The Highway Forums General Discussion Theology Discussion Forum Any other reformed Baptist Systematic Theologies?

As reading thru John Gill and AA Strong, any other ones?

Louis Berkhof's Systematic Theology... or the simplified Manual of Christian Doctrine, or the basic version Summary of Christian Doctrine. And, I would be remiss if I didn't highly recommend John Calvin's Institutes of the Christian Religion (Ford Lewis Battles edition)

Be careful reading through John Gill.

Berkhof is not a reformed Baptist is he? Maybe I miss understood the header on 'reformed Baptist'.

Berkhof is not a Reformed Baptist. And maybe "I" misunderstood the question?? Regardless, Berkhof is one of the best systematic theology text books on the Reformed Faith and I'm certain that anyone will benefit from reading him.

I have read him, also Hodge, but was wondering about any other reformed baptist than Gill and Strong?

How about the ones by either John Frame or Michael Horton?

Avoid John Frame!! He was one of my professors in seminary and he is fraught with errors, especially his heretical concept of "multi-perspectivalism".

Michael Horton is a mixed bag, so to speak. He is solid on some things but not so on others, e.g., "Republication".

You have read through Berkhof's Systematic Theology and Charles Hodges' 3-vol Systematic Theology??

What are those 2 concepts that you brought up here? "multi-perspectivalism".
"Republication

So best to stay with the older theologians than?

1. "Multi-perspectivalism": briefly it is the idea that a particular passage in Scripture can be interpreted (vs. applied) in various ways on the basis of one's "perspective". And thus even though these various interpretations are contradictory, they can still be said to be true.

2. "Republication": briefly, that in the OT there was some 'merit' accrued by Israel before God according to their obedience to a command. This Republication/Two Kingdom model was popularized by the late Meredith Kline. Many have objected and rejected this view and it is currently being 'investigated/deliberated' by committee(s) within the OPC.

Re: reading older writers. Generally speaking, yes. Most of the Reformers and published Puritans are worthy of reading and far more reliable than most all modern writers. There have been some very excellent modern authors, however, e.g., Berkhof, Hendriksen, the early R.C. Sproul Sr., John Gerstner, and some others.

Remember, there is nothing "new" under the sun. But the old heresies that were introduced into the Church repeat themselves throughout generations and often taken different forms in order to deceive. Each successive generation needs to be alert and discerning and guard against these heresies. That is one of the main benefits of being Confessional. The old Evangelical Creeds and the Reformation confessions & catechisms are safeguards for the Church.

I read those, as well as Dr Grudem and dr Erickson before becoming one who now rests in Reformed theology, so tak about interesting reading, as was a Pentacostal moving into Dispy Baptist at that time!

After all that, got around to Calvin and His institutes...

Soooooo, with all that reading how is it that you appear to have so little grasp of the essential doctrines of Reformed Theology, e.g., soverignty, free-agency, predestination, gospel, true conversion, etc.?

Berkhof especially covers these basic topics in great detail as does Strong and Hodge.

Grudem has gotten into trouble recently with his views on ESS.

I notice that RC Sproul has changed a few if his views in recent years, but besides in the area of eschatology were there other changes as well. Would you say early RC Sproul would be before 2000. Seems as if his son has had a negative impact on in some of his theology.

That would be due to several factors, such as was not formally trained in reformed theology in a school, but more reading andpicking up on my own, being a Pentacostal during some of that time, and trying to seperate myself from the heavy Dispy teaching also grew up on once saved.

So would see myself at present as one still learning much of this, and as one who holds to reformed and Baptist viewpoints, almost like a Covenant premil for lack of a better term!