Daily Doctrine: A One-Year Guide to Systematic Theology

by Kevin DeYoung

Learn Important Systematic Theology Topics Each Day with This Accessible One-Year Devotional

All thoughtful Christians want to better understand the Bible, its author, and its influence on their beliefs. In short—whether they recognize it or not—they want to understand theology. But many find the subject matter too academic, dense, or difficult to understand, and they lack proper study resources to help expand their knowledge of God and his written word.

Designed to make systematic theology clear and accessible for the everyday Christian, this devotional walks through the most important theology topics over the course of a year. Each month is categorized into broad themes, starting with the study of God and concluding with the end times. Written by bestselling author and associate professor of systematic theology Kevin DeYoung, each concise daily reading contains verses for meditation and application, building upon each other and easing readers into the study of systematic theology. 

Written for Thoughtful  Offers pastors, ministry leaders, and everyday Christians access to a theologically rich yet accessible study  One-Year  Daily readings build off one another to help ease readers into systematic theology  Covers Important Theological  Each month covers a different broad theological topic, including mankind, salvation, the church, end times, and more Written by Kevin  Pastor, bestselling author, and associate professor of systematic theology

Genres: Theology, Christian, Devotional, Christianity, Nonfiction, Faith, Religion

432 pages, Hardcover

Published October 22, 2024

About the author

Kevin DeYoung is the Senior Pastor at University Reformed Church (RCA) in East Lansing, Michigan, right across the street from Michigan State University.

Reviews

[Kevin Halloran · Rating 4 out of 5]

For the past dozen years since I graduated seminary, I’ve slowly tried to re-read core texts from my education. I’ve read loads on biblical theology, hermeneutics, ministry, preaching, counseling, and more. But one topic I haven’t read much on is Systematic Theology. One reason is my ministry hasn’t focused on Systematic Theology. Another is that most Systematic Theology books are thick—the newest version of Grudem’s Systematic theology is over 1600 pages!

With this background I decided to pick up Kevin DeYoung’s Daily Doctrine: A One-Year Guide to Systematic Theology. I figured a shorter book (432 pages) with daily readings should be the easiest way to trek through such a large topic. My instincts proved correct. Daily Doctrine provides 260 readings (one for each weekday in the year) and is designed to be read daily, although I enjoyed trekking through four or five days at a time.

DeYoung writes from a Presbyterian perspective and at an accessible level—he can distill complex truths in an understandable way in about a page and a half. That’s a major strength of the book. As he teaches, he interacts with some of the great theologians from history and also touches on historical theology that shows the development of doctrines and historical debates behind them.

While I don’t think this book is for everyone, those who it is for will treasure it. I don’t recommend this for more casual lay Christians unless you’re willing to stretch yourself to think deeper about doctrine with a seminary professor. (A more introductory recommendation on doctrine is Christian Beliefs: Twenty Basics Every Christian Should Know by Wayne Grudem.) For non-Reformed/Presbyterians, the Presbyterian framework about Covenant Theology and Baptism for instance, may not be as helpful as reading someone you align with more fully. (For example, I wouldn’t recommend this book to newer Christians who attend my EFCA church.)

Some may have a hard time discerning how to understand DeYoung’s view on complex topics like the Impassibility of God. (Sam Storms’s review provided good thoughts on that and other theological differences he had with DeYoung.) But overall I agree with Storms’ assessment of the book’s value: “Please don’t let these minor disagreements hinder you from obtaining and reading Kevin’s book. It is excellent, clear, and will prove to be a blessing to all who read it.”

Those who will benefit most from this work are lay people and leaders wanting to dig deeper into theology to understand the foundations and underpinnings of many of the truths we hold dear. I loved the length of each day and the breadth of topics. I also understand Covenant Theology better than I did before (although I hold more to a Progressive Covenantalism as outlined in Kingdom Through Covenant by Gentry and Wellum).

Overall, with aforementioned caveats I recommend Daily Doctrine. DeYoung’s writing is rich, clear, and devotional. For some, it will be a rigorous theological workout that will benefit them from years to come. For the more theologically trained like pastors and missionaries, it will provide a helpful refresher on doctrine much like a continuing education course. For all, it will open up solid theologians and reading recommendations across a variety of theological topics.

