# Which of these books should I buy? I really need some advice



## John Bunyan (Feb 12, 2012)

It will be my first books of the kind (all I know on this matter I know through the internet).

_*Systematic Theology:*_
*Systematic Theology* - Wayne Grundem (1104 pages +1 CD, R$143,90) 
*Systematic Theology* - Franklin Ferreira and Alan Myatt (1248 pages, R$149,90) 
*Systematic, historic and phylosophical Theology *- Allister McGrath (664 pages, R$83,90)

*History:*
*Christianity through the ages* - Earle E. Cairns (672 pages, R$93,90)
*Christian History* - Bruce L. Shelley (592 pages, R$66,90)
*Christianity in Latin America* - Ondina E González and Justo L. González (480 pages, R$61,90)
*Patristics, Origin and development of the central doctrines of the christian faith* - J.N.D. Kelly (408 pages, R$41,90)
*Theology of the Reformers* - Timothy George (440 pages, R$54,90)
*
Philosophy:*
*Philosophical Foundations for a Christian Worldview *- J.P. Moreland and William Lane Craig (792 pages, R$99,90)
*Philosophy and christian faith *- Coin Brown (280 pages R$43,90)
*Philosophy for begginers* - R.C. Sproul (208 pages, R$33,90)
*Introduction to Philosophy *- Norman L. Geisler and Paul D. Feinberg (450 pages, R$56,90)
*Concise Philosophy* - Garrett J. DeWeese and J.P. Moreland (160 pages, R$25,90)
*
Apologetics:*
*Hard Questions, Real Answers* - William Lane Craig (216 pages, R$25,90)
*Dawkins' God* - Allister McGrath (216 pages, R$31,90)
*On Guard* - William Lane Craig (320 pages, R$26,90)
*Kardecism according to Jesus Christ* - Israel Belo de Azevedo (144 pages, R$18,90)

Also, is Shedd's Annotated Study Bible good? The Presbyterian Church of Brazil seems to like him (they're inviting him to a congress at Mackenzie University)


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## JimmyH (Feb 12, 2012)

I'm not a theologian, but a mere babe in Christ at 63 years old. That said, I've been greatly blessed by the Reverend Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones, Studies In The Sermon On The Mount, and his 8 volume series on Ephesians. For sound doctrine, and instruction on the application of that doctrine in ones life, the late Dr. Lloyd-Jones continues to be mightily used by God. Reading those books changed my life and I highly recommend them to you.


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## GulfCoast Presbyterian (Feb 12, 2012)

Grudem's Systematic is very good, but keep in mind he is a continuist.


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## CharlieJ (Feb 12, 2012)

John, given that you live in Brazil, and these costs seem very high, (though I'm not sure what an R$ is), it may be worth looking into digital books through a program such as Logos or through an e-reader or PC software that emulates an e-reader. If you are looking for a solid, one-volume systematic theology, I would recommend Systematic Theology by Louis Berkhof. I think it's $20.00 on Kindle. 

Generally speaking, I never pay full price for books. I read way too much for that. Buy used, borrow, find old public domain editions for free online, order through a library (not sure if that would work for you). For example, most of Calvin and much of the Puritans are available for no or low cost online. Most of the Church Fathers are available free online. Many of the Great Books of Western civilization are free online. If you're resourceful, you'll almost never need to buy a book for full price, unless it's a new edition of a required textbook.


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## Wayne (Feb 13, 2012)

You might also consult this source for less expensive options:

Projeto Os Puritanos - Trabalhando para a Reforma na Igreja Brasileira


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## Reformedfellow (Feb 13, 2012)

Keep in mind also that Allister McGrath does not have a biblical understanding of a young earth, 6 day creation. He believes in, and promotes "theistic-evolution".


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## Ask Mr. Religion (Feb 13, 2012)

John Bunyan said:


> It will be my *first books of the kind* (all I know on this matter I know through the internet).



Since they will be your first of their kind, I recommend starting with some of the best of their kind:

_*Systematic Theology:*_
Systematic Theology - Louis Berkhof

*History:*
Historical Theology - Gregg Allision*

Philosophy:*
*Life's Ultimate Questions -Ronald Nash*
*
Apologetics:*
Defending the Faith - Cornelius Van Til



> Also, is Shedd's Annotated Study Bible good? The Presbyterian Church of Brazil seems to like him (they're inviting him to a congress at Mackenzie University)


Russ Shedd? Avoid this. Gap theory in Genesis notes are the first warning sign. If you want a study bible get the Reformation Study Bible (ESV/NKJV), the ESV Study Bible, or at least MacArthur's Study Bible. Then again, the fine and dandy Thompson Chain Reference Bible is good enough if you want mostly non-biased notes.

AMR


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## CalvinandHodges (Feb 13, 2012)

Hi:

Berkhof's Systematic Theology should be in every library, and Patrick made a good choice there. 

Robert Reymond's New Systematic Theology is one of the most readable I have ever seen. Reymond seems to have a flair of taking complex thought and making it simple. I highly recommend this for the beginning Christian/theologian.

Sketches in Church History (author slips my mind) published by the Banner of Truth is an excellent introduction to Church History. If you are looking for something more advanced, then Williston Walker's Church History is great. I am not familiar with Allison's book.

Ronald Nash's book Life Ultimate Questions mentioned by Patrick above is very good as well.

As far as Apologetics goes anything Presuppositional is good with Van Til being excellent.

Enjoy!

-Rob


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## John Bunyan (Feb 13, 2012)

GulfCoast Presbyterian said:


> Grudem's Systematic is very good, but keep in mind he is a continuist.


I think I should, but I don't know what a continuist is, can you explain it?



