Jump to ratings and reviews
Rate this book

Moody Handbook of Theology, Revised and Expanded

Rate this book
The Moody Handbook of Theology leads the beginner into the appreciation and understanding of this essential field of study. It introduces the reader to the five dimensions that provide a comprehensive view of theology: biblical, systematic, historical, dogmatic and contemporary. The apostle Paul wrote that all Scripture is 'profitable for teaching' (2 Tim. 3:16), that Timothy should 'pay close attention to...your teaching' (1 Tim. 4:16), and that leaders should 'be able both to exhort in sound doctrine and to refute those who contradict' (Titus 1:9). When he wrote these statements, Paul was referring to theology. Beyond giving basic definitions and general descriptions, author Paul Enns summarized the substantial features of theology. In this way, he provides a concise doctrinal reference tool for the newcomer as well as the seasoned scholar seeking a refresher. There are fifty-five informative charts located at strategic points throughout the book.

Paperback

First published January 1, 1989

179 people are currently reading
557 people want to read

About the author

Paul P. Enns

16 books10 followers

Ratings & Reviews

What do you think?
Rate this book

Friends & Following

Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!

Community Reviews

5 stars
187 (37%)
4 stars
181 (36%)
3 stars
97 (19%)
2 stars
26 (5%)
1 star
8 (1%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 52 reviews
Profile Image for Finn Erickson.
29 reviews1 follower
September 25, 2024
Some highlights:

-When arguing for distinction between Israel and church, says: “Israel is the wife of Yahweh (Hos. 3:1), but the church is the body of Christ (Col. 1:18).”

-The usual covenant theology = replacement theology straw-man.

-The assertion that reformed theology centers on man while dispensationalism centers on God’s glory.


I’ve found this resource to be particularly useless. Don’t waste your time on this, read Calvin or someone of substance.
Profile Image for Clark Goble.
Author 1 book14 followers
July 24, 2012
I’ve had this book in digital format for quite some time and had the pleasure of pulling it out as required reading for a recent class. It proved to be a valuable resource. Paul Enns provides readers with a reference text that breaks down, defines, and explores all the various branches of theology. He accomplishes this by first identifying and then breaking down the five major divisions of theology: Biblical Theology, Systematic Theology, Historical Theology, Dogmatic Theology, and Contemporary Theology. Each of these divisions represent a major section of the text. Enns first summarizes and then critically examines all of the various approaches and opinions concerning these branches of theology.

By breaking these main divisions into their smaller components, Enns successfully makes an enormous subject approachable. It should be pointed out that Enns was not attempting to create a non-biased look at all the branches of theology. Rather, he critically examines those views that he finds inferior. If the reader is looking for a purely non-biased primer on theology, this text will not be sufficient.
Profile Image for Dan Glover.
582 reviews51 followers
January 14, 2010
Unique book - brief but able discription of the various fields of theological study (biblical, systematic, dogmatic, historical, etc.). As an overview and intro, does a good job of familiarizing the curious layman. For any kind of depth one would need to read works in each category (and to be fair, from each school of thought or perspective in each category).
Profile Image for Jake Litwin.
160 reviews10 followers
February 7, 2020
Has some good sections but overall has major hermeneutical issues promoting dispensationalism and as well as misrepresenting other views that the author disagrees with. Not a balanced theology textbook at all. Wouldn’t recommend.
221 reviews9 followers
January 1, 2021
Paul Enns has provided a clear and concise summary of Christian doctrine from a classical dispensationalist perspective. This handbook surveys various disciplines of doctrine (biblical theology, systematic theology and historical theology), and despite covering such a diversity of theological fields, it manages to present a coherent unity to the teaching of Scripture. This is thanks in large part to the author’s explicit commitment to the authority of Scripture.

The book’s brevity is one of its greatest benefits. It can therefore easily be used as reference tool if a student desires a high-level overview of a given theological subject. It is also broadly evangelical enough so that a person who may disagree with some of the details will still find the contribution made by Enns beneficial. The section on trends in contemporary theology is also very helpful in identifying the trajectory of evangelicalism (and its various offshoots).

