Speaking of Summer Reading

In light my of previous post regarding some suggested reading for Summer (Click here), several people have asked me about which Reformed "classics" they should read.

Here's a brief list of books which I recommend that every Reformed Christian read at least once.  I'm sure you have your favorites, but these are the ones I think most helpful.

J. Gresham Machen's Christianity and Liberalism (Eerdmans) Click here: This is a powerful apologetic for the truth of the gospel and clearly spells out the difference between true evangelical Christianity (as expressed in the Reformation creeds) and the "evangelicalism" of both Protestant liberalism (Machen's foe) and modern American evangelicalism (which is so much like the Protestant liberalism of Machen's day the ironies cannot be missed).

B. B. Warfield's Inspiration and Authority of the Bible (P & R) Click here:  This is not an easy read, but remains an important read.  It presupposes some knowledge of Greek and Hebrew, but you can slog through it without knowing either.  This book is frequently the object of scorn, but still remains a standard defense of inerrancy and to my mind, Warfield's critics have never refuted his arguments.

Calvin's Institutes (the Battles edition, Westminster/Knox) Click here:  If you call yourself "Reformed" and haven't read the Institutes, shame on you.  Now is the time!

John Murray's Redemption Accomplished and Applied (Eerdmans) Click here:  Given the debate within evangelical circles about justification and the nature of Christ's sacrificial work on the cross, this is must reading.  Murray is not very helpful on covenant, but his quirky view of the covenant of works is not a factor here.

Geerhardus Vos' Biblical Theology (Banner) Click here:  This too is not an easy read, although it is well-worth the labor.  Vos is the father of Reformed biblical theology and will give you a sense of the big-picture unity of redemptive history.  A great corrective for those of you who were raised as dispensationalists!  I've also posted an outline of this book on the blog (Click here)

John Owen's Indwelling Sin (a modern version published with two other works--Crossway)  Click here:   For those of you raised in American evangelicalism or Roman Catholicism, Owen's presentation of gospel-driven sanctification will be a real blessing to you.  Highly recommended.  Good on Crossway for re-doing this in an attractive format.

This should get you started!

Comments

[Danny Hyde]

Hi Kim,

I'm currently lecturing through John Owen's, Of the Mortification of Sin, for our Wednesday Study in Theology. The audio can be found on SermonAudio: http://www.sermonaudio.com/search.asp?sourceonly=true&currSection=sermonssource&keyword=oceansideurc&subsetcat=series&subsetitem=John+Owen+on+Mortification

["lee n. field"]

Timely list. I'd just finished Hendrickson's _More than Conquerers_, and wondered what to read next. I picked up _God, Heaven and Har Magedon_ (for like the 4th read through).

Owen is the only thing I don't actually have on my shelves, but most of this isn't fresh in my mind.

[RubeRad]

I'm in the middle of these lectures by D.G.Hart: "Defending the Faith: J Gresham Machen and the crisis of American Protestantism"

http://www.cpcomaha.org/CLC/CLConference.html

These would be a great listen for anybody that finishes <i>Christianity & Liberalism</i> (not to imply that this is difficult; C&L Is a easy & mind-blowing read!) or, probably also your Warfield reccomendation, because the second lecture is all about Machen's view of inerrancy and its kinship to Old Princeton and its contention against liberalism.

[Constantine]

Thank you, Dr. Riddlebarger, for these and your earlier recommendations.

Summer reading?

You all must be amazingly speedy readers or live in a part of the world where Summer is 8 months long!

Blessings to all.

[Lloyd I. Cadle]

I've read all of Calvin's Institues (the NcNeill-Battles edition). That'll keep em busy for far more than the summer!

[Syd]

It took me my fourth year (part time) of moving through a Reformed seminary before I encountered Christiainty and Liberalism, and it was a great eye opener. The residual effects of liberalism -- insidious because they are not as blatantly obvious to all unlike what Machen was addressing -- are all over evangelical churches today. I highly, highly recommend. I also have been working through a third and fourth time Owen's Mortification. I am hoping to work through it paragraph by paragraph with my sons (18 and 23) this summer. Thanks for the list!

[Bette Keith]

'The Reformed Faith' -- Robert Shaw, Christian Focus Publications This book is a wonderful aid to Christians wanting to get hold of the teachings of scripture and clearly shows the relevance of 'The Westminster Confession' to our understanding of the reformed faith today. Recommended as a necessary reference and read. May our sovereign and loving Heavenly Father bless your endeavours and may revival and restoration of reformation truths come to this needy and liberal age. We have had a sad week here in Australia where it has been shown 'openly' that God's word is no longer the absolute measure that we should live by.