Systematic Theology

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Weight 1.35 kg
Dimensions 22.3 × 14.3 × 6.2 cm
ISBN 9781848719941
Binding

Cloth-bound
format

Book
page-count

1048
topic

General Theology
Original Pub Date

1958
Banner Pub Date

Feb 1, 1958

BERKHOF’S SYSTEMATIC THEOLOGY IN AN EXPANDED EDITION CONTAINING THE INTRODUCTORY VOLUME.

Book Description

Professor Berkhof died in 1957, at the age of 83. He was an outstanding American teacher and the author of some 22 books. After two pastorates, he began his long career as professor at Calvin Seminary, Grand Rapids, in 1906. Here he remained for 38 years, devoting his talents and immense stores of knowledge to the training of men for the ministry. His ‘Systematic Theology’ was his magnum opus, being revised and enlarged during his lifetime until it reached its present final form.

Berkhof’s loyalty to the well-defined lines of the Reformed Faith, his concise and compact style and his up-to-date treatment have made this work the most important twentieth century compendium of Reformed Theology. ‘The work seemed particularly important to me’, writes the author, ‘in view of the widespread doctrinal indifference of the present day, of the resulting superficiality and confusion in the minds of many professing Christians, of the insidious errors that are zealously propagated even from the pulpits, and of the alarming increase of all kinds of sects. If there ever was a time when the Church ought to guard her precious heritage, the deposit of the truth that was entrusted to her care, that time is now’.

Table of Contents Expand ↓

INTRODUCTORY VOLUME
The Idea and History of Dogmatic Theology
 I. Names Applied to the Systematic Presentation of Theology 3
 II. The Nature of Dogmas  6
 III. The Idea of Dogmatic Theology 25
 IV. The Task, Method, and Distribution of Dogmatics 44
 V. History of Dogmatics 69
The Principia of Dogmatics
 I. Principia in General 87
 II. Religion  93
III. The Principium Cognoscendi Externum (Revelation) 112
 IV. The Inspiration of Scripture 142
 V. The Principium Cognoscendi Internum  170
Select Literature 189
Index of Authors  193
Index of Subjects  197
SYSTEMATIC THEOLOGY
Part One  – THE DOCTRINE OF GOD
The Being of God
 I. The Existence of God:  19
 II. The Knowability of God:  29
 III. Relation of the Being and Attributes of God:  41
 IV. The Names of God:  47
 V. The Attributes of God in General:  52
 VI. The Incommunicable Attributes: 57
 VII. The Communicable Attributes: 64
 VIII. The Holy Trinity:  82
The Works of God
 I. The Divine Decrees in General:  100
 II. Predestination:  109
 III. Creation in General:  126
 IV. Creation of the Spiritual World:  141
 V. Creation of the Material World:  150
 VI. Providence:  165
Part Two – THE DOCTRINE OF MAN IN RELATION TO GOD
Man in His Original State
 I. The Origin of Man:  181
 II. The Constitutional Nature of Man:  191
 III. Man as the Image of God:  202
 IV. Man in the Covenant of Works:  211
Man in the State of Sin
 I. The Origin of Sin:  219
 II. The Essential Character of Sin:  227
 III. The Transmission of Sin:  237
 IV. Sin in the Life of the Human Race:  244
 V. The Punishment of Sin:  255
Man in the Covenant of Grace
 I. Name and Concept of the Covenant:  262
 II. The Covenant of Redemption:  265
 III. Nature of the Covenant of Grace:  272
 IV. The Dual Aspect of the Covenant:  284
 V. The Different Dispensations of the Covenant:  290
Part Three – THE DOCTRINE OF THE PERSON AND WORK OF CHRIST
The Person of Christ
 I. The Doctrine of Christ in History: 305
 II. The Names and Natures of Christ:  312
 III. The Unipersonality of Christ:  321
The States of Christ
 I. The State of Humiliation:  331
 II. The State of Exaltation:  344
The Offices of Christ
 I. Introduction: The Prophetic Office:
 II. The Idea of the Offices in History 356
 III. The Prophetic Office 357
 IV. The Priestly Office:
 V. The Scriptural Idea of a Priest 361
 VI. The Sacrificial Work of Christ 362
 VII. The Cause and Necessity of the Atonement:
 VIII. The Moving Cause of the Atonement 367
 IX. Historical Views Respecting the Necessity of the Atonement 368
 X. Proofs for the Necessity of the Atonement 370
 XI. Objections to the Doctrine of the Absolute Necessity of the Atonement 371
The Nature of the Atonement:
 I. A. Statement of the Penal Substitutionary Doctrine of the Atonement: 373
 II. Divergent Theories of the Atonement:  384
The Purpose and Extent of the Atonement:  392
 III. A. The Purpose of the Atonement 392
B. The Extent of the Atonement 393
 IV. The Intercessory Work of Christ:  400
 V. The Kingly Office:  406
Part Four – THE DOCTRINE OF THE APPLICATION OF THE WORK OF REDEMPTION
 I. Soteriology in General:  415
 II. The Operation of the Holy Spirit in General:  423
 III. Common Grace:  432
 III. The Mystical Union:  447
 IV. Calling in General and External Calling:  454
 V. Regeneration and Effectual Calling:  465
 VI. Conversion:  480
 VII. Faith:  493
 VIII. Justification:  510
 IX. Sanctification:  527
 X. Perseverance of the Saints:  545
Part Five – THE DOCTRINE OF THE CHURCH AND OF THE MEANS OF GRACE
The Church
 I. Scriptural Names of the Church and the Doctrine of the Church in History:  555
 II. Nature of the Church:  562
 III. The Government of the Church: 579
 IV. The Power of the Church:  593
The Means of Grace
 I. The Means of Grace in General:  604
 II. The Word as a Means of Grace:  610
 III. The Sacraments in General:  616
 IV. Christian Baptism:  622
 V. The Lord’s Supper:  644
Part Six – THE DOCTRINE OF THE LAST THINGS
Individual Eschatology
 I. Introductory Chapter:  661
 II. Physical Death:  668
 III. The Immortality of the Soul:  672
 IV. The Intermediate State:  679
General Eschatology
 I. The Second Coming of Christ:  695
 II. Millennial Views:  708
 III. The Resurrection of the Dead:  720
 IV. The Final Judgment:  728
V. The Final State:  735
Bibliography 739
Index of Authors 747
Index of Subjects 751

