John M. FrameReseñas

This book was fully discussed on Cave To The Cross Apologetics (https://cavetothecross.com/category/apologetics-john-frame/)

John Frame has been a well-known theologian and apologist for some time. While he's known to have written whole systematic theologies and apologetic tomes, this updated book is a good introductory book on presuppositional, Reformed apologetics for a college-level discussion.

What Frame does is lays out the role of apologetics in the life of a Christian and also the impact it should have. He covers the three aspects of reality a good apologetic should cover like a metaphysics, epistemology, and ethics. Within each of these are breakout discussions on things like the necessity of the Trinity, the need to ground knowledge in a consistent means, and the always constant need to be true to what your claims actually are.

Probably one of the most controversial topics Frame takes on is a critique of Cornelius Van Til's transcendental argument. There are areas of disagreement with Frame here but it does not come from the point of view more Van Til critics have which is to not really try to understand what Van Til is saying. Frame is a fan of Van Til and subscribes to a lot of what he puts forth. As a TAG discussion point, this is a good one to go over.

Other points throughout the book is the necessity of the Gospel in one's apologetics and in the discussion of the "problem of evil" Frame wants to do what he does throughout the book which is encourage Christians to be Christian in their apologetic and discussions. This is a highlight of Frame's writing in that he speaks as a Christian, assumes as a Christian, and lays out arguments consistent with what he actually believes.

I would say that one of the negative aspects of the book is the flow of the topics don't always stick with what came before and there are parts of the book that seem copy and pasted into the work from previous writings (this is admitted to in parts so it's not as if Frame is hiding this fact). Also, these topics do require a lot of discussion to really hit it solidly and even for a 350+ page book there are sections that are too short for the discussion to be fully fleshed out.

If you're looking to get into Frame but may be intimidated by some of his larger writings or you're looking to step up your reading in presuppositionalism from an introductory level this would be a good book to do that. Final Grade - B+

A quick little book that aids the Christian in doing apologetics from the presuppositional view.

A good overview and helpful critical analysis from someone friendly to Van Til.

Copy 2

Excelente!

Good treatment of this subject, also honest about limitations of philosophical reason with people who are unbelievers.

Frame's Doctrine of God is a comprehensive overview of theology proper. He is copious in Scripture quotations, so in that way it serves as an excellent reference work on various aspects of the doctrine. He is less philosophical than the similar work by John Feinstein and is, therefore, an easier read in many ways.

My first real introduction to Frame's writing. I picked up the book because Frame was recommended by the author of "Can Saul Alinsky Be Saved?: Jesus Christ in the Obama and Post-Obama Era"by Richard William Bledsoe. A very interesting book.

Much of the book was "inside baseball" in the Reformed tradition and the topics did not always relate to me, (hence the three star rating). Having said that I did find many topics enjoyable and thought provoking.

I am currently just beginning this book. I appreciate his desire to set forward a system of theology around the covenants. But does anybody on here find it slightly disturbing that he relies so heavily on the work of Norman Shepherd (The Call of Grace, 2000) and his obedience as a part of faith in chapter 4? I have had to suspend my reading to go to primary sources and other places to digest what he is saying here. Is there any discussion about his view of man able to break the covenants by his disobedience? Sounds like dispensationalism, except that these men were obedient and didn't frustrate God's redemptive plan... Very concerning...

John Frame has contributed much to theological thought and it is exciting to see him put together a systematic theology. Frame sees theology as not simply an academic exercise, but rather an art that has many practical implications.

"There really is no justification for restricting theology only to academic or technical questions. (How academic? How technical?) If theology is edifying teaching, theologians need to listen to everybody’s questions. My point, however, is not to divert theology from theoretical to practical questions, or to disparage in any way the theoretical work of academic theologians. But I do think that academic and technical theology should not be valued over other kinds. The professor of theology at a university or seminary is no more or less a theologian than the youth minister who seeks to deal with the doubts of college students, or the Sunday school teacher who tells OT stories to children, or the father who leads family devotions, or the person who does not teach in any obvious way but simply tries to obey Scripture. Theoretical and practical questions are equally grist for the theologian’s mill."

Frame laments the fact that it has become normative for “systematic theology” to be more concerned with the history of theological thought rather than what the Scriptures themselves says. His goal in writing is, not to show the historical ebb and flow that led to a doctrine, but the biblical support for that doctrine .

