See the publications page to see our writings

(1)–Beginning (2)–Intermediate (3)–Advanced (Let us know if any of the links are broken)

Remember, as with anything, "recommendation" doesn't necessarily mean full agreement. Most recommendations below are items that are good for intellectual/theological engagement, and will aid in growth, though they will inevitably include things we disagree with.

Bibles

• English Standard Version (ESV)- This is a readable and reliable translation of the Bible from the Greek and Hebrew. This is the version Daniel uses for all his study, preaching, teaching, and reading.

• New American Standard Bible (NASB)- This is an accurate translation of the Bible, used widely, especially amongst conservative Christians. This is the version Drew uses for his study, preaching, teaching and reading

• King James Version (KJV; also called Authorized Version, or AV)- This translation of the Bible remains one of the most used English translations in the world, and has a certain majesty about it. It can be difficult to understand, but with practice most difficulties go away. It is also accurate. You can also take a look at the modernized version of this translation, the NKJV (New KJV)

• (We do not recommend the NIV, The Message, the Amplified Bible, and many others. It is not that these are altogether bad, but that much more reliable/accurate translations are available for the same cost. The (H)CSB is one that we considered adding to our list of recommendations, but there are certain quirky aspects that make it cumbersome in corporate settings, and God designed the Bible to read with others.)

Books

• Christian Classics Ethereal Library (CCEL)- This is a website including tons of Christian books from all eras. I regularly use it. Their books can be read for free (usually) in PDF or online, and often purchased for a couple bucks on Amazon. I'll list it under "websites" as well, without this long statement.

• Monergism- This site has many books, as well as other materials, all within the Reformed tradition. In some ways its more limited than the website above, in some ways it has more materials (because it includes mp3's, etc.). This will also be listed below in the websites section.

• Reformed Reader- Library of Reformed Baptist documents, including books and confessions. Use the "documents" and "library" tabs at the top. There's also a helpful "International Church Directory" on the side that provides information on (often) Reformed Baptist churches across the world. Also listed in websites section.

• Books at a Glance- This website provides summaries, reviews, interviews, and blog posts on good books as they come out. They also keep an updated list of the various articles associated with the current Trinity debate regarding the unbiblical notion of the eternal submission of the Son to the Father.

• Creeds, Confessions, and Catechisms

  • The Creedal Imperative by Carl Trueman

  • 1689 Baptist Confession of Faith: A Modern Exposition by Sam Waldron

  • 1689 London Baptist Confession of Faith or Paperback: This is our Confession of Faith.

  • Baptist Catechism (Sometimes called “Keach’s Catechisn”). A version is at the back of the Confession listed above. Be sure to look at the original rather than other modifications. (You can tell by the number of questions. The original has 114)

  • An Orthodox Catechism by Hercules Collins

  • Need for Creeds Today by J. V. Fesko

  • The Spirit of the Age by J. V. Fesko. Though this book could be included in the Pneumatology" section below, it looks at the Holy Spirit in the Westminster Confession of Faith.

  • Baptist Confessions of Faith by William Lumpkin

  • Confessing the Faith: The Living Legacy of Southern Seminary's Abstract of Principles by the faculty of Southern in 2016 (This book can only be purchasaed through the campus LifeWay Bookstore, which can be contacted at 502-897-4506. The link here opens to a Baptist Press article on the book).

  • For the Vindication of the Truth: A Brief Exposition of the First London Baptist Confession of Faith by James M. Renihan

  • Daniel's book expositing the BF&M 2000 can be viewed at the link provided on the publications page.

• Biblical Theology

  • (2–3) God's Glory in Salvation through Judgment by Jim Hamilton

  • (3) Kingdom through Covenant by Peter Gentry and Stephen Wellum (This book could also be categorized in Covenant Theology below. See Daniel’s article mentioned on the publications page that highlights commonalities with what’s called Progressive Covenantalism, which this book establishes, and the form of covenant theology we would affirm, outlined in the Coxe, Barcellos, and Renihan books below).