6 testimonials for Systematic Theology

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  1. Robert Norman –

    One of the finest ever Systematic Theologies in history. Modern attempts almost never come close.

  2. Dr Paul Godden –

    Truely excellent read and a valuable study aid.

  3. Les Beech –

    What a great read. I was given a paperback edition many years ago and found it very difficult to understand. Reccomend this edition as it really opens up theology. Don’t be put off by the size well worth taking on the challenge you will not be disappointed.

  4. Richard C Ross –

    The Banner of Truth offer us two impressive one volume systematic theologies – Louis Berkhof and R. L. Dabney – and A. A. Hodge’s Outline of Theology. All three display the expected qualities of theological brevity, systematic order, logical clarity, biblical ‘soundness’ and faithfulness to the Word of God. To commend any one would almost be arrogant. They have proved their worth. The fact that I personally value Dabney above the others is neither here or there.

    But a word of caution is in place – and I have a hunch that all three authors would want us to be cautious in reading their lectures and writings. Systematics is a wholly artificial way of doing theology. It is a method that is foreign to the scriptures and, as such, carries certain dangers. The greatest danger is to lose sight of the ‘arcane’, mysterious, apophatic character of all Christian truth. Systematic theology has an unavoidable tendency to shrink transcendent truth. Too easily, reading this or that section, we imagine we’ve ‘got it’ and we run the danger of theological hubris. So it is as well to have within easy reach a copy of Geerhardus Vos’s Biblical Theology, an altogether outstanding work.

  5. Gary Mee –

    I received this book today 2/15/22, together with Calvin’s Institues, both in perfect as-new condition. The packaging was OUTSTANDING. Amazon should take a lesson from Banner of Truth in this regard.

    The books speak for themselves as to their value, and should be studied by any serious Christian desiring “to go deeper.”

  6. Jeffrey Tomkins –

    I am a doctoral student in Biblical languages and theology and this is one of my top resources I go to for sound and insightful doctrinal exposition. I also love the fact that Berkhof puts the scriptures above human reasoning and secular philosophies as the final authority of our faith.

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