Basic Christian Doctrines (Curt Daniel)

Basic Christian Doctrines

“I found myself turning to the manuscript frequently when looking for ways to summarize and explain difficult truths. … I was asked to teach an extensive overview of systematic theology to a group of church leaders overseas in a concentrated course. I decided to let Dr. Daniel’s manuscript serve as our textbook, and it was the perfect resource.” — From the foreword by Phil Johnson

Basic Christian Doctrines is very much what the title suggests—a concise introduction to the fundamental doctrines taught in the Bible. In fifty short chapters consisting of ten simple points each, Basic Christian Doctrines presents a thorough introduction to evangelical Christian theology. Chapters include such topics as the inspiration and authority of the Bible, the names and attributes of God, creation, angels, Satan, sin, the deity and humanity of Christ, justification, prayer, evangelism, church government, death, future events, and heaven and hell. And though Dr. Daniel occasionally refers to Hebrew and Greek words, he is careful not to flood the reader with technical language, preferring to keep it as accessible as possible to the Christian with limited experience in theological study.

Those who want a short and non-technical summary of basic Christian theology will find this an excellent tool for Sunday school classes, home Bible studies, homeschools and Christian high schools, and personal Bible study. Basic Christian Doctrines is an important, useful handbook every Christian should keep close at hand.

Endorsements

Curt Daniel’s book Basic Christian Doctrines is an absolutely necessary primer in biblical teaching for church members. It has fifty chapters moving all the way from God’s existence, His act of creation, and His acts of self-revelation to the final consummation of history in heaven and hell. Each chapter, averaging around four pages each, has ten assertions about the respective doctrines and then simple Bible-centered explanations of each assertion. Curt’s style is enviable for its simplicity and straightforward confidence and clarity. The simplicity only makes it easy to read, not lacking in profundity. It is slim in words, not skimpy on the rich biblical, historical, theological, and polemical context out of which these clear affirmations arise. In places where Bible-believing, Reformed, evangelical Baptists disagree, Curt gives a brief recognition of the difference and, where possible, suggests some kind of synthesis for slightly differing viewpoints. He never allows such engagements, however, to deflect from the profound message that the Bible is a revelation—clear, meant to be understood, designed to give strong convictions about things unknowable apart from revelation, setting forth a true knowledge of man and God and His redemptive purpose, with transforming power, and given that we might know that Jesus is the Christ and eternal life is found in His name.

– Tom J. Nettles

There are a good number of systematic theologies in print—weighty tomes and needful for the church. But there is also a place for smaller overviews of the Christian faith, less complex but equally profound. This sketch of the key tenets of the Christian faith fits this bill perfectly: both concise and solid. A great resource for those interested in the Christian faith, new Christians, and older believers who need to revisit the basics!

– Michael A.G. Haykin,
FRHistS Chair and Professor of Church History,
Director of The Andrew Fuller Center for Baptist Studies,
The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, Louisville, KY

This handy resource you hold in your hand by Dr. Curt Daniel accomplishes nearly the impossible—it provides very succinct yet incredibly accessible definitions of fifty basic doctrines on the Christian life. Usually, other attempts to accomplish a work like this fall flat. Either the subjects are treated with far too much verbiage—thus unnecessarily lengthening the prose, or else easy enough to read but are much too elementary in content. Daniel, however, deftly succeeds with both aims where many other writers do not. With an astounding economy of words, he explains biblical truth with great clarity. These are just some of the things which make this small volume extremely valuable for personal or group study. Our many thanks to Free Grace Press for giving the body of Christ such a needed and helpful book!

– Dr. Lance Quinn
Executive Vice-President,
The Expositors Seminary, Jupiter, FL

Author Bio

DR. CURT DANIEL is pastor of Faith Bible Church, in Springfield, Illinois. He received his MDiv from Fuller Theological Seminary and his PhD from The University of Edinburgh. He is the author of The History and Theology of Calvinism and has been published in numerous journals and books. Curt is considered to be one of the world’s foremost theologians on the subject of Calvinism.