Introducing Christian Doctrine

by Millard J. Erickson

An abridged, less technical version of Erickson's Christian Theology covering the same topics, but at a level appropriate for the undergraduate reader.

Genres: Theology, Christian, Reference, Religion, Textbooks, Nonfiction, College

498 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1992

About the author

Millard J. Erickson (PhD, Northwestern University) has served as a pastor and seminary dean and has taught at several schools, including Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, Western Seminary (Portland and San Jose), and Baylor University. He has also held numerous visiting professorships, both in the United States and internationally, and is the author of many books. Erickson lives in Mounds View, Minnesota.

Reviews

[Molly]

Read this for school but enjoyed it! A few of my favorite parts (mostly for my own future reference haha):

When you read genealogies, consider: "(1) all of us have human heritage from which we derive much of what we are; (2) we have all, through the long process of descent, received our life from God; and (3) God is at work providentially in human history, a fact of which we will be acutely aware if we study that history and God's dealings with humankind. These truths have meanings for us today... we are not looking for symbolism, spiritual meaning hidden in literal references. Rather, we are advocating that Christians ask themselves the real reason why a particular statement was spoken or written." (p. 21)

"For the Old Testament writers, it was virtually inconceivable that anything could happen independently of God's will and working. As evidence of this, consider that common impersonal expressions like 'it rained' are not found in the Old Testament. For the Hebrews, rain did not simply happen; God sent the rain. They saw him as the all-powerful determiner of everything that occurs" (pp. 122-123)

"There is and will always be a scandal to the gospel" (p. 291)

"What we are commanded to do (Eph. 5:18) is be filled with the Holy Spirit (the form of the Greek imperative suggests ongoing action). This is not so much a matter of our getting more of the Holy Spirit; presumably all Christians possess the Spirit completely. It is, rather, a matter of his possessing more of our lives. Each of us is to aspire to giving the Holy Spirit full control of his or her life. When that happens, our lives will manifest whatever gifts God intends for us to have, along with all the fruit and acts of his empowering that he wishes to display through us" (p. 314)

"The new birth is not felt when it occurs. It will, rather, establish its presence by producing a new sensitivity to spiritual things, a new direction of life, and an increasing ability to obey God" (p. 358)

[John Kight · Rating 5 out of 5]

For many students, pastors, and teachers, Millard J. Erickson’s Christian Theology has been the “go-to” systematic theology textbook since it was first published in 1983. Following the widespread success of Erickson’s Christian Theology, a genuine need was brought to light, a need for the publication of a more accessible and less technical systematic theology—a textbook that didn’t compromise substance for brevity. “The result was the first edition of Introducing Christian Doctrine,” says Erickson (p. xiii). As the needs of the student changed over the years, various shifts in the culture and new doctrinal issues had arisen, and revision to the textbook resulted in second editions of each of these works—Christian Theology, second edition (1998), and Introducing Christian Doctrine, second edition (2001). Most recently, the third edition of Christian Theology (2013) was published, and this present volume, Introducing Christian Doctrine, third edition (2015), unashamedly exists within the same vein as its predecessors.

For readers familiar with the previous edition of Introducing Christian Doctrine will find the third edition of the textbook to be largely familiar territory. The biggest question will, of course, be, “do I really need the third edition?” While I am certainly not in the position to answer definitively for every reader, I would always encourage interaction with the up-to-date scholarship over the alternative. Some of the revisions carried over from Christian Theology, third edition, include engagement with various issues related to postmodernism, interaction with the latest conversation concerning the New Perspective on Paul and Justification. updated discussion surrounding the person and work of the Holy Spirit, and much more.

Readers who are not familiar with the previous edition will be welcomed by a rich introductory survey of the latest theological discussions and debates. This is because Introducing Christian Doctrine is written clearly and straightforwardly, and helpfully outlined for readers entering into the conversation from all walks of life. As Erickson appropriately explains, “[this book] is designed to provide a preparation for and transition to Christian Theology” (p. xiii). In other words, it is designed and edited in such a way to provide the reader with just enough to engage and enlighten, while at the same time pointing to the larger work for those who desire more discussion.