    • (2) God's Kingdom through God's Covenants by Peter Gentry and Stephen Wellum (an abridgment of the book above)

  • (2–3) Biblical Theology: Old and New Testaments by Geerhardus Vos (this is the standard for Reformed Biblical Theology)

• Covenant Theology

  • (1) Kingdom of God: A Baptist Expression of Covenant & Biblical Theology by Jeffery Johnson (Baptist)

  • (1–2) The Mystery of Christ: His Covenant & His Kingdom by Samuel Renihan. This book begins fairly dense as he lays the groundwork, but once the tools of interpretation are in place, it’s an accessible read. (Baptist)

  • (2) Covenant Theology: From Adam to Christ by Nehemiah Coxe and John Owen (Baptist)

  • (2) The Distinctiveness of Baptist Covenant Theology by Pascal Denault (Baptist)

  • (2) Recovering a Covenantal Heritage: Essays in Baptist Covenant Theology by Various (edited by Richard Barcellos, Baptist)

  • (2-3) The Display of Glorious Grace, or The Covenant of Peace Opened by Benjamin Keach. Also, see his Everlasting Covenant

  • (2–3) Getting the Garden Right by Richard Barcellos (This is an argument for the covenant of works and the enduring reality of the Sabbath, even into the New Covenant. Thus, we include it below as well under "Creation")

  • (2–3) Economy of the Covenants by Herman Witsius. This is something of the touchstone of original works of covenant theology.

  • (3) The Covenant of Redemption: Origins, Development, and Reception by J. V. Fesko (expensive, but great historical overview)

  • (3) The Trinity and the Covenant of Redemption by J. V. Fesko. (This is a biblical and systematic treatment, though it includes a summarized version of the book above.

  • "The Doctrine of the Covenant in Reformed Theology" by Geerhardus Vos

  • (3) Progressive Covenantalism: Charting a Course Between Dispensational and Covenantal Theologies by Various (edited by Stephen Wellum, Baptist but different from those above)

• Whole Systematic Theologies

  • (1) Everyone's a Theologian by R.C. Sproul

  • (1–2) Pilgrim Theology: Core Doctrines for Christian Disciples by Michael Horton (This is a simpler version of his Systematic Theology below)

  • (1–2) Manual of Theology (and Manual of Church Order) by John Dagg. This is a very approachable, Reformed and Baptist work of systematic theology. Two items of note: Dagg was the first writing Southern Baptist theologian and Dagg was blind.

  • (2) Systematic Theology: An Introduction to Biblical Doctrine by Wayne Grudem (There are serious shortcomings in Grudem's theology, but this is an often referenced volume today so familiarization with it is important.)

  • (2–3) Institutes of the Christian Religion by John Calvin (translation by Battles is easier to read and includes helpful notes)

  • (2–3) Systematic Theology: An Introduction to Christian Belief by John Frame (This includes abridged material from Frame's "Doctrine" books below)

  • (2–3) Abstract of Systematic Theology by James P. Boyce

  • (2-3) A Puritan Theology: Doctrine for Life by Joel Beeke and Mark Jones (consider their Meet the Puritans listed below under church history; the two are companions and can often be purchased together)

  • (2–3) Christian Faith: A Systematic Theology for Pilgrim's on the Way by Michael Horton (This is a fuller version of his Pilgrim Theology above)

  • (2–3) The Christian's Reasonable Service by Wilhelmus á Brakel (This is a surprisingly readable set works on theology; though we link to WTS, it is often cheaper on Reformation Heritage Books' site)

  • (3) Systematic Theology by Charles Hodge (this three-volume work is immense in its influence on American theology)

  • (3) Reformed Dogmatics by Herman Bavinck (This is a 4 volume set; we will also be including the individual volumes of this work in their categories below)

    • (3) Reformed Dogmatics: Abridge in One Volume by Herman Bavinck

    • (2) Even better, check out Bavinck’s own accessible version, The Wonderful Works of God

  • (3) Institutes of Elenctic Theology by Francis Turretin

  • (3) Body of Divinity by John Gill

  • (3) Summa Theologiae by Thomas Aquinas (often just called Thomas), his theology was adopted pretty much wholesale by the Roman Church, but it was also very influential for the reasoning behind many doctrines expressed by confessional Protestants as well (see this by Carl Trueman; this work can be accessed in a variety of forms)

  • (3+) Syntagmatis Theologiae Christianae by Amandus Polanus. If you want to try your hand at reading very dense theology in a language most of us weren’t taught as children, this work has been one of the standards for high-level Reformed Orthodox theological discourse.

