Which Theologians have most influenced you?

[RamistThomist]

Questions like this come up from time to time but they are usually which preacher, which books, etc. I thought this was to tie both threads together:

1) John Calvin {1}
2) Cornelius Van Til {2}
3) R. J. Rushdoony*
4) Greg Bahnsen+


{1}It almost goes without saying that Calvin would be there. I like the way he systematized without arbitrarily forcing his categories onto scripture.

{2}Van Til applied Calvin to apologetics.

*I included him for reasons other than Christian Reconstructionism. Following in the footsteps of Van Til and Dooyeweerd, he showed me that neither man nor society can be neutral with respect to the claims of Christ. One must have an arche point to judge all other worldviews.

+Although I am a theonomist, that is not necessarily the reason I included him. I have found his sermons on Covenant Theology, The Reformed Faith, and his lectures on Presuppositionalism to be very helpful in evangelism and explaining the Reformed Faith to what I believe. See? Theology is practical.

 

[Rich Barcellos]

In no specific order: John Owen, John Murray, John Eadie, John Wesley, John Wimber (just kidding about Wesley and Wimber).

 

[Larry Hughes]

Richard, hahahahahah, Wesley - you almost had me!!!

1) Martin Luther
2) John Calvin
3) T. Beza
4) J Gresham Machen
5) BB Warfield
6) CH Spurgeon

 

[VirginiaHuguenot]

John Calvin
Augustine
Martin Luther
Theodore Beza
Cornelius Van Til
Robert L. Dabney
James H. Thornwell
John L. Girardeau
Jonathan Edwards
Cotton Mather
Samuel Rutherford
George Gillespie
John Knox
Abraham Kuyper
Francis Schaeffer
J. Gresham Machen
Philippe Duplessis-Mornay aka Junius Brutus
John Bunyan
Charles H. Spurgeon
Loraine Boettner
J.G. Vos
G.I. Williamson
Thomas Ridgeley
Matthew Henry
Matthew Poole
Ralph Erskine
Thomas Boston
James Fisher
William Cunningham
James Bannerman
William Symington
C.S. Lewis
John Murray

[Edited on 7-5-2005 by VirginiaHuguenot]

 

[RamistThomist]

Originally posted by VirginiaHuguenot
John Calvin
Augustine
Martin Luther
Theodore Beza
Cornelius Van Til
Robert L. Dabney
James H. Thornwell
John L. Girardeau
Jonathan Edwards
Cotton Mather
Samuel Rutherford
George Gillespie
John Knox
Abraham Kuyper
Francis Schaeffer
J. Gresham Machen
Philippe Duplessis-Mornay aka Junius Brutus
John Bunyan
Charles H. Spurgeon
Loraine Boettner
J.G. Vos
G.I. Williamson
Thomas Ridgeley
Matthew Henry
Matthew Poole
Ralph Erskine
Thomas Boston
James Fisher
William Cunningham
James Bannerman
William Symington
C.S. Lewis

Andrew, you left out two theologians. I will give you a hint. Their initials are:
R.J.R.
G.L.B.

 

[VirginiaHuguenot]

 

[WrittenFromUtopia]

1) John Calvin
2) Martin Luther, Th.D.
3) Greg L. Bahnsen
4) R.C. Sproul

 

[Arch2k]

John Calvin
Martin Luther
John Owen
Jonathan Edwards
R.C. Sproul
Gordon Clark

 

[Puritanhead1981]

In no order at all


John Owen
John Calvin
BB Warfield
CH Spurgeon
Jonathan Edwards
Augustine
Martin Luther
Gerstner
Matthew Mead
Thomas Watson
James Durham
Richard Steele
Richard Baxter
R.C. Sproul

Just to Nme a few

 

[Puritanhead]

Jesus of Nazareth
The Apostle Paul
John Calvin
R.C. Sproul
Jonathan Edwards
C.H. Spurgeon
Martin Luther
John Piper

...that's most influential ... I figure that is enough...

 

[BrianBowman]

Calvin (Institues, Commentary, etc.)
Luther (Bondage of the Will, Galatians)
Edwards (Freedom of the Will, Justification by Faith)
Augustine
Greg L. Bahnsen
BB Warfield
John Owen (Death of Death)
Sproul (many)
Gertsner (Church History lectures, stuff against Dispensationalism)
John Murray (Redemption Accomplished and Applied)

... hey I've only been a "Reformed Guy" for a little over a year. Been read'n alot and have 10,000's of pages to go. Still wanna be a solid reader in Hebrew, Greek, and Latin someday. Oh Lord, please give me about 50 more years on this earth!!

