Evangelical Theology: A Biblical and Systematic Introduction

by Michael F. Bird

Gospel-Centered Theology for Today

Evangelical Theology, Second Edition helps today's readers understand and practice the doctrines of the Christian faith by presenting a gospel-centered theology that is accessible, rigorous, and balanced. According author Michael Bird the gospel is the fulcrum of Christian doctrine; the gospel is where God meets us and where we introduce the world to God. And as such, an authentically evangelical theology is the working out of the gospel in the various doctrines of Christian theology.

The text helps readers learn the essentials of Christian theology through several key features, including:


A "What to Take Home" section at end of every part that gives readers a run-down on all the important things they need to know.
Tables, sidebars, and questions for discussion to help reinforce key ideas and concepts
A "Comic Belief" section, since reading theology can often be dry and cerebral, so that readers enjoy their learning experience through some theological humor added for good measure.
Now in its second edition, Evangelical Theology has proven itself in classrooms around the world as resource that helps readers not only understand the vital doctrines of Christian theology but one that shows them how the gospel should shape how they think, pray, preach, teach, and minister in the world.

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

998 pages, Kindle Edition

First published October 29, 2013

About the author

Dr. Michael Bird (Ph.D University of Queensland) is Lecturer in Theology at Ridley Melbourne College of Mission and Ministry. He is the author of several books including Jesus and the Origins of the Gentile Mission (2006), The Saving Righteousness of God (2007), A Bird’s-Eye View of Paul (2008), Colossians and Philemon (2009), Crossing Over Sea and Land: Jewish Missionary Activity in the Second Temple Period (2009), and Are You the One Who is to Come? The Historical Jesus and the Messianic Question (2009).

Reviews

[Camden Garrett · Rating 4 out of 5]

Comprehensive systematic theology that does not lose sight of the Gospel, as many often do. In contrast to Wayne Grudem's Systematic Theology, which lacks a historical survey of theological views for each topic, Bird's inclusion of the history of interpretations contributes to the reader's understanding of theological topics in conjunction with how the church has traditionally understood them.

[Craig Hurst · Rating 4 out of 5]

Unless you have been hiding under a rock for the last several years, biblical scholar, teacher and blogger (and comedian!) Michael Bird should be a name you are relatively familiar with. He has written on Jesus in Are You the One Who Is to Come? and Jesus is The Christ. He has written on Paul in Introducing Paul: The Man, His Mission, and His Message and has edited Four Views on the Apostle Paul in the Zondervan Counterpoints Series. He has also written on Second Temple Judaism in Crossing Over Sea and Land and has even written a highly academic commentary on 1 Esdras which is part of the Septuagint. He is the editor of two journals and commentaries series. He has contributed to numerous journals, edited works and reference books, all of which you can view here.

There is no doubt the Bird is highly qualified to write and speak on a number of topics. His areas of focus range from the Historical Jesus, Paul, Christian origins and even biblical and systematic theology. It is to these last two areas that we now turn to, and which Bird has most recently written on in his highly anticipated Evangelical Theology: A Biblical and Systematic Introduction published by Zondervan. The question that might arise in the mind of some, and which already has, is, can a biblical scholar with his areas of study competently write a systematic and biblical theology? Has Bird gone through a midlife crisis and the biblical scholar become a theologian!? After all, there are a number of famous systematicians such as Turretin, Pannenberg, Barth, Grudem, Hodge, Berkhof, Bavinck and Erickson whom many of them have not published as many books as Bird, and of those they have, most of them are in subsets of systematic theology.

Has Bird stretched himself so far that he has become too thin?

Bird’s Uniqueness: An Evangelical Systematic and Biblical Theology?

I put a question mark at the end of the above heading not because I question Bird’s goal but because I want to bring due attention to what makes this book stand out from others like it. There is no doubt that there are many good systematic theologies out there that are written by evangelicals such as Grudem, Erickson and Geisler, just to name a few. But what Bird feels they lack as an evangelical theology is a focus on just that, the evangel – the gospel itself. Bird is not saying others are unevangelical but that they seem to miss as their focus what makes them what they are.

This is not to say other theologies by evangelicals do not mention the gospel or relate an aspect to the gospel. It is to say, however, that they are not writing their theologies with the gospel front and center in every loci of theological doctrine. For Bird, an evangelical theology must do just that. Bird says of his own work, “It is a gospel-centered theology for Christians who seek to define themselves principally by the gospel.” (21) And later, “Evangelical theology is a theologia evengelii – a theology of the gospel.” (45) True to form, Bird begins every section introduction with a short discussion of how the doctrine under consideration relates to the gospel. For example,

On the doctrine of God in part two,

“If we are going to study the God of the gospel, we must study God as he is to us in the gospel: a triune being comprised of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. In fact, I contend that the gospel itself establishes our primary contact with the doctrine of the Trinity. The operation of God as he is described as acting in the gospel intimates the triune nature of God. Only a triune God can do what is done in the gospel.” (89)

On the doctrine of Christ in part four,

“The centerpiece of the gospel is Jesus the Messiah. Jesus is so identifiable with the gospel that there can be no gospel without him. His identity as Messiah and Lord, the redemptive significance of his death and resurrection, set in the coordinating of God’s kingdom, constitute the core of the gospel message. In other words, the gospel sets before us both the work of Jesus Christ and the person of Jesus Christ.” (343)

And finally, on the doctrine of the church in part eight,

“The evangelical churches are those that have the gospel at the center of their proclamation and practice. The evangelical church is a community created by the gospel, a church that promotes and preaches the gospel, that cultivates the gospel in its spirituality. Its members strive to live lives worthy of the gospel, and at its center is Jesus Christ, the Lord announced in the gospel.” (699)

Not only at the main headings does Bird relate the gospel to each section of doctrine, but he shows how each subsection does as well. Bird has given more than mere lip service to the gospel as that which binds all of Scripture and, therefore, theology together. “The gospel is the glue between doctrine, experience, mission, and practice. I submit that an authentic evangelical theology should be a working out of the gospel in the various loci of Christian theology and then be applied to the sphere of daily Christian life and the offices of Christian leaders.” (21) This gives him the content for his five step method for how theology should be done (81-82).

