You Are a Theologian: An Invitation to Know and Love God Well

by Jen Wilkin, J.T. English

2024 Christian Book Award winner, Christian Living category

The Gospel Coalition 2024 Book Awards, Popular Theology, Award of Distinction

WORLD 2023 Books of the Year, Honorable Mention

Theology can be intimidating. Perhaps questions like these have kept you from engaging with “What is theology?” “Who does theology?” “What happens if I get something wrong?”

Theology can be intimidating. But it doesn’t have to be. Whether conversations about theology have felt out of reach, over your head, or irrelevant, consider this book an invitation to the dialogue.

The goal of theology is knowing and loving God well. This is a lifelong endeavor, a never-ending pursuit, not for the sake of knowledge, but for an ever-deepening relationship with God Himself. Authors Jen Wilkin and J. T. English invite you to become not merely a consumer of theology, but a contributor to the conversation, and to grow in faithfulness to the Great Commission’s call to make disciples.

You are a theologian.

You Are a Theologian addresses theological questions such Who is God? The Doctrine of the TrinityWhat is God like? The Attributes of GodWhat is the Bible? The Doctrine of ScriptureWho are we? The Doctrine of HumanityWhat went wrong? The Doctrine of SinWhat has God done? The Doctrines of Christology, Atonement, and JustificationTo whom do we belong? The Doctrine of the ChurchHow does the story end? The Doctrine of Last Things

Genres: Christian, Theology, Faith, Nonfiction, Christian Living, Christian Non Fiction, Christianity

210 pages, Kindle Edition

First published July 1, 2023

About the author

Jen Wilkin is a speaker, writer, and teacher of women’s Bible studies. During her thirteen years of teaching, she has organized and led studies for women in home, church, and parachurch contexts. Jen and her family are members of the Village Church in Flower Mound, Texas. She is the author of Women of the Word.

Reviews

[Whitney Erwin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Theology can sound very intimidating and daunting! Thats where this book comes in and gives you confidence and understanding in the fact that, you are a theologian! A theologian is simply someone who uses words about God. After the authors help you realize you are theologian, then this book dives in the basics of Christianity to help you grow your knowledge as a theologian. This book goes over the foundational doctrines and helps you understand and comprehend the basics. It's not too overwhelming and it's easy to digest all the information presented. I think this book would be a wonderful tool for both those new to the faith and even seasoned Christians.

Thank you, B & H publishing Group, and Net Galley, for a copy in return for my honest review.

[Lydia Wallace · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a great book that will strengthen your faith in God. A good and necessary book, in my opinion. This book does such an incredible job making the major doctrines of the Christian life accessible for anyone to understand. Christians should know what they believe and be able to defend their faith. I highly recommend.

[Amber Thiessen · Rating 5 out of 5]

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Hey! My name is Amber and I'm a theologian.

I'm not a scholar, a professor or a pastor.

I am, however, a follower of Christ, a wife, a mom, and a nurse.

So why call myself a theologian?

Theology is simply words about God thus, a theologian is someone who has words about God - and we all have them. The key to becoming a good one is seeking to understand how God has revealed Himself in the Scriptures, so that our words and our worship align with truth.

Jen & JT have put together a resource to give us - the regular people in the pew - an overview of foundational Christian beliefs; their new book, You Are A Theologian: An Invitation to Know and Love God Well.

Yes, there are theological words. Yes, they will call you a theologian. And yes, they are inviting you to discover more about God, because they wholeheartedly believe that in learning, you will love Him more, too.

Content
Purpose of the Book
The authors share a two-fold purpose in writing this book. First, they want you to see yourself as a theologian. Second, they want you to grow in knowledge and love of God through theology.

