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Back to Basics: Rediscovering the Richness of the Reformed Faith
The Reformed faith is a rich tapestry of biblical understanding that encompasses all of thought and life. Those who embrace that understanding find it to be practical and life-changing—reformation for the sake of transformation. This book—a call to rediscover the richness of the Reformed faith—provides in one volume a fresh and enlightening look at four crucial biblical concerns:
—Conversion: Douglas J. Wilson
—The Covenant: Douglas M. Jones III
—The Church: Roger Wagner
—The Christian Life: David G. Hagopian
—Conversion: Douglas J. Wilson
—The Covenant: Douglas M. Jones III
—The Church: Roger Wagner
—The Christian Life: David G. Hagopian
319 pages, Paperback
First published December 1, 1995
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Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews
August 19, 2025
Was expecting this to be another treatment of just soteriological issues, I was pleasantly surprised to find much more than that! This book deals with the comprehensive nature of the Reformed faith, not just its views on salvation, but also on covenant, church world, sacraments, etc.! I highly commend this work.
August 16, 2025
Somewhere between 3 and 4 stars, this one fell on the better side of good.
When people new or unfamiliar to reformed theology start running the idea through their head, they typically reduce it just another name for Calvinism. This is hardly the case, and while Calvinism is important and true, it is only a sub-section of the richness that reformed theology offers as a model for understanding and practicing Christianity. Wilson and friends lay out the blueprint for building a rich tapestry of reformed theology, and does a good job at keeping it basic.
When people new or unfamiliar to reformed theology start running the idea through their head, they typically reduce it just another name for Calvinism. This is hardly the case, and while Calvinism is important and true, it is only a sub-section of the richness that reformed theology offers as a model for understanding and practicing Christianity. Wilson and friends lay out the blueprint for building a rich tapestry of reformed theology, and does a good job at keeping it basic.
June 12, 2017
An excellent primer on the Reformed Faith.
January 4, 2013
A five-star introduction to reformed theology. That being said, because of the nature of what it seeks to accomplish it wasn't the easiest read for me. This isn't a lay back in bed book, it's a sit at the desk with your bible and a highlighter kind of book. Some parts are more heady and I found some of the contributors easier to digest than others. This isn't as much a criticism of the book as it is an observation of the density of my skull and the weakness of my digestive abilities.
All in all, this is a fantastic book, however I wouldn't recommend it to just anyone. 'Back To Basics' would unfortunately overwhelm the lazy Christian reader and besides, there are easier (albeit less comprehensive) books on this subject. The kind of person I would recommend this book to is the serious thinker who is looking to dive into the deep end of the pool. Who is genuinely looking to be schooled by the ancient scriptures as they are illuminated within these pages.
All in all, this is a fantastic book, however I wouldn't recommend it to just anyone. 'Back To Basics' would unfortunately overwhelm the lazy Christian reader and besides, there are easier (albeit less comprehensive) books on this subject. The kind of person I would recommend this book to is the serious thinker who is looking to dive into the deep end of the pool. Who is genuinely looking to be schooled by the ancient scriptures as they are illuminated within these pages.
August 19, 2009
Covers the waterfront well
February 22, 2019
Great book and overview of the Reformed Faith.
April 12, 2008
The popular attention in the Protestant world towards traditional Reformed theology and thought that has come about in the last 30 years or so, has had multiple attempts of explaining just what the encompassing nature of Reformed theology looks like. Some have been attempts to be extremely contemporary, some have been dry theological tomes, accessible to only those who are already presupposed to that corner of the Protestant world. What the compilation of chapters, by different authors, in Back to Basics, have done is to present a readable explanation of traditional Reformed theology, beginning with the doctrine of a sovereign God that rules personally in his creation.
A risk with any work that has multiple authors, and this one has four sections, with a different author in each, is that the writing will be uneven and that thoughts developed in one part of the book will be dropped totally later on. As such, even in good books, with well written ideas, stand alone chapters are better remembered than others.
In this book, the chapters on sanctification, or how the Christian grows in his faith and what that means for his vocation and all areas of life; and the section on the covenant nature dealings between God and his people are nicely done. The sections dealing with the doctrine of God and the role of the church do read dryly at times.
The general reader, who is interested in a high view of a personal yet universal God of the Bible and who is looking for a clear, succinct teaching on justification and how that applies to the whole life of the individual will find this work useful. Unfortunately, there has much contention historically, and even in recent years among different parties in the Protestant world, between the covenant and dispensational or even more recently towards things like open theism. Some of these arguments have been needlessly distracting from the heart of the gospel. What the authors of Back to Basics have done, is to write a generally lucid explanation for how Reformed theology flows into every other area of the Christian life, and to do that in a way that is not argumentative or contentious. And for that, the reader should be grateful, and should find the book a fine complement to their personal study.