CharlieJ said:


> John, given that you live in Brazil, and these costs seem very high, (though I'm not sure what an R$ is), it may be worth looking into digital books through a program such as Logos or through an e-reader or PC software that emulates an e-reader. If you are looking for a solid, one-volume systematic theology, I would recommend Systematic Theology by Louis Berkhof. I think it's $20.00 on Kindle.
> 
> Generally speaking, I never pay full price for books. I read way too much for that. Buy used, borrow, find old public domain editions for free online, order through a library (not sure if that would work for you). For example, most of Calvin and much of the Puritans are available for no or low cost online. Most of the Church Fathers are available free online. Many of the Great Books of Western civilization are free online. If you're resourceful, you'll almost never need to buy a book for full price, unless it's a new edition of a required textbook.


I am planning to buy the books online, indeed. Those are some of the cheapest ones I have found so far, because books here are somewhat expensive (for two reasons: almost no one buys them & excessive taxation, and even though cultural products are not heavily taxed, their transport, publishment and commerce are; taxes make everything cost way more than it should here, except for food). 
R$ means brazilian real, about 0.579 US dollars or 0.437 euros.
I have read some Church Fathers and reformed texts through BeThinking and TheologyNetwork (two websites belonging to the Christian Unions of Great Britain), but I think I could use learn some more systematic theology and history.
I will have a look for public domain books, though - the government keeps a website with digital copies of a lot of those.



> You might also consult this source for less expensive options:
> 
> Projeto Os Puritanos - Trabalhando para a Reforma na Igreja Brasileira


I have never seen that website before, which is weird because I've read some similar to it (Monergismo, Bancos de dados reformados, etc), although they used to have more (lengthy) articles than entire books. Thank you.



> Quote Originally Posted by John Bunyan View Post
> It will be my first books of the kind (all I know on this matter I know through the internet).
> Since they will be your first of their kind, I recommend starting with some of the best of their kind:
> 
> ...



I will look for them. 

Also, some may not have realized but I only listed books with portuguese translations (Shedd's bookstore translates and sell them; Russel lives here).


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## rbcbob (Feb 13, 2012)

John Bunyan said:


> Theology of the Reformers - Timothy George



This book is excellent and is written by a Baptist historian who is the Dean of Beeson Divinity School.


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## MLCOPE2 (Feb 13, 2012)

John Bunyan said:


> Originally Posted by GulfCoast Presbyterian
> Grudem's Systematic is very good, but keep in mind he is a continuist.
> I think I should, but I don't know what a continuist is, can you explain it?



A continuationist is the opposite of a cessationist. The former believe that the sign/revelatory gifts of the Spirit (i.e. tongues, miracles, prophecy, etc.) are still for use in the church today, while the latter believes that these gifts ceased with the completion of the canon of scripture and the passing away of the apostles.


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## RobertPGH1981 (Feb 13, 2012)

The prices you have listed seem very high. Is it because you are getting the books shipped to Brazil?\

For example, you're listing Wayne Grudems "Systematic Theology" for $149.00, but the price that I see is $31.49 USD.

http://www.amazon.com/Systematic-Th...sr_1_sc_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1329140487&sr=8-1-spell


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## John Bunyan (Feb 13, 2012)

RobertPGH1981 said:


> The prices you have listed seem very high. Is it because you are getting the books shipped to Brazil?\
> 
> For example, you're listing Wayne Grudems "Systematic Theology" for $149.00, but the price that I see is $31.49 USD.
> 
> Amazon.com: Systematic Theology: An Introduction to Biblical Doctrine (9780310286707): Wayne Grudem: Books



No. I'm listing the prices of the portuguese versions of these books, in a different currency. $ being the U.S. dollar, R$ is the brazilian real, a different currency which value is about 0.579 US dollars or 0.437 euros. So R$149,00 is $86,27, which is still a lot, compared to it's original price, but a common value to pay for books in Brazil (that's why some persons find it easier to just import their books from abroad, paying less taxes).


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## Michael Doyle (Feb 13, 2012)

It seems to me you should really consider an e-reader (i.e. Kindle) whereby the books are much less expensive and you would seemingly have far greater accessibility to finer works.


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## John Bunyan (Feb 13, 2012)

The books look expensive, but they're really kind of cheap in a brazilian perspective. Everything here is like that. While a PS3, for example, costs only 250 U.S. dollars, it's official price here is 1400 brazilian reais (or some 800 dollars; you won't find any playstation 3 cheaper than 450 dollars, even on the internet) and it's games can't be bought by less than 57,32 dollars (newer games might cost as much as 115,80 dollars). Kindle costs 416,88 dollars.


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## RobertPGH1981 (Feb 13, 2012)

John Bunyan said:


> The books look expensive, but they're really kind of cheap in a brazilian perspective. Everything here is like that. While a PS3, for example, cost's only 250 U.S. dollars, it's official price here is 1400 brazilian reais (or some 800 dollars; you won't find no playstation 3 costing less than 650 dollars) and it's games can't be bought by less than 57,32 dollars (newer games might cost as much as 115,80 dollars). Kindle costs 416,88 dollars.



That is crazy. Anything cheap over there?


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## John Bunyan (Feb 13, 2012)

RobertPGH1981 said:


> John Bunyan said:
> 
> 
> > The books look expensive, but they're really kind of cheap in a brazilian perspective. Everything here is like that. While a PS3, for example, cost's only 250 U.S. dollars, it's official price here is 1400 brazilian reais (or some 800 dollars; you won't find no playstation 3 costing less than 650 dollars) and it's games can't be bought by less than 57,32 dollars (newer games might cost as much as 115,80 dollars). Kindle costs 416,88 dollars.
> ...



Food, illegal copies of stuff, national stuff (footwear, clothes)... Yeah, food is cheap, the rest is expensive and overtaxed (50% on imports, 80% on electronical games, 50% on microwaves, wtc).


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