Its summary nature is also a drawback. Classical dispensationalism is a rather unique and strict system of doctrine, adhering to the literal interpretation of the Bible to a fault. A reader that disagrees with Enns, even if substantial agreement exists on the essentials, may find some of his treatments of opposing views difficult to stomach. Brevity leads to generalisation and can therefore be alleviated to a greater extent if primary sources (rather than authors who agree with Enns) are more consistently quoted.

Still, as a quick reference tool this certainly packs a punch. Covering as many disciplines of theology in one readable volume should be celebrated. The more serious student might still want to acquire other texts that deal with the disciplines of biblical, systematic and historical theology in greater depth.
Profile Image for Jason Fiore.
23 reviews1 follower
July 14, 2014
I'm a scholarly layman wishing to delve deeper into Christian theology. I'm a member of a Wesleyan evangelical sect. I like to read books written by scholars who I know I'm not going to agree with. I find that it helps me sharpen my scholarship, keeps me on my toes and broadens my horizons. I do not agree with the Calvinist/Dispensationalist viewpoint (or approach) Dr Ennis favors. Dr Ennis tries to be fair and tries to accurately represent approaches and scholarship he does not agree with, and for the most part, succeeds. Dr Ennis makes it clear when he is expressing his opinion about the point at hand and he does provide solid arguments to back it up. You might not agree with his arguments. Sometimes his arguments are based on outdated scholarship (for example, how he justifies that women must not be ordained... The weight of evidence in the NT (as well as sociological and anthropological research studying Roman and Near East culture and practices of the first century supports the fact that women were indeed in leadership roles--roles that today would have required ordination.

It is a Handbook. It is a survey, not an in depth treatise. Dr Ennis certainly succeeds at what he had set out to do: provide an overview of Christian Theology from an evangelical point of view. It is far from perfect and in some places, his scholarship is shaky, but it deserves a place on the bookshelves of serious biblical scholars, whether lay or professional.
Profile Image for Jeremy Gardiner.
Author 1 book22 followers
July 25, 2018
Read through the entire book for my course at Moody Bible Institutue. It was a biblical theology, historical theology, dogmatic theology, contemporary theology, and systematic theology in one (each seperated by sections and broken down into chapters). I found it very helpful and fair in describing different viewpoints. Will definetely keep it on my shelf to reference later. The only major downside was the advocacy of Dispensational Premillenialism throughout.
Profile Image for Cynthia.
1 review
Want to read
May 18, 2011
Please can you help me to read the book on my computer?
I am very new to reading book in online.I want to read the book
on my computer when the connection is disable.

Thanks a lot.

cynthia
Profile Image for Coalición por el Evangelio.
224 reviews217 followers
Read
October 6, 2021
El «Compendio Portavoz de Teología» permite comprender lo que la Biblia enseña y cómo la comprensión humana de esas enseñanzas se desarrollan hasta nuestro tiempo. Un aspecto importante a resaltar es que el libro está alineado con un pensamiento evangélico equilibrado. Esto permite analizar la teología desde una perspectiva que honra al Señor de las Escrituras. Esta perspectiva bíblica nos da herramientas que nos ayudan a refutar movimientos modernos que promueven teologías no bíblicas.

Lee la reseña completa en Coalición por el Evangelio.
Profile Image for Doug Adamson.
225 reviews1 follower
July 3, 2025
This is an informative and enjoyable read. Enns appears to be trying to be fair and objective in presenting the different views. Different readers will quibble over various points and critiques. At the end of each section Enns provides resources for further study. Except for the chapters dealing with more current trends the resources seemed to favor older works and omitted newer treatments of the topic. In all, a good read and a valuable resource to have.
Profile Image for John Tester.
18 reviews3 followers
December 27, 2020
A great book. Balanced views on different theological perspectives. Highly recommended to anyone new to the faith or for those who just want to have a better understanding of what and why they believe as they believe in the Christian Faith.
Profile Image for Aaron Graham.
33 reviews
May 15, 2024
Really useful book. Easy to just hop onto a particular chapter on the topic you want to learn about covers theology from a range of different perspectives (topic/systematic theology, historical theology, contemporary theology, etc.) Not something you read cover to cover, but useful as a reference.
Profile Image for Anderson Rhom.
44 reviews
September 30, 2025
Goes over some basic concepts fairly well, but every page has this gross tinge of unacknowledged bias that really spoils it. Not a fan of this book, only read it for a class. I'm going to give Erickson's "Christian Theology" a read next, as people over here are singing its praises so much.
1 review
December 10, 2018
Long but worthwhile

