Book Recommendations

By Paul Enns contains a great overview of biblical theology, systematic theology, historic theology, and contemporary theology. It’s a great quick resource for a variety of issues.

By Wayne Grudem is a fantastic introduction into systematic theology and is very readable. This is the most common text used in universities on the subject of Theology. While many have ‘words’ to say about this systematic, I think it is a great primer despite disagreeing with Grudem on a variety of issues.

By Louis Berkhof is a classic and a fairly easy read. You’ll be presented with plenty of proof texts to crack your bible open with to get the most of your study of systematic theology.

 by Herman Bavinck is a harder read, but well worth the time and effort. It has easily become one of my favorites. A very thorough treatment that is excellent, especially in the abridged edition (originally in four volumes).

by Thomas Oden. This volume is interesting in that it seeks to establish a systematic theology based, primarily, on early church writings. 

By John Calvin. One of the hardest reads here, but a very rich volume that is considered a classic and will challenge you. 

By Nick Needham. This series (4 books in total, while the fifth book is being written) is fantastic. It is easily accessible and has a lot of information in a format all people can enjoy. It’s an amazing introduction that has turned those individuals who don’t like history around.

By Justo Gonzalez. It is a fantastic read and handles the information of church history very well. He is organized and will get you through a survey of church history from the early church to the present day in his two volumes. 

By Mark Noll is a good treatment of history in North America. I enjoyed the details and the amount of research Noll puts into this volume. It is fairly readable and accessible, though for some it could feel bogged down in all the facts. 

By Michael Kruger. It deserves to be read by every Christian for the sake of understanding the canon of the bible. While the canon is not my favorite subject, I found this particular book to be extremely helpful on the subject and I refer back to it often. 

By Geisler and Nix is a great book that covers a lot of ground. This book will leave you well rounded and will let you dip your toes into various topics that go much deeper. While some information is outdated or needs to be double checked (primarily dealing with textual criticism), you’ll get a solid foundation in a readable format. 

by Metzger and Erdman (before he apostatized). This book is a standard text in many seminaries on the subject of textual criticism and the manuscripts of the bible. It is a great volume, but a more scholarly read. I find myself referencing it semi-regularly. 

By Porter and Pitts. This volume is much more accessible than “The text of the New Testament”, but at the expense of more information. This is a great primer and it includes a discussion on CBGM that “the text of the New Testament” doesn’t have.

By a variety of authors. It covers a lot of misinformation that is floating around on the subject of textual criticism. It is a fantastic volume and a must for every pastor, apologist, or student who wants to know more accurately about textual criticism. 

by James White is a great book on the subject of the King James Only movement. It is a great book if you want to know whats going on between the NIV and the KJV or how to discuss with those in the KJV camp.