This gospel focus is also what makes this book a work of biblical theology because it is the gospel, as hinted at in Genesis 3:15 and consummated in Revelation 19-21, that runs throughout the entire Bible. It is the story of the Bible. After working through the various aspects, Bird defines the gospel as

“The announcement that God’s kingdom has come in the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus of Nazareth, the Lord and Messiah, in fulfillment of Israel’s Scriptures. The gospel evokes faith, repentance, and discipleship; its accompanying effects include salvation and the gift of the Holy Spirit.” (52)

Though some may wince at the positive use of the phrase “canon within the canon,” Bird is not shy in saying that “the gospel is the ‘canon within the canon’ simply because the biblical canon is the scriptural expression of the ‘rule of faith.’ which itself is an exposition of the gospel.” (21)

Evangelical Theology as a Systematic and Biblical Theology

I think Bird hits a home run with his focus on the gospel at every angle, and therefore, has accomplished part of his goal in writing a biblical theology. So how does he do with the systematic aspect? In short, Bird touches on the major loci of theology with adequate depth and coverage for most sections but has some shortcomings in others.

Bird does a good job with the doctrine of God (chapter 2), eschatology (chapter 3), Christology (chapter 4), soteriology (chapter 5) and ecclesiology for the most part (chapter 8). I think Bird’s does his best work right out of the gates with his chapters on God and Christ. He masterfully shows how God as triune forms the heart and shape of the gospel and supports John Piper’s book, and now famous phrase, God is the gospel. He ties the gospel God as triune, creator, His character and attributes and His revelation to man. His chapter on Christ is equally impressive, and should be, as Bird has written a few books and many essays and articles on Christ previously. Chapter three on eschatology is decent and provides a fair and accurate treatment of the various views. Bird’s soteriology by in large follows the standard Reformed/Calvinistic view, with the debatable exception that he holds to the Amyraldian view of the atonement, which is actually dealt with in Christology (section 4.4.3). Finally, Bird’s ecclesiology is handled well. He seems to see more unity between Israel and the church than disunity (719-27 - which I like!). The only glaring omission from this chapter is a dedicated discussion of the offices of the church as deacon, elders and pastor/teacher. These are mentioned in several places but only as they are viewed by different forms of church governances such as Presbyterian or Episcopalian.

Chapters needing more work begin at the beginning with prolegomena (chapter 1). Though this is where Bird laid out his unique approach in focusing on the gospel, this also became its downfall as there is not enough else by way of a standard discussion on this area of first theology. The chapters on the Holy Spirit (chapter 6) and man (chapter 7) read and feel too short. Perhaps, in my opinion, what is lacking the most in the book is an adequate doctrine of Scripture. (Consider that Wayne Grudem spends almost 100 pages in his systematic theology in the doctrine of Scripture!) This is surprising since Bird has contributed to the recent book Five Views on Inerrancy. Bird places his very short discussion on Scripture under the discussion of the Holy Spirit “because the Holy Spirit is the one who inspired authors to write Scripture, who preserves the inscripturated revelation, and who brings illumination to those who read Scripture.” (638) Bird does not outright reject inerrancy and verbal inspiration (though he does sympathize with both) but he does express much hesitancy towards the terminology. He gives a list of reasons he is hesitant about fully affirming verbal inspiration (640-42) and on inerrancy he states, “If the Word of God is God’s own Word, then its veracity is safeguarded not by our efforts to harmonize any apparent inconsistencies or even by our sophisticated arguments for inerrancy, but by divine fidelity. That is to say, the truthfulness of Scripture is secured by the faithfulness of God to his own Word.” (645) At times Bird seems to use all the same phraseology of an inerrantist but just does not use the term itself.

Conclusion

In the end, though I don’t think Bird has written the next systematic theology that will replace Grudem or Erickson, he has written an overall fine book that will serve the church. What Bird has excelled at is defining the role and relationship of the gospel to systematic theology. This contribution alone is worth owning the book, and others in the future need to follow in his steps. The only other systematic theology I can think of that comes close to this approach is Michael Horton’s recent work A Pilgrim Theology.

Bird treats other theological traditions fairly and shows a real awareness and familiarity with church history. He is thankfully very in tune with and supportive of the various creeds of the church which he turns to throughout the book. Evangelical Theology is not your typical systematic theology as it seeks to weave systematics with biblical and historical theology (primarily through the creeds) to create a more rounded source of theological discussion. The book is peppered with sidebars (often very extensive) in which he seeks to draw attention to certain issues at hand. True to form, Bird mixes his humor throughout the book which makes the reading all the more enjoyable.

[Zach Brandt · Rating 5 out of 5]

Simply phenomenal. Though technically untrained in systematic theology, Bird has produced my favorite contemporary systematic I’ve yet read.

Notes:
- theology is the “drama of gospelizing”
- eschatology occurs towards the beginning of the work because the gospel is eschatological
- Christus Victor as the central hub of the atonement? I dunno but let’s think about it!
- Openness to evolution
- Discussion of the sources of theology
- Ecclesiology
- Criticism of verbal inspiration

Problems with verbal inspiration in detail:
1) too similar to dictation
2) God inspired persons, not words
3) what do we do with the sources of the biblical authors?
4) human parts of scripture (1 Cor. 1:15-16)
5) inexact citations of the OT in the NT
6) bad grammar in the Bible
7) textual criticism (if books are verbally inspired, at what point in their formation did they become so?)
8) translatability

Instead, he offers a dynamic model which states inspiration occurred at the conceptual level, which may have involved certain verbal expressions but not in a uniform way that can be made into a model.

