Reddit mentions of Systematic Theology

Why Grudem? It seems to me that there are just much better options out there.

There is Erickson, which is all of the Baptist (if that's important for you), but none of the heresy.

Or, you can go for an actual Reformed systematic theology like Bavinck, or Berkhof (which is free online if price is a concern).

You could even just go for the motherlode of Institutes of the Christian Religion (also free online).

With options like these (and more), I just don't understand why anyone would read Grudem. Maybe if the charismatic angle is important, but I still can't see it being worth it. If you need charismatic stuff just supplement Erickson or Bavinck with some Sam Storms.

I would recommend picking up a book like Berkhof's Systematic Theology or Bavinck's The Doctrine of God. These will be more challenging, dense readings, but they will help with understanding the formulation of Trinity and the implications.

Also, picking up a church history book about the 3rd and 4th centuries and the Trinitarian debates then could be beneficial to see how the church has sharpened its understanding on this in response to wrong teaching.

As someone else mentioned, start a study into Theology with an introductory text in Hermeneutics. This where so many people go wrong and misinterpret the text, drawing false and erroneous conclusions. The way you interpret the text will determine what you draw out of it.

Hermeneutics: Principles and Processes of Biblical Interpretation was the first Hermeneutics text I worked through, and I highly recommend it. It's highly unbiased, and the end of each chapter is packed with problems to think through.

Once you're done there, if you have access to iTunes University or the [Reformed Theological Seminary (RTS)](https://play.google.com/store/apps/details id=com.subsplash.thechurchapp.reformedtheologicalseminary2&hl=en_US&referrer=utm_source%3Dgoogle%26utm_medium%3Dorganic%26utm_term%3Drts+mobile+app&pcampaignid=APPU_1_vSLpW7CiCMbCzwL3vK-wDw) app for Android, find Robert Cara's lectures in Advanced Biblical Exegesis under "Old and New Testament" and listen to them (they're free).

When you get to looking at a Systematic Theology to work through, I recommend staying away from Wayne Grudem. He's really popular among Evangelicals, but I'm personally not a fan of him. There's better Systematic Theologies out there. I highly recommend Louis Berkhof's Systematic Theology or Classic Christianity by Thomas Oden.

Louis Berkhof's Systematic Theology. Available for ~$10 in paperback and free as an ebook.

Which James White? I hear good things about Dr. James Emery White, though I have never read any of his works.

This James White is a different story. He's not really a "doctor", all his doctoral degrees come from an unaccredited institution. I haven't interacted with his work too much, mostly because he comes across as a bit arrogant and confrontational in the works I have read. His apologetic work often strikes me as disingenuous, uncharitable, and often pseudo-historical towards those he is arguing against, especially Roman Catholics.

I do have quite a few books I would recommend:

First, I would read the following:

The Heidelberg Catechism, The Belgic Confession, and the Canons of Dort

These are collectively referred to as the "Three Forms of Unity", and are the baseline documents for continental Reformed (Calvinist) churches. In addition, I recommend the following:

Good Introductions

Letters to a Young Calvinist by James K.A. Smith

Calvinism in the Las Vegas Airport by Richard J. Mouw

What is Reformed Theology? by R.C. Sproul

A Little Book on the Christian Life by John Calvin

Digging Deeper

Pilgrim Theology by Michael Horton

The Christian Faith by Michael Horton

The Institutes of the Christian Religion in the 1536, 1541, or 1559 editions by John Calvin. Also available online here

Reformed Dogmatics by Herman Bavinck

Systematic Theology by Louis Berkhof

As well anything by the following authors:

Modern: R.C. Sproul, Michael Horton, James K.A. Smith, Cornelius Plantinga, Alvin Plantinga, John Piper, and Tim Keller.

1800s & 1900s: J. Gresham Machen, Herman Bavinck, Abraham Kuyper, G.C. Berkouwer, and B.B. Warfield

Pre-1800s: Jonathan Edwards, John Calvin, Theodore Beza, and John Knox

I think I've heard more than one systematic theologian define it as the effort to make Christian doctrine comprehensible to a contemporary audience. That definition may be technically a good one, but I think it's also potentially misleading. It makes it sound as though systematic theology is almost a form of evangelism, where theologians try to address their audience's "felt needs." That's not a good description.

If you actually read a work of systematic theology, such these by Wayne Grudem or Louis Berkhof, you'll see that they are a topic-by-topic explanation of what, in the view of the author, Christianity teaches. Conventionally they begin with "theology proper", which is the study of God himself: the doctrine of the Trinity, God's perfection, His omniscience, omnipotence, etc. They'll cover things like the nature of revelation, creation, the fall, salvation, and so on. Usually it's not just the author sharing his thoughts. He's interacting with and responding to the work of his contemporaries and to concerns that contemporary people have with respect to Christian doctrines.