"This present volume of systematic theology will be focused on Scripture, not on history of doctrine or contemporary theology. Of course, nobody should suppose that the ideas in this book appeared out of nowhere, with no historical context. My own confession is Reformed, and this book will certainly reflect that orientation, though I hope herein to reach out to members of other doctrinal traditions. And from time to time I will refer to secular and liberal thinkers of the past and present. But my chief interest is to state what the Bible says, that is, what it says to us."

Frame proposes the an interesting structure to his theology.

"Many theological writers, indeed, have chosen one theme around which to structure their discussions. For Martin Luther, the theme was justification by faith alone. For Immanuel Kant, it was ethics; for Friedrich Schleiermacher, feeling. Others include the holy (Rudolf Otto), the fatherhood of God (Adolf von Harnack), crisis (Karl Barth), Word of God (also Barth), personal encounter (Emil Brunner), self-understanding (Rudolf Bultmann), dialectical self-negation (Paul Tillich), acts of God (G. Ernest Wright), language event (Gerhard Ebeling), hope (Jürgen Moltmann), liberation (Gustavo Gutierrez), secularity (Harvey Cox), resurrection (Wolfhart Pannenberg)."

Frame sets out to view theology through the central theme of God’s lordship.


Frame poses his “triperspectival understanding of divine lordship” as a unifying theme in systematic theology and then works through the typical theological subjects from this perspective. I only had access to the first couple of chapters and it is hard to get a good gauge on a book like this from a small sample, but from everything I see this looks like a promising contribution to the discipline of theology in the life of the church.

I received a sample of the book from the publisher to look over and review.

I am in the process of reading Frame's theology, but so far it is absolutely fantastic. Extensive thought and research to each topic. All theological systematic theology concerns itself with seem to be addressed in Frame's work. Perhaps the best part about this book, however, is how personal he allows his writings and interactions with the issues to be. Great stuff.

The incarnation is wonderful, and absolutely unique. Only once did God become a man.

Wonderful explanation of Reformed epistemology. A must read for anyone wanting to engage thoughtfully with those who believe that truth exists in brute facts beyond us.

John Frame’s book is an excellent contribution to the discussion of worship and should be read by anyone who seriously wants to engage with the issues. Not every aspect of the practical application will be palatable to each reader, but it will surely give one pause for thought. Frame has done much to “bring us back to the heart of worship” in this relatively short book. May it garner a wide reading.

This is my Discerning Reader reviews: http://discerningreader.com/book-reviews/worship-in-spirit-and-truth

Sadly, worship is a contentious issue in the church and has been for a long time. On the one hand this is understandable because worship is an important subject and should be taken seriously. Worship is the ascription of worth to the Triune God and what could be more significant than that? Yet, on the other hand, the issues often debated have more to do with preference and style than about serious theological reflection on the nature and practice of worship. Many books have been written on this subject, and frankly many of them should remain on the shelf to collect dust. Thankfully, there are those thoughtful writers who have contributed to the discussion in a fruitful way. John M. Frame is one of those writers and his book, Worship in Spirit and Truth: A Refreshing Study of the Principles and Practices of Biblical Worship, is just such a contribution.

John Frame is a recognised theologian who is professor of systematic theology and philosophy at Reformed Theological Seminary in Orlando, Florida. He has written on a variety of topics in his field in particular on the doctrine of God, apologetics, ethics and one other volume on worship. As well, he is a classically trained musician and has experience serving as lead worshipper in various churches. Frame is more than qualified to write a book such as this.

As a theologian in the Reformed and Presbyterian tradition, Frame takes seriously his commitment to the Westminster Standards and the regulative principle of worship. This is made clear at the beginning when he says, “In my view, the Westminster Confession is entirely right in its regulative principle—that true worship is limited to what God commands” (xiii). Yet, at the same time, Frame takes issue with the way the Puritan tradition as understood the regulative principle of worship. He claims that their methods need “overhaul.” Historians may want to debate with Frame on the generalisations of Puritan method, but his point is well taken. The church cannot rely solely on Puritan formulations of worship and believe that such a view is subscribing to the regulative principle. The regulative principle of worship essentially states that what is done in worship is to be determined by the scriptures. While the past is indispensable to contemporary theological development, and the church would be on a collision course with disaster if it failed to take seriously its heritage, history is not the foundation of truth. The bible is. Therefore, the bulk of Frame’s book is taken up with assessing worship practices in light of scriptural teaching. As he says, “This book is about biblical principles” (xv). For this he should be commended.