This is a really fabulous work that is passionately biblical, confessional, and orthodox while still trying to speak in contemporary society. Winsome and witty and worshipful throughout.

[Todd Miles · Rating 4 out of 5]

What sets this Systematic Theology apart from the others? The goal of orienting ST around the gospel. Therefore Michael Bird's effort is noble and important. He deserves much applause for the attempt. Here are a few reasons that his book is worth reading.
1. Each doctrine begins by asking the vital question, "What does the doctrine of ________ have to do with the gospel. He then offers a "let me get you started" list of points of contact that each doctrine has with the gospel. This point alone makes the book worth reading and using.
2. Bird is an engaging writer and is humorous throughout. I loved that! He even has "Comic Belief" sidebars sprinkled through the book.
3. The Kingdom of God is rightly discussed early in the book. This only makes sense because Jesus referred to his gospel as the "Gospel of the Kingdom." Treatment of the Kingdom is all-to-often left out of Systematic Theologies.
4. Bird is a first-rate biblical scholar and yet the reader never gets lost in the weeds of historical criticism or esoteric exegetical issues.
5. Most of the vital contemporary issues are addressed, so the book has a "fresh" sense to it.

The book is far from perfect and there are no doubt things that I would have done differently. The coverage of church history and philosophy is uneven. But we need to be reminded that the only completely satisfactory ST to any one reader is no doubt the one that each reader will have to write himself. I found the book to be engaging and very helpful. It will be consulted often in my own ST classes.

[Bill Forgeard · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bird's gospel-centred theological grid is the first, second and third best thing about this book, and it provides such a strong and healthy foundation for systematic theology that the book is paradigm setting despite some other weaknesses. Other strengths are Bird's conversational and engaging style, his cultural awareness, the biblical/exegetical flavour he brings to the task and the unfair but enormous advantage Bird has over most other theologians (i.e. being Australian). The book is simply not long enough to provide the depth of discussion that most 1000-1200 page systematic theologies provide, which is occasionally frustrating when Bird offers a different take on a topic, which he does quite often. He arranges his material in an original order (based on the gospel centred approach), which can be frustrating when trying to locate a particular subject.

[Aaron Nelson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this! It is my first time reading through a systematic theology and this was a great choice. It is very accessible and I enjoy his Australian wit. Don’t agree with every take but he lays out different positions with grace and an eye toward holding unity in a high place. Loved it!

[Zach Waldis · Rating 3 out of 5]

There is some good stuff in here; it's a systematic theology, you'd have to really screw the pooch not to get something right! Bird is Reformed (i.e. Calvinist), so there's a good amount of disagreement with him there. But what most irked me was consistent references to fundamentalists like Wayne Grudem and less consistent citations on the conservative/fundamentalist Calvinistic spectrum. Bird is pretty smart, so I guess I'm just not sure what the appeal is of the conservative Reformed tradition (for example, he wavers on "limited" atonement, going with the obscure "Amyraldian" theory but stays Calvinistic in endorsing TULIP over an Arminian scheme. I get why he does that as an Arminian; maybe he too is struggling with his two wills!). Kudos to him for engaging with the best of that tradition (less than one would like!) like Barth, Brunner, and Torrance.

All told, worth a read, but build up your endurance for Calvinistic bs! And hope you're one of the elect :)

[Josh · Rating 4 out of 5]

Evangelical Theology by Michael Bird is a book that will grab readers early on and will not let them go for 800+, rich pages of theology, humor and worship. Bird hooked me early. From the outset, he cannot help but show his love for the church catholic and historic, freely citing authors from all walks of the Christian faith, from throughout two millennia of Christian history. His implicit focus on the fellowship of the saints in studying theology made it feel like, and really become, a worshipful and communal event.

Hearing a bit of who Michael Bird is encouraged me even more to dive into this text. He lays his “ecclesial and theological cards on the table” and shares a bit about himself early on.

"On the church side of things, I did not grow up in a Christian home, but I came to Christ through a Baptist church in Sydney, Australia. I also attended a Baptist seminary (Malyon College) and have been a pastoral intern and itinerant preacher in Baptist churches. I taught for five years in an interdenominational theological college committed to the Reformed tradition in Scotland (Highland Theological College); more recently I spent three years teaching at an interdenominational college in Brisbane while being on the preaching team of a Presbyterian church (Crossway College). I am now a lecturer in theology at an Anglican College (Ridley Melbourne). Strange as it sounds, I would describe myself as an ex-Baptist postPresbyterian Anglican."

Bird considers himself a “mere evangelical” and attempts to write his systematic from that perspective.

One of the things you will note in Evangelical Theology is the tone. Bird writes deeply and lightly, using humor freely to make points and disarm the reader. Is his use of humor good or bad? It is hard for me to say, but I am sure that some readers will be put off by it and some readers will benefit from it and enjoy it greatly. His tone makes this immense volume immensely readable but may leave it with a short shelf life due to pop culture references and whatnot. Will it stand the test of time? Who knows. But, it does allow a broader range of believers to access his work and be ministered to by it here and now, so for that reason I tend to view his tone and humor as a benefit of the book.

Bird starts his text off, after a proper prolegomena, with the Trinity. He makes some valid points as to why the Trinity should be the launching point for theological study rather than Scripture.

