An Introduction to Christian Theology

by Plantinga, Richard J.; Thompson, Thomas R.; Lundberg, Matthew D.

• ISBN13: 9780521690379
• ISBN10: 0521690374
• Edition: 1st
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2010-04-30
• Publisher: Cambridge University Press

Summary

Far from being solely an academic enterprise, the practice of theology can pique the interest of anyone who wonders about the meaning of life. Inviting readers on a journey of 'faith seeking understanding', this introduction to Christian theology - its basic concepts, confessional content, and history - emphasizes the relevance of the key convictions of Christian faith to the challenges of today's world. In the first part, this book introduces the project of Christian theology and sketches the critical context that confronts Christian thought and practice today. In a second part, it offers a survey of the key doctrinal themes of Christian theology - including revelation, the triune God, and the world as creation - identifying their biblical basis and the highlights of their historical development before giving a systematic evaluation of each theme. The third part provides an overview of Christian theology from the early church to the present.

Author Biography

Richard J. Plantinga is Professor of Religion at Calvin College. He is the editor of Christianity and Plurality: Classic and Contemporary Readings (1999). Thomas R. Thompson is Professor of Religion at Calvin College. He is the editor of The One in the Many: Christian Identity in a Multicultural World (1998). Matthew D. Lundberg is Assistant Professor of Religion at Calvin College.

Table of Contents

List of illustrations	p. ix
List of tables and figures	p. xi
Preface	p. xiii
Acknowledgments	p. xvii
Abbreviations	p. xix
Introduction to Theology	p. 1
What is theology?	p. 3
The critical context of theology today	p. 27
Revelation and knowledge of God	p. 49
A tale of two theisms	p. 77
The triune God	p. 109
The world as creation	p. 147
Humanity in the image of God and the disfigurement of sin	p. 180
The problem of evil and the question of theodicy	p. 204
The identity and person of Jesus Christ	p. 227
The reconciling work of Jesus Christ	p. 257
The person and work of the Holy Spirit	p. 284
Dimensions of salvation	p. 313
The church and its mission	p. 334
Christianity in a global context	p. 359
Hope and the future	p. 386
Historical Survey of Christian Theology	p. 417
Theology in the patristic era (c. 100-500)	p. 419
Theology in the Middle Ages (c. 500-1400)	p. 451
Theology in the Reformation period (c. 1400-1700)	p. 479
Theology in modernity (c. 1700-1960)	p. 507
Theology in the contemporary period (c. 1960-present)	p. 543
Theological glossary	p. 575
Bibliography	p. 605
Index	p. 626
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