“What books on the doctrine of justification should every Christian read?” (R. Michael Allen)
In the new issue of Credo Magazine, “Justification: The Doctrine On Which the Church Stands or Falls,” we asked R. Michael Allen, Assistant Professor of Systematic Theology at Knox Theological Seminary, “What books on the doctrine of justification should every Christian read?” Allen, who has written his own book on justification called Justification and the Gospel: Understanding the Contexts and Controversies, told us his top six books:
#1 John Murray, Redemption Accomplished and Applied
I especially recommend Murray’s chapters on faith and justification for a brief and balanced presentation of biblical teaching on the order of salvation. This is probably the place to begin.
#2 G. C. Berkouwer, Faith and Justification
Berkouwer presents a clear and compelling survey of the biblical, historical, and synthetic issues involved in thinking this topic through. It’s one of Berkouwer’s best volumes and a real gem in its own right.
#3 James Buchanan, The Doctrine of Justification
Buchanan’s book remains a classic textbook account of the doctrine. It lays out the main issues with clarity and evenhandedness.
#4 John Calvin, Institutes of the Christian Religion
You can’t do better than go back and read through the section on justification in book three of Calvin’s Institutes of the Christian Religion (chapters 11-16).
Run fast to the Heidelberg Catechism, questions 59-64. It offers an account of the Lutheran and Reformed approach to justification. For bonus points, read Zacharius Ursinus’s commentary!
#6 What Is Justification About?: Reformed Contributions to an Ecumenical Theme
There’s a lovely book edited by Michael Weinrich and Joseph Burgess, What is Justification About? It shows some connections between the doctrine of justification and other topics.
Read other articles in Credo Magazine today:
To view the Magazine as a PDF 
Justification: The Doctrine on which the Church Stands or Falls
While we could point to many different factors that led the sixteenth century Protestant Reformers to break from Rome, perhaps one that would be at the very top of the list is the doctrine of justification by faith alone. For Luther and Calvin, this doctrine is the very hinge on which the Christian religion turns. In part this is because sola fide is what sets Protestants apart. While every other religion puts something of man into the equation, Protestantism removes man’s works from the justification formula altogether. Therefore, the “sola” in sola fide makes all the difference in the world.
With over 2,000 years of church history in our rear view mirror, it appears that sola fide is a doctrine that comes under discussion in every generation. Our generation is no exception. Much dialogue continues over the New Perspective on Paul, Protestant and Catholic statements of agreement, and the relationship between justification and the Christian life. In this issue I am proud to welcome some of the finest thinkers on the subject in order to better understand what Scripture says about how sinners can be made right with a holy God.
Contributors include Thomas Schreiner, Michael Allen, Michael Horton, Philip Ryken, J.V. Fesko, Matthew Barrett, Korey Maas, Guy Waters, Brian Vickers, Fred Zaspel, and many others.
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