Here's where they'll take you:

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION What a Generation Forgot
CHAPTER 1 Why Does Theology Matter?
CHAPTER 2 Who is God? The Doctrine of the Trinity
CHAPTER 3 What is God like? The Attributes of God
CHAPTER 4 What is the Bible? Revelation: The Doctrine of Scripture
CHAPTER 5 Who are We? Anthropology: The Doctrine of Humanity
CHAPTER 6 What Went Wrong? Hamartiology: The Doctrine of Sin
CHAPTER 7 What has God Done? (Part 1) The Doctrines of Christology, Atonement, and Justification
CHAPTER 8 What has God Done? (Part 2) Pneumatology: The Doctrine of the Holy Spirit
CHAPTER 9 to Whom Do We Belong? Ecclesiology: The Doctrine of the Church
CHAPTER 10 how Does the story end? Eschatology: The Doctrine of Last Things
CONCLUSION Made You Look

Summary
You'll find the chapters are separated into different theological topics. Obviously the book is not exhaustive, but they highlight the foundational, historic beliefs of Christianity. Another way of describing these is to say they are first-order doctrines, the non-negotiables of the Christian faith.

Each chapter begins with a definition of the doctrine, then goes on to explain the biblical concepts and how it relates to our daily life. They wrap up with 5 questions for reflection and/or discussion, and prayer.

The authors don't spend time arguing toward a specific theological tradition, they are charitable in their teaching, acknowledging at times the presence of differences across denominations, but not getting hung up on it. This really helps the reader focus on the simplicity of the core doctrines.

My Take
Becoming a Good Theologian
A.W. Tozer writes, “what comes into our mind when we think about God is the most important thing about us.”

How we think about God impacts how we speak and act, influencing how we pray, how we read the Scriptures, and how we relate with others.

The authors write, "theology matters because it shapes us not merely at the intellectual level, but at the emotional and the practical level." Theology is not merely something we learn but something we do.

This doesn't necessarily mean we start filling out seminary applications or buying systematic theology textbooks - although neither are a bad thing. But it does mean adopting the mindset of a lifelong learner, because "disciples never graduate from Scripture."

Colossians 3:10 reminds us that we have "put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator." We will continue to mine truths from God's word, for knowledge of Him is inexhaustible. Our thirst will be quenched as we drink from the Living Water and in turn love will flow from us, to accomplish the good purposes He has for us.

Welcome the Lingo
What's your response when you encounter big words?

Technical jargon can be intimidating. All my non-nursing friends heartily agree.

Theological terms come up and we may feel lost or confused, causing even more difficult to see the relevance to our daily life. Even the word theologian is an example. Typically relegated to academics or pastors, the title sounds far out of our lowly reach.

But, words can be explained and we can understand what they mean, not for the purpose of gaining a gold star because now we know, but rather to discover the depth of meaning and how the gospel becomes clearer through comprehension

Do Theology Together
Theology is a conversation about God's Word. We're not meant to do it alone.

This is what makes these two authors great role models for writing this book. They've served in ministry together and engage in these conversations on their podcast, Knowing Faith (which I've really enjoyed, banter and all), helping the church gain a vision for discipleship.

Gaining knowledge can make us prone to pride but theology is humble: "Knowledge puffs up, but love builds up" (1 Cor 8:1). Keeping a humble attitude before God and others will enable us to discuss and share and grow together in love and unity.

My Recommendation
Do you desire to know God and to love Him well?

Have you read the words of the psalmist, "as a deer pants for flowing streams, so pants my soul for you, O God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God" (Ps.42:1-2) and felt that deep in your bones?

Or maybe you want that it would be true for you.

If so, this resource will show you how expanding your knowledge will broaden your love for the Lord.

If you're a Christian who has never read through a catechism, or if you did and it was a long time ago, this book is for you.

If you're involved in a bible study, a small group, or a teaching ministry this book will help you understand the foundations of Christian doctrine.

If you're a parent and discipling your children, this resource will equip you to talk with your kids about faith.

If you're on a ministry leadership team, this book is a way for you to study together, even if you feel it's back to the basics, to remember the goodness of the gospel and build each other up.

I love when theological resources are accessible for us regular believers and this is one I highly recommend.

So, who will you "do" theology with? Your friends, small group, your family?

Pray about who you can invite along on this journey of knowing and loving the Lord.

Quick Stats
# of pages:224 pages
Level of Difficulty: It's easy, (yes there are some big words, but nothing they don't explain)
My Rating: 5 stars

A big thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC and the opportunity to post an honest review!