"Whereas the medieval theological tradition began with the Triune God as the starting point for theology, it was the Second Helvetic Confession (followed by the Irish Articles and Westminster Confession) that broke the mold by putting the doctrine of Scripture first in the order of topics covered in theology. This Protestant move is understandable, opposing as it does the medieval Roman Catholic view of authority; yet it was a misstep that ultimately led to a shift from theology beginning with God-in-himself to theology beginning with human reception/perception of revelation. It was inevitably that Protestant theology, in some quarters, would move from theology to anthropology as the measure of religious truth."

Bird rejects the Bibliolatry that many Evangelicals can, and do, slip into and labors the supremacy of the incarnation as God’s ultimate revelation. In his section on revelation as Bird argues for the “extra extra special revelation” of the incarnation, he writes:

"I am not denying the supremacy of Scripture as our witness to Jesus. Jesus himself said that the Scriptures testify to him (e.g., John 5:36 – 39; 7:38). Nor do I want to minimize the necessity of Scripture for knowing Jesus. Yet the Bible does not have a monopoly for giving us access to knowledge about the incarnation and the salvation that it brings. You can apprehend knowledge of Jesus Christ through the proclamation of the gospel, by the experience of him in baptism and Eucharist, and through catechisms and creeds that summarize the teaching of Scripture."

Bird writes to his current audience. He knows the culture and mindset that we, as Evangelicals, live in and writes a systematic theology to address our current age. Bird addresses possible positions fairly and fully and then expounds on the position he holds to be true. He does not come to the task with a back full of straw and mean names, ready to engage in a battle of fallacies in hopes of being shown to be smarter, righter, holier, or better than those who would propose a different position than he. Rather, he engages arguments at their strongest point and even allows room for his own error or possibility of differing, yet correct, interpretations and positions.
Bird spends time looking especially at doctrines that are being shaped and debated currently in our Evangelical world, and does so with his typical humor and relevance.

As he discusses the differing views on the atonement he summarizes the Christus Victor position with a line from Getty and Townend. “Perhaps the best way to summarize the Christus Victor view is with a line from the wonderful modern hymn “In Christ Alone” by Stuart Townshend and Keith Getty: 'And as he stands in victory, Sin’s curse has lost its grip on me.'” That is simple enough, even for me!

When speaking of penal substitutionary atonement and our quickness to bypass the Gospels for Paul’s writings, he says:

“Routinely students run to Paul’s letters or to Hebrews in search of proof texts for penal substitution. They completely bypass the Gospels like tourists from Florida detouring around Philadelphia on their way to New York. How much I enjoy the surprise when students learn that the gospel of the cross actually begins with the gospel according to the Evangelists. Even more gobsmacking is when they learn that you actually can preach the gospel from the Gospels! Who would have imagined!”

When speaking about the atonement being about both penal substitution and Christus Victor Bird writes,

"I do not wish to disparage Jesus’ death as an atoning, vicarious, substitutionary, and penal sacrifice for sin. May I be anathematized — or even worse, may I be tied to a chair, have my eyelids taped open, and be forced to watch Rob Bell Nooma clips — should I ever downplay the cruciality of Jesus’ sacrifice for sinners. However, I am convinced that Jesus’ death for sinners on the cross is part of a bigger picture that is laid out in redemptive history, visible in the very shape of our canon, apparent in biblical theology, ubiquitous in historical theology, and explicit in Pauline theology. The doctrines of penal substitution and Christus Victor do not compete against each other, for the former is clearly the grounds for the latter. What binds together new exodus, new creation, Jesus’ ministry, the cross, and the mission of God’s people in the world is the victory of God in the substitutionary death of Jesus."

I cannot express how many “aha” moments I enjoyed in this book. Bird allowed me to understand how a Lutheran could legitimately hold to consubstantiation in his discussion of the communication of divine attributes.(I still do not hold to the view, but it is real nice knowing that my Lutheran brothers and sisters did not just pull the idea out of nowhere!)

Bird also allowed me to gain some insight on Karl Barth. To this point I had not progressed much in my understanding of Barth other than “Barth=bad”. Bird spends some time addressing Barth; his theology, his legacy, his infamy, how to pronounce his name…and left me with a more sympathetic view of the man and a curiosity to learn more about his thought and life.

Bird’s leaning towards Biblical Theology shows up in section 5.2, Redemptive History: The Plan for the Gospel. If you want a beautiful text on the Gospel from cover to cover of Scripture, a section to study and enjoy, this is for you. I will personally be returning there over and over because to see the Gospel throughout all of Scripture is a wonderful thing.

His section on ecclesiology was especially interesting. Bird discusses the eclectic and often-anemic nature of Evangelical ecclesiology.

"Evangelical ecclesiology has always been a bit of a conundrum. That is because there is no standard 'evangelical ecclesiology,' nor can there be in the strict sense. You can have an Anglican, Catholic, Baptist, Lutheran, Methodist, or Presbyterian ecclesiology. Such ecclesiologies prescribe the confession, order, structure, discipline, governance, worship, sacraments, and ministries of these respective denominations. But there is no prescriptive evangelical equivalent because evangelicalism is a theological ethos, not a denominational entity. While evangelicals might agree on certain ecclesiological principles, like Jesus Christ is the head of the church and the church is the body of Christ, the general agreements largely break down when it comes to the specific ordering and structures of the church. Yet this has not always been a negative thing. Precisely because evangelicalism has no prescriptive ecclesiology, it can accommodate itself to virtually any form of church order. Evangelicals have implied an ecclesiology more than worked one out."

Bird maintains that Evangelicals have an ecclesiology, but the emphasis on it is well short of where it should be.

“(S)omething seems to be lacking in evangelical ecclesiology. I do not see anywhere near the same excitement, emotion, resolve, and passion for debates about ecclesiology as, for example, soteriology. I doubt that many American Presbyterians get riled over Tom Wright’s ecclesiology as they do over his soteriology. “

Bird sees a few culprits, all valid, but I intensely agree with him on the culpability of hyperindividualism as a reason for Evangelicals poor and self-centered ecclesiology.