As a long-time reader of Erickson, I found Introducing Christian Doctrine, third edition, extremely beneficial. I have found it to be a refreshing break from the more technical counterpart, and a useful companion volume for Sunday School course preparation. I personally enjoyed Erickson’s brief discussion of the New Perspective (p. 365-68). This was a perfect example of Erickson’s ability to take an often overly-technical conversation and translate it into something the novice theologian is able to grasp. Overall, if you are looking for a textbook that will usher you into the technicalities of systematic theology without overwhelming you with technical details, look no further than the third edition of Introducing Christian Doctrine. If you are a student, pastor, or teacher, do yourself a favor by picking up this volume. I truly couldn’t recommend it more.

[Allen Lim · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a very good book which introduces the fundamentals of Christian Doctrine. Each chapter systematically explains the multiple views present on each topic, and then briefly tries to explain the author's views and conclusions. It also helps tht Erickson is an excellent writer. He writes clearly, and his arguements while concise are logical.

This is not to say that I agree with all that was said... however, the points of disagreement all reside in the domain of "adiaphora", and even then, it is minimal.

[James Tamara · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a great introduction to Christian doctrine.The book covered all topics with great care and consideration. When more than view is existent about a particular topic, the author took the time to point all the "pro's and con's", so to speak. I recommend this book to anyone that isn't familiar with Christian doctrine.

[Vonze · Rating 4 out of 5]

Overall, a good introduction. However, the amount of text on the page is overwhelming to the eye. Maybe in future editions they'll throw in some graphics to break up the massive blocks of text.

[Joshua Okello]

A great book for colleges and universities on introduction to Christian Doctrines

[James Scott White · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have mixed emotions on this book. On one hand it did an excellent job of discussing doctrines within Christianity, while showing the importance of having a comprehensive biblical worldview. This text stresses the necessity of having a strong foundation in each doctrine of study in order to better understand others (i.e. the doctrine of the Holy Spirit gives a much clearer understanding of the doctrine of salvation).

From another perspective, this book is rather biased. I think the author does a good job of expressing contradicting belief systems but might get a little one sided at times. Though I agree with the authors perspective on most schools of thought, I did find one or two which seemingly contradicts itself.

Overall, I enjoyed this resource. Though I am not particularly fond of studying false doctrine nearly as frequently as this text suggests. I do find it necessary to be grounded in what you believe and why, as it is nearly equally important to understand what others believe and why.

Wish there was more Jesus, but thumbs up.

[Jonny Price · Rating 3 out of 5]

Erickson, who is clearly a smart guy, tries to unpack a lot of Theological criticism in a compact way. At some level it works, e.g., brief descriptions about the Kalam Cosmological Argument, Thomas Aquinas' argument for a non-contingent being, are effective for early students of Theology or someone just looking for a place to start learning. However, at other levels, in conjunction with his blatant fundamental biases, Erickson takes on too much by trying to disseminate complicated aspects about Trinitarianism, the Deity of Christ, and the incommunicable attributes about God in squashed paragraphs. Overall it is a strong book, written well, and though at times written for experts rather than students, this should not stop anyone from at least trying to read it.

[Luke Stamps · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read Erickson's fuller volume, Christian Theology, in seminary and appreciated its methodological balance: scripturally grounded, historically informed, philosophically sensitive, and pastorally aware. This abbreviated version has those same hallmarks with the added bonus of being a more accessible text. Reading it reminded me of how much of Erickson's presentation of the various doctrines has seeped into my own thinking and teaching. He is a true master at teaching Christian theology at an introductory level.

