Louis Berkhof

Louis Berkhof (1873-1957),a Dutch renown Christian Theologian, was born in Emmen in the Netherlands. In 1882, he emigrated with his family to Grand Rapids, Michigan. In 1900, he graduated from Calvin Theological seminary and took up the pastorate of First Christian Reformed Church in Allendale, Michigan. Two years later, he went to Princeton Theological Seminary, and within two years had earned his BD degree. Then he returned to West Michigan to pastor Oakdale Park Church located in Grand Rapids. Berkohf was an outstanding teacher, and the prolific author, his magnum opus, Systematic Theology, first published in 1934, has long been the standard textbook. The Summery of Christian Doctrine is a digested simple version, and The Manual of Christian doctrine is medium version of his Systematic Theology.