 

[Plimoth Thom]

R.C. Sproul
Keith Mathison
Jonathan Edwards
John Calvin
Martin Luther
Augustine
John Owen
Abraham Kuyper

 

[PuritanCovenanter]

R. C. Sproul
John Gertsner
R. L. Dabney
Arnold Dalimores Whitfield Biographies
Martin Luther
The men behind the WCF and LBCF
J. I. Packer
John Owen
Richard Belcher
J.C. Ryle
The Renihans and Richard Barcellos are making an impact as of right now.
Earnest Reisinger
And a Dr. Roy Blackwood who introduced me the Systematic Theology and the Covenanters in the 1980's.

 

[Bryan]

-John Calvin influenced me a lot on Baptism, really thats the only section of the Institues I have read so far.

-Spurgeon influenced me on Calvinism a lot, his defense of Calvinism was a big help to me.

-Sproul continued to influence me on Calvinism as well as a new way to look at God with Holiness of God.

-Van Til and John Frame have been influencing my apologetic view a lot over the past year.

-John Piper has been an influence in how I view my relationship with God.

-By and Far however Martyn Lloyd-Jones has influenced me more then any other theologian.

Bryan
SDG

 

[Philip A]

Calvin, Barcellos, Owen, Edwards.

And a Particular bunch from 1677....

 

[street preacher]

Our Master and the Most Holy Sovereign, The Trinity, the true theologian!

Paul the Apostle
John Calvin
John Owen
Jonathan Edwards
Simon Peter
John Piper

What is with all of these Johns in my list?

 

[just_grace]

Thoughts...

Whoever wrote the Gospel of John and Augustine.

Edit...

And of course..Paul of Tarsus. Apostle to the non-Jews.

Just ordered a new book. Paul, the Apostle of the heart set free by FF. Bruce. I can't wait

[Edited on 7-5-2005 by just_grace]

 

[C. Matthew McMahon]

Top 15: In a very particular order of my reading as a Christian:

Jesus Christ
Moses
The Apostle Paul
_________________

RC Sproul
John Gerstner
Jonathan Edwards
Jeremiah Burroughs
John Bunyan (Pilgrim's Progress)
Lewis Bayley
Lewis Berkhof
John Calvin
Martin Luther
Francis Turretin
Christopher Love
Joseph Symonds / Blaise Pascal (On some of the same topics)
William Ames
Samuel Rutherford
Westminster Documents (that a big group but very influential)

 

[Me Died Blue]

In chronological order of discovery and reading:

Loraine Boettner - first major exposure to the doctrines of grace and God's sovereignty in everything
Michael Horton - my first exposure to Reformed spirituality, as well as the Church and sacraments; most influencial contemporary author on my spiritual life and mindset
John Calvin - my first exposure to systematic Reformed thinking
John Owen - almost ditto, but on more individual topics
Westminster Divines - the refinement and summarizing of the systematics of Calvin and Owen that has been most influencial
Greg Bahnsen - first and most influencial teacher on apologetics, and even more so the Christian worldview and how a Reformed perspective influences every part of it
Abraham Kuyper - further influence on a Reformed worldview as a whole

 

[crhoades]

Sproul and Horton - introduced me to reformed thought
Calvin - going through the Institutes 2 nights a month with our pastor. Incredible study.
Greg Bahnsen/Van Til/John Frame - taught me to take every thought captive to the obedience of Christ in philosophy/apologetics/ethics (now if I could only do it!)
Dutch Neo-Calvinism (Van Prinsterer, Kuyper, Bavinck, Dooyeweerd, Vollenhoven) Reformed world and life view and trying to rethink all disciplines from a reformational worldview.
Thornwell and Dabney - men of integrity who stuck by their guns and cared for their students/flock
Lloyd Jones - high view of preaching and love his sermons.
Westminster Divines - The more I study the Confession and Catechisms - the more I am in awe.

My Pastor - David Filson - impacting me more and more every Lord's Day - Great passion, intellect, jealousy for his flock, friendship, piety, father/husband, etc...

[Edited on 7-5-2005 by crhoades]

 

[SRoper]

In order, sort of:

Augustine
John Calvin
RC Sproul
CH Spurgeon
Martin Luther
CS Lewis
Charles Hodge
Thomas Aquinas

 

[daveb]

Augustine - Reading his works taught me about living as a Christian in the City of Man.
Calvin - Learned much from him on many subjects, still have so much to learn from him.
Edwards - Perhaps the theologian I've read the most. His disciplined life is a great example I look up to.
Sproul - Has been helpful introducing me to Reformed theology and shaping my view of Scripture.
Spurgeon - His sermons have been a constant source of encouragement to me. His book "All of Grace" stirred my soul.