This book was recommended to me by my pastor when I wanted to go deeper in my knowledge. It was long but worthwhile.
3 reviews
August 30, 2020
Useful as a general introduction to theology, but I found it somewhat partisan. There are places where the author's views are simply asserted as self-evident, and alternate views are not always handled fairly.
Profile Image for Jalynn Patterson.
2,214 reviews35 followers
August 26, 2014
About the Book:

The Moody Handbook of Theology leads the beginner into the appreciation and understanding of this essential field of study. It introduces the reader to the five dimensions that provide a comprehensive view of theology: biblical, systematic, historical, dogmatic and contemporary.
The apostle Paul wrote that all Scripture is 'profitable for teaching' (2 Tim. 3:16), that Timothy should 'pay close attention to...your teaching' (1 Tim. 4:16), and that leaders should 'be able both to exhort in sound doctrine and to refute those who contradict' (Titus 1:9). When he wrote these statements, Paul was referring to theology.

Beyond giving basic definitions and general descriptions, author Paul Enns summarized the substantial features of theology. In this way, he provides a concise doctrinal reference tool for the newcomer as well as the seasoned scholar seeking a refresher. There are fifty-five informative charts located at strategic points throughout the book.

About the Author:

PAUL ENNS (B.R.E., Winnipeg Bible College; Th.M., Th.D., Dallas Theological Seminary) ministers at Idlewild Baptist Church in Tampa, Florida and serves as a professor and the director of the Tampa Extension, Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary. Dr. Enns has also taught at Northwestern College in Minneapolis, and at both Dallas and Talbot Theological Seminaries. He is the author of twelve books including The Moody Handbook of Theology and Approaching God. Dr. Enns has two sons with his beloved and late wife, Helen.

My Review:

This book gives the reader a better understanding of basic Theology. My husband plans on using it for help with the different courses he will take in seminary. For that purpose, it will be a great point of reference for you but it can also help the lay person to understand his Bible study a lot more. The points of reference listed are as follows Biblical Theology, Systematic Theology, Historical Theology, Dogmatic Theology, and Contemporary Theology. Each one has a definition of its type of theology and a background of each one is listed as well.

To me the book was not thorough enough but the author gives you a list of items to provide for further study on each doctrine. A basic overview of each Theology is given with a brief explanation. The Biblical Theology was my favorite part of the whole book because it gave an expanded more thorough explanation for different apostles from the Bible and so much more. It is an expanded, updated version of a book that has in the past 25 years that has sold more than 125,000 copies.

If you would like to purchase a copy of the book you can do so at this link.

**Disclosure** This book was sent to me free of charge for my honest review from MP Newsroom.
Profile Image for Harold Cameron.
142 reviews20 followers
September 7, 2012
Everyone who wants to be skilled in their occupation or trade needs certain tools to be effective. A carpenter for example needs a hammer, a saw and certain other tools for his trade. A mechanic needs wrenches and screwdrivers and the such to be able to do his job. For the Pastor, Bible teacher, Evangelist, Sunday School teacher, or other individuals involved in either some type of full time ministry or lay ministry at their church one group of tools that are most surely needed by them are Bible Study and Reference books (tools). The Moody Handbook of Theology by Paul Enns is one such book or tool that should be in the library of anyone involved in ministry in any capacity.

