Joel R. Beeke & Paul M. Smalley, Reformed Systematic Theology – Volume 1: God and Revelation (Wheaton: Crossway, 2019), 1213 pp.
Our generation is fraught with challenges that militate against the Christian faith. We are constantly battling heresy, both inside and outside the church. The propagation of lies is commonplace and the repudiation of truth is part of the fabric of contemporary culture.
Thankfully, we are blessed with many resources that help encourage and equip us for living the Christian life, even in the midst of the rising tide of apostasy. The past twenty years, we have been blessed with an impressive array of systematic theology texts, which include the likes of John Frame, John MacArthur, Wayne Grudem, and Michael Horton.
The latest work is a labor of love from Joel Beeke and Paul Smalley. Reformed Systematic Theology: Revelation and God is the first volume and includes an extended prolegomena, the doctrine of revelation, and the doctrine of God. Each major section introduces readers to the biblical fundamentals and critical areas of concern.
What makes this work special is the emphasis on what key thinkers in church history have said about a given doctrinal reality. The authors have done their homework and have done the “heavy lifting,” which enable students to focus in on the subject at hand. But make no mistake: While the authors lean on writers from another generation, it is never done in a way that overshadows the authority of Scripture. Sacred Scripture has the first and last word on every subject.
Frankly, I found this volume enthralling. While it weighs in at over 1,200 pages, I found the reading to be engaging, illuminating, and educational. But more than anything, Reformed Systematic Theology points readers to the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ and his life, death, resurrection, ascension, and exaltation. This work succeeds in leading readers to the cross of Christ. It is here that we are humbled and challenged to worship before his majesty.
I received this book free from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review.
Veritas et Lux 