[Brandi Davis · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Everyone has words about God; therefore, everyone is a theologian. The question is not whether we are theologians but whether we are good ones or bad ones.”

This quote summarizes the major aim of this book—to help Christians be good theologians. Jen Wilkin and J. T. English go about that task by introducing the reader to some of the core doctrines of the Christian faith, defining them and helping us to understand why they are so integral to the faith.

You Are a Theologian is incredibly accessible. Wilkin and English do a great job of taking these topics and making them easily digestible for the average church member. It’s a great read for those that think theology is only for academicians and pastors.

One thing that I appreciated about it is its focus on the essentials. If you’re looking for a book that takes the core doctrines and does a deep dive into the different viewpoints on them all, you won’t get that here. The authors really lean into giving the reader the basics—those things about each doctrine that are agreed upon by all Christians regardless of tradition.

I also love that each chapter pertaining to a doctrine ends with discussion questions and a prayer prompt.

This would be a great resource for a book study or small group. It’d also be a great discipleship tool. I highly recommend this one!

[Hannah · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am a big fan of Jen Wilkin and J.T. English's podcast, Knowing Faith, so I had really high expectations of this book coming into it. I am very impressed by their ability to distill complicated theological topics into easy-to-digest (and quick-to-read) chapters! This book is a quick read full of Scriptural theology and is PERFECT for the Christian ready to move from "milk to meat." They have kept the chapters brief and focused on first-tier theology, avoiding the denominational bickering, which I really enjoyed it.

My disappointments with this book were related to its depth. I was expecting a book as deep as their podcast and some of Jen's other writing and speaking; this was not the case. This is a skim of theology, not in-depth. While I did learn some things (especially in the eschatology chapter), overall this felt like the sort of book you might review in a small group rather than the theological deep-dive I was expecting. Still, a great book and I definitely recommend it!

3.5/5

[Sam Reader · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is the tool the Church needs and one that I’ve waited a long time for. Jen and JT have made theology accessible to all and convincingly show why it matters. Jen is one of the best writers I’ve read—she can say what she wants in half of the words that most can. Their personalities shine through the pages and so does their passion for training the Church. This book is clear, concise, approachable, and a joy to read. Pastors likely will not learn new theology from it, but will gain helpful language for their flocks. The laity can leverage this tool to spring board themselves into a lifetime of learning about God and walking with Him.

Cannot wait to share this book with others.

10/5 STARS

[Rainer Erani · Rating 5 out of 5]

You Are a Theologian by Jen Wilkin and J.T. English just secured its spot as the first book I recommend for an introduction to Christian theology. It's clear, concise, and Christ-centered. The authors provide a compelling vision for a lifetime of theological study that is accessible and engaging. The book introduces the essential doctrines, of the Trinity, God, Scripture, humanity, sin, Jesus, the Church, and the end times. This is an excellent starting point for anyone seeking to understand the core doctrines of the Christian Faith. I recommend this as a discipleship resource to walk through as a group, and as the primary readings for an Intro to Christianity class.

[AC Rypkema · Rating 4 out of 5]

“What comes into our minds when we think about God is the most important thing about us” -Tozer

I loved the way each chapter brought me back to simple things & allowed me to delight in fundamental truths of the gospel! I also really appreciated the discussion questions & prayers at the end for each doctrine!

“Lord, Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done in: my thoughts, my words, my actions, my family, my friendships, my trials, my work, my leisure time, my neighborhood, my “Jerusalem”, my “Judea”, “to the ends of the earth”, my church, Your church, my tomorrows, the tomorrows I do not live to see.”

[Jordyn Mann · Rating 5 out of 5]

SUCH a good read!! This was an accessible look into foundational theological concepts. I really appreciate that the book is centered around the idea that everyone is a theologian (hence the title). I’m challenged and encouraged to continue to know and love God deeper!

“‘Into an age screaming for me to live my truth, the Scriptures speak calmly that my truth, self-declared and self-defined, is a lie.’ But my Maker’s truth transcends. My Creator’s truth endures. It is an anchor in a storm-tossed world, beaten to and fro on the waves of faddish culture.”