The mark of a good book on theology is its practicality. This book is both good theology and highly practical. The first four chapters deal with theological issues in worship. Chapter one outlines basic principles such as defining worship as God-centred and trinitarian. This latter point is so often missed today; that worship is a deeply trinitarian act. How many evangelical churches in our day formally ascribe worship to a unitarian god? While not intentionally setting out to do this, it invariably happens because of the dearth of solid trinitarian teaching in the church. As Frame rightly says, “Our worship should be clearly directed to God as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit” (7).

Chapters two and three focus specifically on the Old and New Testaments respectively. To have a proper understanding of biblical worship, one must appreciate it from a biblical-theological framework. Understanding the right relationship of worship in the Old and New Testaments is tantamount to a proper theology of worship. In chapter two Frame discusses the nature of Old Testament worship as meeting with God, citing Moses as a prime example. Worship is also covenantal, a concept expressed in holiness and separateness. This is seen in Israel, whose “very existence was worship” (17). The rest of the chapter is taken up with specific patterns of worship distinct to the Israelite cultus such as Sabbaths, feasts, tabernacle and temple, priesthood and the later development of synagogues.

Chapter three turns to the New Testament and Christ who fulfills old covenant worship. In the new covenant worship retains its covenantal status, but now focuses on Jesus as the covenant Lord who “displays the control, authority, and presence that Yahweh associated with his own lordship over Israel” (25). Frame shows the redemptive-historical significance of old covenant worship that pointed forward to Jesus. It is now in him that people meet with God. This has far-reaching theological significance for worship. Frame sees it as a broadening that leads to greater liberty. “Every ordinance of the Old Testament is fulfilled in Christ” and in new covenant practice “there are great differences” (29). No longer is there a priesthood because Jesus is the great High Priest. The temple is no more because Jesus is the true temple. Instead, there is great simplicity to worship in the new covenant era. Now there are only two ordinances, baptism and the Lord’s Supper. And what is more, the Holy Spirit is permanently involved in the worship of the church.

Chapter four discusses the question of rules for worship. Not all is permissible and Frame pointedly explains “God is not always pleased when people worship him” (37). This is sometimes surprising for people to hear, but if “worship” violates God’s principles set forth in scripture, then it could not possibly please him. Examples are drawn from the Old Testament in Cain, Nadab and Abihu who all worshipped in an unauthorized way. Very clearly “the wrong kind of worship provokes God’s wrath” (38). Therefore a regulative principle, based on scripture, is necessary for offering God worship that he finds pleasing.

The section on the regulative principle is probably the most controversial aspect of Frame’s book and he has taken a lot of heat because of it. But this reviewer finds in Frame one who grasps the essence of the Reformed principle of sola scriptura. He puts it well saying, “We must ask the Scriptures what God wants us to do in worship” (39). Yet at the same time Christians must remember that there is room for human thought in determining what pleasing worship is, just so long as that thought is congruous with God’s Word. “Human wisdom may never presume to add to its commands. The only job of human wisdom is to apply those commands to specific situations” (43, emphasis his).

Chapters five through thirteen then focus on practical issues regarding worship, such as the elements of worship, leadership, occasions for worship, order of events, the role of emotions, word and sacrament, baptism, prayer and music. In fact, the often-cantankerous question of music is taken up in three chapters (10-12). These are important chapters because so often this is where those engaged in the “worship wars” spend their time fighting. In many cases the issue comes down to one of taste, not of theological concern. Frame offers good advice on how to evaluate music both theologically and aesthetically.

The final chapter, thirteen, seeks to put together all that has been discussed by offering a sample of a service from Frame’s home church so that readers get a feel for how to implement what has been learned in the book. This section is a catalyst for pastors and lead worshippers who want ideas for constructing a worship service.

A detailed summary and analysis of each chapter goes beyond the scope of this review, but certain of Frame’s points are worth noting. The following topics are chosen based solely on the personal interest of the reviewer, not necessarily because of any over-arching significance in the overall debate on worship.

Frequently one hears from those defending “traditional” against “contemporary” worship that emotions must be guarded. Frame deals with the role of emotions in chapter 7, called “The Tone of Worship.” He observes “there is little in (Reformed) literature on the positive value of emotions in worship or the emotional content of the word of God” (77). To balance out the idea that truth only comes to a person through the intellect, a view that finds more affinity with Sandemanianism that it does Jonathan Edwards, Frame explains the relationship of emotions to the mind. This was the most helpful chapter of the book for this reviewer. In particular Frame’s explanation that the whole person is involved in worship, not just the mind – important though the mind is – helps us understand that the concept of heart worship goes beyond the distinction between mind and affections. The intellect, will and emotions are “interdependent” on one another. “The emotions provide the intellect with data for analysis and judgment; the intellect provides the emotions with direction and perspective” (78). Those who have been taught that the emotions place a distant second when it comes to worship should note this appropriation.

