Best Systematic Theology books available?

[Bro. Gabriel]

Personally, I've only read through Christian Theology by Millard Erickson and Systematic Theology by Wayne Grudem, and they are both excellent in different ways. I also plan on getting Hodge's 3-book set sometime.

Any other 'must-have' Systematic Theological books or sets from a conservative and Reformed Biblical perspective?

 

[rmwilliamsll]

my favorites are online:
via the most excellent links list at:
http://www.monergism.com/thethreshold/articles/topic/systematic.html

robert dabney's lectures on systematic theology is at:
http://www.pbministries.org/R. L. Dabney/Systematic Theology/systematic_theology.htm
pieces at: http://www.spurgeon.org/~phil/dabney.htm

charles hodges outline of systematic theology is at:
http://www.dabar.org/Theology/Hodge/TableofContents/Content_Intro.htm

this is just a single webpage summary of bavinck:
http://www.aplacefortruth.org/studies/bavinck.htm

louis berkof's summary of christian doctrine at:
http://www.mbrem.com/shorttakes/berk.htm

there are a few others available off this links list:
http://www.theologywebsite.com/internet/Theology/Systematic/index.shtml
or this one:
http://www.christianarsenal.com/Doctrine.htm

 

[M. Wayne Bradley]

I agree with rmwII, without a doubt, Berkhof and Dabney should be near the top of your list.

 

[Ioustinos]

The two I have is the classic "Systemaic Theology" by Louis Berkhof and a newer Systematic Theology by Roberty Reymond.

 

[theseed]

The Book of Romans has stood the test of time, and it was the first systematic theolgy ever written. And it's God inspired

 

[JM]

Lewis Sperry Chafer's "Systematic Theology" (8 vols.) it's Calvinistic in anthropology and soteriology (doctrines of election, predestination, humanity's plight, and the origin and cause of Christ's redemptive mercies) but also dispensational. Chafer also founded the Dallas Theological Seminary which has since become a den of vipers.

 

[Bro. Gabriel]

Yeah, I'd prefer to avoid any dispensationalist-biased Theology books.

 

[JM]

Yeah, I'd prefer to avoid any dispensationalist-biased Theology books.

I understand, I do the same with works that are bias with covenant/reformed theology. I've heard good things about "Systematic Theology" by Wayne Grudem. Take a look on amazon.

 

[calgal]

My pastor loves Grudem's Systematic Theology and one of these days, I want to read it.

 

[Ioustinos]

If I remember correctly from my copy of a book called "Bible Doctrines" which is basically a summerized version of Grudem's "Systematic Theology"...Grudem leans towards dispensationalism....but I would double check that info....

Grudem's book "Bible Doctrines" was one of the required books for my Theology 201 & 202 courses....


Just thought I would give you a heads up!

 

[ClementofRome]

Here is one that is not often mentioned, but is an amazing piece of work:

"Reformational Theology: A New Paradigm for Doing Dogmatics" by Gordon J. Spykman

Additionally, a wonderful prolegomena is:
"The Fabric of Theology: A Prolegemenon to Evangelical Theology" by Richard Lints

 

[Ken]