"For some folks the gospel is an iGod app that enables a person to get a wifi connection with heaven (where the one mediator between God and Man is Apple Inc.). To use another metaphor, the church is reduced to the weekly meeting of Jesus’ Facebook friends. The locus of Christianity becomes God and me rather than God and us. One could contrast two slogans: 'I believe, therefore I am saved' with “We believe, therefore we are God’s people.” Evangelicals tend to prefer the former rather than the latter as the default setting for their ecclesiology."

Bird’s discussion on “The shape of the church” edifying and challenging. Bird shows the church to be a community that is eschatological, Trinitarian, diacanol, holistic, and fellowshipping. The importance of these truths is spelled out nicely by Bird and I echo his sentiments on their importance.

The “What to take home” sections are immensely helpful and flashcard worthy. Bird does well in summarizing large chunks of information and leaving the reader with a page to take away from each chapter.

Bird takes positions I am not comfortable with, he quotes people I am not comfortable with, he approaches things in a way that sometimes leave me scratching my head…and this is why I love this book. He challenges me. He attacks, like a surgeon attacking a tumor, my small-town, American, evangelical, YRR, Puritans+Piper=perfect mentality on things. He does not do so maliciously or self-righteously. He does so in a manner that makes me want to grab hands with people I differ with on secondary issues and live out our common faith together, as brothers and sisters bonded together in Christ.

This book was challenging and encouraging and just a fun read. I recommend this to anyone with a love of the Gospel and an interest in Theology. I encourage you to read and re-read…as I will be doing.

I couldn’t figure out how to work this quote in to the review, but I loved it and just thought I would tag it on the end. Bird writes beautifully and God used him to lead me in worship throughout this book.

"The gospel declares the victory of the Lord Jesus over death by deposing death of its power (i.e., evil) through the cross and by robbing death of its prize (i.e., human lives) through the resurrection. As a famous Greek hymn says: “Christ has risen, trampling down death by death, and giving life to those in the grave.” Death, armed with evil and law, was no match for the Prince of Life. The gospel is not simply about how God deals with the individual’s personal sins, a transaction of sin and righteous ness to clean the slate; yes, that is true, but the gospel declares so much more, namely, God’s victory over the personal and impersonal forces of evil: the world, the flesh, and Satan. The gospel is an invitation to live in fellowship with Christ rather than to suffer under the tyranny of evil. The gospel means emancipation from the slavery of evil to the freedom of a new and authentic humanity. The gospel of Christ blesses us with the news that a world ravaged with evil is not how it ought to be, nor how it can be, nor how it will be. The gospel whispers to us that Jesus means freedom."


**I received a review copy of this book to provide an honest review. I purchased my own copy when it came out because I thoroughly enjoyed it.

[Mathew · Rating 5 out of 5]

It’s been a while since I’ve read a systematic theology. I’ve focused more of my attention on reading biblical theology. But Michael Bird’s introduction video where he explains his premises for Evangelical Theology piqued my interest in a way that’s unusual for a hardy academic book. In the book, he explains it this way:

In terms of Christian theology, the gospel is the glue between doctrine, experience, mission, and practice. I submit that an authentic evangelical theology should be a working out of the gospel in the various loci of Christian theology (i.e., the topics in theology like the nature of God, the person and work of Christ, the church, last things, etc.) and then be applied to the sphere of daily Christian life and the offices of Christian leaders. (21)

Evangelical theology, then, is the drama of gospelizing. By “gospelizing” I mean trying to become what the gospel intends believers to be: slaves of Christ, vessels of grace, agents of the kingdom, and a people worthy of God’s name. Dedication to the art of gospelizing is crucial because “evangelicals need to recapture a passion for biblical formation: a desire to be formed, reformed and transformed by the truth and power of the gospel.” To pursue Kevin Vanhoozer’s image, the task of theology is to enable disciples to perform the script of the Scriptures, according to advice of the dramaturge the Holy Spirit, in obedience to the design of the director, Jesus Christ, with the gospel as the theme music, and performed in the theater of the church. The company of the gospel shows what they believe in an open-air performance staged for the benefit of the world. The purpose of gospelizing is to ensure that those who bear Christ’s name walk in Christ’s way. (30-31)

These paragraphs sum up Bird’s goal and also what I believe he achieves quite well in Evangelical Theology.

This book is no joke at eight hundred and sixty five pages. I chose three section so that I could get a taste for how well Bird succeeds in his goal of arranging a systematic around the gospel. I chose “Part One: Prolegomena: Beginning to Talk about God,” “Part Two: The God of the Gospel: The Triune God in Being and Action,” and “Part Five: The Gospel of Salvation.”

The prolegomena was an easy choice because it’s the beginning remarks of how the systematizing will be accomplished. There are a variety of ways this is typically done. Bird falls squarely in the Reformed stream which has systematics like Hodge’s which starts by laying out theology as a scientific method (35) or Calvin’s which start with how we can know God (33). Bird, on the other hand, starts with the gospel. If he did not start there with his stated goal the entire book would have fallen apart. He explains, “The gospel explains why we are in the theological race in the first place, and the gospel is the nexus into the reality of the God who has revealed himself” (41). It was a refreshing stabilizer for the entire book.

Bird excels at taking Scripture, church history, and major biblical themes into account and massaging them into a cohesive unit. He first roots the gospel firmly in Scripture, and not just the New Testament, but he starts and explains the gospel as a story that begins in the Old Testament (“The gospel is part of a story line of promise and fulfillment. That story reaches back into the Hebrew Scriptures and fins its climax in Jesus the Messiah” 51). The depth and breadth is seen well in “Part Five: The Gospel of Salvation,” but more on that later.