There are 5 parts or sections in author Enn’s handbook that covers theology from different aspects. Part 1 for example covers “Biblical Theology”; (The introduction to Old Testament and New Testament Theology, Theology of the Edenic era and other key era’s in the Old Testament as well as various aspects of New Testament Theology such as the Theology of the Synoptics, the Theology of Acts, of Paul and others). In Part 2 author Enns shares information about what is called “Systematic Theology” (which includes the Doctrine of Christology which is a study of the doctrine of Christ for example or The Doctrine of Soteriology which is the study of the doctrine of Salvation as well as 7 other areas of doctrine that are essential to the faith).

In Part 3 the author covers the area of “Historical Theology;” (For example, Ancient Theology, Reformation Theology, Modern Theology and others). Part 4 provides information about “Dogmatic Theology” which looks at such areas as Calvinistic Theology, Arminian Theology and others of importance. Then in Part 5 Contemporary Theology is covered which looks at Liberal Theology, Neoorthodox Theology, Catholic Theology and even the “EmergingChurch.” Also included in the handbook are over 50 different helpful charts to aid in your study of Theology and The Word of God and a concise and handy glossary.

What I like about author Enns Handbook of Theology is that it is very easy to read and understand which is important. And his handbook can be most helpful to the beginning student of the Scriptures as well as someone who has an extensive education as well as experience in the ministry. So I give the Moody Handbook of Theology a big thumbs up!

For more information about The Moody Handbook of Theology visit the Moody Publishers Company website.

To purchase a copy of The Moody Handbook of Theology visit your local Christian retailer or you can order a copy from any of the online booksellers.
Profile Image for Philip.
206 reviews29 followers
March 11, 2011
The little handbook of theology that I used in my college studies often returns to my hand as a reference tool today. Enns' fascinating little work introduces the student to the various approaches to theology. The volume is divided into five sections. The writer first presents a biblical theology which moves through the Bible section by section, demonstrating the progressive nature of revelation on various points of theology along the way. Next, Enns moves to systematic theology. In this section, the reader will find the classic doctrines discussed in light detail. The third section is the discussion of the historical theology of the church. Enns traces the development of theology from ancient, to medieval, to reformation, to the modern church. Section four discusses various branches of dogmatic theology such as Calvinism, Arminianism, Covenant Theology, Dispensationalism, and Catholicism. The last section deals with contemporary theology and lays out the beliefs of various strands of Christians today. Enns deals here with the Liberals, the Neo-Orthodox, Radical Theologies, Historicist Ideologies, Socialist Theology, Catholic Theology, and Conservative Theology. This excellent work will provide the average reader with an introduction to the major fields of theology today and will serve as a valuable reference tool for years to come.
Profile Image for Dane Jöhannsson .
85 reviews5 followers
August 10, 2020
Had to read this during my undergrad studies at Moody. May be a helpful survey for those new to the topic.
Profile Image for David S. T..
127 reviews22 followers
January 15, 2015
I got this book wanting sort of a comparison of different Christian theologies. In a way this does that, but it is a very biased book. The author is very much an ultra conservative 4 point Calvinist (refuting the idea of limited atonement) and so all of his opinions and summaries come from that perspective. I was pretty surprised that he used Hans Küng (someone who is not officially allowed to teach catholic theology) as a big basis for his catholic section and ignored more accepted theologians like the current pope, just one example of many of his slanted bias. Oddly Eastern Orthodox Christianity was mostly skipped.

So if you're an anti-evolutionist, 4 point Calvinist who wants a slanted theological comparison to show you why you're completely correct and why everyone else is wrong, then this might be your book, if you want a more balanced approach find something else. I plan to read Alister McGrath's Christian Theology next year for hopefully a more balanced approach.
Profile Image for Ruth.
Author 15 books195 followers
November 16, 2011
First, a note for the author:

Imply: verb (used with object), -plied, -ply·ing.
-to indicate or suggest without being explicitly stated: His words implied a lack of faith.

Infer: verb (used with object)
-to derive by reasoning; conclude or judge from premises or evidence: They inferred his displeasure from his cool tone of voice.

