Theology

"For my own part I tend to find the doctrinal books often more helpful in devotion than the devotional books, and I rather suspect that the same experience may await many others. I believe that many who find that 'nothing happens' when they sit down, or kneel down, to a book of devotion, would find that the heart sings unbidden while they are working their way through a tough bit of theology with a pipe in their teeth and a pencil in their hand."C. S. Lewis

The word theology brings certain images to mind—aged scholars in tweed jackets with leather elbow patches and thick glasses reading enormous dusty tomes in chilly rooms accessed only by a stone spiral staircase, or young university students smoking pipes and drinking black coffee while discussing the influence of Tillich on the doctrine of the hypostatic union of the the anthropic person. Academic theologians are seen as studious, patient, intellectual. . . boring.

In our postmodern culture, ideas are expressed not held. Since we can't know anything for sure, why try? Life is busy and stressful enough; we'd prefer to spend our free time doing something fun instead of poring over hard-to-understand books. And tweed passed out of fashion a long time ago (though pipes and black coffee are making a come-back).

But academic theologians aren't theology. Theology—from the Greek theos (God) and logos (to know)—is the study of God. In a broad sense we are, every one of us, theologians. Paul said even unbelievers have knowledge of God (Rom. 1:18-23). As Christians we have definite beliefs about God. Sometimes those beliefs are unclear because we haven't taken time to study them, so we downplay their importance. We act like theology is optional, claiming "no creed but Christ." But the question isn't whether we're going to have a theology or not, it's whether our theology will be true or false. Because we want true theology, we base our study on God's Word where He has revealed Himself.

Theology is intensely practical: as one fellow said, it comes out our fingertips. It's not just mental exercise, it affects everything we do. God is concerned with what we believe because it influences the way we live. As Christians, we are new creations who want to serve Him (2 Cor. 5:16-18).

Disclaimer:

Our goal is to provoke theological discussion and thought. To that end our selection of theology offers a significantly different perspective than you'll find nearly anywhere else—at least all in one place. (We don't think we're heretics.) While we aren't dogmatic in our defense of all of them, we aren't apologetic either. We don't mean to be rude or divisive, but we aren't afraid to step on toes if it leads others to reflection. We believe generous dialogue is necessary among Christians to help us clarify what we believe and introduce us to new ideas (Prov. 27:17). It is our prayer that the books we offer help unify the Church, not divide it.

Review by C. Hollis Crossman
C. Hollis Crossman used to be a child. Now he is a husband and father, teaches adult Sunday school in his Presbyterian congregation, and likes weird stuff. He might be a mythical creature, but he's definitely not a centaur. Read more of his reviews here.

 

