I was once asked “Who is your favorite theologian and why?” Here was my answer.
I have different theologians that I like and use for different reasons. I like Charles C. Ryrie’s Basic Theology for my Bible Doctrine and Systematic Theology students. Ryrie remarks that he did not write Basic Theology for the professional theologian. I find little that I disagree with in Ryrie’s Basic Theology. I know he is not as deep as other theologians but that was not his purpose in Basic Theology. He revealed his scholarship in other writings. He also helps me in communicating doctrines to church members who also are not professional theologians.
Paul Enn’s The Moody Handbook of Theology is also good for my purposes but he covers Biblical, Historical, Systematic, Dogmatic, and Contemporary Theology, which cuts back on the Bible doctrine content.
S. H. Strong (1836 -1921) was the leading Baptist theologian for about one hundred years. Millard Erickson (1932-) replaced him as the premier Baptist theologian.
I also like and use Wayne Grudem’s Systematic Theology to add depth to Ryrie. I like his coverage of the attributes of God. He also has a good argument for baptism by immersion. I disagree with Grudem on a number of issues. Grudem has two editions to his Systematic Theology. He changed some of his views in the second edition.
I like to read Michael Horton’s Christian Faith for even more depth than Ryrie and Grudem. Horton in some of his writings has a strong defense of cessationism and actually refutes Grudem’s continuing gift of prophecy which is powerful coming from a Reformed theologian.
I like Mike Stallard’s journal articles on dispensationalism, eschatology, and theological method (click to open).
Recently I have been reading Matthew Barrett at Credomag.com (click to open). He is the Systematic Theologian at Mid-Western Baptist Theological Seminary in Kansas City, Missouri. Barrett adds Historical Theology to Systematic Theology and addresses current issues in theology. Barrett in his podcast interviews contemporary theologians.
Coming back to Charles Ryrie, in his Dispensationalism in 1995, he gives a scholarly reply to progressive dispensationalism. In his Dispensationalism Today in 1965, he responded to Covenant Theology. Ryrie wrote 32 books which have sold over 1.5 million copies. His study Bible has sold 2.6 million copies. The Ryrie Study Bible, Balancing the Christian Life, and Basic Theology have been best sellers. I mention these facts to show the influence of Ryrie not only in Academia but among rank-and-file Christians who have benefited from his writings put on their level. Of course, he impacted Bible scholars by teaching Systematic theology and serving as dean of doctoral studies at Dallas Theological Seminary. His influence was broad and lasting.