Manual of Christian Doctrine

This is probably one of the best books to have as a Christian taking seminary classes. I use this book all the time. Berkhof shows a book with simple descriptions of the doctrines in Christianity and several review questions at the end of each section. It is a must have for any Christian because it because gives you all the Biblical passages for all the Christian beliefs. AMEN!

For those looking for an introductory textbook on Reformed theology this book is a good place to start. Berkhof goes over the major evangelical themes in systematic theology (Theology Proper, Anthropology, Christology, Pneumatology, Soteriology, Ecclesiology, and Eschatology). However, he also adds a Reformed slant to it by discussing issues like predestination and covenant. As someone who is outside of the Reformed tradition but holds to the basic tenents of Calvinism, there are more agreements than disagreements with the book. I would highly recommend this book to laypeople and Bible study teachers. It is essentially a condensation of Berkhof's Systematic Theology textbook (removing all the details and difficult terms). Overall, a good introductory book on Reformed theology for laypeople and students.

Berkhof's manual is an excellent summary of Reformed Christian doctrine, kind of a "systematic theology lite". He draws from the theology of Calvin and Turretin to give a comprehensive yet very usable overview of the historic faith.