Basic Theology: A Popular Systematic Guide to Understanding Biblical Truth

by Charles C. Ryrie

Theology is for everyone. Everyone is a theologian of sorts. Theology simply means thinking about God and expressing those thoughts in some way. But sloppy theology is a problem. As Christians, our thoughts about God need to coincide with what He has said about Himself in the Bible. With his clear understanding of the Scriptures and unpretentious writing style, Charles Ryrie has written Basic Theology for every student of God's Word, from the devotional student to the seminary student. Ryrie's name has become synonymous with dispensational theology and his texts on the subject invaluable to the Bible scholar. Now Ryrie's Basic Theology is available to you from Moody Press, the company that brings you the Ryrie Study Bible. Featuring charts, definitions, and Scripture and subject indices, Basic Theology will give you a clear and comprehensive picture of Ryrie's approach to systematic theology. Its 94 chapters are arranged in outline style for easy reference. Considerable emphasis is given to explaining the dispensational view of the end times.

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

670 pages, Kindle Edition

First published June 1, 1986

About the author

Charles Caldwell Ryrie (born 1925) was a Christian writer and theologian. He graduated from Haverford College (B.A.), Dallas Theological Seminary (Th.M., Th.D.) and the University of Edinburgh, Scotland (Ph.D.). For many years he served as professor of systematic theology and dean of doctoral studies at Dallas Theological Seminary and as president and professor at Philadelphia College of Bible, now Philadelphia Biblical University. He was a premillennial dispensationalist, though irenic in his approach. He was also the editor of the popular Ryrie Study Bible.

Reviews

[G Walker · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was the first "formal" text that I read on theology. I have read it through at least 2 times over the course of Bible School and Seminary. At the time, I found it basic and boring. Since then, I have come to appreciate aspects of Ryrie that are absent in a lot of others in his tradition. That said, there are some substantive deficiencies in his theology and this text. It is very basic, dispensational, Amyraldian and baptistic. He's a mixed bag between rightly humble at some points and too dogmatic (to the point of silliness) in other areas... He's a first generation heir of fundamentalism that bridged the gap for contemporary (yet classical) dispensationalists (from Chafer to Couch). On some levels, I really respect the guy - at other levels though, I have a very hard time taking him seriously. All that said, I would never discredit what he has to say. First, despite his weaknesses in theology and theological method, he is a man who has implanted God's word deeply into his mind and his heart. Second, despite his accessible communication style, he has done his homework... And that is kind of the part that maybe bothers me the most - he still draws goofy conclusions. Third, regardless of what people say, he has had a lot of sway on contemporary (American) theology. Most mainstream evangelicals, most premillennialist, most non-calvinistic or moderately calvinistic baptists, most readers of the Left Behind Series ARE the theological step children of Ryrie (in one way or another) whether they like it or not! And for these reasons and many others, he is worth at least referencing from time to time.

[Dr Author O Wright, PhD, MinD, ThD, DD · Rating 4 out of 5]

Basic Theology by Charles C. Ryrie is a very impressive and compelling study on the basic doctrines of Theology. Mr. Ryrie, a highly acclaimed theologian, presented these basic doctrines in a bold and methodical approach. With his unique ability to unravel complicated biblical teaching, he presents all of the basic doctrines in an uncomplicated manner. Written in a mostly non-technical, conversational style, his approach toward all of the basic doctrines of theology; namely, God, Christ, Holy Spirit, Church, Salvation, etc., appeared thoroughly researched and easy to understand. This book is an excellent study for pastors and for those who want to know more on the basic doctrines of Theology. This book is also a tremendous help and source of material for the Sunday school teacher. It is also suitable for use as a textbook in Bible Colleges and Institutes. This book is a good read!

[Joshua Rodriguez · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very basic. Though well-researched, at times I do not think that he covered other positions deeply enough to rebut them. He also focuses on certain topics significantly more than others, especially on future eschatology. I read this to review Systematic Theology and for that purpose, it was helpful. He did strengthen my belief in premillennialism.

Edit: Moving up to four stars. The more I have worked on my degree and doctrinal statement, the more I enjoy the simplicity of this systematic theology. I have used it often and def recommend it as one of the essentials.

