Saturday, April 02, 2005

Reading theology

Every so often, I get stuck into reading some systematic theology. The best books I've found include Wayne Grudem's
Systematic Theology
in which he discusses most issues an evangelical would be interested in, and he fairly presents the views of those he disagrees with.

I like his questions and hymns at the end of each chapter. It is also helpful that he tells you explicitly where he is coming from in his introduction.

This book is a terrific start if you want to explore Christian theology. There is also a shorter version of the book, but I think you would be cheating yourself if you didn't buy the whole shebang. [You don't have to read it all!]

Grudem's theology is Reformed and Baptist, but also lightly Pentecostal and Premillennial.

His views on bible translation, with which I have some concerns, do not get a hearing in this book. I find his views on women's ministry to be scriptural, though he can be a little too enthusiastic to press the point on this issue, at times.

But I have also been finding Robert Reymond's
A New Systematic Theology of the Christian Faith
very helpful. Both Reymond and Grudem write clearly and simply. The section on the cross and all its implications is worth the cost of Reymond's book.