a couple I would add... AH Strong's Systematic Theology Reformed Baptist, James Boyce's (Reformed Baptist) Abstract of Systematic Theology at http://www.founders.org/library/boyce1/toc.html ; Shedd, W. G. T. Dogmatic Theology, 3 vols; Buswell, James Oliver. A Systematic Theology of the Christian Religion; Berkouwer, G. C. Studies in Dogmatics, 14 vols. (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1952-1976). (Dutch Reformed); Thomas Watson's commentary on the Westminster catechism might work as a Sys Theo.... its at http://www.iclnet.org/pub/resources/text/ipb-e/epl-10/web/watson-divinity.html ; John Gill's Doctrinal Divinity and Practical Divinity at http://www.pbministries.org/books/gill/gills_archive.htm ; very hard to get but is supposed to be very good is Richard Baxter's (Puritan) "A Christian Directory", a quick blurb "Dr. J.I. Packer says that, next to the Bible, this is these are greatest Christian books ever written. Here is Christianity made practical for every area of life."; James Buswell's Systematic Theology of the Christian Religion; John Gerstner has systematized Jonathan Edwards thoughts into a sort of Sys Theo in the 3 volume set entitled The Rational Biblical Theology of Jonathan Edwards,; John Murray's 4 vol Collected Writing of John Murray; James Boice's 4 volume (also in a 1 vol. edition) called Foundation of the Christian Faith; my current favorite is the 3 vol. set by Francis Turretin's Institutes of Elenctic Theology is a reformed classis to be sure.... ; there is also a multi-volumes set put out by IVP that is Reformed, the set is called Contours of Christian Theology, contributors are men like Sinclair Ferguson (The Holy Spirit), Gerald Bray (The Doctrine of God), Paul Helm (The Providence of God) and Edmund Clowney (The Church); there is also Reformed Dogmatics by Herman Hoeksema; there is the 10 volume set called The Works of Benjamin Warfield, in particular is vol. 2 entitled Biblical Doctrines; for a look at the historical development of Sys Theo found in Berkhof's The History f Christian Doctrines and the 2 vol classic by William Cunnigham (1862) called Historical Theology; a "lighter" work is Know the Truth, A Handbook of Christian Belief by Bruce Milne (forward by JI Packer)

blessings

 

[rmwilliamsll]

a couple I would add...
AH Strong's Systematic Theology Reformed Baptist,
James Boyce's (Reformed Baptist) Abstract of Systematic Theology at http://www.founders.org/library/boyce1/toc.html ;
Shedd, W. G. T. Dogmatic Theology, 3 vols;
Buswell, James Oliver. A Systematic Theology of the Christian Religion;
Berkouwer, G. C. Studies in Dogmatics, 14 vols. (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1952-1976). (Dutch Reformed);
Thomas Watson's commentary on the Westminster catechism might work as a Sys Theo.... its at http://www.iclnet.org/pub/resources/text/ipb-e/epl-10/web/watson-divinity.html ;
John Gill's Doctrinal Divinity and Practical Divinity at http://www.pbministries.org/books/gill/gills_archive.htm ; very hard to get but is supposed to be very good is
Richard Baxter's (Puritan) "A Christian Directory", a quick blurb "Dr. J.I. Packer says that, next to the Bible, this is these are greatest Christian books ever written. Here is Christianity made practical for every area of life."; James Buswell's Systematic Theology of the Christian Religion;
John Gerstner has systematized Jonathan Edwards thoughts into a sort of Sys Theo in the 3 volume set entitled The Rational Biblical Theology of Jonathan Edwards,;
John Murray's 4 vol Collected Writing of John Murray;
James Boice's 4 volume (also in a 1 vol. edition) called Foundation of the Christian Faith; my current favorite is the 3 vol. set by
Francis Turretin's Institutes of Elenctic Theology is a reformed classis to be sure.... ; there is also a multi-volumes set put out by IVP that is Reformed, the set is called
Contours of Christian Theology, contributors are men like Sinclair Ferguson (The Holy Spirit), Gerald Bray (The Doctrine of God), Paul Helm (The Providence of God) and Edmund Clowney (The Church); there is also
Reformed Dogmatics by Herman Hoeksema; there is the 10 volume set called
The Works of Benjamin Warfield, in particular is vol. 2 entitled Biblical Doctrines; for a look at the historical development of Sys Theo found in
Berkhof's The History f Christian Doctrines and the 2 vol classic by
William Cunnigham (1862) called Historical Theology; a "lighter" work is Know the Truth, A Handbook of Christian Belief by Bruce Milne (forward by JI Packer)

blessings

a very nice list. just a little hard to read.
perhaps we could work this thread into an FAQ for the forum????

 

[theseed]

So, nobody things highly of the book of Romans, huh?