Top 10 Books I’ve Read in Year 2024

10. Bonhoeffer, Dietrich. Sanctorum Communio: A Theological Study of the Sociology of the Church. Translated by Richard Krauss and Nancy Lukens. Minneapolis, MN: Fortpress, 1998.

Dietrich Bonhoeffer is a renowned German Christian philosopher-theologian who died as a martyr in the first half of the twentieth century. He studied at the University of Berlin and as an exchange student at Union Theological Seminary in New York. His famous works are Life Together, Cost of Discipleship, and his dissertation, Sanctorum Communio. Somehow, as I observed, this work has similarities with Filipino ‘kapwa’ spirituality.

9. Caldwell, Robert III. Communion in the Spirit: The Holy Spirit as the Bond of Union in the Theology of Jonathan Edwards. Waynesboro, GA: Paternoster, 2006.

Robert Caldwell is a Professor of Church History at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. This work is the result of his doctoral dissertation on Jonathan Edwards. In addition to his solid grasp and presentation of his argument, viz. Edwards’ Pneumatology is central to his theology; Caldwell was very helpful in clarifying and explaining many of Edwards’s complex theological underpinnings. Edwards’ beatific vision view through Caldwell’s outline is a must-read for all believers. It is spiritually edifying for me.

8. Wellum, Stephen J.  Systematic Theology: From Canon to Concept, Volume 1. Brentwood, TN: B&H Academic, 2024.

Stephen Wellum’s (Professor of Christian Theology at The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, Louisville, KY) Systematic Theology is unashamedly Baptist. He is “convinced that a proper view of the covenants and God’s new covenant work in Christ requires an uncompromising commitment to Baptist distinctives and convictions.” His ‘Systematic Theology’ offers a tremendous alternative covenantal understanding—progressive covenantalism—to classic Reformed covenant and dispensational theology. And I do significantly affirm this view.

7. Yarnell, Malcolm B. III. God: Theology for Every Person. Brentwood, TN: B&H Academic, 2024.

Malcolm Yarnell III is the Research Professor of Theology at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Fort Worth, TX. Yarnell earned his PhD from Oxford University in 2000. Yarnell’s aim in this book, God, is to offer a primer or an introduction to the doctrine of God. He invites his readers on this journey of knowing God. The book is written for all believers, church members, and ordinary Christians. This book is an excellent primer or textbook for undergrad and master’s students in Bible schools and seminaries. 

6. Crowe, Brandon D. The Lord Jesus Christ: The Biblical Doctrine of the Person and Work of Christ. Bellingham, WA: Lexham Academic, 2023.

Brandon Crowe, a scholar of the New Testament, biblical theology, and the early church, offers his extensive knowledge and experience in this book on Christology. Crowe is the NT professor at Westminster Theological Seminary in Glenside, PA. Crowe’s work is a coherent and significant primer for Christology. Even though this book was written with Reformed leanings and expectations, it will benefit all readers richly.

5. Jones, Mark. God Is: A Devotional Guide to the Attributes of God. Wheaton, IL: Crossway, 2017.

Mark Jones’ God Is seems like a ‘daily bread’ devotional book that introduces God’s doctrine. Jones’ goal is “to provide a brief, simple, and clear book on the attributes of God” that is easy to read and finish. Jones finished his PhD at Universiteit Leiden in the Netherlands in 2009. Jones’ work is a book for everyone, from ordinary church members to ministers, seminary students, and small group leaders. It can be used as a devotional book to be read each day. This is a book that each Christian must have. It is academically refreshing and spiritually edifying.

4. St. Athanasius the Great. On the Incarnation. Eastern Orthodox Books: n.d.

Athanasius the Great (c. 299-373 AD), also known as Athanasius of Alexandria, “was the formidable opponent of Arianism in the Roman Empire.” In the broad context of Athanasius’ On the Incarnation (318 AD), he dealt with the Arian controversy throughout his lifetime. Athanasius’ thesis is to defend the divinity of Christ and argue the necessity of his incarnation, which he calls the Word Incarnate. The truths set forth by Athanasius are timeless scriptural truths that, even in contemporary times, we need to hear.  I’ve re-read this work several times in the last decade.

3. Charnock, Stephen. The Existence and Attributes of God, Volume 1: Updated and Unabridged. Edited by Mark Jones. Wheaton, IL: Crossway, 2022.

Stephen Charnock (1628-1680) was one of the renowned Puritan ministers and theologians of his times and is still influential today. The Existence and Attributes of God was initially a private journal about the doctrine of God with humble adoration of God’s nature, being, and existence. His deep contemplation of God is grounded in the Scriptures, which is evident in this work. Charnock’s purpose in writing was to be heard by his congregation. His intent was to make the doctrine of God understandable for all Christians.

2. Parkison, Samuel G. To Gaze Upon God: The Beatific Vision in Doctrine, Tradition, and Practice. Downers Grove, IL: IVP Academic, 2024.

Samuel Parkison lectures Christian studies at Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, where he also earned his MDiv, ThM, and PhD. His work on beatific vision is top-notch. It was a compelling argument that there is a gap in the contemporary dogmatic writings and publications on this doctrine. His retrieval of this classical doctrine from the Scriptures to the Patristics, then to the Aquinas and the Reformed Evangelicals, amazes me. This work pushed me to write a seminar paper on a similar subject in the context of Digital Theology and technological singularity.

1. Dolezal, James. All That is in God: Evangelical Theology and the Challenge of Classical Christian Theism. Grand Rapids, MI: Reformation Heritage Books, 2017.

The best book I read last year! James Dolezal’s intention in All That Is In God is to defend and revive classical Christian Theism. Dolezal is the Professor of Theology at Cairn University in Langhorne, PA. He earned his ThM in 2007 and a PhD in 2011 at Westminster Theological Seminary. Dolezal’s work is highly recommended and must be read by pastors, theologians, seminary professors, and Bible school students. It is not an easy read, especially for those unfamiliar with theological terms of the doctrine of God.