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 INTRODUCING CHRISTIAN DOCTRINE by Millard J. Erickson July 7, 2008
Introducing Christian Doctrine (second edition), written by Millard J. Erickson and edited by L. Arnold Hustad, is a briefer version of Erickson's previous work, Christian Theology. Introducing Christian Doctrine is an introductory-level textbook in systematic theology.
This book covers the full gamut of Christian theology, with sections on what theology is, God's revelation, the nature and work of god, humanity and sin, the person and work of Christ, the Holy Spirit, salvation, the church, and eschatology. On issues of doctrine, Erickson explains the various positions, identifies their strengths and weaknesses, and then pronounces which he believes is the best position. The reader may not always agree, but Erickson's arguments are well-reasoned and logical.
Introducing Christian Doctrine is easy to read, perhaps surprisingly so, both for theology students and laity. And in addition to being a worthwhile textbook, it also serves as a very handy quick reference guide to doctrinal questions. No self-respecting theologian should be without it.
Introducing Christian Doctrine - Millard J. Erickson October 1, 2007
2 out of 2 found this review helpful
As an abridged version of a longer, more detailed theology text, I anticipated that this shorter volume from Erickson would neglect some key areas in systematics. I was wrong. Introducing Christian Doctrine is jam-packed without being overstuffed. It has sacrificed nothing essential as far as I can tell. There are times that I wish the theological discussions would continue on a little more but there are more copious volumes out there that treat most of these subjects with greater depth. My only complaint is that Erickson doesn't provide a list of titles for further study on each of the theological topics he discusses. Most chapters end with a huge chunk of white space available on the page and it's possible that a list of recommendations to explore each topic further would've been helpful. But that is a minor defect in a surprisingly rich book.
Erickson follows the standard model of "description, examination, evaluation, and final conclusion" in presenting his topics. This helps the reader get a good grasp of what the doctrine in question is all about, how it has been supported by its proponents, how it stands to biblical scrutiny, and finally whether or not it is tenable. Especially helpful is the "implications" section in some of the chapters. After reviewing the biblical data, he concludes and suggests what the implications of the particular theological viewpoint would be if held correctly.
Erickson provides a brief roadmap and study guide to each chapter which is usually only a page long. Included here are the chapter objectives, the chapter summary, a list of study questions, and a chapter outline. However tempted I always am to skip right to the meat of the text, I force myself to read this preparatory section because Erickson always does a good job of priming the reader for the chapter ahead. It's like seeing the big picture at the begging and then focusing on the details afterwards. With an eye on the whole map you can learn the smaller areas with greater ease.
As far as the content goes, I disagree with Erickson on a relatively small number of things. Most notably his conclusion on the issue of eschatology (pp. 393-400) as well as his theodicy (pp. 147-149). Nonetheless, even when we disagree I appreciate the fact that he refrains from "strawmanning" and caricaturing the positions he tends to disagree with. With a coolness that most of us don't operate with he simply refutes the views he disagrees with by using a palette of Scriptural documentation. Whatever my disagreements with him are, I respect the way he frames the opposing views and rejects them without sensationalistic dismissals. I even appreciated that he had a section on Postmodernity and Theology.
For a thoughtful, biblical, and eminently readable text on theology, I'd readily recommend this shortened version of his longer work on systematics. Introducing Christian Doctrine is a lot like John Frame's Salvation Belongs to the Lord, and while it's a tad more technical, it's by no means unapproachable by the average layman. Introducing Christian Doctrine is a solid, readable work whose staying power has been confirmed by its widespread usage in the academic world.
Nicely done abridgement September 17, 2007
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
I have been quite happy with this abridged version of Erickson's 1300-word Christian Theology. While I find the full verison to be one of the more excellent references out there and think it is well-suited for a more advanced theological course, it boggles the mind of many students in an introductory course. This condensed version of Erickson's work by his former grad student Arnold Hustad is perfect for an undergraduate introduction to Christian theology.
Informative and easy to understand May 29, 2004
8 out of 9 found this review helpful
I am not a school student anymore, but when I wanted clarification of certain Biblical doctrines, a friend of mine pointed me to this book. This book was written by Dr. Millard J. Erickson, a widely respected Evangelical professor of theology, and is widely used as a textbook throughout the United States. The book is divided into twelve parts: 1) The Doing of Theology (studying and contemporizing theology), 2) God's Revelation, 3) The Nature of God, 4) The Work of God, 5) Humanity , 6) Sin, 7) The Person of Christ, 8) The Work of Christ, 9) The Holy Spirit, 10) Salvation, 11) The Church (nature, government and ordinances), and 12) The Last Things (eschatology).Unlike what you might expect from a textbook, I found this book to be very readable, with the issues being spelled out in easy to read language, with the different views of the doctrines being explained, with the author then focusing in on his view and how and why it differs from the other views. Overall, this book answered my questions quite nicely, giving me a much better understanding. So, even if you are a simple layperson like me, you will benefit from having this book. I highly recommend it.
Succinct, well-stated theology January 4, 2002
15 out of 15 found this review helpful
My seminary diploma from Bethel has Erickson's signature on it (when he was there back in the 1980's), so I am familiar with this man's work. I studied theology using his Christian Theology text (it was 3 volumes at the time). I love what he has done in this second edition volume of Introducing Christian Doctrine, as he was able to condense his material to fit into 400 pages. He admits in his preface that it was his editor who is reponsible for being able to chop down his work in such a radical way, and I fully understand that the hardest task for a writer to do is to edit down his own work. Anyway, it worked. We are using this text for the first time in our private Christian high school's junior and senior Bible classes. Some students appear to be a little lost, but many are welcoming the challenge to clearer thinking. The book is not "Theology Light," as another reviewer seemed to suggest, so please don't approach it as "easy." Good systematic theology takes lots of work, plenty of wrestling with scripture, and many restless nights. But I like the fact that this text is a softer approach (without a complete "dumbing down" of the material) for first-time theology students. (I'd be happy to let anyone know the results by the end of 2002 when we will complete this text.) Also, I like about Erickson's attitude is that, while he certainly has presuppositions, he attempts to fairly lay out the possibilities on issues that certainly divide Christians into separate camps. He gives his opinion, but he doesn't treat it as if anyone who disagrees is a heretic. All in all, Erickson's work gets a thumbs up for those who want an overview on the basic teachings of Christianity.
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