Basic Theology: A Popular Systematic Guide to Understanding Biblical Truth Hardcover – January 11, 1999

I finished reading Basic Theology in 1991 right after I returned from Iraq. After Bible College and Seminary we pastors sometimes accidentally reccomend resources that are out of the reach of many of our parishoners. This one is an exception! Have no fear of reccomending this text for anyone, especially new believers (and young people who are seeking to understand the Bible.) When I baptize a new believer I purchase them a Ryrie study Bible. It is not that I endorse all that Ryrie teaches, but the consistancy he brings in his study Bible is helpful. Besides, if this book is purchased as a companion to The Ryrie Study Bible, Ryrie's bias can be compensated for since it is known.R. Bultmann (proving a broken clock is right twice daily) once said that "presuppositionless exegesis is impossible." To understand the presuppositions behind the Ryrie Study Bible examining Basic Theology has no second!Dr. Robert Stein once said in Hermeneutics class that everyone should learn one system of Theology as a touch stone to compare all other systems one encounters. For a young Christian this is a perfect example of a touch stone to enter into dialogue with other systems of Theology.Several high school students were so impressed with (in a previous church) that they saved their allowances and each bought a copy. They were not disappointed. It was exciting that they were able to begin to access the Bible in a systematic manner. Ryrie puts it all together, in a readable format.If you are looking for a present to give on Epiphany Sunday this is an excellent gift. The value of the ease of reading cannot be stressed enough! This was part of his goal in writing and he accomplishes this and his other goals in an agreeable manor. There is a glossary in the back that explains the technical words which the average layman does not know, but should learn. This is not the text my Bible college used for Introduction to Doctrine, but there are several that do use it as an introductory text book.For those who are not a fan of Ryrie or Dispensational Theology (whether progressive, traditional or classic), this book is still worth having. Ryrie consistantly honors God and holds an undeniably high view of Scripture. He is doing his best to engage the text, aware of his own bias. We should be so humble as to write a book that people can understand! Ryrie demonstrates his firm grasp of the content of the Bible as he put this book together in simple (not simplistic or reductionistic) terms. If your goal is to read and understand the major doctrines of Scripture, and you want a book that does not impress with fancy words, but with understandable language, then book is for you. BUY THIS BOOK!If you are looking for more in depth studies in systematics I reccomend that you purchase Grudem's Systematic Theology and purchase all of the books in his cross reference system. If you are not infinitely rich then I would rccomend the following books to buy: Lewis Sperry Chafer's Systematic Theology eight volumes in four books for a fuller treatment of Dispensational Theology; Robert Reymond's A New Systematic Theology of the Christian Faith, now in its revised and updated printing for current reformed theology; Francis Pieper's 4 volume Christian Dogmatics for a conservative Lutheran perspective (reformed leanings); Millard Erickson's Christian Theology, now in its second edition for Baptist thinking; Paul Tillich's Systematic Theology if you really want a philosophy book rather than a theology book and Wolfhardt Pannenberg's three volume Systematic Theology for very helpful continental Lutheran theology. Grudem's and Erickson's have condensed shorten versions which are similiar to Ryrie, but Ryrie is not condensed or shortened - it is just easy to read. Ryrie is the BEST place to start!

If you love to think deep, this book is for you !

If are like me it helps to look at some of the things Minister Wright to help or give you a point of view on what you are to minister about with pray.

This book is easy to read without being technical which will really help anyone learn a great deal more about what the bible is teaching. The book is structured logically from concepts to definitions to end time events. In addition, the book is dispensational in nature which in my opinion leads to a much better understanding of the bibles lay out from the beginning to end. For example, God gives his revelation over great periods of time rather than all at once so the dispensational structure helps to bring out God's truth in such a way that can be understood more fully.

He covers all the basics

What is extremely helpful about this book is the pervasive references to scripture so one can easily locate the biblical texts that support the argument. The book is divided into sections (sin, revelation, God, Jesus Christ, etc.) also making it extremely easy to get to the information one is looking for without having to read several hundred pages of a theological treatise. The author clearly has conservative/biblical literalist leanings, which some will appreciate and others will not, but usually presents both sides of the debate, so even if the reader has a more liberal viewpoint, s/he should still find the book informative and useful.

This book is recommended reading by Dr. Arnold Fruchtenbaum in his methodical biblical study teaching.This is an excellent book taking you through all the vital concepts of the Christian faith in an easy to read and easy to understand format.For christian parents this is an excellent resource to cover with our kids. Also a great book to gift to those new to the christian faith or those who have been christians a while. I think any Pastor should have read this book as well.

It's a very good Bible research tool.