Introducing Christian Doctrine, 2nd ed.

by Erickson, Millard J.

• ISBN13: 9780801022500
• ISBN10: 0801022509
• Edition: 2nd
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2001-04-01
• Publisher: Baker Academic

Summary

An abridged, less technical version of Erickson's classic "Christian Theology". Pastors and students alike will find this survey of Christian theology and doctrine a practical and accessible resource with both breadth and substance. This new edition adds pedagogical aides, includes a chapter on postmodernity, and features the pertinent chapter from "Christian Theology" contemporizing the gospel message.

Author Biography

Millard J. Erickson is Distinguished Professor of Theology at Truett Seminary and at Western Seminary, Portland. He is the author of numerous works, including Christian Theology, God in Three Persons, and The Word Became Flesh.L. Arnold Hustad is professor of theology and philosophy at Crown College, St. Bonifacius, Minnesota.

Table of Contents

Preface	11	(4)
Part One: The Doing of Theology
What Is Theology?	15	(8)
The Nature of Theology	16	(3)
The Method of Theology	19	(4)
Contemporizing the Christian Message	23	(8)
The Contemporary Context of Theology	24	(1)
Approaches to Contemporizing the Christian Message	25	(1)
The Permanent Element in Christianity	26	(1)
The Nature of Contemporization	27	(1)
The Criteria of Permanence in Doctrine	28	(3)
Postmodernity and Theology	31	(10)
Defining Postmodernism	32	(3)
Doing Theology in the Postmodern Age	35	(6)
Part Two: God's Revelation
God's Universal Revelation	41	(10)
The Nature of Revelation	42	(1)
The Modes of General Revelation	42	(1)
The Reality and Efficacy of General Revelation	43	(5)
General Revelation and Human Responsibility	48	(1)
Implications of General Revelation	49	(2)
God's Particular Revelation	51	(9)
The Definition and Necessity of Special Revelation	52	(1)
The Style of Special Revelation	53	(2)
The Modes of Special Revelation	55	(2)
Special Revelation: Propositional or Personal?	57	(1)
Scripture as Revelation	58	(2)
The Preservation of the Revelation: Inspiration	60	(8)
Definition of Inspiration	61	(1)
The Fact of Inspiration	62	(1)
Theories of Inspiration	63	(1)
The Extent of Inspiration	64	(1)
The Intensiveness of Inspiration	65	(1)
A Model of Inspiration	65	(3)
The Dependability of God's Word: Interrancy	68	(8)
Various Conceptions of Inerrancy	69	(1)
The Importance of Inerrancy	70	(1)
Inerrancy and Phenomena	71	(1)
Defining Inerrancy	72	(2)
Ancillary Issues	74	(2)
The Power of God's Word: Authority	76	(9)
Religious Authority	77	(1)
The Internal Working of the Holy Spirit	77	(2)
Objective and Subjective Components of Authority	79	(1)
The Bible and Reason	80	(1)
Historical and Normative Authoritativeness	81	(4)
Part Three: The Nature of God
The Doctrine of God	85	(6)
The Immanence and Transcendence of God	87	(2)
The Nature of Attributes	89	(1)
Classifications of Attributes	90	(1)
The Greatness of God	91	(7)
Spirituality	92	(1)
Life	93	(1)
Personality	93	(1)
Infinity	94	(2)
Constancy	96	(2)
The Goodness of God	98	(8)
Moral Qualities	99	(5)
God's Love and Justice---A Point of Tension?	104	(2)
God's Three-in-Oneness: The Trinity	106	(13)
The Biblical Teaching	107	(4)
Historical Constructions	111	(2)
Essential Elements of a Doctrine of the Trinity	113	(1)
The Search for Analogies	114	(5)
Part Four: The Work of God
God's Plan	119	(10)
Key Definitions	120	(1)
The Biblical Teaching	120	(2)
The Nature of the Divine Plan	122	(1)
Logical Priority: God's Plan or Human Action?	123	(1)
A Moderately Calvinistic Model	124	(4)
Various Understandings of History	128	(1)
God's Originating Work: Creation	129	(8)
Reasons for Studying the Doctrine of Creation	130	(1)
Elements of the Biblical Teaching on Creation	131	(2)
The Theological Meaning of the Doctrine	133	(1)
The Creation Doctrine and Its Relation to Science	134	(2)
Implications of the Doctrine of Creation	136	(1)
God's Continuing Work: Providence	137	(10)
Providence as Preservation	138	(2)
Providence as Government	140	(4)
Providence and Prayer	144	(1)
Providence and Miracles	144	(3)
Evil and God's World: A Special Problem	147	(7)
The Nature of the Problem	148	(1)
Types of Solutions	149	(1)
Themes for Dealing with the Problem of Evil	149	(5)
God's Special Agents: Angels	154	(9)
Good Angels	155	(3)
Evil Angels	158	(2)
The Role of the Doctrine of Angels	160	(3)
Part Five: Humanity
Introduction to the Doctrine of Humanity	163	(7)
Images of Humankind	164	(1)
The Christian View of Humanity	165	(1)
The Biblical Account of Human Creation	166	(2)
The Theological Meaning of Human Creation	168	(2)
The Image of God in the Human	170	(9)
The Relevant Scripture Passages	171	(1)
Views of the Image	172	(2)