[Derek Woodall · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’ve enjoyed and greatly valued everything I’ve read by DeYoung, this one being another on that list. I highly recommend someone working their way through this. DeYoung is clear and concise, biblically grounded, historically driven, and delights in knowing God. I am grateful for this one.

[Rainer Erani · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reviewing a book you’ve been reading for a year is hard. It’s like giving a best man speech for a friend you’ve met with every morning to challenge and encourage each other in the faith—three minutes just can’t do it justice.

But alas, I will try. Daily Doctrine by Kevin DeYoung does at least five things exceptionally well: external presentation, internal presentation, systematic categorization, theological articulation, and personal transformation.

External presentation: The book is simply beautiful. It deserves a place of honor on your shelf—it’s that stunning.
Internal presentation: The inside matches the outside. The fonts, colors, and layout are captivating and thoughtfully designed.
Systematic categorization: DeYoung offers an easy-to-follow and easy-to-navigate reference guide. It’s structured in a way that makes finding what you need both quick and satisfying.
Theological articulation: Concepts are clear, concise, well-cited, and well-expressed. Theology isn’t easy to do, but DeYoung gives readers the tools they need to engage deeply and faithfully.
Personal transformation: Doing theology with DeYoung changes you. It reshapes what you love and how you think. Spending time with Daily Doctrine makes you more like Jesus.

The only thing I’d change would be having my copy signed by Pastor Kevin.

[Drake · Rating 5 out of 5]

Haven't quite read everything from cover to cover yet, but we've been working through this for most of the year as part of our family worship time, and it is excellent. Both my wife and I have learned much from DeYoung's short-but-rich treatments of each topic. Great as both a systematic theology and a daily devotional.

[Jack Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

A brilliant, devotional, and classical/historical systematic theology that everyone should read.

[Julia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very good. Took me 2 months to read it but I learned a lot. Learned so much about being Presbyterian, about religion as a whole, learned about what the Church does and does not believe, and which topics are hills to die on and which are not. Overall would recommend to anyone, it’s a great resource and also feels like I was in seminary classes for 2 months, but a great way to get a little bit of theology under your belt without going to seminary. Great for the layperson, not just pastors or those in ministry, and honestly a lot of these topics come up in conversations with students (specifically the Trinity, predestination & baby baptism) so I’m happy to have a resource for myself as I have the conversations and for them so I can point them somewhere!

[Cale Fauver · Rating 5 out of 5]

Kevin DeYoung is one of my favorite pastors to listen to and read. Always encouraging, deeply exegetical, and has rightly placed humor.

That being said, this is an excellent systematic book. And I can heartily say that as a Reformed Baptist to my Presbyterian brothers!

[Joshua Bremerman · Rating 5 out of 5]

My five-star review of this book does not indicate complete endorsement (I am a Baptist, and happily so, so my disagreements are extensive not only with baptism—but also the new covenant, polity, etc.), but I cannot think of another book written in this style with such a level of both depth and clarity!

I would *highly* recommend this book as a companion for daily readings in the Bible for anyone wanting to take deeper steps into theology.

[Harriet · Rating 4 out of 5]

This can be read through or taken as a daily devotional. I did the former but recommend the latter as it would have probably helped me take it in more. Helpful overview of lots of theology although worth noting Kevin DeYoung is Presbyterian so it’s in favour of paedo-baptism etc - but quite helpful to understand the arguments!

[Peter Krol · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent, bite-sized chunks to systematics that are never breezy or uninsightful. DeYoung takes a (sometimes unnecessary) stand on quite a few debatable topics, but he's always winsome and transparent in his reasoning. Well worth the time, and easy to digest in a single reading per day.

[Donald White · Rating 5 out of 5]

Daily Dose of Systematic Theology

This book is well written and full of a deep, rich theology that helps one understand God’s Word better and helps one understand the big picture of God’s redemptive history and plan.

