2021 Theology Classics Reading Challenge
Have you ever wanted to read the classics of Christian theology but didn’t know where to begin? This list takes you through twelve of the most important theological works ever written.
Why Read Old Books of Theology?
But why should we bother reading old books of theology anyway? Aren’t there more relevant books to read? Aren’t there better things we can do with our time than poring over old and difficult books? In one important sense, the short answer is no.
Theology is humanity’s highest aim; it is our first calling and our ultimate destiny. Why? Because theology is reflection on humanity’s highest Good—God himself—and on all things in creation as they relate to God. In this sense, theology is not a means to some other, more practically-oriented end; it is an end in itself. Even in the crucially important tasks of loving, serving, and evangelizing others, what we are ultimately calling them to is the knowledge and love of the Triune God himself both now and into eternity.
Now, of course you don’t have to read this precise list of books in order to know and love God, but this list is a good place to start. The ultimate source and standard of our knowledge of God is Holy Scripture. But we all need help in interpreting, synthesizing, and applying Scripture’s teachings. Reading the theological classics helps enormously in this regard. Theology is sort of like learning a craft: you learn best by apprenticing with the masters.
The List
A list like this is necessarily selective and subjective. We have tried to focus on influential authors and texts that are challenging but accessible. For dedicated readers, the works are all readable within a month: twelve works in twelve months. But other readers may wish to take a slower pace or to select just a few books from the list. The emphasis here is on works of theology, not Christian fiction, poetry, or spirituality per se, all of which would have produced different but equally interesting lists.
We are keenly aware that all of the authors on the list are male, though there is some geographic and even ethnic diversity (the North African Berber, St. Augustine, stands out). Part of the reason for this is an accident of history: the list focuses on works from previous eras, when theology was a more male-dominated domain.
Below is a very brief description of each book and its significance.
Irenaeus, On the Apostolic Preaching, c. 180: The first biblical theology in Christian history by the church’s most important second-century theologian, this book explains how all of biblical history—indeed all of human history—reaches its climax and resolution in the coming of Jesus Christ.
Athanasius, On the Incarnation, c. 319: Written by the young Alexandrian priest several years before the Arian controversy that would make him famous, On the Incarnation remains one of the best explanations of why the one who would redeem fallen humanity to God must be both God and man.
Gregory of Nazianzus, Five Theological Orations, c. 381: These five “orations” or sermons were delivered in Constantinople during the height of the fourth-century Trinitarian controversy. Taken together they are a masterful biblical, theological, and spiritual exploration of the doctrine of the Trinity.
Augustine of Hippo, Enchiridion, c. 420: St. Augustine is arguably the most influential figure in the history of the church after the time of the apostles. This little book is lesser known than some of his other classics (e.g., The Confessions or The City of God), but it is a helpful primer from the great bishop of Hippo on the basics of Christianity: faith, hope, and love.
Cyril of Alexandria, On the Unity of Christ, c. 444: What does it mean to say that the Word became flesh—that God lived among us as Jesus of Nazareth? This book defends the doctrine of the incarnation against the heretical belief that the man Jesus Christ was somehow a distinct “son” from the eternal and unchanging divine Son of God.
Anselm of Canterbury, Why God Became Man, c. 1098: One of the most influential treatments of the doctrine of the atonement in Christian history, Anselm’s thesis is just as compelling today as it was almost a millennium ago: only God can satisfy God but only a human can be a substitute for humans; therefore, the Christ, the God-Man, is the only means of repairing the breach.
Thomas Aquinas, Summa Theologiae (a selection), 1265-74: The magnum opus of the “Angelic Doctor,” this work leaves almost no topic relevant to theology untouched. This massive summary of Christian learning is one of the most important works of theology in the Western church.
Martin Luther, Large Catechism, 1529: Organized around the Ten Commandments, Apostle’s Creed, and Lord’s Prayer, along with an extended treatment of the sacraments, this work was created to help churches and families faithfully hand down Christian doctrine and moral teaching. It represents one of Luther’s most enduring contributions.
John Calvin, Institutes of the Christian Religion (Book II), 1559: The touchstone of Reformed theology, this book is grounded in the conviction that to truly know ourselves we must know God. Book II lays out Calvin’s biblical theology from the fall of humanity to our redemption in Christ. Buy here.
Baptist Confessions of Faith, 1689 Confession, Orthodox Creed, Keach’s Catechism, 17th Century: Contrary to popular opinion, early Baptists were deeply rooted in the Great Tradition of the church while maintaining a commitment to the supreme authority of the Bible. These early confessions highlight the orthodox pedigree and unique features of Baptist life and teaching.
Herman Bavinck, The Wonderful Works of God, 1921: Also published as Our Reasonable Faith, this work is one of the greatest single-volume systematic theologies of all time. In it, Bavinck scripturally and methodically unpacks the fundamental doctrines of the Reformed tradition while guided by the principle of his opening sentence: “God, and God alone, is man’s highest good.” Buy here.
Karl Barth, Church Dogmatics (a selection), 1932-67: Compiled from lectures delivered over the course of his career, Church Dogmatics represents Barth’s crowning achievement. The work builds on the thought of the Fathers and Reformers to call Christians back to the Trinitarian faith of the Scriptures. Buy here.
Some Tips
Read with a friend, a family member, or a church small group and discuss what you read together.
Go ahead and purchase all of the books and put them on a single shelf in your home or office. Once you complete one of the books, move it to another shelf to mark your progress.
If possible, purchase newer translations with introductions written by experts. But many of the works are in the public domain and are thus available for free online.