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Systematic theologies

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  • Systematic theologies

    Hi everyone,

    It seems a lot of questions that people have could be addressed by reading a systematic theology book, I'm currently reading Grudem's Systematic Theology, which addresses such questions as:
    • What is the baptism of the Holy Spirit?
    • Can true Christians lose their salvation?
    • How can we know if we are truly born again?


    Such books delve into various questions, listing pertinent Scripture references, which I have found very helpful. Glad to hear of other systematic theologies that people have found helpful.

    Blessings,
    Lee
    "What I pray of you is, to keep your eye upon Him, for that is everything. Do you say, 'How am I to keep my eye on Him?' I reply, keep your eye off everything else, and you will soon see Him. All depends on the eye of faith being kept on Him. How simple it is!" (J.B. Stoney)

  • #2
    I'm kind of lukewarm on the whole idea of Systematic Theologies. Once upon a time, I kind of had the idea that a good ST would take most of the important stuff I needed to know from Scripture and give it to me in organized form. That appealed to me, perhaps in part because my college degree was in electrical engineering.

    Eventually, reality rose up and confronted me: There are many STs, and they contradict on some non-trivial issues. And when the "proof-texts" adduced in STs are considered in context, they often seem dubious. I get the impression that often, STs start with a theological and philosophical framework based on a few texts, into which framework all other texts are force-fit. The resulting System is often comprehensive, concise, consistent, comprehensible, even convincing -- but also contrived; when one is reading or studying Scripture, and finds oneself "working" to make a passage fit the "system" he's been taught, something is amiss.


    These days, I prefer the work of Biblical Scholars and Biblical Theologians.
    Geislerminian Antinomian Kenotic Charispneumaticostal Gender Mutualist-Egalitarian.

    Beige Federalist.

    Nationalist Christian.

    "Everybody is somebody's heretic."

    Social Justice is usually the opposite of actual justice.

    Proud member of the this space left blank community.

    Would-be Grand Vizier of the Padishah Maxi-Super-Ultra-Hyper-Mega-MAGA King Trumpius Rex.

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    Arrest Ray Epps and his Fed bosses!

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    • #3
      Originally posted by NorrinRadd View Post
      I get the impression that often, STs start with a theological and philosophical framework based on a few texts, into which framework all other texts are force-fit.
      Have you heard of or read anything from Michael Heiser?
      http://drmsh.com
      He hasn't written a systematic theology, but his podcast is built around the idea that you should get your theology from the bible, instead of trying to find your preconceived theology in it.
      Curiosity never hurt anyone. It was stupidity that killed the cat.

      Comment


      • #4
        Originally posted by QuantaFille View Post
        Have you heard of or read anything from Michael Heiser?
        http://drmsh.com
        He hasn't written a systematic theology, but his podcast is built around the idea that you should get your theology from the bible, instead of trying to find your preconceived theology in it.
        The point that NorrinRadd is making seems to be that too often systematic theologies are not done following the the Bible as they should be, but built upon preconceived ideas instead.
        Micah 6:8 He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the LORD require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?

        Comment


        • #5
          Originally posted by Jedidiah View Post
          The point that NorrinRadd is making seems to be that too often systematic theologies are not done following the the Bible as they should be, but built upon preconceived ideas instead.
          Grudem's recent book on how a Christian should view political issues seems very much to do that. He finds a biblical justification for his views on all sorts of issues not mentioned in the Bible, even including his specific stance on emissions standards for trucks.
          "I am not angered that the Moral Majority boys campaign against abortion. I am angry when the same men who say, "Save OUR children" bellow "Build more and bigger bombers." That's right! Blast the children in other nations into eternity, or limbless misery as they lay crippled from "OUR" bombers! This does not jell." - Leonard Ravenhill

          Comment


          • #6
            Originally posted by KingsGambit View Post
            Grudem's recent book on how a Christian should view political issues seems very much to do that. He finds a biblical justification for his views on all sorts of issues not mentioned in the Bible, even including his specific stance on emissions standards for trucks.
            Grudem is a well respected scholar. His ST is thorough and detailed. That's good, in that with a bit of work, one can pin down his beliefs about a lot of specific things. But as you show, he can be pedantic-to-legalistic. IIRC, he has a page-long list detailing when and where women can and cannot properly be in leadership.
            Geislerminian Antinomian Kenotic Charispneumaticostal Gender Mutualist-Egalitarian.