[Ian Hammond · Rating 5 out of 5]

The strength of this one is brevity. I have never read a systematic theology with such economy of words. If you are looking to read your first systematic theology, start here. It was a delight to read.

[Alex Yauk · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book and found it very valuable. Modeled on a full systematic theology, DeYoung distilled doctrines down to their essence, leaving the readers with just over one-page summaries of the most important issues.

The book is organized so that readers can read it through by reading one entry Monday-Friday for a year. By limiting himself to one page, DeYoung does the hard work and leaves readers not only with a great (and devotional) reading experience, but also Daily Doctrine becomes a great reference work and jumping off point to deeper study. Recommend!

[Hannah Duggan · Rating 5 out of 5]

We have been reading this book as a part of our devotions after dinner and it almost always sparks further conversation. DeYoung addresses complex topics with the layperson in mind. The theological terms are all defined and the topics are explained in a concise manner. This book has served as a reminder of the important and foundational truths we know to be true. I will be gifting this book to several families this Christmas.

[Lindsey Eggleston · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a pretty good intro point into theology but it still had some dense portions that I had to google in order to gain better understanding. I really enjoyed the daily format. I could re read this every year and keep learning something new because it covers so much.

[Grant Hohlbein · Rating 4 out of 5]

JAM PACKED

[Shawn · Rating 4 out of 5]

On one of his Plodcasts, my pastor, Douglas Wilson, recommended reading DeYoung’s book. The daily entries are short and concise. I ended up reading many more than one entry a day.

[Adam Kareus · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic!
Kevin DeYoung has a way of taking the most challenging theological concepts and making them clear. And that is what he does in this systematic theology unlike any other. Written in such a way that the reader could walk through a systematic theology over 52 weeks, reading an entry 5 times a week, this work is a devotion that is deep and rich. I chose to read a week a day (which is not hard at all) and was greatly rewarded for it.
And while I am not a Presbyterian, so some of his views on the church and baptism I don’t wholly agree with, he is always fair in his presentation of other views.

Highly recommend.

[Henry Middleton · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this because I was interested in finding a book that I could recommend to church members who do not have seminary education but who want to learn more theology. This is a good overview written on a laymen's level. I thought a few areas would be difficult reading for someone without seminary education, but they would still benefit from this book. I disagreed on some minor points but nothing huge. There were a few areas where I thought more explanation would have been good, but I also understood that this was a brief overview, and so space was limited.
Overall, this is good reading. It hits the key points and provides an explanation of basic theology from a Reformed perspective and in a way that does not require specialized education to understand. Each chapter is short, and so someone can read in small bite-sized chunks each day, or if they want more, then they can read multiple sections each day.

[Mike · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a revealing and enlightening book. I used it as a daily devotional reading. It gives solid teaching about many Biblical doctrines.

[Becky · Rating 4 out of 5]

Daily Doctrine: A One Year Guide to Systematic Theology. Kevin DeYoung. 2024. 432 pages. [Source: Library] [4 stars] [theology]

First sentence from the introduction: This is going to sound over the top but writing this book has been a dream come true.

First sentence from day one: The aim of Christian theology is to know, enjoy, and walk in the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.

This systematic theology is meant to be digested one day at a time. The book allows for five days a week. So not 365 days of systematic theology. It builds in some grace days each week. It is written from a Reformed perspective.

From the introduction, "I endeavor on every page to be biblical. A big part of systematic theology is learning the proper terms and debates and distinctions. I make no apology for teaching these things. But the overarching goal in all this learning is to understand what the Bible teaches, defend what the Bible teaches, and enjoy the God whom the Bible reveals."

He goes on to say that the book can be enjoyed as a daily devotional, a reference book, or a "mini" systematic theology.

It is well organized. Each reading is a building block.

Some entries ARE accessible. Some have a truly must-read aspect to them because the entry is so central, so foundational, so essential to understanding the Christian faith. Because they are so essential, so core, these do have a more practical aspect to them. A certain thrilling aspect to unpack, a HOW CAN IT BE, ISN'T IT WONDERFUL. Entries that lead to gratitude, rejoicing, peace.