[Matthew Watkins · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent introduction to the vast world of systematic theology. Highly recommend for anyone interested in going deeper into the intricacies of the faith. Erickson does a great job of presenting the many views concerning a theological topic and biblically subtracting false and misleading views to a very conservative and orthodox view of important subjects.

[Toria · Rating 4 out of 5]

Considering it is a book on theology, it was a easy read. It is written in a way as to help explain the different subject areas so it can be understood. Good book to understand the basics on Christian theology.

[John Rimmer · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good...but I get a little tired of his "this side, that side, somewhere in between" style of theology.

[Mikaeverson Duarte · Rating 5 out of 5]

Aquilo que cremos irá determinar quem somos.

[Marla Fitts · Rating 5 out of 5]

Theology

This was a wonderful delve into theology. It was required for one of my college classes, and I have to say that I thoroughly enjoyed it.

[Jenifer Thigpen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really enjoyed learning about Christian theology.

[ChaseD · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great book. I read it for my theology class. I didn’t agree with everything he said but he was very careful to give a fair treatment to differing beliefs.

[Rachel Schoenberger · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was surprised at how much I enjoyed reading this. The chapters on eschatology were particularly interesting and helped me understand it a lot better.

[Tre Brickley · Rating 4 out of 5]

I think this is a helpful introduction to the common places of Christian Theology and a fairly good articulation of an Evangelical, Reformed systematic theology.

[Ashley Mayhew · Rating 3 out of 5]

A fairly good overview of the issues but some of the theology was a bit liberal, such as Erickson proposed theistic evolution instead of a literal 7-day creation.

[Wendy Simmons]

I liked the topical layout and writing that was a bit more narrative than the majority of text books

[Fallon · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this for a class, cover to cover. A great guide for those looking to begin their studies of theology in a systematic manner.

[Peyton Mansfield · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a neat overview of theology. This was a textbook in my undergrad theology class, and it covers the main topics thoroughly enough.

Erickson exegetes and explains orthodoxy, as well as presenting multiple views and famous heresies on important issues. As someone who grew up more theologically-literate, there were certain sections that could drag on for me personally, but even this abridged version taught me things I didn't know.

My only complaint is that Erickson would not always clarify his own position after listing differing views. Many times he did (Baptism, Lord's Supper, post-tribulationalism, etc.), but sometimes he would leave it more vague -- Arminianism vs. Calvinism stands out because he wrote a whole subsection on what he believed, and it sounded like Calvinism (which surprised me, because I always heard his was the theology for non-Calvinist Baptists), but he never explicitly stated how he categorizes his own views. I definitely like to able to categorize theologians clearly.

Ultimately, I read this for a class. I personally would have wanted more discussion and more topics, but that's because this is abridged. So all in all, it was good overview.

[Sierra Allred · Rating 4 out of 5]

Upon my second reading of this textbook, I enjoyed it more. Most of Erickson’s arguments are well grounded in biblical text! A few unfortunately, specifically the age of accountability, are supported by absolutely nothing other than Erickson’s desire to believe in them. Overall, I got a lot more out of this book the second time I read it.

[Tim · Rating 4 out of 5]

One shouldn't judge a book's success by anything than its intentions. Erickson does in his book what he intends to do, and he does it well. He covers core topics of Christian belief, shows various sides, and then picks a side - supporting it with Scripture.

[Diana Wodnoff · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read this for class. Very concise. Gives a lot of detail and goes through the different perspectives very well. Easy to understand. If you’re just starting in Theology, I’d recommend taking a look at this book.

[Skip Crust · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you need to read a book on Systematic Theology, this is the starting point. Well written, easy to understand, and can easily be used as reference material as well.

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read while at Crown.

[Mike E. · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book is required reading for EFCA GATEWAY - Phase 2.

Abridged version; many others I'd recommend prior to this.

[Bryson Shaw · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great introduction to Christian doctrine. Over all an easy read, but does have some dull and dry parts.

[Jeff · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great introduction to Christian doctrine and theology from an evangelical perspective.