Best Systematic Theologies from your tradition/denomination/perspective
I've been asked to do a series of classes that show what different varieties of Christians believe. I don't want to straw man anyone, but show them in their best light and discuss the merits or disagreements we would have with them.
- What is the best systematic theology you know of for your background (Catholic, Baptist, Methodist, etc.)
- Do you know of a resource that critiques them, similar to Ben Witherington's The Problem with Evangelical Theology?
Comments
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I'm (largely) a classical pentecostal but mostly read systematics from other traditions. (The reformed tradition owns the field.)
In my view, the best ST that explains most classical pentecostal beliefs is ironically by a charismatic presbyterian, J. Rodman Williams's Renewal Theology. The locus that he diverges most from classical pentecostalism is eschatology, but he covers most of the traditions' other points very well, if not in the best writing style (sorry to say), and better than many authors formally affiliated with pentecostal denominations.
I'm not up to date on what other pentecostal STs have come out in the last 20 years, but Williams stands over all others I know from the 20th century.
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Jack Cottrell embraced most of the restorationist doctrines with a few exceptions. Here’s his Systematic Theology: https://www.logos.com/product/4561/the-faith-once-for-all-bible-doctrine-for-today
DAL
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Thank you both for the responses so far. Bumping in hopes of getting some more suggestions.
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As an evangelical/reformed the ones I use the most are:
Biblical Doctrine - MacArthur
Grudem's Systematic Theology
Geisler's Systematic Theology (when I want an apologetics angle)
Millard Erickson's Christian Theology
John Frame's Multiple Volumes
Foundations of Evangelical Theology series
I've heard Douglas Kelly has some great stuff in the reformed tradition as well as Bavinck but I haven't poked in and around them much
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My go to Systematic Theology (and I have around 15) is now Michael Bird's.
His position is broadly reformed, continuationist, egalitarian.
I'm keen to explore Christian Theology by Millard J. Erickson, but have been waiting for it to go on sale.
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- Origen of Alexandria - De Principiis
- John of Damascus - Exposition of the Orthodox Faith
- Thomas Aquinas - Summa Theologia
- Ludwig Ott - Fundamental of Catholic Dogma
Outside my denomination:
- Phillip Melanchthon - Loci Communes
- Paul Tillich - Systematic Theology
- Abraham Joshua Heschel - God in Search of Man
Orthodox Bishop Alfeyev: "To be a theologian means to have experience of a personal encounter with God through prayer and worship."; Orthodox proverb: "We know where the Church is, we do not know where it is not."
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Im Dutch reformed.
My favorite Systematic theology”s that i use when preaching on doctrinal topics or teach the catechism to church youth:
John Calvin christian institutes.
wilhelmus a brakel the christian reasonable service
Mastricht theoretical practical
Bavinck reforned dogmatics
ursinus commentary on the heidelberg catechisim
Joel Beeke reformed institutes
Michael Horton the christian faith
douglas kelly Systematic theology
van den brink en van de kooi christelijke dogmatiek (christian dogmatics)
and a lot of other resources that logos comes up with while using the theological guide ( early church, and specific books on certain doctrinal topics)
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From a reformed Baptist tradition, Abstract of Systematic Theology by James Boyce and the 1689 Baptist Confession of Faith are great.
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The theological giants of Lutheranism would be:
Philip Melanchthon - Loci Communes - both 1521 and 1559, but also look at the Apology to the Augsburg Confession.
Martin Chemnitz - Loci Theologici - His lectures on the Melanchthon above, but his Examination of the Council of Trent, as well as Christology and The Lord's Supper are also classic texts.
Johann Gerhard - Theological Commonplaces
Some works summarizing the above that have been influential in various Lutheran circles:
Schmid - Doctrinal Theology of the Lutheran Church
Pieper - Christian Dogmatics
Important giants who were influenced greatly by Lutheranism, even if not viewed as orthodox by some.
Kierkegaard
Paul Tillich
Werner Elert
E. Jungel
W. Pannenburg
D. Bonhoeffer
H. Sasse
R. Jenson
R. Bultmann
The Gospel is not ... a "new law," on the contrary, ... a "new life." - William Julius Mann
L8 Anglican, Lutheran and Orthodox Silver, Reformed Starter, Academic Essentials
L7 Lutheran Gold, Anglican Bronze
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Within my Reformed tradition, one of the best and most recent works is the 'Reformed Systematic Theology' by Beeke & Smalley - https://www.logos.com/product/204794/reformed-systematic-theology
More specifically, within the Anglican tradition I would recommend reading the 39 Articles. Those articles are foundational for Anglicanism. The very short work 'The Faith We Confess: An Exposition of the 39 Artciles' helps to break it down if you need it. https://www.logos.com/product/80200/the-faith-we-confess-an-exposition-of-the-39-articles Additionally, there are a couple more works worth checking out:
- 'Anglicanism: A Reformed Catholic Tradition' by Gerald Bray - https://www.logos.com/product/193312/anglicanism-a-reformed-catholic-tradition
- 'The Heritage of Anglican Theology' by Packer - https://www.logos.com/product/197758/the-heritage-of-anglican-theology
- 'To Be a Christian: An Anglican Catechism' by Packer & Scandrett. - https://www.logos.com/product/186287/to-be-a-christian-an-anglican-catechism
Those works will help give you an overview of the Anglican distinctives. Packer and Bray are major proponents of Anglicanism who have written the most, hard to go wrong with them. Additionally, 'God Has Spoken: A History of Christian Theology' though written by Gerald Bray will look at the development of theology and doctrine over time for across the spectrum of christian traditions. https://www.logos.com/product/156736/god-has-spoken-a-history-of-christian-theology
Current MDiv student at Trinity Theological College - Perth, Western Australia
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Thank you, everyone, for your suggestions. I have quite the reading list to tackle!
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I've added the list of theology suggestions to the Systematic Theology at a Glance spreadsheet model. I created a second tab for them, as the first tab was just Grudem's list of Systematic Theology resources.
Here's the spreadsheet: 8737.Systematic Theologies Grid - 19 May 2023.xlsx
If you haven't seen this project or the Bible Interpretation Choices at a Glance project, then you can see them here:
https://community.logos.com/forums/p/215028/1253066.aspx#1253066
and here:
https://community.logos.com/forums/t/208162.aspx?PageIndex=1
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Morgan said:
I've been asked to do a series of classes that show what different varieties of Christians believe. I don't want to straw man anyone, but show them in their best light and discuss the merits or disagreements we would have with them.
- What is the best systematic theology you know of for your background (Catholic, Baptist, Methodist, etc.)
- Do you know of a resource that critiques them, similar to Ben Witherington's The Problem with Evangelical Theology?
Thanks for asking the question, Morgan. It's good to see all the responses here.
Grudem tries to engage with various theologies, and even provides page numbers to the various sections in other theologies, which Logos have linked to each of the available resources: https://www.logos.com/product/190507/systematic-theology-an-introduction-to-biblical-doctrine-2nd-ed
The Moody Handbook of Theology also tries to describe and critique different theologies fairly briefly: https://www.logos.com/product/125778/the-moody-handbook-of-theology-revised-and-expanded
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Oh, and Wayne House's Charts of Systematic Theology is another handy overview: https://www.logos.com/product/69443/charts-on-systematic-theology
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