For example, the chapters on the atonement are absolutely WONDERFUL. And that's just one example. There are, of course, many, many more.

Other entries are less accessible. I will say that ALL entries are intellectual in nature. But some are extra scholarly and dry. These daily entries are more difficult to comprehend and unpack, and, on the surface at least they seem to have less of an impact on the day-to-day lives of Christians. There are certainly chapters where the vocabulary is challenging. I have read many theological books through the years, so I thought I would have a fair grasp of the material. I was wrong. This isn't a bad thing. Just to say that there may be entire weeks where a reader is struggling to make sense of the text AND to put the pieces of the puzzle together in terms of so what. Why does knowing this impact me right here, right now.

Again, there were plenty of days that were impactful and accessible and relevant. But I had imagined in my head a book where every day would be incredibly nourishing and amazing. There are plenty of rewarding days. There are. But this book will require effort. It may require rereading passages. It may require looking up unfamiliar vocabulary. It may require some extra research to see if you can find easier explanations of some concepts.

[Darren Lee · Rating 5 out of 5]

If there is only two systematic theology textbooks that I can recommend, I will recommend this first, and Calvin Institutes as second.

Essentially this book is an amazing one because it distills the best from the Reformed Scholastic tradition in an understandable manner. Almost all the important theological categories and key arguments are found in this book, so one is able to save up a lot of time without the need to read through all 4 volumes of Herman Bavinck or Joel Beeke. Previously Berkhof was my go to recommendation but I think Kevin DeYoung outdid Berkhof. While the thicker heavierweights will give you more detailed arguments, but I think those are better off served as a reference books for most pastors and theological students.

Another reason why I like Kevin is because he is well-informed with modern issues such as sexuality, gender, woman ordination, New Perspective of Paul, New Covenant Theology and Progressive Covenantalism and he has incorporated them into this book. Brief yet powerful and convincing (at least most of the time). Despite being modern, Kevin is still thoroughly (can I say at least 95%) confessional and affirms the traditional theology of the creeds, Westminster Confession of Faith and Three Forms of Unity. So you won't be seeing him affirmed heterodox theology such as Eternal Functional Subordination. Opponents may find his arguments to be unconvincing and sparse, but one ought to remember this is a popular level book rather than an academic one, and I think he did a great job breaking down complex theological issues in a way that is understandable by the average Christians.

Finally, it's never an easy job to write Systematic Theology in a way that is devotional and practical. There are some good ones, for example Calvin's Institutes. Kevin DeYoung managed to make the overall book devotional and practical to our modern context.

That said there are a few things that I think could be improved as listed below.
1. Common Grace as a separate chapter is not included.
2. Ordo Salutis of the elects under the Old Covenant is not explicit enough.
3. Lack of distinction between absolutely and generally necessary for salvation when it comes to the topics of sacraments.
4. Efficacy of baptism for infants is still too baptist for me.
5. There are better biblical arguments for episcopal, maybe it would be good for Kevin to check with his Anglican scholars how they argue for the office of bishop from the Bible.
6. There can be good biblical arguments for NPW which Kevin would do well to engage with Anglican and Lutheran perspectives.

Despite the above disagreements and other exegetical disagreements I have with Kevin, I think this book is worth reading cover to cover. I will certainly use this book to teach my Systematic Theology classes.

[Jennie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Just in time for gift giving!! This is a must book for all Christians to have!! Have you ever wanted to understand what systematic biblical doctrine is or wanted something that helps you in a daily study of understanding the Bible more? Than this new book, Daily Doctrine by Kevin DeYoung is setup to read in small bites, five days a week, that take less than 10 minutes a day on the subjects of: Preliminary considerations and doctrine of Scripture, the being of God and the works of God, man created and fallen, how God relates to His creatures, the person of Christ, the work of Christ, salvation in Christ, the nature, mission, and ordering of the church, and last things.

In addition, the outside of this book is beautiful. A nice hard cover, tweed like texture, and with a ribbon bookmark!

If you struggle with how to read this or how to use the book, DeYoung provides helpful suggestions in the introduction.