• Prolegomena ("First things," i.e. how to do theology)

  • (1) A Little Book for New Theologians: Why and How to Study Theology by Kelly Kapic (Two notes on this book: 1) Kelly is a man, not a woman and 2) "Little" and "New" does not mean that this is for children. It is for beginning theologians, i.e. anyone looking to begin studying theology)

  • (2-3) Doctrine of the Knowledge of God by John Frame

  • (3) Reformed Dogmatics: Volume 1, Prolegomena by Herman Bavinck

  • (3) Covenant and Eschatology by Michael Horton

• Scripture

  • (1–3) God's Word Alone: The Authority of Scripture by Matthew Barrett– We hesitate to categorize this one on a difficulty scale because we believe it is both very accessible and fairly thorough

  • (3) Thy Word is Still Truth: Essential Writings on the Doctrine of Scripture from the Reformation to Today by Various

  • (3) The Doctrine of the Word of God by John Frame

  • (3) Light in a Dark Place: The Doctrine of Scripture by John Feinberg

  • (3) Inspiration and Authority of the Bible (it is also volume 1 in the Works) by Benjamin B. Warfield

  • (3) The Enduring Authority of the Christian Scriptures ed. by D. A. Carson

  • (3) The Death of Scripture and the Rise of Biblical Studies by Michael Legaspi. This is a historical book that is key to understanding the posture of the academy to the Bible today

• Theology Proper (Doctrine of God)

  • (1) Holiness of God by R.C. Sproul

  • (1) Knowing God by J.I. Packer

  • (1) Consubstantial Trinity by Michael A. G. Haykin

  • (1–2) The Trinity: An Introduction by Scott Swain. See Daniel's post on it here.

  • (2) God's Glory Alone by David VanDrunen

  • (2) The Triune God by Fred Sanders

  • (2) The Quest for the Trinity by Stephen Holmes

  • (2) None Greater by Matthew Barrett (Daniel’s review)

  • (3) All that is in God by James Dolezal (see the lecture series this book was drawn from here).

  • (3) On God and Christ by Gregory of Nazianzus

  • (3) Monologion and Proslogion by Anselm (you can find this in a variety of formats and online)

  • (3) The Trinity (De Trinitate) by Augustine (this can be found online in English here or in the original Latin here or in various print translations, but especially this one). This is the most influential work on the Holy Trinity in the Western tradition

  • (3) Eternal God by Paul Helm (This book is extremely important for clarifying what we mean when we say God is "eternal")

  • (3) Nicaea and Its Legacy by Lewis Ayres

• Creation (Treatments here will usually cover such things as the relationship between God and creation, and therefore providence and sovereignty)

  • (1) Behold Our Sovereign God by Mitch Chase

  • (2) Trinity & Creation by Richard Barcellos. See Daniel’s post on it here.

  • (2–3) Getting the Garden Right by Richard Barcellos (This is an argument for the covenant of works and the enduring reality of the Sabbath, even into the New Covenant. Thus, we include it above as well under "Covenant Theology")

  • (3) The Providence of God by Paul Helm

  • (3) Reformed Dogmatics: Volume 2, God and Creation (p. 406ff) by Herman Bavinck

• Anthropology (Doctrine of Man)

  • (2-3) Created in God's Image by Anthony Hoekema. This is a good introduction to the topic. Read Daniel’s review here.

• Hamartiology (Sin)

  • (2-3) The Imputation of Adam's Sin by John Murray

  • (3) Getting the Garden Right: Adam's Work and God's Rest in Light of Christ by Richard Barcellos (It's hard to decide where to put this book, but we figure here's as good a place as any because the first part deals with the covenant of works. The second, and much larger, part is a defense of the Lord's Day as the Christian Sabbath)

• Christology (Person and Work of Christ)

  • (2) The Cross of Christ by John Stott

  • (2) Christ Alone: The Uniqueness of Jesus as Savior by Stephen Wellum. This book looks at the whole topic of Christology, particularly highlighting near the end the importance of holding to this Reformation doctrine.

  • (2) On the Incarnation by Athanasius. This is a classic on the doctrine of the incarnation and the introduction by C. S. Lewis is a modern classic in its own right.

  • (2) On the Unity of Christ by Cyril of Alexandria. This is also a classic treatise in Christology, particularly looking at Christ’s two natures.

  • (2–3) Cur Deus Homo (Why God Became Man) by Anselm. This is available in a number of formats. We list it below under soteriology as well.

  • (2-3) God the Son Incarnate by Stephen Wellum. This book is the content of his Person of Christ Course at The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. He looks theologically at the contemporary, biblical, and historical issues related to this doctrine.

