Berkhof recommendation

[Clark-Tillian]

I've got a Ruling Elder who is a) intellectually astute and b) hungry to learn.

He studies the PCA's BCO and has already found some of the "ambiguities", ahem, so that should give you a hint of what the man is like. I gave him Smith's Harmony, which he travels with, the Institutes and some Edwards. However I'd like to get him a "one stop systematics text." He works 60 plus hours as a blue collar man, so I do not want to overwhelm him. To my mind Berkhof is still number 1 in this category. Interested in other's thoughts.

 

[Guido's Brother]

Berkhof is hard to beat. I've read Frame, Horton, Reymond, Van Genderen/Velema -- and I still go to Berkhof first.

 

[Reformed Covenanter]

As a Hungarian friend of mine says, "Berkhof is best." In my opinion, Louis Berkhof has written the best 1 volume Systematic Theology, and it will not be superseded until Derek Thomas gets around to writing one.[1] Robert Reymond's work is out of bounds with the Nicene Creed, Doug Kelly's 3-volume set is still not complete, and, to be truthful, the first volume read too much like a calendar of quotations from the early church fathers (not that that is a bad thing in and of itself, but it became wearisome). Michael Horton's The Christian Faith is very good, but it reads more like a theological novel than a standard work of systematic theology. It probably interacts too much with philosophical theology for those of us who like to distinguish more sharply between systematic and philosophical theology. Wayne Grudem's Systematic Theology is useful in many respects, though it has Baptist and moderate charismatic emphases. It is also best suited to those from broad evangelicalism who are becoming sympathetic to Reformed theology, as the author is a sympathiser with the Reformed religion but is not one of its adherents.

[1] You could also recommend that your elder listens to Derek's School of Theology series on Sermon Audio.

 

[Stephen L Smith]

Yes Berkhof is outstanding. It is a must get In my humble opinion. However get the Erdmans edition rather than the Banner of Truth ed. This is because the Erdmans ed includes the introduction to Systematic Theology - some very important material in there. That is the Erdman's ed has the fullest Berkhof Systematic Theology.

 

[Reformed Covenanter]

Yes Berkhof is outstanding. It is a must get In my humble opinion. However get the Erdmans edition rather than the Banner of Truth ed. This is because the Erdmans ed includes the introduction to Systematic Theology - some very important material in there. That is the Erdman's ed has the fullest Berkhof Systematic Theology.

Why did Banner of Truth omit that material?

 

[Stephen L Smith]

Why did Banner of Truth omit that material?

I understand that Berkhof originally published his "introduction to Systematic Theology" and his "Systematic Theology" as separate books. Professor Richard Muller writes an introduction in the new Erdmans ed and states that the "introduction to Systematic Theology" may have been out of print for many decades. It is thus possible Banner of Truth wa not aware of its existence and/or its importance.

 

[earl40]

He studies the PCA's BCO and has already found some of the "ambiguities", ahem, so that should give you a hint of what the man is like.

I don't know if to chuckles here or shed a tear over this. I did chuckle at first and then was saddened when I thought about it.

 

[Dearly Bought]

Unfortunately, the Eerdman's edition has horrible binding, so I tend to gravitate to the BoT edition for a book which might be repeatedly used for reference. You purchase the Intro as a separate volume.

As alternate options, I might suggest considering Robert Shaw's Commentary on the Westminster Confession as a sort of basic one-volume systematic which is tried and tested. In my humble opinion, the recent republication of John Brown of Haddington's Systematic has now topped my list for one-volume works. Best of all, it is crammed full of Scripture references in a way I have never seen in any other systematic theology.

 

[KMK]

I also recommend Berkhof. However, Boston Vol I and II are now available on Kindle. I might recommend that to someone who has one.

 

[RamistThomist]

The Banner of Truth edition will give you carpal tunnel syndrome.

If this guy travels a lot, why not rather get him Berkhof's manual of Christian doctrine? It's easier to carry.