“The goal of theology must never be reduced to merely getting right ideas into our head. The reason we care about theology, the reason we write about theology, the reason you are reading a book about theology is so we can know God more deeply, enjoy Him more fully, and walk with Him more obediently.”

“Systematic theology helps up put together the whole counsel of God.”

I think this is a much needed book in our day with the lack of people not understanding the Bible and/or not receiving good solid preaching and teaching from the many churches out there. I also haven’t seen any book out there like this, as most books on systematic theology can be dense. This is set up in small bite size readings, so as not to become over burden, but yet for those wanting more this helps give you a good solid understanding for the reader to then dig deeper from the book sources that helped DeYoung write this book.

I highly recommend this book to add to your everyday reading. This is one I will use personally and rotate into our homeschooling morning time or evening family devotions. Why? Because we love learning from old, dead guys! This book takes the best from historical theologians and has condensed into bite-sized daily reading. I know this book will become one of my top recommend books and resources to use and share with others.

I have read several of Kevin DeYoung’s books over the years, and those have all provided solid Christian lessons and Biblical teachings of the Word. So if you haven’t heard of him, then do yourself a favor and go check out some of his other books, too.

[Gail · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is designed to be read daily - about a page and a half for a year (260 week-day readings), so I planned to read a page daily, as a lead-in to my daily Bible reading/quiet time. I have found that I can’t read just one page. Even though I didn’t want to go too fast, because I wanted to really let it soak in, I couldn’t help reading at least several of the “dailies” each morning.
While the book is in no way “dumbed down” (there are terms I need to look up and a good bit of Greek and Latin), DeYoung explains them in a way that is understandable, yet pushes me to ponder and think deeply. And it draws me, not just with head knowledge, but reaches my heart and calls me to worship and love the Lord more. While many topics (i.e. character of God, inerrancy of Scripture, etc) are not controversial among orthodox Christians, this book is written from a Reformed perspective. I don’t agree with many Reformed views, but even where I don’t agree (these are all secondary issues…not salvation issues), the writing and thinking are so well-considered and substantiated (and DeYoung often offers alternate opinions on some of the more debatable topics) that the book has helped me better understand the Reformed perspective and critically think through my own beliefs. Who knows who is “right” on every issue?

I love the hard copy book… highlighting, making notes, and looking up a lot of the references to make additional notes. I’ve not been to seminary, but I love to read and study the Word. This book is adding depth and joy to my understanding and meditations on the Lord. I find myself thinking about what I’ve read throughout the day with wonder and often tying it in with my Bible reading for that day. I can see myself referring to it again and again in coming years..it will have a prominent place on my bookshelf. I can see how this book will delight a broad range of readers and highly recommend it. What a treasure!

[David Crews PhD · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Solid Dose of Daily Doctrine

Kevin DeYoung's Daily Doctrine: A One-Year Guide to Systematic Theology is a commendable effort to make a weighty subject accessible to a broad audience. True to its title, the book is structured as a year-long devotional, with 260 readings (five per week) that break down the major tenets of Christian theology into manageable, bite-sized pieces.

DeYoung's strength as a writer shines through in his ability to distill complex theological concepts into clear and concise prose. He tackles everything from the doctrine of Scripture to eschatology, all from a distinctly Reformed perspective. While the book is an excellent introduction for those new to systematic theology, it also serves as a valuable refresher for pastors and seasoned students of the Bible.

The devotional format is perhaps the book's greatest asset. Each reading is short enough to be incorporated into a daily routine, yet substantive enough to provide real food for thought. DeYoung's writing is engaging and often witty, making the journey through systematic theology more of a delightful exploration than a dry academic exercise.

While the book is highly recommended, readers from different theological traditions may find points of disagreement, particularly on topics like covenant theology and baptism. Additionally, those looking for a purely devotional work with direct daily applications might find Daily Doctrine to be more focused on theological instruction.

Overall, Daily Doctrine is a valuable resource for anyone looking to deepen their understanding of Christian theology. It is a testament to the idea that doctrine is not just for the seminary classroom, but for the daily life of every believer.