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Adopted By God
by Robert A. Peterson
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in Reformed Theology (Location: XTH-REF)
$4.00 (1 in stock)
After Darkness, Light
by R. C. Sproul, Jr., editor
from P&R Publishing
in Reformed Theology (Location: XTH-REF)
$16.99
Against Christianity
by Peter Leithart
from Canon Press
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$15.00
All Things For Good
Puritan Paperbacks #17
by Thomas Watson
from Banner of Truth Trust
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$9.00
Almighty Over All
by R. C. Sproul, Jr.
from Baker Books
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$16.00
Ancient Love Song
by Charles D. Drew
from P&R Publishing
in Bible Surveys (Location: XBI-SURV)
$9.50
And it Came to Pass
by Various
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Apostolic Fathers
by J. B. Lightfoot
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$31.95
Attributes of God Volume 1
by A. W. Tozer
from Wingspread Publishers
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in Theology Proper: The Study of God (Location: XTH-GOD)
$16.99
Attributes of God Volume 2
by A. W. Tozer
from Moody Press
for Adult
in Theology Proper: The Study of God (Location: XTH-GOD)
$15.99
Back To Basics
by David Hagopian, editor
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Baptism of Jesus the Christ
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Baptized Body
by Peter J. Leithart
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Basic Guide to Interpreting the Bible
by Robert H. Stein
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Battle Belongs to the Lord
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Bavinck on the Christian Life
Theologians on the Christian Life
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Beast of Revelation
by Kenneth Gentry
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Before Jerusalem Fell
by Kenneth Gentry
2nd edition from American Vision Press
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Biblical and Theological Studies
by Michael J. Wilkins, Erik Thoennes
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Biblical Theology in the Life of the Church
by Michael Lawrence
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Blessed Are the Hungry
by Peter Leithart
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$15.00 $9.00 (1 in stock)
Blood-Bought World
by Toby J. Sumpter
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Body of Divinity
by Thomas Watson
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Theology for 9th-12th grade
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Bondage of the Will
by Martin Luther
from Revell Publishing
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Bondage of the Will
by Martin Luther, translated by J. I. Packer and O. R. Robinson
from Baker Academics
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$24.99
Bondage of the Will
by Martin Luther, translated by Henry Cole
from Canon Press
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$12.95
Bound Only Once
by Doug Wilson, editor
from Canon Press
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in Theology Proper: The Study of God (Location: XTH-GOD)
$12.00
Bruised Reed
Puritan Paperbacks #26
by Richard Sibbes
from Banner of Truth Trust
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By This Standard
by Greg L. Bahnsen
from Institute for Christian Economics
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By This Standard
by Greg Bahnsen
from American Vision Press
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$16.95
Call of Grace
by Norman Shepherd
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$4.00 (2 in stock)
Call the Sabbath a Delight
by Walter J. Chantry
from Banner of Truth Trust
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$9.00 $4.00 (1 in stock)
Calvin on the Christian Life
Theologians on the Christian Life
by Michael Horton
1st edition from Crossway Books
for Adult
in Practical Christian Living (Location: XCL-PRAC)
Calvin's Institutes: A New Compend
by John Calvin
1st edition from Westminster John Knox Press
for 11th-Adult
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$22.00
Calvin: Commentaries
Library of Christian Classics
by John Calvin, edited by Joseph Haroutunian
Icthus Edition from Westminster Press
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$8.00 (1 in stock)
