Should I Read Berkhof's Systematic or Brooks' Precious Remedies?

[sevenzedek]

I bought two very fine books some months ago and I have been struggling to know which one I should read first. What would you all recommend that I read first--Berkhof's Systematic Theology or Brooks' Precious Remedies?

I keep looking at my shelf at Berkhof's book because I feel like I am still new in the faith (6 years). Then I look over to Precious Remedies because I have been saved long enough to know that walking with God is a fight.

So, what say ye good fellows?

 

[sevenzedek]

I should have specified. Which one do you think I should read first?

 

[Berean]

I should have specified. Which one do you think I should read first?

Josh is just joshing you in his own special way. I'd read Brooks first.

 

[sevenzedek]

Oh, believe me. I plan to read them both.

 

[DMcFadden]

Berkhof is not the most interesting read. He is good, but he is a distillate of Bavinck. Since Bavinck is coming out in a one volume abridgment soon, you might want to wait for reviews of that.

 

[greenbaggins]

Brooks's Precious Remedies is an amazing piece of work. I would read that. You will fall in love with Brooks. He has such wonderful one-liners that get at the real heart of the issue.

 

[puritanpilgrim]

yes

 

[baron]

I um second or third Brooks.

I have started to read The Mute Christian Under The Smarting Rod, hard to read on a Kindle as a PDF though.

 

[discipulo]

I um second or third Brooks.

I have started to read The Mute Christian Under The Smarting Rod, hard to read on a Kindle as a PDF though.

Jon, sorry to ask this on your thread. John please undesrtand I know little of Kindle, but can the device open and read PDFs, the regular format from Adobe? It opens normally, you can serach words, pass pages and so forth?

Jon, now on your question, you can read Berkhof's by picking areas of Dogmatics you think you should get to know better, yu don't maybe evne sg«'houldn't read all at once and

it is a book to go back as often as you need to check on some doctrine. Just for example: the Decree, and you read that part for now.

I found Brooks a bit line by line and topic by topic, it may be me though. I compare it to a more devotional fluent reading of William Gurnall - Christian in Complete Armour. Anyway have this title in mind for

spiritual warfare, as it is also a great book for all areas of faith.

 

[sevenzedek]

Thanks for the replies everyone. Now I will be reading Brooks first.

 

[TomVols]

I'd go with Berkhof, but you won't go wrong either way. Maybe not his larger work, but maybe his Summary or Manual first.

 

[tabrooks]

Take it from me, read Brooks first.

 

[Ask Mr. Religion]

I keep looking at my shelf at Berkhof's book because I feel like I am still new in the faith (6 years)

After six years, I would go with Berkhof. As others have indicated, both are worthy reads, but Berkhof grounds you in "Reformed-speak" if you will, and you need to start moving in that direction after this many years for fruitful discussions with the like-minded.

AMR