Frame is surely correct when he says that in the scriptures “God appeals to us in a wide variety of ways, some relatively intellectual…some relatively emotional” (78). He then gives examples of emotional appeal in Romans 8:31-39 and 11:33-36 and intellectual logic in Psalm 1. Scripture speaks to all of life therefore it addresses our feelings. Frame provides a list of various emotions that a worshipper should feel, such as reverence, joy, sorrow for sin, participation, faith, love, boldness and family intimacy.

Another point worth noting is the stress that Frame puts on the need for intelligibility. Worship that is unintelligible to people today ultimately becomes irrelevant. Not understanding the words or not being able to sing the tunes makes worship a chore rather than a delight. If Christians are to communicate the gospel to their culture, and if worship is to be gospel-oriented, then it needs to be clear and understandable. It should also be a delight to partake in, not a boring exercise.

One criticism that should be offered regards the point Frame makes about “heavy metal” and other such forms of music “that are so deeply associated with the most degenerate elements of our society” (141). This seems incongruous with what Frame has actually argued in the book. Who says that heavy metal is associated with degenerate elements of society any more than the music of Nietzche’s friend Wagner? Some very powerful expressions of worship can been found in metal bands like Overcome or xdisciplex AD. While not wanting to argue that heavy metal or rap should be used in Lord’s Day worship, such a sweeping statement is in need of revision or removal.

Aside from this one critique, John Frame’s book is an excellent contribution to the discussion of worship and should be read by anyone who seriously wants to engage with the issues. Not every aspect of the practical application will be palatable to each reader, but it will surely give one pause for thought. Frame has done much to “bring us back to the heart of worship” in this relatively short book. May it garner a wide reading.

This is an excellent book on worship by a brilliant man. Frame is faithful to Scripture while remaining culturally balanced and insightful.

Frame begins, as most books on worship do, by defining what worship is, and expounding some typical Biblical passages from both the Old Testament and the New. He then moves on to the Regulative Principle which governs the rest of the book.

It is his position on the Regulative Principle that makes this book well worth the read. Frame goes against many in modern-day Reformed circles by saying, "the regulative principle is a charter of freedom, not a burdensome bondage. [It] sets us free from human traditions, to worship God his way" (p. 45). The R.P. gives us great freedom to apply the "rules or worship" to different and diverse cultural & sub-cultural contexts.

Indeed, this is a very well thought out book. It is definitely the best I've read on the regulative principle. It is not at all legalistic and many books on the subject tend to be; but it is, instead, freeing!

Introduction

The popularity of J.I. Packer’s classic book, Knowing God (1973), is evidence to the widespread desire in today’s church to reclaim the center of Christianity in the knowledge of God. In recent times, the need to understand why major disasters and calamities have occurred underscores the yearning of the society at large to understand who God is and why He does what He does, why He would allow so much suffering to occur if He is truly good. More recently, in response to 9/11 or the bridge collapse in Minnesota, many Christians are even questioning whether or not God truly had control of the events. Some have argued that God allows and uses suffering in the world to amplify the dire need in people to repent of their sins, including unbelief, and to put their trust in the atoning work of Christ on the cross. In spite of this, many still are left dumbfounded by life’s circumstances about the will of God in all these things.

This pervasive rejection of the God of Scripture in secularism and alternative spirituality and religions compels us as Christ’s ambassadors to call unbelievers to be reconciled with God (2 Cor 5:20). What this undeniably implies is that we actually know this God of whom we confess, so that we would be ready in season and out of season, to give a biblical defense for the hope we have in Jesus Christ (2 Tim 4:2; 1Pet 3:15). While postmodern epistemology may be accurate to assert that we cannot exhaustively know everything about God, we can however know with certainty everything that God has explicitly revealed about himself in Scripture. In “The Doctrine of God”, John Frame, professor of systematic theology at Reformed Theological Seminary, provides a concise exposition of theology proper as defined in Scripture.

