Christian Thought A Brief History

by Hastings, Adrian; Mason, Alistair; Pyper, Hugh

• ISBN13: 9780192802804
• ISBN10: 0192802801
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2003-04-13
• Publisher: Oxford University Press

Summary

'Thought' is a much wider concept than either 'philosophy' or 'theology'. Throughout the history of the church, Christian thinkers have contributed significantly to the human endeavour to comprehend and express the complexity of existence, both through development of their understanding of the Christian faith, and by their shaping of and response to secular institutions and disciplines. The 13 chapters that make up this Brief History are drawn from the highly acclaimed Oxford Companion to Christian Thought, and are written by distinguished theologians and church historians from both sides of the Atlantic, themselves all notable thinkers. They take the reader on a journey from Pre-Constantinian times to the end of the 20th century. It's a journey not simply through time, however, but across different traditions of Christian thought -- Syriac and Armenian, as well as Eastern Orthodox and Western understandings. Together they offer an appreciation of the roots of the continued vitality and diversity of Christian thought, providing a history of ideas that is relevant to all those, Christian and non-Christian, who will be shaping the thought of the next century and beyond. Book jacket.

Author Biography

The late Adrian Hastings was Emeritus Professor of Theology at the University of Leeds. Alistair Mason recently retired as Senior Lecturer in Church History at the University of Leeds. Hugh Pyper is Head of School and Senior Lecturer in Biblical Studies, University of Leeds.

Table of Contents

Introduction	vii
Hugh S. Pyper
Editors & Contributors	x
Abbreviations	xii
Canon and Consensus	1	(14)
Pre-Constantinian thought
L. G. Patterson
Christian Thought in the East	15	(46)
Controversy and Councils	17	(16)
Greek theology, 4th--6th centuries
John McGuckin
Creation and Ascetism	33	(5)
Syriac Christian thought
Susan Ashbrook Harvey
Wisdom, Inner and Outer	38	(9)
Byzantine theology, 6th--16th centuries
Andrew Louth
Hope and Transformation	47	(8)
Eastern Orthodox theology
Kallistos Ware
Identity and Continuity	55	(6)
The Armenian tradition
Vigen Guroian
Christian Thought in the West	61	(2)
Harmony and Tradition	63	(10)
Latin theology, 4th--10th centuries
John Cavadini
Structure and Sanctity	73	(15)
The Middle Ages
C. H. Lawrence
Diversity and Orthodoxy	88	(20)
The 16th century
Sean F. Hughes
Authority and Reason	108	(15)
The 17th century
Anthony Milton
Certainity and Tolerance	123	(15)
The 18th century
John Kent
Confidence and Questions	138	(15)
The 19th century
Claude Welch
Conflict and Rapprochement	153
The 20th century
Adrian Hastings