Beyond the Book with Dr. Akin: “A Theology for the Church, 2nd Edition”
Mary Asta Mountain | June 25, 2026
“‘A Theology for the Church’ reflects the conviction that sound doctrine is essential for the life of every believer and for the health of the body of Christ” (xv). This is the conviction of Southeastern Seminary President Danny Akin and his coeditors Kenneth Keathley and Keith Whitfield in their recently published volume, “A Theology for the Church, 2nd Edition Revised and Expanded.” As the combined work of 15 contributors, “A Theology for the Church” serves as an accessible and thoroughgoing resource created not just for church leaders but also for the church as a whole.
In addition to serving as Southeastern’s sixth president, Akin also serves as senior professor of preaching and theology. Keathley teaches at Southeastern as research professor of theology, and Whitfield serves as the senior pastor at Temple Baptist Church in Newbern, NC. In the following Q&A, Akin takes some time to share further about their recent publication and its creation.
Who is the audience of “A Theology for the Church,” and how do you hope they will use this text?
The primary audience for this book is both college and seminary students. The book is written by brilliant scholars who serve in Southern Baptist colleges and seminaries across the United States. However, and I think this is important, this book is also written, as the title says, for the church. We believe that the church must be well trained to think well theologically and biblically. This book is designed to do that, and I hope it will be widely used in our churches.
How does this book uniquely situate itself among other theology textbooks?
I can say two things about that. One, the book is written by multiple contributors. All of them are Southern Baptists who are committed to the Baptist Faith and Message 2000. Therefore, they are thoroughly evangelical, Baptistic, and orthodox. Second, the book is designed in a fourfold manner: What does the Bible say? What has the church believed? How does it all fit together? And what is this doctrine’s relevance for today? The book is designed in a very comprehensive manner.
Introduce us to the contributors. Who are they and how do they model the theological reflection and practice that the book teaches?
The book’s authors are the best of the best among Southern Baptists. You have people like Christy Thornton and Keith Whitfield writing on theological method. You have Rhyne Putman writing on general revelation and David Dockery on special revelation. Timothy George writes a classic chapter on the nature of God, Ken Keathley on God’s work of creation, and Jeff Bingham on God’s providence. Pete Schemm’s chapter on angels is absolutely superb, as is John Hammett’s chapter on human nature or anthropology. Sin is covered by both Rhyne Putman and Stan Norman. I write on the person of Christ, and Keith Whitfield covers the work of Christ. Ken Keathley again contributes on the doctrine of salvation, Malcolm Yarnell on the Holy Spirit, Mark Dever on the Church, and Matt Emerson on eschatology. There is a concluding word by Al Mohler on the pastor as theologian. I must say I was greatly pleased that each of these contributors agreed to be a part of this project. They are wonderful scholars who love the gospel, the church, and the Great Commission.
The book’s authors are the best of the best among Southern Baptists.
How do the new additions in the book help further equip readers to serve the church and fulfill the Great Commission in our day and age?
Each of these writers is deeply committed to getting the gospel to the ends of the earth. Therefore, their chapters contribute to this very goal. The book is larger than previous editions, and one will see that the Great Commission is woven throughout the writings of the new contributors and the revised chapters.
As a long-time teacher, how has your own understanding of theology been shaped by your experiences in the classroom?
Students ask great questions, and these questions must be answered. Further, they so often reflect the questions that people are asking in the churches. Therefore, the design of the book is intended to address those questions in the final section of each chapter where we always deal with the question, “How does this doctrine impact the church today?” That is one of the unique aspects of the book and one that I think strengthens its appeal.
As believers, how should theology shape our witness and the way we live our day-to-day lives?
The fact of the matter is that all Christians are theologians whether they realize it or not. To think about God is to do theology. To share the gospel requires doing theology. You have to understand what the content of the gospel is before you can share it. In other words, all of life is inherently theological, and we need to think well in biblical and doctrinal categories. “A Theology of the Church” hopes to help the church to do this better. If it accomplishes this task, then it would have met its goal.
“A Theology for the Church, 2nd Edition Revised and Expanded”
Since the first edition in 2007, “A Theology for the Church” has uniquely served students throughout Baptist seminaries and colleges. The revised edition in 2014 brought welcome updates and new chapters, and the second edition seeks to maintain the same core structure and approach while introducing new authors and adding an additional chapter.
As in the first and subsequent editions, the chapters in “A Theology for the Church” cover traditional theological categories such as revelation, humanity, Christ, and last things. Additionally, each chapter seeks to answer the same four questions in relation to the doctrinal category covered: What does the Bible say? What has the church believed? How does it all fit together? and How does this doctrine impact the church today?
Undergirded by the primacy of Scripture with a robust appreciation of church history, each contributor seeks to demonstrate the relevance of the Bible for the contemporary audience in its particular historical and cultural context. The task of theology must be recovered in the church if it is to have vitality and health in the years to come, and this new edition helps advance this important task.
March 15, 2026
Hardcover, 1,216 pages