Case for Covenantal Infant Baptism
by Gregg Strawbridge, editor
from P&R Publishing
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$16.99
Celebrating the Sabbath
by Bruce Ray
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$6.99
Children of the Promise
by Robert Booth
from P&R Publishing
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$14.99
Chosen by God
by R. C. Sproul
from Tyndale House
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$17.99 $10.00 (1 in stock)
Christ of the Covenants
by O. Palmer Robertson
from P&R Publishing
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$8.00 (1 in stock)
Christian Baptism
by John Murray
from P&R Publishing
in Baptism (Location: XWO-SAC1)
$5.95 $3.00 (1 in stock)
Christian in Complete Armour
by William Gurnall, edited and introduced by James S. Bell, Jr.
from Moody Press
for Adult
in Devotionals (Location: XCL-DEV)
$5.00 (1 in stock)
Christianity and Liberalism
by J. Gresham Machen
from Eerdmans
Religion/Philosophy for 11th-Adult
in Various Theology (Location: XTH-MISC)
$15.99
Christianity and Liberalism
by J. Gresham Machen
from Canon Press
Religion/Philosophy for 11th-Adult
in Various Theology (Location: XTH-MISC)
$11.95
Christianity: A Total World and Life System
by Abraham Kuyper
from Plymouth Rock Foundation
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in Various Theology (Location: XTH-MISC)
$10.00 (1 in stock)
Church is Israel Now
by Charles D. Provan
from Chalcedon / Ross House Books
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$10.00
Classic Baptism
by James W. Dale
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$8.00 (1 in stock)
Concise Theology
by J. I. Packer
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$16.99
Conquering Faith
Chalcedon Monograph series
by William Einwechter
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$8.00
Contemporary Worship Music
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$6.00 (1 in stock)
Cornelius Van Til
by John Frame
from P&R Publishing
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in Reformed Theology (Location: XTH-REF)
$16.00 (1 in stock)
Cost of Discipleship
by Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Foreword by Eric Metaxas
1st edition from Touchstone
for 10th-Adult
in 20th & 21st Century Literature (Location: LIT7-20)
$15.19
Counted Righteous in Christ
by John Piper
from Crossway Books
in Justification & Sanctification (Location: XTH-JUS)
$6.50 (1 in stock)
Covenant of Grace
by John Murray
from P&R Publishing
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$3.00 $2.00 (2 in stock)
Covenantal Apologetics
by K. Scott Oliphint
from Crossway Books
for Adult
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Covenantal Gospel
by C. van der Waal
from Inheritance Publications
in Covenant Theology (Location: XTH-COV)
$17.95
Day and the Hour
from American Vision Press
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$12.00 (1 in stock)
Deep Exegesis
by Peter Leithart
from Baylor University Press
in Biblical Theology (Location: XTH-BIB)
$35.00
Desiring the Kingdom
Cultural Liturgies Volume 1
by James K.A. Smith
from Baker Academics
for 11th-Adult
in Art & Culture (Location: XCU-ART)
$17.50
Destruction of Jerusalem
by George Peter Holford
from Covenant Media Foundation
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$8.00
Dispensationalism
by Keith Mathison
from P&R Publishing
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$12.99 $6.50 (4 in stock)
Doctrine
by Mark Driscoll & Gerry Breshears
from Crossway Books
for 10th-Adult
in Clearance: Christian Books (Location: XCLE)
$9.00
Easy Chairs, Hard Words
by Doug Wilson
from Canon Press
for 9th-Adult
in Reformed Theology (Location: XTH-REF)
$12.00 $7.00 (3 in stock)
Erasing Hell
by Francis Chan, Preston Sprinkle
from David C. Cook
for Adult
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$12.50 $7.50 (1 in stock)
Eschatology of Victory
by J. Marcellus Kik
from P&R Publishing
for 11th-Adult
in Eschatology & Prophecy (Location: XTH-ESCH)
$19.99
Essential Truths of the Christian Faith
by R. C. Sproul
from Tyndale House
for 9th-Adult
in Reformed Theology (Location: XTH-REF)
$17.99 $10.00 (2 in stock)
Experiencing the Trinity
by Darrell W. Johnson
from Regent College
for 9th-Adult
in Theology Proper: The Study of God (Location: XTH-GOD)
$10.00
Explicit Gospel
by Matt Chandler
from Crossway Books
for 9th-Adult
in The Gospel (Location: XTH-GOS)