  • (2-3) The Person of Christ by Donald MacLeod

• Pneumatology (Doctrine of the Spirit)

  • (2) The Holy Spirit by Sinclair Fergusen

  • (2) Rediscovering the Holy Spirit by Michael Horton

  • (3) On the Holy Spirit by St. Basil of Caesarea

  • (3) The Holy Spirit by John Owen, Works Vol. 3

  • (3) Reformed Dogmatics, Vol. 4: Holy Spirit, Church and New Creation by Herman Bavinck

  • (3) Engaging the Doctrine of the Holy Spirit by Matthew Levering Roman Catholic (Though he's a Roman Catholic, and we generally refrain from recommending Papist works, this work does well at showing the contours of the doctrine of the Spirit in Augustine and Thomas)

• Soteriology (Doctrine of Salvation)

  • (1) Chosen by God by R.C. Sproul

  • (2) Redemption Accomplished and Applied by John Murray

  • (2) Marrow of True Justification by Benjamin Keach (Two sermons, written in 17th century English, so we’re ranking them a "2"; he's arguing against the errors of "Baxterianism")

  • (2–3) Cur Deus Homo by Anselm

  • (3) Reformed Dogmatics, Vol. 3: Sin and Salvation in Christ by Herman Bavinck

  • (3) From Heaven He Came and Sought Her: Definite Atonement in Historical, Biblical, Theological and Pastoral Perspective by Various

  • (3) The Death of Death in the Death of Christ by John Owen

  • (3) Faith and Its Evidences by John Owen

• Ecclesiology (Doctrine of the Church)

  • (1) Nine Marks of a Healthy Church by Mark Dever

  • (1–2) The Lord's Supper as a Means of Grace: More than a Memory by Richard Barcellos

  • (3) Baptist Foundations: Church Government for an Anti-Institutional Age by Various

  • (3) Believer's Baptism: Sign of the New Covenant in Christ by Various

  • (3) Sojourners and Stranges: The Doctrine of the Church by Gregg Allison

  • (3) The Works of William Perkins, vol. 7 by William Perkins, ed. Shawn Wright and Andrew Ballitch. This book is particularly helpful for demarcating the difference between Protestant catholicism and Roman Catholicism.

• Politics

  • (1) How the Nations Rage: Rethinking Faith and Politics in a Divided Age by Jonathan Leeman.

• Eschatology (Doctrine of Last Things)

  • (2-3) The Bible and the Future by Anthony Hoekema. This is written from an Amillenial perspective and spends a decent amount of time articulating the problems with Dispensationalism.

  • (3) The Presence of the Future by George E. Ladd (Read Daniel’s book summary at Books-at-a Glance here)

  • (3) Kingdom Come by Sam Storms

• Prayer

  • (1) Praying the Bible by Donald Whitney. Read Daniel’s review here.

  • (1) The Prayer that Turns the World Upside Down by R. Albert Mohler

  • (2) Prayer: Experiencing Awe and Intimacy with God by Timothy Keller

  • (3) Sacred Disertations on the Lord's Prayer by Herman Witsius (Read Daniel’s summaries here: 1, 2, 3, 4)

• Sabbath

  • (1) Call the Sabbath a Delight by Walter Chantry

  • (1–2) The Day of Worship by Ryan M. McGraw

  • (1–2) The Lord’s Day by Joseph Pipa

  • (2) Getting the Garden Right by Richard Barcellos

  • (3) The Christian Sabbath by Robert Paul Martin

  • (3) Calvin and the Sabbath by Richard Gaffin

• Church History

  • (1-2) Luther on the Christian Life by Carl Trueman, This looks specifically at some of the specifics in Luther's theology and challenges some of the attitudes of Evangelicals today.

  • (1) Kiffen, Knollys, and Keach by Michael A. G. Haykin

  • (2) The Baptists, Vols. 1-3 by Tom Nettles

  • (2) The Excellent Benjamin Keach by Austin Walker

  • (2) Meet the Puritans: With a Guide to Modern Reprints by Joel Beeke and Mark Jones (consider their A Puritan Theology listed above under whole systematic theologies; the two are companions and can often be purchased together)

  • (3) James Petigru Boyce: A Southern Baptist Statesman by Tom Nettles

  • (3) From Shadow to Substance by Samuel Renihan

  • (3) Nicaea and Its Legacy by Lewis Ayres