 

[Backwoods Presbyterian]

I was going to recommend the new edition of John Brown of Haddington but Bryan beat me to it.

In many ways John Brown's Systematic is almost like a Scottish version of A'Brakel's CRS in that he devotes sections to devotional reflection and application in the midst of talking about very serious and deep theological principles.

 

[Clark-Tillian]

He studies the PCA's BCO and has already found some of the "ambiguities", ahem, so that should give you a hint of what the man is like.

I don't know if to chuckles here or shed a tear over this. I did chuckle at first and then was saddened when I thought about it.

I don't get your comments. He's DEADLY serious regarding his vows. He floated through "evangelical world" until our family paths crossed. He couldn't sleep the night before he and his wife were interviewed by Session for membership. I thought he was nervous/scared. he wasn't--he was so excited. We need REs such as this.

 

[Clark-Tillian]

I've got him the BOT of Berkhof--that Eerdman version with the Prologomena jams the extra 200 pages into the same length as the BOT. Cheap move. Also AA Hodge on the Confession--I want to introduce him to Old Princeton. Side notes--my copy of Hodge's "Outlines" is ancient; the only version I can find is lithographic copies which I do not like and he'd hate. Also, Reformation heritage Books has Berkhof's Prologomena for about $15 but it's from a Korean company and is a lithograph type as well. Does anyone have one? I'm not willing to risk a cheap copy as I've got Bavinck's set. I told them to get it on Amazon and they'd cleanup. Some copies of his "Introduction" are hundreds of dollars. Unreal.

 

[Clark-Tillian]

The Banner of Truth edition will give you carpal tunnel syndrome.

If this guy travels a lot, why not rather get him Berkhof's manual of Christian doctrine? It's easier to carry.

The Eerdman edition with Muller's preface will make you go blind. I'm getting him that too---Berkhof's travel size "manual". Probably Williamson on the SC and JG Vos on the LC. Pray for him, please. He's really growing in every facet. But after a solid year of RE training and a year on active Session he already thinks the PCA is "going soft"----and this is in Ascension Presbytery! He thinks exceptions to the 6/24 shouldn't be allowed--even if the man won't teach them. As for LC 109, he's as nuts about that as me.

 

[Clark-Tillian]

Unfortunately, the Eerdman's edition has horrible binding, so I tend to gravitate to the BoT edition for a book which might be repeatedly used for reference. You purchase the Intro as a separate volume.

As alternate options, I might suggest considering Robert Shaw's Commentary on the Westminster Confession as a sort of basic one-volume systematic which is tried and tested. In my humble opinion, the recent republication of John Brown of Haddington's Systematic has now topped my list for one-volume works. Best of all, it is crammed full of Scripture references in a way I have never seen in any other systematic theology.

Bryan---do you have the edition of the "Intro" that RHB sells? They told me it's a Korean lithograph which I'm uncertain of.

 

[MW]

As alternate options, I might suggest considering Robert Shaw's Commentary on the Westminster Confession as a sort of basic one-volume systematic which is tried and tested. In my humble opinion, the recent republication of John Brown of Haddington's Systematic has now topped my list for one-volume works. Best of all, it is crammed full of Scripture references in a way I have never seen in any other systematic theology.

Excellent suggestions.

 

[Clark-Tillian]

As alternate options, I might suggest considering Robert Shaw's Commentary on the Westminster Confession as a sort of basic one-volume systematic which is tried and tested. In my humble opinion, the recent republication of John Brown of Haddington's Systematic has now topped my list for one-volume works. Best of all, it is crammed full of Scripture references in a way I have never seen in any other systematic theology.

Excellent suggestions.

Yes, they are. I have Shaw and will let him compare; he's always borrowing items from my library, anyway. LOL, I only ask that he remind me what he's borrowed. The way his mind works I think he'll eventually drench himself in Old Princeton. I almost got him Warfield's 10 volume set, but he can borrow that from me, as well, and that would overwhelm. Don't want to overload him, and he works very hard. Outside Western PA can be brutal from October-April.