Which Systematic Theology do you use?

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I guess it depends on what I'm studying. I've consulted various systematic theologies and related works for various purposes...

John Calvin, Institutes
John Brown, Systematic Theology
William G.T. Shedd, Dogmatic Theology
Robert Reymond, A New Systematic Theology...
Charles Hodge, Systematic Theology
Louis Berkhof, Systematic Theology
Herman Bavinck, the new translated 4-volume Gereformde yada yada
Wilhelmus a Brakel, A Christian's Reasonable Service
Herman Hoeksema, Reformed Dogmatics

could also add (not truly systematic theologies)
Thomas Watson, Body of Divinity, the Ten Commandments, Lord's Prayer
Zacharias Ursinus, Commentary on the Heidelberg Catechism
William Ames, The Marrow of Theology

All of the above I have and are good for various reasons.

I'd avoid Lewis Sperry Chafer & Charles Finney's Systematics though, neither of which I actually own ;)

Todd
 
From a previous thread:

VirginiaHuguenot said:
See this thread and this for some earlier thoughts on these issues.

See also the APM Suggested Library.

I am most inclined to recommend:

John Calvin, Institutes
William Ames, Marrow of Theology
R.L. Dabney, Systematic Theology
Louis Berkhof, Systematic Theology
Charles Hodge, Systematic Theology
John Brown (Haddington), Systematic Theology
Francis Turretin, Institutes of Elenctic Theology
William Cunningham, Historical Theology
Wilhelmus a Brakel, The Christian's Reasonable Service
Thomas Watson, A Body of Divinity
James Ussher, A Body of Divinity
Robert Shaw, An Exposition of Westminster Confession of Faith

[Edited on 5-30-2006 by VirginiaHuguenot]
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Dogmatics I use, in chronological order, I guess:

Calvin, Institutes
Ursinus, Commentary on the Heidelberg Catechism
Brakel, Reasonable Service
Hoeksema, Reformed Dogmatics
Kersten, Reformed Dogmatics
Steenblok, Gereformeerde Dogmatiek
 
Bavinck, Our Reasonable Faith for a biblical-theological approach...

Berkhof, Systematic Theology for an excellent, comprehensive outline of a subject...

Turretin, Institutes for a thorough treatment of a subject from an historical, biblical, and polemical point of view...
 
Calvin's institutes
Thomas Watson's A Body of Divinity
JP Boyce's Systematic Theology
JL Dagg's Systematic Theology
To name only a few.
Matthew Henry's Commentary.
 
I mostly use Systematics to get varying perspectives and frameworks on theology. Hence I don't own a lot of strictly Reformed commentaries. The ones I have are:

Wayne Grudem, Systematic Theology
John Calvin, Institutes of the Christian Religion
Paul Enns, Moody Handbook of Theology
J. P. Boyce, Abstract of Systematic Theology

One Charismatic, one Reformed, one Dispensational, and one Baptist. I actually like the Enns volume a lot. Good breadth of topics, concise, well-balanced in perspective, and straight forward.
 
Which Systematic Theology do you use when studying?

Which Systematic Theology would you not recommend?
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I normally study in this order:
1. Louis Berkhof Systematic Theology
2. Paul Enns, Moody Handbook of Theology
3. Robert Reymond A New Systematic Theology
4. Millard Erickson Christian Theology
5. Wayne Grudem Systematic Theology

I am really disappointed with #3 as it was very hard to navigate and not satisfying for the $44 or so I paid for it. #4 is good at time and then way to wordy in others.

I ocassionaly go on the net and view Dabney, Hodges and other freebies.

I have Chafer's and do not use it at all.
 
inspector said:
I normally study in this order:
1. Louis Berkhof Systematic Theology
2. Paul Enns, Moody Handbook of Theology
3. Robert Reymond A New Systematic Theology
4. Millard Erickson Christian Theology
5. Wayne Grudem Systematic Theology

I am really disappointed with #3 as it was very hard to navigate and not satisfying for the $44 or so I paid for it. #4 is good at time and then way to wordy in others.

I ocassionaly go on the net and view Dabney, Hodges and other freebies.

I have Chafer's and do not use it at all.
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I have a tape-recording (actually a wire-recording, I believe) of one of Chafer's classroom lectures (I think) in which you can actually hear him say that "God was surprised when the Jews rejected Christ as their Messiah". A typically classic dispensational remark.

If I'd been there that day, I would have sauntered up to him and, whacking him across the face with a wet mackeral, I would have said, "Congratulations! You've just done damage to the doctrine of the omniscience of God!"

