# What Happened to Dr. Michael Horton's Systematic Theology?



## Backwoods Presbyterian (Jul 4, 2010)

It was supposed to come out back in April and did not hear anything since that announcement.

Now here it is set to come out in January. 
Zondervan - The Christian Faith - Michael S. Horton


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## Marrow Man (Jul 4, 2010)

He knew you were waiting for it and was afraid you would finish reading it before he had a chance to!


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## Backwoods Presbyterian (Jul 4, 2010)

Ha!


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## Andres (Jul 5, 2010)

They really should bump it up a month so that I can ask for it for Christmas.


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## greenbaggins (Jul 5, 2010)

Benjamin, I have seen this happen countless times, especially with large tomes like this one is going to be. The plain and simple fact is that such works need large amounts of revision and fine-tuning in order to make it to print. That takes enormous numbers of work-hours to accomplish. Publishers almost inevitably underestimate the amount of work it takes to finish off such a labor. I've been waiting for John Gray's commentary on Job for at least two years now, and it still isn't published!


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## CatechumenPatrick (Jul 5, 2010)

Not sure how much help this will be, but WTS books has had Horton's systematic scheduled for release in October 2010 for as long as I've seen it listed on their coming soon page. 
Westminster Bookstore - Reformed Books - Low Prices - Flat Fee UPS Shipping - 9780310286042 - Christian Faith: A Systematic Theology For Pilgrims on The Way by Michael S. Horton
Maybe they just haven't updated the page?


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## DeborahtheJudge (Jul 5, 2010)

I REALLY want to read it. I have been holding off on Berkhoff's Systematic for a while now because of it. But I also want it to be in top shape, so that the saints will be edified by it for years to come. 

It might be fun to form a PB reading group/running discussion when it comes out.


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## Backwoods Presbyterian (Jul 6, 2010)

greenbaggins said:


> Benjamin, I have seen this happen countless times, especially with large tomes like this one is going to be. The plain and simple fact is that such works need large amounts of revision and fine-tuning in order to make it to print. That takes enormous numbers of work-hours to accomplish. Publishers almost inevitably underestimate the amount of work it takes to finish off such a labor. I've been waiting for John Gray's commentary on Job for at least two years now, and it still isn't published!



So have I. Just wondering if this was the case here or not.


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## torstar (Jul 6, 2010)

DeborahtheJudge said:


> I REALLY want to read it. I have been holding off on Berkhoff's Systematic for a while now because of it. But I also want it to be in top shape, so that the saints will be edified by it for years to come.
> 
> It might be fun to form a PB reading group/running discussion when it comes out.


 

there are other reasons to hold off on Berkhof until WAYYYYYYYYYYYYYY later in life.

it was the first one i plowed through. i don't recommend it as the first one to anyone.

heard one wag on some show refer to it as the "Big Blue Pill."


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## mvdm (Jul 6, 2010)

This line stood out in the Zondervan ad:

_Michael Horton’s highly anticipated The Christian Faith represents his magnum opus and will be viewed as one of—if not the—most important systematic theologies since Louis Berkhof wrote his in 1932. _


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## Willem van Oranje (Jul 6, 2010)

How many volumes is it supposed to be?


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## mvdm (Jul 6, 2010)

Willem van Oranje said:


> How many volumes is it supposed to be?


 
The ad says it will be 960 pages, which I surmise could fit in one volume.


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## Michael Doyle (Jul 6, 2010)

> there are other reasons to hold off on Berkhof until WAYYYYYYYYYYYYYY later in life.
> 
> it was the first one i plowed through. i don't recommend it as the first one to anyone.
> 
> heard one wag on some show refer to it as the "Big Blue Pill.



It is actually one of the first I have been plowing through and I have found it tremendously useful as well as understandable, that being Berkhof


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## tcalbrecht (Jul 6, 2010)

mvdm said:


> This line stood out in the *Zondervan ad:*
> 
> _Michael Horton’s highly anticipated The Christian Faith represents his magnum opus and will be viewed as one of—if not the—most important systematic theologies since Louis Berkhof wrote his in 1932. _


 
AKA Marketing.


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## Jared (Jul 6, 2010)

I look forward to buying Michael Horton's systematic as well. I guess I'm behind the times, but I didn't know that he was coming out with one. I found out about Horton primarily through Mark Driscoll's resurgence. The only systematic that I own so far is Wayne Grudem's Systematic Theology. Would it be off topic to ask what some of Horton's distinctives would be as compared with Grudem? I like Michael Horton but I'm not familiar with his particular positions on certain issues.


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## DeborahtheJudge (Jul 6, 2010)

torstar said:


> there are other reasons to hold off on Berkhof until WAYYYYYYYYYYYYYY later in life.
> 
> it was the first one i plowed through. i don't recommend it as the first one to anyone.
> 
> heard one wag on some show refer to it as the "Big Blue Pill."


 
Not my first, nor will it be my last, God willing! I've read through Grudem, Turretin (well, most of it  ), Some of Hodge, and I've been through three classes with my pastor, who is a retired professor of Systematic Theology (WTS). I take'em in small doses.



> It is actually one of the first I have been plowing through and I have found it tremendously useful as well as understandable, that being Berkhof



Can't be worse than some of the Puritans or Scholastics!


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## torstar (Jul 6, 2010)

Michael Doyle said:


> > there are other reasons to hold off on Berkhof until WAYYYYYYYYYYYYYY later in life.
> >
> > it was the first one i plowed through. i don't recommend it as the first one to anyone.
> >
> ...






i had to go with Berkhof first, all the quicker to help shed my Baptist past.

just sayin'

i'll advise the next doctrine geek that asks to start with Bavinck.


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## bookslover (Jul 27, 2010)

I think Robert Reymond's is one of the very best. Berkhof: totally orthodox, but totally boring. Grudem is good, but he's into female deacons and the charismatic movement. Horton's should be good, too.


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## JonathanHunt (Jul 28, 2010)

Glad I'm not the only one who finds Berkhof boring. Sound as a bell, but boring. Reymond, for all his little foibles, is lively and engaging. Grudem is too, and as a baptist I like some of the bits, but the charismatic issues do tend to put one off.

I'll be interested to see what others think of Horton and may add it at a future time.


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## RandPhoenix (Jul 28, 2010)

Correct me if I'm wrong, as it's been a while since I've read Berkhoff, but doesn't he have some non-orthodox views of Christ's divinity on the cross?


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