[Ginger · Rating 2 out of 5]

A previous church worked through this text and we left before they finished, so I continued reading it on my own. While it might be a decent text for a wide audience, I found it flawed throughout in many respects. It's riddled with faulty assumptions, even ones I ultimately agree with, but Ryrie's rationalizations were either nonexistent or thin.
The Bible is plenty strong enough to hold up to true scrutiny, so I was constantly frustrated with his logical fallacies, speculations, and reasoning. Plus, I was appalled several times at an immature reading of his opponents arguments (good faith logic 101: present the best version of your opponent's argument). It undermined my trust in Ryrie's scholarship that he had to weaken strong arguments to refute them.

The bulk of his information itself is orthodox, so I take less issue with his theology than his unfocused and uneven presentation. There are better basic theology texts out there. While this one is broad, I can't recommend it.

[Chad CG · Rating 5 out of 5]

(4.9)

A great resource to have for those looking to dive deeper into the Word.

[David Blynov · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was gifted to me by my friend Mike who pastors a church in Florida. I found this systematic guide of Biblical theology to be an amazing blessing.

4.6/5

[Greg D · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am very humbled and yet glad that I have taken the time to read this wonderful book written by Dr. Ryrie. Although I did not agree with every point he made in this book, I found it to be completely referenced with Scripture rather than just pure conjecture like many Dispensationalists have a tendency to do in relation to some items of theology, namely eschatology. I have learned a great deal from this book, many things that I did not know. I particularly liked how Dr. Ryrie systematically laid out everything in great detail. In fact, there was hardly any material covered in this book that I had further questions on. I did however have one particular question relating to baptism that Dr. Ryrie discussed. Thanks be to God I was able to contact Dr. Ryrie directly (via Facebook) and was given a reasonable response to my question. The one thing that this book did for me was to help open my eyes to the deeper mysteries of God… His awesome wonders and workings, and His perfect order of things. I particularly enjoyed the sections of this book in its description of angels, demons, and the spiritual world. I also enjoyed his systematic review of all views concerning the timing of the Rapture and the events surrounding the end times.

This book has actually deepened my faith a bit. It has shown me how such a mighty, powerful, and sovereign God can truly care about each of us on an individual level in an intimate way. It amazes me how a God can become a man on earth just so He can die on a cross for us. God cannot die, but a man can. And that is precisely what was done in the Incarnation of Jesus Christ. God is indeed a God of love.

[Philip · Rating 5 out of 5]

No book outside the Bible itself has done more to shape my thinking that that of Ryrie's Basic Theology. When I was 15, I completed my first journey through this text and left with an indelible impression of the depth and breadth of the teachings of Scripture. Ryrie's simple and witty presentation allows the reader to become immersed in the text and to follow his train of thought well. The arguments are well articulated and the theology is decidedly conservative. Ryrie's style in this volume is complexity addressed with brevity. In other words, though the topics are complex and deep, Ryrie adequately covers them all in a fashion that avoids unnecessary banter yet leaves the reader awkwardly satisfied. I say awkwardly satisfied because, though your questions are essentially answered, yet you desire a fuller knowledge of the subject at hand. In this sense, Ryrie has achieved what is the model for professors, pastors, and preachers have desired through the centuries: to teach truth so that the audience not only learns it, but then desires more. For these qualities and more, I would recommend this work as one of the essential texts for every Christian to read.

[Clark Goble · Rating 5 out of 5]

Charles Ryrie has become one my favorite theologians to read due to his unique ability to present complicated, theological concepts in an accessible and Biblical manner. Ryrie writes from a dispensational vantage point in an incredibly balanced manner and should be required reading for those who enjoy poking fun at the expense of dispensational writers like Tim LeHaye and Jerry Jenkins. For that matter, he should be required reading for Tim LeHaye and Jerry Jenkins!

In Basic Theology: A Systematic Guide to Understanding Biblical Truth, Ryrie explores each branch of theology in a manner that's consistent with a high view of Scripture. When reading this book, I was left with the impression that Ryrie is far more concerned with loyalty to the Word than in defending his own pet presuppositions.

While any book on systematic theology is going to be huge, this book weighs in at just 600+ pages which is a tribute to Ryrie's ability to get to the point on all matters of importance.

