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Is there a standard Systematic Theology for IBF churches then?

JesusFan

Well-Known Member
Would there be a theology that Independent Baptists would view as their standard to use then?

maybe recent one by Dr John MacArthur?
 

John of Japan

Well-Known Member
Site Supporter
In the first place, your title is wrong. Churches don't use systematic theologies usually. Perhaps you mean schools. In that case you would have to mean seminaries, since colleges don't usually have systematic theology courses, though I have heard of it. If a Bible college does have a course in it, they would probably use Introductory Lectures in Systematic Theology, by Henry Theissen--kind of old, but still good.

As for seminaries, the go to Baptist volume nowadays is Christian Theology, 3rd ed., by Millard Erickson. I took courses from the 2nd ed. years ago in seminary, and now teach Eschatology from the 3rd ed. This is an excellent textbook on the subject.

I really don't know who would use MacArthur's--didn't even know he had written one. But MacArthur is so strongly Calvinist, I doubt that a non-Calvinist school would use his volume.

Just looked at it on Amazon. The MacArthur volume is considerably more expensive than Erickson. That's a consideration for a prof. Seminary students are not rolling in dough.
 
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Deacon

Well-Known Member
Site Supporter
Would there be a theology that Independent Baptists would view as their standard to use then?
No, there is not a "standard" Systematic Theology text for Independent Baptists - we tend to be quite independent.
But there are many different Baptist Systematic Theology texts.

Typically here at the BB, people want a book that supports what they already believe (lol).
What flavor are you looking for?

Rob
 
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Ben1445

Well-Known Member
I had four semesters of systematic theology. There were several different textbooks because someone might be very good in one subject and have some strange ideas elsewhere. As an example, I have Landmark outlines for 10 major doctrines. I have their “Ecclesiology” outlines but I won’t use them and would only refer to them to find out generally what someone believes if I found myself needing to be a bit more well versed in a topic I expect to have conversation on.
I don’t agree with every point they ever make but they are not far off on everything else. I just don’t value their opinions on what a church is.
I have several books that way. They are most helpful when people have questions and you can get right to the section you want to study up on.
 
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