Christian Theology [Hardcover]

Millard J. Erickson (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: August 1, 1998

Leading theologian Millard Erickson's classic text has been used widely as a reliable and comprehensive introduction to systematic theology, focusing around the magnificence of God, covering topics such as Sin, the Persons of the Trinity, and the Church. The second edition has been revised and updated to take into consideration changes in the theological world as well as changes in the intellectual, political, economic, and social worlds. (67)

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Millard J. Erickson is Distinguished Professor of Theology at Baylor University's Truett Seminary and at Western Seminary, Portland. He is a leading evangelical spokesperson with numerous volumes to his credit, including God the Father Almighty, God in Three Persons, The Word Became Flesh, and Postmodernizing the Faith.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 1312 pages
• Publisher: Baker Academic; 2 edition (August 1, 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0801021820
• ISBN-13: 978-0801021824
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 6.5 x 2.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3.6 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (46 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #4,610 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #69 in Books > Christian Books & Bibles > Theology

More About the Author

Millard J. Erickson (B.A., University of Minnesota, B.D., Northern Baptist Theological Seminary, M.A., University of Chicago, Ph.D., Northwestern University) has taught theology at several evangelical seminaries. He has written over twenty-five books and numerous articles. He and his wife, Virginia, have three daughters and live in Mounds View, Minnesota.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

80 of 84 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Standard, Higher Education Text, May 23, 2003

By 

Jacob Aitken (Pineville, LA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Christian Theology (Hardcover)

I bought this theology at the urging of one of my ministers at Church. I found the book deep, but not overwhelming. Erickson comes from a robustly evangelical, gently Calvinistic background. He is respected by moderates and conservatives alike for interacting with other positions fairly, namely that position of Karl Barth--Erickson offering an Evangelical interaction.

For the information of one reviewer who said that Erickson's book Lacked the intellectual rigor of a Barth or Rahner, I would reply that this is an intro-level text at seminary , not a doctoral text (I went to one seminary bookstore to look around and conversed with other PhD students to find this out). In fact, Erickson's willingness to interact with Barth on numerous occasions is praiseworthy. Although Erickson is said to be Calvinistic in his approach, there will be times that he annoys Calvinists (See Wayne Grudem for a slight difference in, for example, "Does Regeneration precede faith?"). To get the most out of this text, read another systematic theology at the same time to compare and contrast.

Final Analysis:
THis is a good work, especially for young evangelicals as myself. It is a work that will get one excited about systematic theology.

56 of 59 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Seminary Level Evangelical Systematic Theology, February 15, 2002

By 

Todd Hudnall (Colorado Springs, CO) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Christian Theology (Hardcover)

"Christian Theology" by Millard Erickson is a comprehensive, seminary level, evangelical systematic theology. Erickson is obviously well studied in a vast array of theological issues from various schools of thought. Typically he will present common viewpoints on a subject and then make an argument for his own position. Most of Erickson's positions seem clearly Calvinistic, but he treats other views with fairness, appreciation, and respect. Though I come from a dissimilar denominational background and some of my personal views are very different than his, I never felt my beliefs were under an unfair scrutiny or malicious attack. The book was so engaging and interesting that I actually found it hard to put down. I highly recommend the book to anyone desiring to study Christian theology at a seminary level.

27 of 29 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Balanced and Comprehensive, September 18, 2004

By 

Steve Jackson "stevejackson100atyahoocom" (New England) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Christian Theology (Hardcover)

Millard Erickson is one of the most prolific evangelical theologians writing today. His CHRISTIAN THEOLOGY is (from what I've read) the most widely used systematic theology in Baptist seminaries. The doctrinal perspective of this work is premillenial, baptistic and moderately Calvinistic.

One of the advantages of this book is that Prof. Erickson doesn't bombard the reader with a list of theologians who have opined on various topics. He takes a topic, discusses three or four key thinkers and options, analyzes them, and gives his own opinion.

Prof. Erickson discusses most of the major topics of theology, including important background areas such as biblical criticism, the relationship between theology and philosophy, and contemporizing the Christian message. One area that Prof. Erickson skates over is that of women in the ministry. Last I checked, Prof. Erickson is a member of a pro-women's ordination group called Christians for Biblical Equality, but you wouldn't know it from reading this book. The discussion of women implies that he supports it, but he isn't as clear as one would expect. (See p. 565-66.)

For even more conservative protestant works in systematic theology, readers should consider the works of Robert Reymond and Wayne Grudem.