In one systematic volume James Boice provides a readable overview of Christian theology. Students and pastors will both benefit from this rich source that covers all the major doctrines of Christianity.

With scholarly rigor and a pastor's heart, Boice carefully opens the topics of the nature of God, the character of his natural and special revelation, the fall, and the person and the work of Christ. He then goes on to consider the work of the Holy Spirit in justification and sanctification. The book closes with careful discussion of ecclesiology and eschatology.

In this revised edition of a formerly four-volume work, Boice maintains a remarkable practicality and thoroughness that will make this a standard reference and text for years to come.

Table of Contents

Book 1: The Sovereign God

Part I: The Knowledge of God
1. On Knowing God
2. The Unknown God

Part II: The Word of God
3. The Bible
4. The Authority of the Scriptures
5. The Proof of the Scriptures
6. How True Is the Bible?
7. Modern Biblical Criticism
8. How to Interpret the Bible

Part III: The Attributes of God
9. The True God
10. God in Three Persons
11. Our Sovereign God
12. Holy, Holy, Holy
13. The God Who Knows
14. God Who Changes Not

Part IV: God’s Creation
15. The Creation of Man
16. Nature
17. The Spirit World
18. God’s Providence


Book 2: God the Redeemer

Part I: The Fall of the Race
1. The Fall
2. The Results of the Fall
3. The Bondage of the Will

Part II: Law and Grace
4. The Purpose of God’s Law
5. The Ten Commandments: Love of God
6. The Ten Commandments: Love of Others
7. The Wrath of God
8. Salvation in the Old Testament

Part III: The Person of Christ
9. The Deity of Jesus Christ
10. The Humanity of Jesus Christ
11. Why Christ Became Man

Part IV: The Work of Christ
12. Prophet, Priest and King
13. Quenching God’s Wrath
14. Paid in Full
15. The Greatness of God’s Love
16. The Pivotal Doctrine: Resurrection
17. Verifying the Resurrection
18. He Ascended into Heaven


Book 3: Awakening to God

Part I: The Spirit of God
1. Personal Christianity
2. The Work of the Holy Spirit
3. Union with Christ

Part II: How God Saves Sinners
4. The New Birth
5. Faith and Repentance
6. Justification by Faith: The Hinge of Salvation
7. Justification by Faith: The Place of Works
8. The Tests of Faith
9. A New Family
10. The Upward Way

Part III: The Life of the Christian
11. Embrace the Negative
12. Freedom, Freedom
13. Knowing the Will of God
14. Talking to God
15. God Talking to Us
16. Serving

Part IV: The Work of God
17. Called by God
18. The Keeping Power of God


Book 4: God and History

Part I: Time and History
1. What’s Wrong with Me?
2. The March of Time
3. Christ, the Focal Point of History

Part II: The Church of God
4. Christ’s Church
5. The Marks of the Church
6. How to Worship God
7. Salvation’s Signs and Seals
8. Spiritual Gifts
9. Equipping the Saints
10. Church Government
11. Body Life
12. The Great Commission

Part III: A Tale of Two Cities
13. The Secular City
14. The Secular Church
15. God’s City
16. Church and State

Part IV: The End of History
17. How Will It All End?
18. Home at Last

About the Author

Boice was, until his death in 2000, the pastor of Tenth Presbyterian Church in Philadelphia, the teacher on "The Bible Study Hour" radio program and chairman of the board of City Center Academy. He held a B.D. from Princeton Theological Seminary and a Doctor of Theology from the University of Basel in Switzerland. In addition to authoring numerous journal articles, he was a consulting editor for the Expositor's Bible Commentary. His books and commentaries include Foundations of God's City and the five-volume work The Gospel of John.

Endorsement

This was the first Systematic Theology that I read, starting my senior year of Undergrad through my first year of my first Graduate degree. I had just come off of reading Knowing God by J.I. Packer. I think this was a clear and concise read and easily organized. He definitely takes a fairly reformed perspective (being Presbyterian). One of the weaknesses of this book is that there is not a lot of interaction with other theological backgrounds. In my opinion, if you are looking for an Evangelical Systematic Theology (and don't care about being campy or looked down upon for not reading something more mainline) your best bet is probably Wayne Grudem's ST. Grudem at least interacts well with several differing theological schools. Still, I never enjoyed Systematic Theology better than when I was reading Boice. Since then, I have read several Systematic Theologies and increasingly with each read I have become more and more interested in Biblical Theology, as opposed to Systematic. This makes a good first read, if you are intending several theologies, but if you are looking for only one, there are better. - John