study made it apparent to me that systematics can be done different ways and are the works of fallible men. Thus, the benefit of reading more than one.


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## govols (Aug 14, 2004)

*Systematic Theology*

I personally started with [i:735fe696c0]Paul Enns [/i:735fe696c0]([u:735fe696c0]Moody Handbook of Theology[/u:735fe696c0]). He lays it out in a neat way that others don't.

[b:735fe696c0]Part 1[/b:735fe696c0] is Biblical Theology
[list:735fe696c0] Old Testament Theology
Edenic Era
Noahic Era
*
Prophetic Era
*
NT Theology
Theology of the Synoptics
Theology of Acts
*
Of Paul
*
Of John[/list:u:735fe696c0]
[b:735fe696c0]Part 2[/b:735fe696c0] is Systematic Theology
[b:735fe696c0]Part 3[/b:735fe696c0] is Historical Theology
[b:735fe696c0]Part 4[/b:735fe696c0] is Dogmatic Theology
[list:735fe696c0] Calvinistic
Arminian
Covenant
Dispensational
Catholic[/list:u:735fe696c0]
[b:735fe696c0]Part 5[/b:735fe696c0] is Contemporary

The best things are the charts / graphs

I like Grudem but I don't agree with the last 1/4 of the book

[i:735fe696c0]Berkhof [/i:735fe696c0]is great
The trilogy from [i:735fe696c0]Hodges [/i:735fe696c0]is great
I like [i:735fe696c0]Reymond [/i:735fe696c0]as well

Those are mine.


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