This book is a great reference text and should be placed within easy reach on the desk of all pastors, teachers, and theologians.

[Read1000books · Rating 4 out of 5]

Covering all the basic doctrines of the Bible (God, The Bible, angels, Satan, demons, man, sin, Jesus Christ, salvation, the Holy Spirit, the church, and prophecy), this is a fine course of study for the layman, a great help and source of material for the Sunday school teacher, and should be a standard text in every Bible college in America. Written in a mostly non-technical, conversational style, Professor Ryrie makes you feel like you are right there in the classroom with him. Even if you have been reading the Bible for years as I have, the systematic presentation found in Ryrie's book will teach you a lot. I even got the answer to a Biblical question that has puzzled me for decades. At 624 pages, this is perhaps not a book you will sit down and read straight through. But if you divide it into 52 parts and read just 6 pages on Saturday and 6 pages on Sunday (or whichever two days makes up your weekend), you can go through the whole book in a year. You will find it well worth your time. Obviously, highly recommended.

[Jamal Kim · Rating 4 out of 5]

this is a very difficult book to comprehend especially for newbie christians. its a strong textual foundations of how the bible should be interpreted and possibly applied. if you want a challening text, this is the one :)

[Rebecca · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is my third attempt to understand Theology and this is by far the easiest to read and understand!
I tried reading Norman Geisler's Prolegomena and Strong's old Systematic Theology and they were both too dense and not very understandable.

Ryrie writes with much less density and uses much more understandable vocabulary. My only problem is with his views on the Holy Spirit and the Gifts of the Holy Spirit, several of which he declares are not for today.

He gives lots of scripture to back up everything he says right up until he says that Apostles, Prophecy, Speaking in Tongues and Healing/Miracles are not for today. Then the scriptures to back this up mysteriously are missing. That is because there is not any to support this way of thinking. This is called Cessationism, and I disagree with this theory. Partially because I have some of these supposedly deceased gifts and lots of us do. How can so many of us receive and operate in these gifts today if they ceased??

See I Corinthians 2: 11-15 and that last verse, 39 in chapter 14.

[W. Austin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Charles Caldwell Ryrie (March 2, 1925 – February 16, 2016) professor of systematic theology and dean of doctoral studies at Dallas Theological Seminary and as president and professor at what is now Cairn University.

He is considered one of the most influential American theologians of the 20th century.

He was the editor of The Ryrie Study Bible by Moody Publishers, containing more than 10,000 of Ryrie's explanatory notes. First published in 1978, it has sold more than 2 million copies.

He was a notable proponent of classic premillennial dispensationalism.

In 1987, Ryrie's wife divorced him. Believing that the Bible did not allow divorced persons to remarry, he determined to live the rest of his life as a single man, despite his wife's subsequent remarriage

pulled from wikipedia

[Michael Brooks · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rating it is not easy on this one. This was the first theology book my Dad ever had me read. I was 14 or 15 at the time. Clear, readable, concise and Ryrie provides helpful focus on the core truths of the Christian Faith. This sparked my appetite for theology. On its own, compared to other more "academic" Systematic Theologies, it does not compare. But that does not make it unhelpful or unbeneficial. It should be compared more along the lines of Grudem's Systematic. Perhaps, even Grudem's smaller work based upon his Systematic. Even though, now, I would have a hard time agreeing with Ryrie along any lines of interpretation, I am indebted to my father, and Ryrie for sparking in me a desire to read deeply and richly about who God is, and what He has done.

[Brandon Vaughan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Overall, I thought that this was a good systematic. Ryrie is very readable, and this book will be great to reference again and again. There probably isn’t a systematic out there that I agree with 100%. That being said, I think he lacked on his teaching of the atonement. He listed many of the historical views but didn’t nail down what he believes is the Biblical view. However, The cringe worthy thing about Ryrie in general Is his Free Grace theology, and his misrepresentation of Lordship salvation. It’s amazing to me that someone that believes so strongly in sovereign election could also believe in FGT. Overall a good work to have in your library.

[Mark Stacy II · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a great systematic theology. One of my favorites.

There are some obvious places of disagreement: the Godhead, Soteriology, Gifts of the Spirit, etc.