“God is an inexhaustible well of beauty, riches, and glory. Theology invites us into beholding and enjoying Him as such. We want to convince you that all of life is ultimately about theology because all of life is lived in reference to who God is, who we are, what He has done, and what He is doing.”

[Chris MacLeavy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Discipleship begins with learning, but it results in loving. If you've never read or heard anything by Jen Wilkin or J.T. English, this sentence from the conclusion captures the heart behind everything they're about. We are all theologians, and we're all disciples. The question is whether our theology is informed by the Truth, and exactly what we're allowing ourselves to be discipled by. You Are A Theologian is a much-needed reminder to Christians at all stages along the journey that our goal together is to make mature disciples—those who are taught to obey everything that Christ commanded—not simply for the sake of learning, but to mature more deeply into loving: loving God and loving neighbor for our good and His glory. You Are A Theologian can be read in a day, but worked out over the course of a lifetime, shoulder-to-shoulder in community with fellow theologians and disciples of Christ. A wonderful encouragement, and a worthy exhortation.

[dani van nortwick · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you have questions about certain Biblical doctrines or feel as though you can’t articulate them well, read this book. You can find helpful knowledge about doctrines in any systematic theology, but I would definitely recommend *this one first*! I read R.C. Sproul’s, “Everyone’s a Theologian”, last fall, and while it was amazing, it was a lot more intellectually dense. I think I would have appreciated R.C.’s book more had I first been introduced to systematic theology with something easier to understand. This book was amazingly helpful to me and I couldn’t recommend it more to any Christian!!!

[Jake Preston · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5. This is the best accessible systematic theology I’ve read. I appreciated that they focus primarily on issues of orthodoxy and don’t delve too deeply into debates on the Lord’s Supper, baptism, complementarianism, etc. This is a great book to give anyone wanting to better understand what they believe and how it affects their everyday lives because it is true that we are all theologians - the question is whether we’re good ones. I’ll be using it for a class this fall and look forward to seeing it continue to make an impact.

[Elizabeth Santelmann · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you don’t have a grasp on the basics of Christianity from a reformed perspective this is a great place to start.

The statics at the beginning that surveyed Christians about what they believe reveals how important teaching the basics are!

As Jen has said before, “The heart cannot love what the mind doesn’t know.”

This book is a good asset to the basics and really inspires me to be attentive to the way I disciple. It reminds me that the basics must be known before the secondary issues are fought over!

[Joshua Biggs · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book does what it aims to do phenomenally well. It’s meant to be a brief introduction to systematic theology while being accessible, thorough, and devotional; and it hits a home run in my estimation. I’ve benefited tremendously from Jen and J.T. and this book is no exception.

Perfect for new believers wanting to grow in theological knowledge.

[DeeAnna Schafer · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very concise overview of the basics, but was very helpful for me to see gaps in my own theology!

[Ashley Hoss · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a pretty well written entry level systematic theology. If you're new to Christianity, it's a great place to learn the basics and drive your search for knowledge deeper. If you're familiar with Christianity or even a seasoned believer, there's still some good meat for you here and I would definitely recommend it.

[Karlin McGarvey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Finishing this book at such a fun time, as I just wrapped up my rotation in Denver where I attended author J.T.’s church and WOW I love his teaching and writing.
This book breaks down beliefs of the Christianity into 10 big questions and provides a systematic review of the Biblical text that backs up the answer(s) to that specific question. Very intentionally written and to the point. It was helpful to be reminded of so many truths I often forget (see my 90+ hilights)!
Some of the concepts that hit home most were that the most elemental part of our identity is received, not achieved. “Our identity is rooted in how God made us and in what God speaks over us, not in what we make of ourselves. And the implications of this are massive.”

[Rebekah Bredow · Rating 5 out of 5]

OFFICIALLY A THEOLOGIAN 😁😁😁 on a real note this book really opened my eyes to theology and the importance of understanding it!! definitely would recommend to anyone interested in learning some of the basics of theological doctrine!!!