$11.99 $9.00 (1 in stock)
Faith That Is Never Alone
by P. Andrew Sandlin
from Kerygma Press
for Adult
in Reformed Theology (Location: XTH-REF)
$17.50 (1 in stock)
Family Worship Hymnal - Standard Edition
by Edward Shewan & Michael McHugh
from Christian Liberty Press
for Adult
in Hymnals & Psalters (Location: XWO-HYMN)
$11.00
Family-Integrated Church
by J. Mark Fox
from Xulon Press
for Adult
in Family Worship (Location: BIB-FAWO)
$14.99
Feed My Lambs
by Tim Gallant
from Pactum Reformanda
for 11th-Adult
in Communion (Eucharist) (Location: XWO-SAC2)
$15.95
Fifty Reasons Why Jesus Came to Die
by John Piper
from Crossway Books
for 9th-Adult
in Various Theology (Location: XTH-MISC)
Five Points of Calvinism
by David Steele, Curtis Thomas, S. Lance Quinn
2nd edition from P&R Publishing
for 11th-Adult
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$10.50 $7.50 (3 in stock)
Five Points of Calvinism
by Edwin H. Palmer
from Baker Books
for Adult
in Clearance: Christian Books (Location: XCLE)
$2.00 (1 in stock)
For the Life of the World
by Alexander Schmemann
from St. Vladimir's
for 11th-Adult
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$16.50
Forgotten Heavens
by Douglas Wilson (editor)
from Canon Press
for Adult
in Various Theology (Location: XTH-MISC)
$6.50
Foundations of Social Order
by R. J. Rushdoony
3rd edition from Chalcedon / Ross House Books
in Biblical Law (Location: XTH-LAW)
Four Views on the Book of Revelation
Counterpoints
by C. Marvin Pate, editor
from Zondervan
for Adult
in Eschatology & Prophecy (Location: XTH-ESCH)
$19.99
Freedom of the Will
by Jonathan Edwards
from Dover Publications
for 11th-Adult
in 18th Century Literature (Location: LIT5-18)
$9.95
From Silence to Song
by Peter Leithart
from Canon Press
in Worship & Sabbath (Location: XWO-SABB)
$12.00
Future of Justification
by John Piper
from Crossway Books
for 11th-Adult
in Justification & Sanctification (Location: XTH-JUS)
$13.50
Getting the Gospel Right
by Cornelis P. Venema
from Banner of Truth Trust
for Adult
in The Gospel (Location: XTH-GOS)
$4.50
Getting the Message
by Daniel M. Doriani
from P&R Publishing
for Adult
in Clearance: Christian Books (Location: XCLE)
$5.00 (2 in stock)
Given for You
by Keith Mathison
from P&R Publishing
in Communion (Eucharist) (Location: XWO-SAC2)
$27.99
Glory of Christ
Puritan Paperbacks #22
by John Owen
Abridged from Banner of Truth Trust
for 10th-Adult
in Puritan Writings (Location: XCH-PUR)
Glory of Kings
by Peter Leithart
from Wipf and Stock Publishers
for Adult
in Various Theology (Location: XTH-MISC)
$40.00
God Gave Wine
by Kenneth Gentry
from Oakdown Books
for 11th-Adult
in Culture of Drinking & Wine (Location: XCU-WIN)
$13.95 $7.00 (1 in stock)
God in the Dock
by C. S. Lewis
from Eerdmans
Religion/Philosophy for 9th-Adult
in 20th & 21st Century Literature (Location: LIT7-20)
$18.00
God in Three Persons
by Allen Vander Pol
from P&R Publishing
for 9th-Adult
in Theology Proper: The Study of God (Location: XTH-GOD)
God's Passion for His Glory
by John Piper, Jonathan Edwards
from Crossway Books
for Adult
in Puritan Writings (Location: XCH-PUR)
$12.00
Gold, Frankincense, and Myrrh Volume 1
by Klaas Schilder
from Inheritance Publications
for 9th-Adult
in Devotionals (Location: XCL-DEV)
$6.00 (1 in stock)
Goldsworthy Trilogy
by Graeme Goldsworthy
from Paternoster
for Adult
in Biblical Theology (Location: XTH-BIB)
$19.99
Gospel Treason
by Brad Bigney
from P&R Publishing
for 10th-Adult
in Repentance & Avoiding Sin (Location: XCL-REP)
$7.50 (1 in stock)
Grace Abounding in a Believer's Life
by Charles Spurgeon, compiled and edited by Robert Hall
from Emerald Books
for Adult
in 19th Century Literature (Location: LIT6-19)
$6.00 (1 in stock)
Grasping God's Word - Workbook
by J. Daniel Hays, J. Scott Duvall
3rd edition from Zondervan
for 11th-Adult
in Bible Reference (Location: XBI-REF)
$13.97
Great Tribulation: Past or Future?
by Kenneth L. Gentry Jr., Thomas Ice
from Kregel Publications
for Adult
in Eschatology & Prophecy (Location: XTH-ESCH)
He Gave Us Stories
by Richard L. Pratt Jr.
from P&R Publishing
for Adult
in Bible Surveys (Location: XBI-SURV)
$14.00 $9.00 (1 in stock)
Heaven and Hell
by Edward A. Donnelly
from Banner of Truth Trust
for Adult
in Heaven & Hell (Location: XTH-HEHE)
$13.00
Heaven is for Real
by Todd Burpo with Lynn Vincent
from Thomas Nelson Publishers
for Adult
in Heaven & Hell (Location: XTH-HEHE)
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