# Building a Library



## Swampguy (Sep 17, 2005)

I need your help building a library. I am not having a problem finding reformed bks that are 100+ years old. What I would like is for you to give me your top five books from the last 100yrs. I have plenty on eschatology but on other subjects I am at a lost. So, what five bks from the last 100 yrs could you not live without? Thanks, Tim


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## Swampguy (Sep 17, 2005)

Cheapest way I know But how about the titles and I get my wife to buy


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## Arch2k (Sep 17, 2005)

Here's a couple that would be up there:

Boettner, Loraine
The Reformed Doctrine of Predestination

Pink, Arthur
The Sovereignty of God

Berkhof, Louis
Systematic Theology


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## Arch2k (Sep 17, 2005)

Also, you'll definately want to read something from:

1) R.C. Sproul

2) John Gerstner

3) Gordon Clark

4) J Gresham Machen

Much to choose from...

[Edited on 9-18-2005 by Jeff_Bartel]


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## Puritanhead (Sep 17, 2005)

Here are six good, absolute "must-have" Reformed Books from the twentieth-century in my humble opinion:

_The Doctrines of Grace_ by Philip Graham Ryken, James Montgomery Boice
_The Five Points of Calvinism: Defined, Defended and Documented_ by David N. Steele, Curtis C. Thomas 
_The God Who Justifies_ by James R. White
_The Holiness of God_ by R.C. Sproul
_Redemption Accomplished and Applied_ by John Murray
_The Salvation of Souls: Nine Previously Unpublished Sermons on the Call of Ministry and the Gospel_ by Jonathan Edwards Richard A. Bailey (Editor), Gregory A. Wills (Editor), George M. Marsden (Foreword)


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## Puritanhead (Sep 17, 2005)

someone-- help me out... I want to build my theology library... I've got some good foundations, and about 100 books on the subject.... Most of my several hundred-volume library are works devoted to history, classics, politics, constitutional history and law, and jurisprudence. 2006 is the year of theology reading for me! 2005 was mostly about history and politics, though I did get in some theological reading!
:bigsmile:


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## Puritanhead (Sep 17, 2005)

My Amazon.com Book Guide to understand Reformed Protestant Theology

This might be helpful. Get a Reformation Study Bible too!


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## Bryan (Sep 18, 2005)

At least one work of Martyn Lloyd-Jones should at least be in the top 10, if not top five for best reformed book of the last 100 years.

Bryan
SDG


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## Swampguy (Sep 18, 2005)

This is very helpful, thanks!


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## VirginiaHuguenot (Sep 18, 2005)

Last 100 years? I would suggest the works of John Murray, Cornelius Van Til, Francis Schaeffer, J.G. Vos, J.G. Machen, Loraine Boettner, Louis Berkhof, Abraham Kuyper, and B.B. Warfield.

[Edited on 9-18-2005 by VirginiaHuguenot]


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## WrittenFromUtopia (Sep 18, 2005)

Vos, Vos, Van Til, Berkhof, Murray (John), Machen!


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## Puritanhead (Sep 18, 2005)

Is it wrong to covet books?


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## Apologist4Him (Sep 18, 2005)

Hmm...from the books listed so far, the books I own include...

*The Reformed Doctrine of Predestination* by Loraine Boettner

*The Sovereignty of God* by Arthur W. Pink (I own The Essential Arthur W. Pink, 3 Volumes in 1 which includes The Attributes of God, The Sovereignty of God, and The Beatitudes and the Lord's Prayer)

*Systematic Theology* by Louis Berkhof

*The Doctrines of Grace* by Philip Graham Ryken, James Montgomery Boice 

*The Five Points of Calvinism: Defined, Defended and Documented* by David N. Steele, Curtis C. Thomas

*The Holiness of God* by R.C. Sproul

*Redemption Accomplished and Applied* by John Murray

I have not read enough to compile a top 5 from the past 100 years, but in addition to the books already listed I will include the following books which I also own...

*Always Ready* by Greg Bahnsen ($11.24 at the Alpha and Omega Ministries bookstore)

*Van Til's Apologetic* by Greg Bahnsen

*The Doctrine of the Knowledge of God* by John Frame

*Systematic Theology* by Wayne Grudem

*Foundations of the Christian Faith* by James Montgomery Boice

*Reformed Dogmatics Vol. 1 & 2* by Herman Bavinck

*The Works of Cornelius Van Til CD-ROM*: http://www.logos.com/products/details/517 (individual hard copies by title: http://www.wtsbooks.com/faculty-former-faculty-cornelius-van-til.html)
Van Til's "In Defense of the Faith" multi-volume set may be the magnum opus of Van Til's works. Even his 16 page "Why I Believe in God" booklet is quite profound.

*Willing to Believe* by R. C. Sproul

*Grace Unknown: The Heart of Reformed Theology* by R. C. Sproul

*Holy Scripture: The Ground and Pillar of Our Faith* by William Webster & David T. King http://www.christianbook.com/Christ...=4678&netp_id=317941&event=ESRCN&item_code=WW

*Inerrancy* edited by Norman Geisler (includes The Chicago Statement on Biblical Inerrancy and articles by 14 scholars including: J. I. Packer, Greg Bahnsen, John Gerstner, and R. C. Sproul).

*Life's Ultimate Questions: An Introduction to Philosophy* by Ronald Nash

*Worldviews in Conflict: Choosing Christianity in the World of Ideas* by Ronald Nash

*The Resurrection of the Son of God* by N. T. Wright

And if you would like to know more about Reformed authors check out the Realms of Faith Christian Authors Database: http://faith.propadeutic.com/authors/authors.html 

[Edited on 9-18-2005 by Apologist4Him]


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## RamistThomist (Sep 18, 2005)

Bahnsen, Van Til's Apologetic: Readings and Analysis
Frame, Doctrine of the Knowledge of God
Vos, Biblical Theology
Wright, Jesus and the Victory of God
Machen, Christianity and Liberalism


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## Me Died Blue (Sep 18, 2005)

I would second Boettner's _The Reformed Doctrine of Predestination_, as well as Steele, Thomas and Quinn's book on the five points as being indispensable works on that topic that are recent yet already classic.

Berkhof and Vos are also classic works on systematic and biblical theology.

Likewise, Van Til's _The Defense of the Faith_ and Bahnsen's _Van Til's Apologetic_ share a comparable place with regard to apologetics.

Regarding the Christian worldview and its extension to all of life, I would strongly recommend _Foundations of Christian Scholarship_ by various authors, as well as Kuyper's _Lectures on Calvinism_.

A few other books on spirituality in general would definitely include _Puritan Reformed Spirituality_ by Beeke, as well as Horton's _In the Face of God_. The latter in particular has had more influence on my spiritual mindset than any other book by a contemporary, living author, as I have noted several times here. Search the board for some comments on the book.


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## RamistThomist (Sep 18, 2005)

> _Originally posted by Me Died Blue_
> Regarding the Christian worldview and its extension to all of life, I would strongly recommend _Foundations of Christian Scholarship_ by various authors, as well as Kuyper's _Lectures on Calvinism_.



It is the finest application of presuppositionalism, period. There is not a bad essay in that book and each one is worth the price of it.


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