Evaluation of the Views	174	(1)
Conclusions Regarding the Nature of the Image	175	(1)
Implications of the Doctrine	176	(3)
The Constitutional Nature of the Human	179	(8)
Basic Views of the Human Constitution	180	(2)
Biblical Considerations	182	(1)
An Alternative Model: Conditional Unity	183	(1)
Implications of Conditional Unity	184	(3)
Part Six: Sin
The Nature and Source of Sin	187	(6)
The Difficulty of Discussing Sin	188	(1)
Biblical Perspectives on the Nature of Sin	188	(1)
The Source of Sin	189	(4)
The Results of Sin	193	(9)
Results Affecting the Relationship with God	194	(6)
Effects on the Sinner	200	(1)
Effects on the Relationship to Other Humans	201	(1)
The Magnitude of Sin	202	(13)
The Extent of Sin	203	(1)
The Intensiveness of Sin	204	(2)
Theories of Original Sin	206	(2)
Original Sin: A Biblical and Contemporary Model	208	(7)
Part Seven: The Person of Christ
The Deity of Christ	215	(8)
The Biblical Teaching	216	(4)
Historical Departures from Belief in the Full Deity of Christ	220	(1)
Functional Christology	221	(1)
Implications of the Deity of Christ	221	(2)
The Humanity of Christ	223	(10)
The Importance of the Humanity of Christ	224	(1)
The Biblical Evidence	225	(2)
Early Heresies Regarding the Humanity of Jesus	227	(1)
The Virgin Birth	228	(2)
The Sinlessness of Jesus	230	(1)
Implications of the Humanity of Jesus	231	(2)
The Unity of the Person of Christ	233	(10)
The Importance and Difficulty of the Issue	234	(1)
The Biblical Material	234	(1)
Early Misunderstandings	235	(1)
Other Attempts to Solve the Problem	236	(1)
Basic Tenets of the Doctrine of Two Natures in One Person	237	(6)
Part Eight: The Work of Christ
Introduction to the Work of Christ	243	(12)
The Stages of Christ's Work	245	(3)
The Functions of Christ	248	(3)
The Manifold Theories of the Atonement	251	(4)
The Central Theme of Atonement	255	(14)
Background Factors	257	(2)
The New Testament Teaching	259	(2)
The Basic Meaning of Atonement	261	(2)
Objections to the Penal-Substitution Theory	263	(1)
The Implications of Substitutionary Atonement	264	(5)
Part Nine: The Holy Spirit
The Person of the Holy Spirit	269	(6)
The Importance of the Doctrine of the Holy Spirit	270	(1)
Difficulties in Understanding the Holy Spirit	271	(1)
The Nature of the Holy Spirit	271	(3)
Implications of the Doctrine of the Holy Spirit	274	(1)
The Work of the Holy Spirit	275	(14)
The Work of the Holy Spirit in the Old Testament	276	(2)
The Work of the Holy Spirit in the Life of Jesus	278	(1)
The Work of the Holy Spirit in the Life of the Christian	278	(3)
The Miraculous Gifts Today	281	(4)
Implications of the Work of the Spirit	285	(4)
Part Ten: Salvation
Conceptions of Salvation	289	(8)
Details on Which Conceptions of Salvation Differ	290	(2)
Current Conceptions of Salvation	292	(5)
The Antecedent to Salvation: Predestination	297	(8)
Differing Views of Predestination	298	(4)
A Suggested Solution	302	(1)
Implications of Predestination	303	(2)
The Beginning of Salvation: Subjective Aspects	305	(9)
Effectual Calling	306	(1)
Conversion	307	(4)
Regeneration	311	(2)
Implications of Effectual Calling, Conversion, and Regeneration	313	(1)
The Begining of Salvation: Objective Aspects	314	(10)
Union with Christ	315	(3)
Justification	318	(3)
Adoption	321	(3)
The Continuation and Completion of Salvation	324	(15)
Sanctification	325	(3)
Perseverance	328	(5)
Glorification	333	(6)
Part Eleven: The Church
The Nature of the Church	339	(7)
The Basic Meaning of the Term ``Church''	340	(1)
The Unity of the Church	340	(1)
Biblical Images of the Church	341	(4)
Implications	345	(1)
The Role and Government of the Church	346	(10)
The Functions of the Church	347	(3)
The Heart of the Ministry of the Church: The Gospel	350	(2)
Forms of Church Government	352	(2)
A System of Church Government for Today	354	(2)
The Ordinances of the Church: Baptism and the Lord's Supper	356	(15)
Baptism: The Initiatory Rite of the Church	358	(5)
The Lord's Supper: The Continuing Rite of the Church	363	(8)
Part Twelve: The Last Things
Introductory Matters and Individual Eschatology	371	(12)
Introduction to Eschatology	373	(2)
Death	375	(3)
The Intermediate State	378	(4)
Implications of the Doctrines of Death and the Intermediate State	382	(1)
The Second Coming and Its Consequents	383	(10)
The Second Coming	384	(4)
Resurrection	388	(2)
The Final Judgment	390	(2)
Implications of the Second Coming and Its Consequents	392	(1)
Millennial and Tribulational Views	393	(13)
Millennial Views	394	(6)
Tribulational Views	400	(6)
Final States	406	(9)
Final State of the Righteous	407	(4)
Final State of the Wicked	411	(3)
Implications of the Doctrine of the Final States	414	(1)
Conclusion	415	(2)
Scripture Index	417	(10)
Name and Subject Index	427