Is 'newer' really 'better'? We often assume so, but if we do treat the past as inferior, we will ignore the legacy of history, and thus will find ourselves stranded on the tiny desert island of our own moment in time. In particular, this applies to Christian theology, which should be thought, and lived, corporately by the church down through the ages. The remedy to 'chronological snobbery' is, as C. S. Lewis put it, 'to keep the clean sea breeze of the centuries blowing through our minds'. Such is the motivation behind Michael Reeves' introduction to a selection of influential or significant Christian theologians. This accessible and informative volume covers the Apostolic Fathers, Justin Martyr and Irenaeus, Athanasius, Augustine, Anselm, Aquinas, Luther, Calvin, Owen, Edwards, Schleiermacher, Barth and Packer. Each chapter begins with a brief biography and some background, and then surveys each theologian's major work or works, gives a timeline for historical context, and ends with guidance for further reading. This book was previously available as two separate volumes (The Breeze of the Centuries and On Giants' Shoulders), but now repackaged together with a new chapter on J I Packer.

Sound theological method is a necessary prerequisite for good theological work. This accessible introduction surveys contemporary theological methodology by presenting leading thinkers of the 20th and 21st centuries as models. The book presents the strengths and weaknesses in each of the major options. Rather than favoring one specific position, it helps students of theology think critically so they can understand and develop their own theological method.

Whether you realize it or not, you are the beneficiary of centuries of careful study and reflection on God's Word. The writings and teachings of figures from the past are crucial to what the church believes today. But just like intriguing guests of honor at a dinner party, these theologians can be intimidating to get to know. Introducing you to the lives and thought of figures such as the Apostolic Fathers, Justin Martyr, Augustine, Thomas Aquinas, Martin Luther, John Calvin, Karl Barth, and others, this book makes the writings of these significant theologians accessible and approachable—opening up for you the riches of church history and enlarging your vision of God and his plan for the world.

Is 'newer' really 'better'? We often assume so, but if we do treat the past as inferior we will ignore the legacy of history, and thus will find ourselves stranded on the tiny desert island of our own moment in time. In particular, this applies to Christian theology, which should be thought, and lived, corporately by the church down through the ages. The remedy to 'chronological snobbery' is, as C. S. Lewis put it, 'to keep the clean sea breeze of the centuries blowing through our minds'. Such is the motivation behind Michael Reeves' introduction to a selection of influential or significant Christian theologians. Furthermore, by 'sitting on the shoulders of giants ... our glance can take in more things and reach farther than theirs' (Bernard of Chartres). This accessible and informative companion volume to The Breeze of the Centuries covers Martin Luther, John Calvin, John Owen, Jonathan Edwards, Friedrich Schleiermacher and Karl Barth. Each chapter begins with a brief biography and some background, then surveys each theologian's major work or works, gives a timeline for historical context, and ends with guidance for further reading.

Freshly updated for this second edition with considerable new material, this authoritative introduction to the history of Christian theology covers its development from the beginnings of the Patristic period just decades after Jesus's ministry, through to contemporary theological trends. A substantially updated new edition of this popular textbook exploring the entire history of Christian thought, written by the bestselling author and internationally-renowned theologian Features additional coverage of orthodox theology, the Holy Spirit, and medieval mysticism, alongside new sections on liberation, feminist, and Latino theologies, and on the global spread of Christianity Accessibly structured into four sections covering the Patristic period, the Middle Ages and Renaissance, the reformation and post-reformation eras, and the modern period spanning 1750 to the present day, addressing the key issues and people in each Includes case studies and primary readings at the end of each section, alongside comprehensive glossaries of key theologians, developments, and terminology Supported by additional resources available on publication at www.wiley.com/go/mcgrath

The newly updated and expanded edition of the bestselling introduction to Historical Theology Historical Theology: An Introduction to the History of Christian Thought traces the development of Christian theology from its earliest days to the present. Assuming no prior knowledge of the subject, this authoritative yet accessible textbook introduces the major theological movements, key ideas, and individual theologians of the Patristic Period, the Middle Ages and Renaissance, the Reformation and Post-Reformation, and the Modern Era up to the present day. Throughout the book, students explore central themes through numerous case studies, primary readings, and study questions at the end of each section. Now in its third edition, Historical Theology including substantial new sections on theodicy, modern African Christologies, and postcolonial theology. The book retains the structure of the previous editions, covering the key development and people within all the main historical periods while introducing readers to the core themes of historical theology across the centuries. This fully updated new edition: Provides a general overview of each period covered, including historical background and main theological developments Features individual case studies and excerpts from primary texts to allow readers to examine specific themes in greater detail Defines the fundamental theological vocabulary necessary for engaging with other works Highlights the importance of the discipline of historical theology and its place in wider Christian theology Contains references to further readings in each chapter and full glossaries of important words, names, phrases, and theological developments Includes web material developed by the author to help users get the most out of using this textbook, along with sample lectures on some of its themes Written by one of the most renowned theologians in the field, Historical Theology: An Introduction to the History of Christian Thought, Third Edition remains the perfect textbook for advanced undergraduate and graduate courses in Christian History, Christian Theology, and the Reformation.

Daniel Migliore's Faith Seeking Understanding has been a standard introduction to Christian theology for more than a decade. The book's presentation of traditional doctrine in freshly contemporary ways, its concern to hear and critically engage new voices in theology, and its creative and accessible style have kept it one of the most stimulating, balanced, and readable guides to theology available. This second edition of Faith Seeking Understanding features improvements from cover to cover. Besides updating and expanding the entire text of the book, Migliore has added two completely new chapters. The first, "Confessing Jesus Christ in Context," explores the unique contributions to Christian theology made by recent theologians working in the African American, Asian American, Latin American, Hispanic, feminist, womanist, and mujerista traditions. The second new chapter, "The Finality of Jesus Christ and Religious Pluralism," addresses the growing interest in the relationship of Christianity to other religions and their adherents. Migliore's three delightful theological dialogues are followed by a new appendix, an extensive glossary of theological terms, making the book even more useful to students seeking to understand the history, themes, and challenges of Christian belief.

How does Christianity relate to other religions? Beginning with a consideration of the biblical perspective, Veli-Matti Kärkkäinen offers a detailed and comprehensive survey of the diverse explanations proposed by teachers of the church down through the ages. This indispensable guide is for anyone seeking to grasp Christianity?s relationship to world religions.

The First Christian Theologians offers a comprehensive introduction to the theology of the early Church through an accessible and lively examination of the major individual theologians of the time. This is a book about the earliest individual Christian theologians and those who entered into dialogue with them. It is also about the complexity of the process by which a ‘Christian theology’ came into existence. It begins with the earliest Christian writings, moves through the development of the early Church, examines the rival traditions to Christianity, and explores the work of the key Christian theologians in both the West and the East, ending at the important Council of Chalcedon. Drawing on contributions from an international team of leading academics, and edited by G. R. Evans, this volume is indispensable reading for undergraduate students who need a readable and accessible introduction to the theology and history of the early Christian church.

This is an introduction to the subject of academic theology. Its basic approach is interrogative, raising key questions so as to lead into a range of selected topics such as knowledge community, salvation, God, prayer and evil.