 

[RamistThomist]

I want to add a (qualified) R L Dabney.
While I have not read his systematic, reading his bio on Stonewall (that great American who has had no equal since 1863), and volume four of his lectures, I have learned what true courage is and how I am to live as a subjugated Southron in the captive south. His essay, "The New South," begs to be read by every intelligent southron.

I would also HIGHLY RECOMMEND the lectures on Dabney by Pastor Joe Morecraft III

Well, I can't find the links to the lectures now, but I will post them as soon as I can.

Some non-theological guys who have really influenced my worldview:

Richard Weaver (his books on agrarianism are beyond compare and speak of a kinder, gentler age and the future prospects of it).

Patrick Henry (His oration "give me liberty or death" perfectly balanced the line between the sovereignty of God and the responsiblity of man.)

Samuel Davies (he also said some cool stuff)

 

[Formerly At Enmity]

wow ....impressive lists....

1.) Sproul (SR.; though jr. has impressed me as well)
2.) Thomas Watson (is there anyone who writes more beautifully?)
3.) Jonathan Edwards (too numerous to list)
4.) Gerstner (he was fierce!)
5.) Kuyper ("there is not one square inch of this earth of which Jesus Christ does not scream out, 'this is mine'")
6.) A.A. Hodge (if only for his outlines of theology)

....can someone help me out with lewis bayley and richard belcher?????

"to be afraid to come to God in prayer is a dishonour to Christ's intercession."
-Thomas Watson

 

[Myshkin]

C.S. Lewis
Hank Hanegraaf
R.C Sproul
Augustine
J.I. Packer
Mike Horton
The Westminster Divines
James Boice
Charles Spurgeon
Louis Berkhof
B.B. Warfield
Calvin
Edmund Clowney
Jerry Bridges




[Edited on 7-20-2005 by RAS]

 

[RamistThomist]

Originally posted by Draught Horse
I want to add a (qualified) R L Dabney.
While I have not read his systematic, reading his bio on Stonewall (that great American who has had no equal since 1863), and volume four of his lectures, I have learned what true courage is and how I am to live as a subjugated Southron in the captive south. His essay, "The New South," begs to be read by every intelligent southron.

I would also HIGHLY RECOMMEND the lectures on Dabney by Pastor Joe Morecraft III

Well, I can't find the links to the lectures now, but I will post them as soon as I can.

Some non-theological guys who have really influenced my worldview:

Richard Weaver (his books on agrarianism are beyond compare and speak of a kinder, gentler age and the future prospects of it).

Patrick Henry (His oration "give me liberty or death" perfectly balanced the line between the sovereignty of God and the responsiblity of man.)

Samuel Davies (he also said some cool stuff)

Stonewall Jackson, too. He lived the doctrine of predestination (see, theology is practical).

Robert E Lee. He showed true courage and godliness in the face of temporal defeat and subjugation.

Both of these men's lives were hid with Christ in God.

[Edited on 7--20-05 by Draught Horse]

 

[Texas Aggie]

A friend of mine gave me a book by William Law. I have not looked at it yet... has anyone read anything by him? Worth the time to read?

 

[Puritan Sailor]

My short list of the most influential, though not necessarily my favorites to read all the time:

R.C. Sproul
John Bunyan
Thomas Boston
Jonathan Edwards
Thomas Vincent
Iain Murray
Berkhof
Spurgeon
Bahnsen

[Edited on 7-20-2005 by puritansailor]

 

[Robin]

Jesus, Paul, Calvin, Ursinus, Warfield, Berkof, Vos, Kline, GK Beale, RS Clark, Horton, Riddlebarger, Cranfield, Futato, Longman III, Clowney, Tolkien.

Robin

[Edited on 7-20-2005 by Robin]

 

[VanVos]

Vos, Vantil, Kline

Here's a good introduction to the three:

Lane Tipton Lectures on the Covenant of Works

Eschatological Focus (Vos)
http://www.two-age.org/online_sermons/ltipton/cov1.ram

Judicial Foundations (Kline)
http://www.two-age.org/online_sermons/ltipton/cov2.ram

Implications for Human Knowledge (Van Til)
http://www.two-age.org/online_sermons/ltipton/cov3.ram