As you can see, these two words are not intended to be interchangeable.

On another note: since this is termed a handbook, I did not expect full treatments of all aspects of theology; however, there were several sections in which the author skimmed a bit too lightly. Or perhaps having read Millard Erickson's full and well-written Christian Theology fairly recently had completely spoiled me.

Profile Image for Joe Valenti.
359 reviews7 followers
September 23, 2013
This is an excellent text for lay people or students that are interested in understanding the entire gamut of theology. In the revised and expanded edition, Enns even deals with some more current issues in Evalgelicalism.

My cautions are two-fold. First, Enns has very strict views when it comes to the story of God, the end times, and role of the Jewish people. He is dispensational. Be careful not to blindly agree with all of his conclusions.

Secondly, this is a surface text. Enns does not have the space or the time to go into depth in each of these areas, so do not mistake the information contianed within this book as thorough. He does, however, offer excellent bibliographies at the end of each chapter to point the reader in the direction of more in0depth study.
Profile Image for Charles.
70 reviews12 followers
November 27, 2008
It was ok, probably one of those books that I'll randomly reference in papers and use to look things up a few times in my life. For the time being I hope that by keeping it, it might absorb all of the dust in my room (or something useful).The book felt a bit biased toward Calvinism and dispensational theology. It did give a good explanation for Arminianism, but I felt the covenant theology was locked up and shut off from the reader (not completely though). The section on angelogy was great, but the section on the trinity seemed really disorganized and not well explained.

PS Not a bad book, just didn't feel very engaging
Profile Image for Andy Hickman.
7,336 reviews51 followers
January 20, 2015
US Baptist pastor Paul Enns incorrectly states that Liberation Theology ignores the concepts of God, Christ, man, sin, and salvation from a biblical viewpoint and “reinterprets them in a social context.” Enns claims that Liberation Theology is nothing but “Christian coating of Marxist socialism.”

This is an extreme view. Sorry, Mr Enns but LT is definitely not infecting the church with Marxism under the guise of theology. (p598-599)

Enns, Paul. The Moody Handbook of Theology. Chicago, IL: Moody Press, 1989.
Profile Image for Jake Gleiser.
3 reviews
December 22, 2016
While being shorter and functioning in some ways more as a survey of various aspects and types of theology, Enns' writing is by far some of the finest, and most Biblical, theology text found to this date. While many other single volume contemporary theological texts go into slightly deeper explanation on specific subjects (such as Erickson or Grudum), other texts seem to drop the ball on a single topic or too (such as some aspects of Erickson's conclusion on creation or Grudum's handling of pneumatology), Enns however remains Biblical in his discussion consistently throughout his text.
Profile Image for Jake Byrd.
10 reviews5 followers
October 25, 2017
I highly recommend this book to anyone that has not been taught the full picture of what theology is, its background, and its development through history. Even if you feel you fully understand theology, I'm sure this book will give you helpful and much needed insights. From the different theological disciplines to developments in contemporary theology, Enns helps the Christian at any level walk through a great overview of theology.
Profile Image for Brandon Current.
216 reviews2 followers
January 30, 2020
Don't Read. Paul Enns' survey of theology is fine for a light overview, but better theologies are readily available. I liked the format of covering Biblical Theology, Systematic Theology, Historical Theology, Dogmatic Theology, and Contemporary Theology in one volume. However, Enns' lens is very Dispensational and other perspectives receive a somewhat unfair and shallow treatment. Much is asserted without being well argued.
Profile Image for G Walker.
240 reviews30 followers
November 13, 2012
Good, basic text... still a little too fundamentalistic and dispensational, but better than Chafer or Ryrie in that in engages the broader (western) traditions of western Christendom. Nothing is dealt with exhaustively, more of a primer than anything. Still, at a bible college level, helpful in a basic orientation to basic theological issues. NOT a definitive text in ANY way whatsoever.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 52 reviews

Join the discussion

Can't find what you're looking for?

Get help and learn more about the design.