A risk with any work that has multiple authors, and this one has four sections, with a different author in each, is that the writing will be uneven and that thoughts developed in one part of the book will be dropped totally later on. As such, even in good books, with well written ideas, stand alone chapters are better remembered than others.
In this book, the chapters on sanctification, or how the Christian grows in his faith and what that means for his vocation and all areas of life; and the section on the covenant nature dealings between God and his people are nicely done. The sections dealing with the doctrine of God and the role of the church do read dryly at times.
The general reader, who is interested in a high view of a personal yet universal God of the Bible and who is looking for a clear, succinct teaching on justification and how that applies to the whole life of the individual will find this work useful. Unfortunately, there has much contention historically, and even in recent years among different parties in the Protestant world, between the covenant and dispensational or even more recently towards things like open theism. Some of these arguments have been needlessly distracting from the heart of the gospel. What the authors of Back to Basics have done, is to write a generally lucid explanation for how Reformed theology flows into every other area of the Christian life, and to do that in a way that is not argumentative or contentious. And for that, the reader should be grateful, and should find the book a fine complement to their personal study.
May 24, 2008
I enjoyed this book as I read this one second in my study of the Reformed faith. I found it to be a bit disorganized and it did not plumb any real depth of the Reformed doctrines.
While is was certainly the "basics", it left me wanting much more.
I would HIGHLY RECOMMEND the R.C. Sproul book "What is Reformed Theology?: Understanding the Basics" which will give you much more meat and understanding. While it is not a complete statement of the full Reformed faith (that takes much more) it give the reader enough understanding to begin looking at their individual beliefs and align them with Scripture which is the ultimate goal of a Christian.
While is was certainly the "basics", it left me wanting much more.
I would HIGHLY RECOMMEND the R.C. Sproul book "What is Reformed Theology?: Understanding the Basics" which will give you much more meat and understanding. While it is not a complete statement of the full Reformed faith (that takes much more) it give the reader enough understanding to begin looking at their individual beliefs and align them with Scripture which is the ultimate goal of a Christian.
June 9, 2015
Remember the time you had that long conversation with that one elder at church whom you don't hear from much? He didn't say anything you hadn't already heard in one form or another, and he didn't do it with any special verbal eloquence. And yet, he spoke with such sincere conviction and joyful hope, you leave wondering if that one conversation did you more down-to-earth good than all the theology you read last year.
Reading Back to Basics is sort of like having that conversation. I would highly commend it to anyone.
Reading Back to Basics is sort of like having that conversation. I would highly commend it to anyone.
January 26, 2008
On deciding I believe the Calvinist points of how God works in salvation, I moved on the learn what it means to be "Reformed." I found this book helpful on an entry level. It was a refreshing move from the man-centered "gospel" that is so prevalent in many evangelical churches today. The gospel is cross-centered, rooted in God's sovereign will from eternity past. I find great hope in this fact.
February 25, 2009
Wilson's essay was alright. He comes across as a bit "baptyrian" in his essay. Wagner did a good job dealing with church issues. The best part of this book was Jones' essay on covenant theology. Although the covenant is an essential issue in Reformed thought, Jones' essay definitely takes you well beyond the basics with this issue.
April 18, 2011
Great general introduction into the basics of Reformed theolgy, but I would probably steer newbies to a different title in case they pursue other works by these authors, who have been influenced by the New Perspective on Paul movement.
And why is postmil eschatology the only option presented in a book giving the 'basics'? As if you have to hold that view to call yourself Reformed... ??
And why is postmil eschatology the only option presented in a book giving the 'basics'? As if you have to hold that view to call yourself Reformed... ??
August 14, 2014
Wonderful overview of Reformed doctrine, dealing particularly with the sovereignty of God, the covenants, the church, and the Christian life. I would recommend this book to anyone interested in learning more about what the Bible says regarding these doctrines.
March 10, 2009
good overview
June 27, 2009
We used this book as a family Bible study. An excellent, concise book in understanding reformed theology. I highly recommend this book. Gave me lots of "aha!" moments.
November 2, 2009
Good introduction to the Reformed faith. Doug Jones's treatment of the covenantal theology is especially helpful.
September 7, 2010
A good general introduction to Reformed theology.
January 17, 2014
Very helpful.
August 17, 2012
An excellent overview of Reformed theology that is only slightly marred by the dry, circular style of Wagner (the third contributing author)
August 21, 2012
Excellent
August 25, 2014
Whew, there's a lot in this book, but it's a good one, and very helpful for understanding Reformed theology better.
October 20, 2014
How bad are the winters in Idaho really?
Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews