During this season at Servants of Grace, we’ve been considering the confessions, creeds, and catechisms inside the local church. Today, many believe that truth is all about how we feel, or they dismiss the place of doctrine in the Christian Life. Some even believe they can live the Christian life without being part of the Church.
As you read this issue of Theology of Life, it is our prayer that you’ve grown to love the confessions, creeds, and catechisms, while developing an appreciation for Reformation in the Church. If you’ve found this subject interesting and want to study the issue further, please check out the recommended reading list below. These books are at the top of this genre in both excellence and readability.
Creeds and Confessions:
- Be Thou My Vision: A Liturgy for Daily Worship by Jonathan Gibson
- Creeds, Confessions, and Catechisms: A Readers Edition by Chad Van Dixhoorn
The Five Solas:
- Whatever Happened to the Gospel of Grace? Rediscovering the Doctrines that Shook the World by James Montgomery Boice
- After Darkness Light: Distinctives of Reformed Theology by R.C. Sproul Jr.
Sola Scriptura (Scripture Alone):
- Sola Scriptura: The Protestant Position on the Bible (Various Authors)
- The Shape of Sola Scriptura by Keith A. Mathison
- Scripture Alone: Exploring the Bible’s Accuracy, Authority and Authenticity by James R. White
- Disputations on Holy Scripture by William Whitaker
- Thy Word Is Still Truth: Essential Writings from the Reformation to Today by Peter Lillback
- God’s Word Alone: The Authority of Scripture by Matthew Barrett
- 21 Questions on The Doctrine of Scripture by Francis Turretin
Solus Christus (Christ Alone):
- In Christ Alone: Living the Gospel Centered Life by Sinclair Ferguson
- Christ Alone by Rod Rosenbladt
- The Glory of Christ: His Office and Grace by John Owen
- Christ, the Believer’s Wisdom, Righteousness, Sanctification and Redemption by Various Authors
- Salvation Accomplished by the Son by Robert Peterson
- Our Sufficiency in Christ by John MacArthur
- Christ Alone: The Uniqueness of Jesus as Savior by Stephen Wellum
Sola Gratia (Grace Alone):
- By Grace Alone: How the Grace of God Amazes Me by Sinclair Ferguson
- Saved by Grace by Anthony A. Hoekema
- The Marrow of Modern Divinity by Edward Fisher
- Bondage of the Will by Martin Luther
- Saved by Grace by Herman Bavinck
- All of Grace by C.H. Spurgeon
- The Plan of Salvation by B.B. Warfield
- The Silver Thread: Augustine vs. Pelagius in Church History by Augustine and John Calvin
- Grace Alone: Salvation as a Gift of God by Carl Trueman
Sola Fide (Faith Alone):
- Studies on Saving Faith by A.W. Pink
- The Doctrine of Justification by James Buchanan
- Justification: Understanding the Classic Reformed Doctrine by J.V. Fesko
- Faith Alone: The Evangelical Doctrine of Justification by R.C. Sproul
- Faith Alone—The Doctrine of Justification: What the Reformers Taught and Why It Still Matters by Thomas R. Schreiner
Solis Deo Gloria (To God Alone be the Glory):
- God’s Glory Alone—The Majestic Heart of Christian Faith and Life: What the Reformers Taught and Why It Still Matters by David VanDrunen
- The Pleasures of God by John Piper
- God’s Greater Glory by Bruce Ware
- The Majesty of God in the Old Testament by Walter C. Kaiser Jr.
- The Glory of God by Robert Peterson
- Living for God’s Glory by Joel Beeke
Reformed Theology:
- The Unquenchable Flame by Michael Reeves
- The Reformation by Stephen Nichols
- Reformation Theology: A Systematic Summary edited by Dr. Matthew Barre
- Church History in Plain Language by Bruce Shelley
- 2000 Years of Christ’s Power by Nick Needham
- Putting Amazing Back Into Grace by Michael Horton
- Introduction to the History of Christianity by Tim Dowley
- Meet the Puritans by Joel Beeke & Randall Pederson
- What Is Reformed Theology? by R.C. Sproul
- Five Points by John Piper
- Killing Calvinism by Greg Dutcher
- The Doctrines of Grace by James Montgomery Boice
- The Reformation by Stephen Nichols
- Young, Restless, Reformed by Collin Hansen
- The Bondage of the Will by Martin Luther
- Foundation of Grace by Steve Lawson
- Institutes of the Christian Religion by John Calvin
Historical Theology:
- Historical Theology: An Introduction to Christian Doctrine by Gregg R. Allison
Dave Jenkins is happily married to his wife, Sarah. He is a writer, editor, and speaker living in beautiful Southern Oregon. Dave is a lover of Christ, His people, the Church, and sound theology. He serves as the Executive Director of Servants of Grace Ministries, the Executive Editor of Theology for Life Magazine, the Host and Producer of Equipping You in Grace Podcast, and is a contributor to and producer of Contending for the Word. He is the author of The Word Explored: The Problem of Biblical Illiteracy and What To Do About It (House to House, 2021), The Word Matters: Defending Biblical Authority Against the Spirit of the Age (G3 Press, 2022), and Contentment: The Journey of a Lifetime (Theology for Life, 2024). You can find him on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Youtube, or read his newsletter. Dave loves to spend time with his wife, going to movies, eating at a nice restaurant, or going out for a round of golf with a good friend. He is also a voracious reader, in particular of Reformed theology, and the Puritans. You will often find him when he’s not busy with ministry reading a pile of the latest books from a wide variety of Christian publishers. Dave received his M.A.R. and M.Div through Liberty Baptist Theological Seminary.