This review was in cooperation with Crossway Publishers

David Crews PhD

[Mresch · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an incredible book for its length, depth, and clarity. Reading this book made me want to come up with a new measurement: TPS (Truth Per Sentence). This book would score high! There were no wasted sentences. I was amazed at how much he covered in “only” 400 pages.

This was a treasure to read and as a pastor and graduate of a Bible college I found much in here that grew me, and other areas that sharpened already existing knowledge, as well as new ways to think about and communicate old truths.

Having finished it, this is a book that will sit on my shelf and be referenced often. I so appreciate it was written in such a way it would be easy to access it again and again and I am positive I will.

Kevin DeYoung has become one of my favorite teachers for his biblical fidelity, depth of knowledge, and ability to make that truth accessible. This work of his did not disappoint. And yet even in that sentence I would guess DeYoung would want me to give credit to all who can came before him.

As he writes in the introduction…

“I think I can best serve the church be reading the old, dead guys, digesting their technical arguments and terminology, taking the best of their insights, and then writing with clarity and concision for busy pastors, students, leaders, and laypeople.”

I am grateful for all who came before and for the “translator” who wrote this helpful book.

[Daniel Ryan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Daily Doctrine is a devotional of sorts, with 260 entries (five per week). But unlike most devotionals (where each entry focuses on a Bible passage or topic), this book presents systematic theology for laypeople in digestible pieces (about a page per entry). Here, notable pastor and author Kevin DeYoung covers doctrine in 9 categories:
- Prolegomena (Preliminary Considerations)
- Theology Proper (The Being of God and the Works of God)
- Anthropology (Man as Created and Fallen)
- Covenant Theology (How God Relates to His Creatures)
- Christology 1 (The Person of Christ)
- Christology 2 (The Works of Christ)
- Soteriology (Salvation in Christ)
- Ecclesiology (The Nature, Mission, and Ordering of the Church)
- Eschatology (Last Things)

I loved this work. It takes skill to translate skilled theologians and their terminology into something clear and concise, but that is DeYoung's stated gift, and he pulls it off. He presents the Reformed view on most matters, but for particularly contentious topics, he does give a fair summary of different viewpoints. I recommend this to anyone interested in learning about systematic theology but (understandably) overwhelmed by other works on the topic and simply wants an overview. I only wish there had been 365 entries.

[Joel Opificius · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really well done. This is short and accessible, made to be read either as a one-year devotional or read straight through. DeYoung has organized a total of 260 topics in systematic theology, each divided into the primary classifications of systematics. Even with how short this book was, I was able to learn some new things. Of course, as a baptist, I do have some differences with DeYoung. But any disagreements I had were those that I had expected from the beginning. I am particularly picky when it comes to eschatology and the nature of the covenants, but even in these sections there was a lot that I appreciated. He is charitable to those with whom he disagrees and does not express dogmatism on lower-tier doctrines. Thankful for men like DeYoung.

[E · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a systematic theology masquerading as a devotional book. You get top-shelf theology parceled out a little bit at a time. This doesn't mean the content is shallow, even if means the discussion is often terse. It's what you need to know about 260 topics (52 x 5) as clearly and helpfully as possible. You could use it as a reference book--or better just read straight through!

DeYoung is in the classic stream of the Reformation; he has no interest in being novel here, and a standard presbyterian would find little or nothing to disagree with. Footnotes and references are kept to a minimum. And, no surprise, Crossway produced a beautiful volume. Well done all around.

[Matt Witten · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars -

Excellent primer and topline on systematic theology and key points. I’d describe it as a “spark notes” systematic theology.

There were points I was wanting more, but I think that’s the point - it introduces the topic, gives the overview of different viewpoints (and I think DeYoung does a great job of representing them fairly), and gives direction.

However, sometimes the logic was a bit too undeveloped and could have been much stronger (I found this on topics I both disagree with him on like paedobaptism and those I do agree with him on like rewards) even as a primer.

Overall though, really helpful and I enjoyed it, and it’ll be a great resource for me.