I. Summary

John Frame expounds his doctrine of God from the foundation of Sola Scriptura which forms the basis of all biblical doctrine. Through an analysis of the major themes about God found in Scripture, Frame explains that there may be other ways to understand our relationship with God, like marriage, sonship, and friendship (34). However, it is visibly evident that upon an examination of the relationship between God and His created people throughout biblical history that covenant Lordship is the central motif of the Bible, and thus, it is the central theme of Frame’s book. Frame also notes that while other themes such as community, hope and liberation are present within Scripture, they should be included within this central motif of covenant Lordship for they are most accurately understood for their wonderful redemptive unity through this lens. Just as the author argues, “The central motif of this book is that God is the Lord of the covenant. Since God chose the name Lord for himself, since it is found thousands of time in Scripture, and since it is the heart of the fundamental confession of faith of God’s people…” (12)

Frame’s methodology is regulated by God’s special revelation in Scripture, and as a result, it is a “theology from above” (14). In seeking to show that the acts, attributes and personal distinctions of God that are all expressions of his Lordship, the author sets forth a theological triad to help the reader understand the Lord of the Bible—the lordship attributes of control, authority, and presence. The structure of his book is thus organized around this triad and correspondingly are related to how God has chosen to reveal himself in Scripture—by a narrative of His acts (control), by authoritative descriptions of his nature (authority), and by revealing the Trinitarian persons (presence). Although these elements of the doctrine of God are dealt with in an unconventional order, Frame asserts that there is some pedagogical difference and appropriately clarifies why he has chosen to discuss God’s nature in a method that is inverted from traditional Reformed theologies (14).

The body of the book is divided into six parts which, when read, flow logically from one chapter to the next. Frame first outlines the foundational element for the rest of the book by explicating with significant biblical support “Yahweh the Lord” (21-25) in terms of the Lordship attributes of control, authority and presence; the conclusion of this first section provides a helpful distinction between the transcendence and the immanence of God in a manner that borrows heavily from the work of Cornelius Van Til (112-115). In part two, Frame defends his theology proper against the “problem areas” of human responsibility and freedom (119) and the problem of evil (160). As will be noted later, these two chapters of part two alone are worth the price of this book, since the author contends in detail for a high view of the sovereignty of God’s Lordship in a postmodern culture which questions all forms of authority and control. In section three, the philosophy of Lordship is explained in terms of ethics (185), epistemology (199), and metaphysics (214), but is done so in a way that sees Christian philosophy as an application of Scripture to philosophical questions. Frame asserts that Scripture has much to say concerning these philosophical matters and confronts them with a biblical worldview that is consistent with the premise of sola Scriptura.

Parts four through six could very well be considered the meat of this book where John Frame expounds heavily on the covenantal framework he has provided in the first three sections. He surveys Scripture broadly to explain the control, authority and presence of God that correspondingly relate to the acts of the Lord, the biblical descriptions of God and the triune names of God. As Frame writes, “The narrative of God’s actions shows us how God controls the situation to accomplish his sovereign purposes… It presents authoritative descriptions of God, exhibiting in them God’s own authority. And it also presents to us, not only an account of God’s involvement in our history, but also some glimpses of God’s own inner life” (242).

Upon reading completely this heavy volume on Theology Proper, one is provided with a multi-faceted, fully orbed view of the covenantal Lord that is first and foremost based upon the foundation of Scripture. This brief summary pales in light of the intricate details of God’s character and work in the world that is presented in this book.

II. Evaluation

A. Strengths
The major strength of John Frame’s presentation of the doctrine of God is that it is undoubtedly Reformed in its theology. He notes in the introductory chapter that the doctrine of God has not been sufficiently covered in modern evangelical scholarship, especially from a perspective that is Reformed (9-10). Medieval “scholastic” theologians such as Thomas Aquinas heavily emphasized theology proper but depended heavily on a philosophical framework that had its roots in Greek philosophy and ancient Gnosticism (3-4). On the other hand, Protestant Reformers like John Calvin focused heavily on soteriology and ecclesiology rather than the doctrine of God, but consequently had little philosophical influence (4-5). Post-Reformation scholasticism, Frame argues, has been speculative, philosophical and still irrelevant to the practical Christian life (5). Thus, the author submits a doctrine of God that presents “what Scripture says about God, applying that teaching to the questions of our time” (10). This book is hence a Reformed elucidation of theology proper that seeks to maintain sola Scriptura as its foundational core and thus a doctrine of God that stands over and against philosophical imperialism and traditionalism.

