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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Amazing Grace - DVD & Workbook
by Jerry Johnson
from Apologetics Group
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$25.00 (4 in stock)
Archko Volume
by Drs. McIntosh and Twyman, translators
Reprint Edition from Keats Publishing, Inc
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Back To Basics
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Basic Guide to Interpreting the Bible
by Robert H. Stein
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Biblical Theology in the Life of the Church
by Michael Lawrence
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Bondage of the Will
by Martin Luther
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Call the Sabbath a Delight
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Challenge of Jesus
by N. T. Wright
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$8.00 (1 in stock)
Chosen by God
by R. C. Sproul
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Cornelius Van Til
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Cornelius Van Til
by John Frame
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Developing Christian Character - Lecture series on DVD
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Dominion Covenant: Genesis
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Easy Chairs, Hard Words
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Essential Truths of the Christian Faith
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Existence and Attributes of God
by Stephen Charnock
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Explicit Gospel
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Explicit Gospel
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Finished Work of Christ
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Five Points of Calvinism
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God Gave Wine
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Gold, Frankincense, and Myrrh Volume 1
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Gospel Treason
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Holiness of God - Lecture Series on Audio CD
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House for My Name
by Peter Leithart
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How to Read the Bible for All Its Worth
by Douglas Stuart, Gordon D. Fee
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Inspiration and Authority of the Bible
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Institutes of Biblical Law Volume I
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Institutes of Christian Religion (abridged)
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Is Jesus Coming Soon
by Gary DeMar
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Justified by Faith Alone - Lecture series on 2 DVDs
by R. C. Sproul
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Legacy of John Calvin
The Calvin 500 Series
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Biography for 9th-Adult
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Life of Christ
by James Stalker
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Life of Christ - Answer Key
by Michael McHugh & Edward Shewan
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Manual of Christian Doctrine
by Louis Berkhof
2nd edition from Christian Liberty Press
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Method of Grace
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Christian Philosophy for 10th-Adult
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by William Hendriksen
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O Worship the King
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Plan of Salvation
by Benjamin B. Warfield
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Pleasures of God
by John Piper
from Multnomah Books
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$7.00 (1 in stock)
Pocket Dictionary of Theological Terms
by Cherith Fee Nordling, David Guretzki, Stanley J. Grenz
from InterVarsity Press
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Practical Implications of Calvinism
by A.N. Martin
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Primeval Saints
by James Jordan
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Reformed Faith
by Loraine Boettner
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Renewing Your Mind
by R. C. Sproul
from Baker Books
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$15.00 $4.00 (3 in stock)
Reverberation
by Jonathan Leeman
from Moody Press
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$6.00 (1 in stock)
Sabbath Readings for the Home Circle
by M. A. Vroman
from A. B. Publishing, Inc.
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in Morality Tales (Location: FIC-WH05)
$5.50 (1 in stock)
Tithing and Dominion
by Edward A. Powell & R. J. Rushdoony
from Chalcedon / Ross House Books
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$8.00 $4.00 (6 in stock)
To A Thousand Generations
by Doug Wilson
from Canon Press
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Tools of Dominion
by Gary North
from Institute for Christian Economics
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What Christians Believe at a Glance
from Rose Publishing
for 9th-Adult
$8.00 (1 in stock)
What is Providence?
Basics of the Reformed Faith
by Derek W. H. Thomas
from P&R Publishing
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in Basics of the Faith (Location: XNC-BAS)
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What is Reformed Theology?
by R. C. Sproul
2016 Reissue from Baker Books
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Who Stopped the Clock?
by Vic Lockman
from Vic Lockman
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by Leland Ryken
from Crossway Books
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