Oy.
 
bookslover said:
I have a tape-recording (actually a wire-recording, I believe) of one of Chafer's classroom lectures (I think) in which you can actually hear him say that "God was surprised when the Jews rejected Christ as their Messiah". A typically classic dispensational remark.

If I'd been there that day, I would have sauntered up to him and, whacking him across the face with a wet mackeral, I would have said, "Congratulations! You've just done damage to the doctrine of the omniscience of God!"

Oy.
Click to expand...

Ah, Richard, you conjure up most excellent and fond memories of the fish-slapping dance!! :rofl:


Todd
 
Blue Tick said:
Which Systematic Theology do you use when studying?

Which Systematic Theology would you not recommend?
Click to expand...

I really like Hodge's systamatic theology, Calvin's Institutes are great too.
With two works like thouse I dont think you would need more for a LONG LONG time....
 
I use Wayne Drudems "Systematic". I STILL have a copy of Finis Jennings Dake "God's Plan for Man" systematic. What a horrible & heretical piece of trash:mad: Even when I was NOT Reformed & didn't know my head from my butt I STILL could tell his views on the Trinity etc were just WRONG!!:mad:
 
I have alot but I still keep on going back to Calvin and Berkhof. But I've been reading through volume 2 of Bavinck and I loved it. I'll probably have to get the rest of them now.
 
Blue Tick said:
Which Systematic Theology do you use when studying?

Which Systematic Theology would you not recommend?
Click to expand...

Wow. What a great question. I have been scared to use a systematic theology since abandoning dispensationalism. I've said this before <in jest>, but there is truth to it. I am a Baptist in crisis. Ever since leaving the free willy camp my theology has been fluid. I'm not sure where I am going to wind up. I can't really say I reside in a specific camp. To be sure I have abandoned the Ryrie crowd. I'm not even a MacArthurite anymore (perish the thought!). I even read Matt's book on Covenant Theology and now I am even more screwed up in the head! :lol: Just kidding Matt! I actually found it a great read. It got me to ask even MORE questions.

P.S. I need to edit my comments. I am not scared to use a systematic theology work for reference, I am resistant to adopting a specific systematic theology as my point of view.
 
I use Herman Hoeksema's Reformed Dogmatics and John Gill's Body of Doctrinal Divinity and his Body of Practical Divinity. I would love Turretin but I do not have the money to spare at the moment.
 
JoeRe4mer said:
I really like Hodge's systamatic theology, Calvin's Institutes are great too.
With two works like thouse I dont think you would need more for a LONG LONG time....
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Some years back, I bought a 1911 printing of Hodge's 3-volume ST. It's still in really good shape.
 
Well...I just purchased Berkhof as of today

I have 1st Volume of Turretin's Eclentic Theology...

Can a better Systematics be found ?
 
Louis Berkhof - Systemic Theology
John Calvin - Institutes

Will eventually purchase Introduction to Dogmatic Theology by E.A. Litton (Anglican). This along with Berkhof, Calvin, and Griffith-Thomas' commentary on the 39 Articles (another Anglican) are required for my Systematics classes.

Ussher's Body of Divinity is also on my wish list

In addition I frequently refer to (not necessarily Systematics:

Henry Bullinger - Decades (current favorite)
Knots Untied - Ryle

And occasionally, Zacharias Ursinius - Commentary on the Heidelberg Catechism

From an Anglican perspective, I would recommend Bullinger and Calvin highly due to the influence both had on the English Reformation. CB Moss is to be avoided. An example of why being:

Genesis 3 is an origin-myth, a story told by primitive people to explain the origin of something. But it is an inspired origin-myth, for it conveys the truth which man could not have found for himself – that he is a fallen being....St. Paul took Genesis 3 as literal history. So did St. Augustine and nearly all Christian theologians until quite recently. But we cannot do so any longer, and we, therefore, have to reconstruct the Christian doctrine of the Fall in the light of what we know about the real character of the story of Adam and Eve. from THE CHRISTIAN FAITH: AN INTRODUCTION TO DOGMATIC THEOLOGY by CB MOSS
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Sad thing is, Anglo-catholics hold Moss in high regard - any wonder why ECUSA is apostate?
 
Blue Tick said:
Which Systematic Theology do you use when studying?

Which Systematic Theology would you not recommend?
Click to expand...

We have been going through JL Daggs Manual of Theology during a doctrinal discussion time at our church. I have enjoyed it, but it is a little hard to read the way he writes. It was originally published in 1857.
 
Reading Reymond's New Syst. Theol.

Our church is having a class on the Doctrine of God using that for reference with other reading material.
 
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