[Lizzy Tonkin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Overall, I found this to be an approachable and helpful introduction to theology. I had concerns with three of the chapters — on the Bible (it was incredibly circular), on the Holy Spirit (did not do justice to differing - orthodox - positions) and end times (the whole chapter was on Christ coming back being a good thing and nothing on how people interpret his return and kingdom).

I believe you can be easy to read, understand, and not be so simplistic you miss where most conversations around these topics are actually happening.

However, I would still recommend this (and Phylicia Masonheimers Basic Theology to go with it).

[Ally Stockton · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love Jen Wilkin always and this book is no different. It’s a great book for any believer and one I hope to start taking people through in discipleships.

[Cole Ragsdale · Rating 5 out of 5]

Clear. Concise. Helpful. An excellent theological overview.

Big fan of the authors and their work for the local church!

[Michael Wenig · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’m a big fan of Jen Wilkin, and I have been since I read her book Women of the Word (an amazing book) and started listening to her Knowing Faith podcast circa 2019/20. I also read JT English’s book Deep Discipleship several years ago and enjoyed that, so it was a no brainer that I’d enjoy You Are A Theologian. I read this book with my staff team, so we were able to spend significant time discussing each chapter in depth, which was to our benefit to work through the ideas and truths presented in this book.

The biggest and most significant benefit of this book is twofold. First, Jen and JT write so clearly and concisely. I really admire how they seem to use the right amount of words, no more or less than is needed, as well as colorful and descriptive vocabulary. I have grown to want to emulate them over the years of listening to them! Secondly, their focus in this book appeared to be less the case of diving into various theological topics and imparting information, essentially backing up a dump truck of information, but to build a platform for readers to engage in theology ongoing in their life from a healthy, balanced perspective.

The single best benefit of this book is that it helps orient the reader to, like the title says, know and love God well. I finished this book not feeling over saturated with facts, but more oriented to hold a scriptural and theological view of God and his ways. One example of this is from the last chapter about the end times. Rather than overwhelming me with facts that I don’t know how to hold, they helped me develop a better base from which I can go forth and learn more and consider more information about end times theology. I know that matters of the end times are to produce hope in the Christian in light of God’s restoration of creation and bringing his kingdom to Earth. Great book!

[Natalie Herr · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent starting point for anyone wanting to learn Christian theology, especially if you are intimidated by it. JT and Jen do a great job of covering the major doctrines of the faith in simple language. This book won’t answer all your questions, but it’s a great primer and jumping off point for future study. Would be great for a new believer or someone getting into Bible study for the first time.

[Kittynelson · Rating 5 out of 5]

A basic, but much needed and thorough introduction.

[Haley Culverhouse · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a fantastic book. I listened to this on audiobook and want to buy a physical copy to read again- with my highlighters ready!

[Jessica Perteet · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a great book that I’m reading for a book club at my church. My pastor created a book list that matches each chapter for continued studies. Theology should be the Christian’s life work!

[Aubrey Haines · Rating 5 out of 5]

So good!! I appreciated the emphasis that knowing the God of the word will produce in us affections for God— it’s not intellectual knowledge OR intimacy with Christ, but both feed into each other. good stuff!

[Robin Kirk · Rating 5 out of 5]

At this point, I’ll read anything Jen Wilkin writes! This is the third book, this year, I have read from her. She is quickly becoming a favorite teacher to learn from. I highly recommend her books!

[Brice Karickhoff · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this book because it was written by two of the hosts of a podcast that is 100% the only thing I ever listen to anymore, Knowing Faith:

https://open.spotify.com/show/5yTDIHe...

Excellent read in every way. Starts with a compelling case that everyone is a theologian whether they like it or not, and then proceeds to provide a theological overview of each of the main tenants of orthodox Christianity. If you’ve run in those circles for a while, it won’t contain much new information, which is the one and only negative thing I can say on this book, but regardless, it is an edifying and interesting read.

[Cole Pate · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book provided a great groundwork for theology and is a fantastic starting point for new Christians who want to learn what it means to be a Christian and know God.