That being said, he is sound hermeneutically and is a strong proponent of the infallibility and inerrancy of the Word of God and because of that foundation we agree on more than we disagree.

[Meghan · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Studying theology is no mere academic exercise, though it is that. It is an experience that changes, convicts, broadens, challenges, and ultimately leads to a deep reverence for God... how can any mortal put his mind to the study of God and fail to increase his recognition of His worth?”

[Ryan Fregoso · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very good, surprisingly concise critical approach to theology. Ryrie touches on all subjects and gives all points of view, while still holding to his preference, and defending it. Great resources for any bible student.

[Caleb Meyers · Rating 4 out of 5]

2 on weight. 2 on germane. 1 on style. 2 on logic. 1 on affections. This was a good summary of theology for PCC's Bible Doctrines classes. Wished he had had more Bible, but for an introduction he did a good job.

[Steve · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good Overview of Theology

This book covers the basics of theology. The chapters are short. Much is covered. Not everyone agrees with Ryrie's theology, but he goes into depth about what believes.

[Daniel Cervantes · Rating 4 out of 5]

Handy book for topical references

[Devin Gray · Rating 5 out of 5]

A well written book for what it sets out to achieve!

[Faith Burnside · Rating 5 out of 5]

Obviously I did not read this whole book...

[Phillip Edwards · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good basic book

[Kirby Smith · Rating 2 out of 5]

Alot of false doctrine to sift through. There has to be other books on systematic theology that are better.

[Kenny · Rating 5 out of 5]

Every Christian should know theology at the basic level and this book does a great job introducing them to just that without overwhelming the reader.

[Ted · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ryrie has a way to communicate difficult ideas in very simple ways. I enjoyed it.

[Ezequiel · Rating 3 out of 5]

muy bueno, básico.

[Charles Carter · Rating 4 out of 5]

Two different schools I attended used this as their core theology textbook. It is an easy, clear, and simple read. Ryrie is a straight-shooter, and gives alternative views a fair shake, without belabouring the issues, however his bias is obvious. While Grudem or Frame may be more comprehensive, even exhaustive, this book seeks to live up to its title and is "basic." At the same time, don't let that be misleading, it's still very useful/valuable.

[Steven H · Rating 5 out of 5]

RYRIE'S "POPULAR" SYSTEMATIC THEOLOGY, REVISED

Charles Caldwell Ryrie (1925-2016) long served as professor of systematic theology at Dallas Theological Seminary; he was formerly a strong advocate of dispensationalism (which is not mentioned in this book at all), and is the editor of the Ryrie Study Bible, and author of books such as 'Dispensationalism Today' and 'The Basis of the Premillennial Faith.'

He wrote in the Introduction to this 1986 book (revised edition 1999), "if theology is thinking about God and expressing those thoughts, then judge this book on the basis of whether or not it reflects correct thoughts about God and expresses them accurately and plainly to you and in a manner that brings changes in your thinking and living."

Perhaps controversially, he states, "Can one be an evangelical and deny the full concept of inerrancy? The answer is yes, simply because some evangelicals do." (Pg. 87) He candidly admits, "Everybody wrestles with the relationship between the divine and the human authors of Scriptures." (Pg. 95) He also concedes, "We must acknowledge that nowhere in the Scriptures are demons directly said to be fallen angels, but the evidence just cited seems to point to the conclusion that they are." (Pg. 181)

He states solemnly, "We must not forget that the majority of people who have ever lived have rejected the revelation of God through nature... They have condemned themselves, and when God rejects them, He does so justly." (Pg. 38) Later, he argues, "people are foreknown, not their faith... Clearly too foreknowledge as mere perception is not the basis of election." (Pg. 361) He suggests, "I think we must acknowledge that God did construct a plan that included sin, and its inclusion did not come as a surprise." (Pg. 365) He contends, "(Assurance) is the realization of the truth of eternal security or perseverance. A secure salvation is a true fact whether one realizes it or not. Thus a believer has security whether or not he has assurance." (Pg. 379)

Ryrie's book is a very useful evangelical summation (although, interestingly, he does not even MENTION "dispensationalism"!), and will be of interest to students of evangelical theology.