            Beige Federalist.

            Nationalist Christian.

            "Everybody is somebody's heretic."

            Social Justice is usually the opposite of actual justice.

            Proud member of the this space left blank community.

            Would-be Grand Vizier of the Padishah Maxi-Super-Ultra-Hyper-Mega-MAGA King Trumpius Rex.

            Justice for Ashli Babbitt!

            Justice for Matthew Perna!

            Arrest Ray Epps and his Fed bosses!

            Comment


            • #7
              What I was hoping to do was to recommend resources which address many such questions, in detail and with Scripture. For the thorniest issues, I like the "Four Views on XXX" style of books, where the different views are presented and debated. But I find Grudem helpful on the fundamental issues of Christianity.

              Blessings,
              Lee
              "What I pray of you is, to keep your eye upon Him, for that is everything. Do you say, 'How am I to keep my eye on Him?' I reply, keep your eye off everything else, and you will soon see Him. All depends on the eye of faith being kept on Him. How simple it is!" (J.B. Stoney)

              Comment


              • #8
                Originally posted by lee_merrill View Post
                Hi everyone,

                It seems a lot of questions that people have could be addressed by reading a systematic theology book, I'm currently reading Grudem's Systematic Theology, which addresses such questions as:
                • What is the baptism of the Holy Spirit?
                • Can true Christians lose their salvation?
                • How can we know if we are truly born again?


                Such books delve into various questions, listing pertinent Scripture references, which I have found very helpful. Glad to hear of other systematic theologies that people have found helpful.

                Blessings,
                Lee
                I have a copy of Culver’s mammoth Reformed theology. The print is tiny. Otherwise, there is Calvin (of course !), and the Summa Theologiae of St Thomas Aquinas. (I have the Banner edition of the 1541 edition of the Institutes, but not the 1559 and finalised edition.)

                Two other STs I have found helpful are A. A. Hodge’s “Outlines of Theology” (old, but still useful) & Louis Berkhof’s ST. A lot of people swear by Barth’s Church Dogmatics, which is a classic - but fantasy series-long.

                I read more Biblical exegesis and theology than ST these days though.

                Comment


                • #9
                  I like this quote from Karl Barth's mother:

                  What is the most brilliant theology good for if it is to be shipwrecked in one's own house?
                  "I am not angered that the Moral Majority boys campaign against abortion. I am angry when the same men who say, "Save OUR children" bellow "Build more and bigger bombers." That's right! Blast the children in other nations into eternity, or limbless misery as they lay crippled from "OUR" bombers! This does not jell." - Leonard Ravenhill

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    One way I have found it helpful for reading systematic-theology-type books is to use the Logos computer program. All the Scripture references can be shown by hovering the mouse over them, which makes it much easier to follow the line of thought.

                    Blessings,
                    Lee
                    "What I pray of you is, to keep your eye upon Him, for that is everything. Do you say, 'How am I to keep my eye on Him?' I reply, keep your eye off everything else, and you will soon see Him. All depends on the eye of faith being kept on Him. How simple it is!" (J.B. Stoney)

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      Originally posted by NorrinRadd View Post
                      I'm kind of lukewarm on the whole idea of Systematic Theologies. Once upon a time, I kind of had the idea that a good ST would take most of the important stuff I needed to know from Scripture and give it to me in organized form. That appealed to me, perhaps in part because my college degree was in electrical engineering.

                      Eventually, reality rose up and confronted me: There are many STs, and they contradict on some non-trivial issues. And when the "proof-texts" adduced in STs are considered in context, they often seem dubious. I get the impression that often, STs start with a theological and philosophical framework based on a few texts, into which framework all other texts are force-fit. The resulting System is often comprehensive, concise, consistent, comprehensible, even convincing -- but also contrived; when one is reading or studying Scripture, and finds oneself "working" to make a passage fit the "system" he's been taught, something is amiss.


                      These days, I prefer the work of Biblical Scholars and Biblical Theologians.
                      The Bible does not really lend itself to being systematised - that approach leaves out too much that does not fit. And life is not systematisable either. STs have a place - they are not useless, by any means - but they can’t be the only kind of theology.

                      Comment

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