Second, he firmly roots the gospel in the apostolic tradition found in the early church.

For the early church, Scripture was not to be read in an arbitrary, introspective, or esoteric way; rather, Scripture was to be read, interpreted, and applied in continuity with the apostolic explanation of the story line of Scripture.

This emphasis must be recovered in American evangelicalism (AE). AE tends to devalue the apostolic tradition and historic liturgy, but Bird demonstrates the gospel was absolutely central for the faith and practice of the early church, as can be seen the earliest creeds and in their practice, and so to lose that tradition is lose at least part of the gospel’s clarity. He explains,

The regula fidei was not an oral tradition that existed parallel to Scripture. The regula fidei was what emerged out of the preaching and teaching of Scripture in the early church. The regula fidei was both derived from Scripture and was the interpretive lens through which Scripture was to be understood. In this perspective, Scripture and tradition mutually reinforce each other. The regula fidei was the attempt to safeguard the authority of Scripture by adopting an interpretive framework sanctioned by Scripture. That took the form, not of a creed, but a general narration of the Christian story as it had been handed on in the early church.

Later the rule was expanded to include reading the Scriptures in light of the Niceno-Constantinopolitan and Chalcedonian clarifications of Christian doctrine. The apostolic teaching gave us the Scriptures, the Scriptures gave us the regula fidei, the regula fidei defined the theological hermeneutics for the canon, and the canon provided the grounds for the subsequent creeds and confessions of the church. . . . [67-68]

To sum up, we should read Scripture in light of tradition for several reasons. (1) We value the testimony of our forefathers in the faith who ran the race ahead of us and in some cases paid for it with their lives. We may not always agree with them, but we ignore them to our peril. (2) The New Testament itself is both a product of the church’s tradition about Jesus and also generated a tradition as to how Scripture should be read and understood. (3) The canon of scripture is ultimately an expression of the rule of faith. (4) The Reformation slogan of sola scripture does not mean only Scripture, but calls for the primacy of Scripture in our theology. (5) Everybody has a tradition, whether they recognize it or not, and we should test our traditions to see if they are biblical and utilize our traditions to help us understand the Bible.

Tradition, therefore, is the consultative norm for theology. Ultimately, tradition is a tool for reading Scripture. Tradition is what the church has learned by reading Scripture. We should read Scripture in light of tradition, and in reflex we must test tradition against the grain of Scripture. In the end we are not slavishly bound by tradition, but we are foolish if we completely ignore it.

I am not calling for traditionalism, by which I mean the veneration of rituals, doc- trines, and liturgies without submitting them to the test of Scripture, simply because they have always been there. I am advocating an approach to biblical interpretation that places Scripture and tradition in a continuous spiral of listening to the text and listening to our forefathers in the faith. As Jaroslav Pelikan put it: “Tradition is the living faith of the dead; traditionalism is the dead faith of the living.” (69-70)

These two emphasis are found through the parts I read. When discussing the trinity, for instance, he does it with Scripture in view, but also with feet firmly planted within the testimony of the early church. He honestly evaluates the struggle to understand the trinity and shows how the apostolic tradition and the liturgy of the church helped shape the Church’s understanding of God as trinity.

Last, I appreciated the balance and thoroughness found in “Part Five: The Gospel of Salvation.” Salvation is discussed within the gospel matrix. Bird describes the relation as follows:

The gospel tells us that God saves in the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ; consequently, salvation is understood as the chief benefit of the gospel. Furthermore, salvation is more than the sojourn of souls into heaven; rather, it is holistic and includes the well-being of body, mind, and soul. Salvation is part of a story (redemptive history) and is applied to the believer in a particular process (order of salvation).

The chapters within this part synthesize the gospel as story and Jesus as fulfillment themes and the application of salvation, as the last sentence from the paragraph above demonstrates. He also says, “The Savior is the content of the gospel and salvation is the goal of the gospel” (494). He never loses focuses from his main task--which is showing how the gospel is the glue of salvation. The synthesis holds up in view of the covenant of grace. He talks about God’s promised covenant love and His kingdom established by covenant righteousness (507). He says, “The plan of God, which we call the covenant of grace, is for God’s people to dwell in God’s place, in God’s presence, under God’s reign” (511). Later he wades into the order of salvation, a favorite for some reformed types, but he does so carefully. Reformed theologians, in my estimation, sometimes error by assuming too much when discussing the order of salvation. Bird couches this chapter with likely’s, and probably’s, and outlines his order according to Romans 8. I appreciate the carefulness.

Evangelical Theology is a systematic you will want on your shelf. From my readings, Bird succeeds in making the gospel central and connecting the doctrines discussed to it. His exegesis is rooted in Scripture, while also not losing site of the history of the church. And overall the text is extremely readable and if you’re a real theology geek, you might even appreciate the bits of theology humor dropped in from time to time. Also, I finished up the parts I was reading for this review after publishing my must reads of 2013, but for what it’s worth Evangelical Theology easily makes that list as a late season addition.

[Thomas Creedy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is probably my new favourite one volume systematic - because it is arranged around, and excited about, the gospel.

Bird is an accomplished New Testament scholar, with one foot firmly planted in the church. His 2013 Evangelical Theology: A Biblical and Systematic Introduction in which he suggests that in Christian theology, “the gospel is the glue between doctrine, experience, mission, and practice”, and offers this as his unique starting point; is now arguably my new favourite one-volume systematic theology. Since reading Wayne Grudem back in 2009, I try to keep up with what is going on in systematic theology, and occasionally try to wade through one of the big ones, whether historic or contemporary. This review, then, focuses on what makes Bird distinctive, and how he treats two areas of theology I am particularly interested in, the atonement and what it means to be human. I thus won’t review every section (That review would be a short book in itself!) but hope to show how his focus on the gospel comes out in practice, and also offer some tidbits of the kind of thing Bird is writing.