Additionally, John Frame stresses that the Lordship of God in his holy character is deserving of a proper response from God’s people in obedience and worship—implicitly declaring that God alone should receive all the glory that is due to him (soli Deo Gloria). The monergistic view of the God’s efficacious control of the entire universe (51-52) is certainly a portrayal of the Calvinistic understanding of God’s sovereignty in all of creation. Following the emphasis of Reformed on soteriology, Frame saturates each section with a biblical-theological relationship to salvation in Christ alone (solus Christus), although he does not devote one individual section on God’s redemptive work in Christ. Subsequently, the doctrines of election and predestination, as well as the doctrines of effectual calling and regeneration (sola gratia and sola fide) are explained in terms of covenant Lordship within a Calvinistic framework that defends itself against Arminian theology (72-74). As previously noted, the Reformed doctrine of sola Scriptura is itself flows directly from the biblical teaching that God’s authority is given to mankind through his Word alone. As Frame submits, “No other authority may compete with God’s words. No words may be added to God’s or be put on the same level of authority. … Only the Word of God has the ultimate authority” (88-89).

Secondly, Frame’s book responds to current questions related to the doctrine of God in significant detail and with sufficient biblical support. For example, in chapter 9 on “The Problem of Evil”, Frame confronts the issues head on by trying to answer whether God authors (174), causes (175), or permits sin (177), and he does so in a Reformed vernacular against Arminian positions. The author thus presents a solution to the problem of evil in author-story model (179-180) and potter-clay model (181) that is logical, biblical and Reformed. He explains in simple terms how God can bring about sin for the greater good (169-173) and without sinning himself (174-182). As Frame admits, “God certainly does will evil for a good purpose. The good he intends will be so great, so wonderful, so beautiful, that it will make present evils seem small” (173).

Moreover, many contemporary attacks on the doctrine of God are also addressed in appropriate detail—Libertarianism/libertarian free-will (137-145), God’s “middle-knowledge” (150-152), and open-theism (485-486). Frame responds to these modern theological attacks humbly and respectfully with plain biblical support (e.g., 487).

B. Weaknesses
Few weaknesses could be found in Frame’s exhaustively detailed survey of the doctrine of God. Due to the long length of this book, criticisms can be made about the effectiveness of such a long volume to convey the doctrine of God to a non-academic audience like that of regular church members. The body of this book lies at 742 pages, add to that over 100 pages of appendixes, bibliography and indexes, and thus it is likely a book that a lay person will not pick up simply due to its frightening length. While many of the appendixes (743-806) are good for expanding on ideas and articles quoted in the book, many of them appear off topic and gratuitously extend an already lengthy book.

As a supposed “Reformed” theology of the doctrine of God, I wish Frame had included separate subsections within his volume addressing the Reformed loci of soteriology and ecclesiology. While a theology of salvation is prevalent throughout this book, it seems that Frame neglected to rightfully apply his theology proper to the (post-)modern church and how such a personal knowledge of the covenant Lord would impact how we should do church. Lastly, Frame seemed to have neglected to make a clear delineation between the name of God (LORD in all capitals, representing Yahweh) and the authoritative title of God (Lord, representing adonai/kurios). While it is true that from the LORD’s name come the attributes of his authoritative Lordship, Psalm 8:1 would however require a proper differentiation.

III. Remaining Questions & Conclusion

Frame leaves few questions unanswered, theological or practical. If there is any aspect of doctrine within his book that seems to be missing, it may very well be outside the scope of theology proper and excluded for that very reason. Any questions regarding responses to current critical issues may be derived from Frame’s first-rate assessment of human responsibility and freedom (chapter 8 ) and the problem of evil (chapter 9), if not from his ostentatious survey of Lordship attributes of control, authority and presence (part one). By and large, “The Doctrine of God” is the best Reformed volume on theology proper in recent times, as a result, it is bound to be a reference text that would serve the church well for a long time. I heartily recommend it to any Christian seeking an explanation of the doctrine of God.

http://www.sixsteps.org/2007/09/22/a-review-of-the-doctrine-of-god-by-john-frame...

There were definitely some things that I disagreed with in this book especially when it came to the use of things like drama in the worship service. The book has some very helpful things to say in spite of this, however.

A foundaitonal book to understand a proper Christian view of how we know things (epistemology). Possibly the most important book in the last 25 years on epistemology and understanding perspectivalism.½

A nice book for introduction to the method and worldview of apologetics

My favorite work on apologetics. Written for the Christian lay person, will equip you to defend the faith, and spark your interest to study Christian apologetics further.

Doctrinal Theology