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| 2007·09·18 · 9 Comments |
| Who Influences You? |
Tim Challies wrote yesterday on 10 Tips to Read More and Read Better. It’s a helpful article; I especially liked his final point:
Read What Your Heroes Read - A couple of years ago, while at the Shepherds’ Conference, a young man who was in ministry but had not had opportunity to attend seminary asked John MacArthur what he would recommend to this man so he could continue learning and continue growing in his knowledge of theology. MacArthur’s answer was simple: He said that this pastor should find godly men he admires and read what they read.
This is something I’ve tried to do more in recent years. Of course, that means I often find myself reading over my head. All of my favorite teachers are head and shoulders—and probably navels—above me in every way, and they didn’t get that way by reading The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People. I often find myself reaching for the fruit on the higher branches. I can’t always reach it, but my reach increases as I stretch.
Anyway, this post is really going nowhere, except to ask you, the reader, who your favorite theologians are. Who has influenced you most profoundly? List as many as you like, but I’d like to see, at the top of the list, at least one living and one dead theologian, if you can.
My most influential living teacher is, by far, John MacArthur. The first serious Christian book I ever purchased was The Gospel According to Jesus
It is more difficult to name one dead theologian to top the list. I have not read a large amount of any one, but rather small portions of several. I suppose, having been raised Lutheran, and having learned Luther’s Small Catechism and attended a Lutheran bible school, that Luther has influenced me more than I know (which is quite a lot). More recently, as I have begun reading the Puritans, William Gurnall’s The Christian in Complete Armour—which I am reading v e r y s l o w l y—has given me more to think about than any other single book. This is the “Christian living” book to replace all of those flaky “How to _____” and “Seven steps to a _____” books in the bookstore.
So, those are my most influential authors, living and dead. Who are yours?
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9 Comments:
Carla Rolfe
Like you, once I discovered John MacArthur, so many other authors seemed like I'd be wasting valuable reading time, with them. Although I will say James White has given me so much to think about and consider, that I'm forever indebted to both of them for the work they do.
I can list two dead theologians that share an equal spot at the top of my list:
Arthur Pink and John Gill. Need I say more?
:-)
Darrin
Favourite 16th century: John Calvin
Favourite 17th century: Thomas Watson
Favourite 18th century: Jonathan Edwards
Favourite 19th century: Horatius Bonar
Favourite 20th century: Gordon Clark
Favourite 21st century: Hmmmm...tough one...at least when their dead you know they're not going to come out with anything crazy!
David
Darrin,
Horatius Bonar? Really? I never would have guessed.
"at least when their dead you know they're not going to come out with anything crazy!"
Good point. I figure MacArthur's old enough to be pretty safe, but you never know. I suppose he could still pull a Jack Deere, but I doubt it.
Carla,
I like James White a lot, too. Considering Darrin's comment though, I'm going to be cautious. You never know but he might cross the Tiber at any moment.
Vicki
Great post! I enjoy hearing what others are reading. Lately I'm reading much of John Piper's writings. As for the dead guys, it's been Spurgeon, Edwards, Owen.
Dana
He isn't as good a writer as he is a speaker, but my favorite has to be Ravi Zaccharias.
I can't think of the dead ones at the moment. Jonathan Edwards? I'll go with that, but the hour is late and that is the only name coming to mind.
Kristina Hansen
I'd have to say John MacArthur and John Piper have effected my thinking quite a bit. In fact outside of the LaHaye dribble I used to read I've read more of these men's work than anyone else's. Beyond them I've discovered Edwards, and more recently Spurgeon. Both are often beyond me, but I have been stretched and look forward to more stretching.
James White and John Owen are on my list to explore eventually.
Darrin
Just for clarification, there are a bunch of good live ones; didn't want it to sound as if I thought there were none.....just not sure who my favourite is.
Vicki
Oh yes, Dana - Ravi Zacharias is good,too. Love Piper, MacArthur, and several more.
Pam
First set of commentaries was Matthew Henry. Read them like a sponge. AW Pink (his relatives attend my church), then MacArthur came along, have almost every book. Followed by L. Boettner's, "Predestination" book which hit me between the eyes and got me in trouble a lot during SSchool! (I was asked to be quiet and not confuse everyone) Next Spurgeon, Calvin, Packer, Owen, Vos, Murray, Machen, Robertson, Riddlebarger, Horton and Ryle.