Read my review here: https://www.thomascreedy.co.uk/book-r...

[Caleb Watson · Rating 5 out of 5]

As would be the case with any systematic theology, I have minor points of disagreement in nearly every section of this volume, however, Bird’s profoundly sensible and even-handed approach ultimately makes this the most balanced systematic theology that I have encountered.

Bird’s competency and literacy with respect to philosophical considerations render this book far superior to other more popular systematics, such as the nearly ubiquitous volume written by Wayne Grudem. Furthermore, Bird’s background in biblical studies grounds the work firmly in the text of scripture in a way that many systematic works lack. I suspect that many readers will share the experience that I had, wherein even on matters of disagreement with the author, the volume still has much value to contribute.

[Lance · Rating 3 out of 5]

Lots of good stuff, but at the end of the day, disappointing. He seemed much more concerned with writing cleverly than precisely. While he did a good job being aware of different traditions’ opinions, he often did a poor job representing them. I just don’t think Bird is the type of person best suited to write a systematic.

Also the use of the word “evangelical” both in the title and throughout the book made me roll my eyes straight out of my head.

[Josh Kimmel · Rating 4 out of 5]

One of the most accessible systematic theologies out there. Bird is rooted in scripture and tradition but also adds a layer of comedic relief when possible. A great systematic theology for beginners and experts in theology alike.

[Katie Bowman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Super helpful! I wanted a systematic theology resource but wasn’t all that interested in reading Grudem’s. A friend recommended this one to me and I’ve enjoyed much of its content

[Spencer R · Rating 5 out of 5]

(Read the full review on my blog SpoiledMilks, 9/24/21)

Michael Bird updated this volume as “a continued defense and thoughtful explication of what it means to be an evangelical Christian" (xvi). Bird continues to use the dreaded term “evangelicalism” because he refers to "a historic and global phenomenon that seeks to achieve renewal in Christian churches by bringing the gospel and by making the promotion of the gospel the chief mission of the church" (xxv).

Since people come to Christ through the gospel, Bird's purpose for this evangelical theology is to show how the gospel works out in different parts of Christian theology. This is then applied to our daily lives and to the offices of church leaders. As Bird writes, "The gospel is the glue between doctrine, experience, mission, and practice" (xxix). Bird's task is "to lay out what a theology driven and defined by the gospel looks like" (xxix). Theology gospelizes. That is, theology makes "the gospel shape our thinking, praying, preaching, teaching, and ministering in relation to God so that we increasingly participate in the life and mission of God" (xxix-xxx).

In my review I wrote what is new in this edition. To keep this short I will just focus on his section on the Trinity.

The Trinity is Christianity’s most distinctive doctrine (107) Bird examines both the Athanasian and Nicean creeds to show how these two creeds explain “how the three persons were all divine and yet separate persons and rejecting all the wrong ways of articulating that fact” (116-17). The Trinity is “biblically rooted,” but as well “its nuances and assertions cannot be biblically derived entirely from Scripture” (119). Rather, “the Trinity is a theological and hermeneutical framework drawn from the biblical materials” (119). As well, it is deduced from Scripture. It is derived from reading Scripture closely on how God has revealed himself through his words and redemptive acts.

Bird scans through both Testaments to see how trinitarian language develops. Bird offers hosts of texts from the New Testament on the relationship between the Triune persons.

Recommended?
Bird’s volume is both bolstered by good biblical, systematic, and historical theology and is easy to read. Wayne Grude’s ST is backed by a lot of biblical texts and theology, but he’s not as strong on historical exegesis as Bird, meaning Bird’s conclusions receive more support from historical exegesis than Grudem’s. Where Bird and Grudem diverge, I usually go with Bird. This is a fantastic book that I highly recommend.  

[Joel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Firstly it is important to note that this book is not an endorsement of, nor an attempt to promote, the religio-political movement of the conservative political right often identified as “evangelical.”
Rather this book is a systematic theology that is focused around the evangellion - the gospel/good news of God. Furthermore, Bird defines the gospel as: “... the announcement that God’s kingdom has come in the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus of Nazareth, the Lord and Messiah, in fulfillment of Israel’s Scriptures. The gospel evokes faith, repentance, and discipleship; its accompanying effects include salvation and the gift of the Holy Spirit.” (Loc 993)
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This work stands apart from other systematic theologies in a number of ways, but most outstanding to me was Bird’s genuine transparency about the inconclusive nature of some of the material. Bird does not fall into the trap of selling certitude on every corner, and rather appeals to thinking along biblical pathways, rather than indoctrinating into convenient and static conclusions.
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The methodology used in this systematic offering is also a fresh and novel concept as it aims to approach the material from the discipline of Biblical Scholarship, rather than Theology Proper. Whilst this distinction may seem slight, the difference in outcome is noticeable.
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Ultimately this book works well for beginners and the curious, as well as for the initiated and those who are suspicious of systematics.

[Jimmy Reagan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Michael Bird has found a niche in the world of systematic theologies. His title explains where he’s coming from. He is striving to provide a “genuinely evangelical theology textbook”. While he doesn’t trace out every side path as some of the larger systematic theologies do, he still makes a grand presentation of what the Bible teaches about theology for those who fall in the evangelical category. Mr. Bird writes in a pleasant way that communicates deep subjects for easy understanding.

He divides this theology into eight parts. Prolegomena, the triune God, the kingdom, Jesus Christ, salvation, the Holy Spirit, the Gospel and humanity, and the community (church) are the order in which he approaches the subject of systematic theology. He begins the book with an essay entitled “why an evangelical theology?”. He presents six key factors that have defined where modern evangelicalism is today that really all centers around great debates over the last several centuries. In this essay, he, in his own words, lays his “ecclesial and theological cards on the table”. After discussing his own denominational journey, he describes himself as a follower of Jesus, an evangelical, reformed, broadly Calvinistic, yet I must praise him for his ability not to be boxed in. His confession that he has more background in biblical studies than systematic theology is clear throughout the text, but in my view, makes this a great secondary resource to go along with your favorite major systematic theology.

For purposes of this review, though I scanned the whole book, I carefully interacted what he shared about Christology. It is in this reading I did that I came to really respect this book as a great asset to have for theological study. He covered all the main points of the doctrine, he included a few extras of the unusual questions that sometimes pop up in these studies (like “did Jesus descend into hell?). Most importantly, in places where I didn’t agree with his conclusions, I still learned from him. To my mind, that makes for the ideal theological reading.

I enjoyed this work. I’m happy to have it on my shelf beside several other old standbys. The subject of systematic theology is one where one or two works are simply not enough. I suggest you add this fine work to those you consult on systematic theology.

I received this book free from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.

[Cameron · Rating 4 out of 5]

Even though I read this book as apart of a college course, it is a great overall resource. It is written in such a way that exposes readers to all sorts of historical understandings and developments of Christian Doctrine which challenge people in and out of Christ today. Furthermore, it’s written appropriately for an undergrad level of student and I think this book is a great for for its audience. Particularly appreciated was his coverage on the Trinity and “why a prolegomena.”
Generally, it is written in a way that exposes the reader to a variety of positions and then a particular position is defended by Bird. Of course, I had a couple areas of disagreement between Dr. Bird’ conclusion’s but am not marking this work down 1 star for that. The markdown is because I am left unsure of how Dr. Bird got to his conclusion because of the positions presented and the defensive arguments presented for his position. These discrepancies were not “tier 1” importance but really did leave me reflecting on the few topics covered which presented weak arguments or a dancing around the particular position.

[Adam Marquez · Rating 3 out of 5]

The point of desirability for this book is its readability and ability to make systematic theology accessible. The problem is that it does not contribute anything new or different. When I was stationed in the Tacoma area, I would often drive around and wonder in amazement at the number of teriyaki restaurants. I often wondered, what drives one to open yet another teriyaki joint; is it that he/ she thinks he/ she is going to do it better, has a more authentic product, is going to use more choice ingredients, has an enticing gimmick, makes better tasting food... etc. I feel the same way about systematic theologies. I my view, Charles Hodge provides the best systematic theology available; any other contribution needs to offer something more, different, better, fresh, or innovative, otherwise they ought to be just citing Hodge. To the author's credit, as stated at first, at least this book brings the contribution of a solid take on systematic theology which is accessible. In contrast, reading through Hodge is laborious.

[Joshua Reynolds · Rating 4 out of 5]

The heart of theology is the Gospel. It is the Good News about Jesus Christ. Michael F. Bird takes the Gospel as the organising principle of his systematic theology with the unusual result that eschatology is placed somewhere in the middle of his dogmatics. For Bird, theology is about the Good News. It teaches of a God who loves us and chose us from before the foundation of the world, a Saviour who came to rescue us from the dark paths of sin, and a loving Holy Spirit who came to apply the great work of redemption to our hearts and lives. Bird is an academic dean and lecturer in theology at Ridley College in Melbourne, Australia. He comes from an eclectic theological or ecclesiastical background – first as a Baptist, then a presbyterian, and finally an Anglican. His thought is unified however by being evangelical, Reformed, and catholic. This is an excellent introduction to systematic theology. Robustly Trinitarian and Christ-centred. Highly recommended.

[Raul Granillo · Rating 5 out of 5]

must read for any theologian!

This is easily the most readable, and understandable work on theology that I have ever read. And that is not to say that the academic work is not profound; the academic work that is represented is spectacular.
Regardless of denomination, I would recommend this for any Christian pastor as a must read.
Michael Bird knocked one out of the park with this one!

[Jonah Wilson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bird provides a wonderful, comprehensive look into the Christian faith from the perspective of the gospel. He incorporates clear writing, helpful insights, and wittiness into this book that provides insights into all major aspects of the Christian faith. He draws from a wide breadth of sources, and truly does look at each topic through the lens of the gospel.

[Kim W. · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of my top ST texts, hands down. Bird writes in such an accessible manner that laypeople can read and comprehend with ease. Yet, the theological breadth and depth are on par with any other academic systematic you might compare with this one.

I recommend this one regularly for all audiences due to its harmony of simplicity and complexity.

[Ann Gemmel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent resource. I read the whole thing - it's highly readable but covers a massive amount of theology. Great text for my seminary doctrine class. Will refer to again and again. Appreciate Bird's balance of thoroughness coupled with accessibility.

[Andrew Goode · Rating 4 out of 5]

An excellent survey on Christian theology. Bird doesn't tell you how to think (unlike many other systematic works) but reveals what you could think, inside the bounds of orthodoxy. A really good work.

[Dale Nolan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well written and broad ranging. Enjoyable look at Christian Theology

[John · Rating 4 out of 5]

It is not bad, but it seems to me that it does very little other than what other theologies like Grudem's do. If you have a few of the other ones produced, you can probably skip this.

[Peter Johnson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Refreshing and surprisingly easy to read. Challenging at times, but that is what you want. A very sound and consistent work with much richness and good sense.

[Brad · Rating 3 out of 5]

So much to praise.
So much to be leary of.
Systematic theology is like fun-sized candy.
I'll have to think more about this one.

B. Grizenko

[Dallas Lovewell · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bird approaches this work with a humor and levity that make for enjoyable but no less instructive reading.