An Introduction to Christian Theology: Biblical, Classical, Contemporary

✍ Scribed by Anthony Towey

• Publisher: Bloomsbury T&T Clark
• Year: 2013
• Tongue: English
• Leaves: 557
• Category: Library

✦ Synopsis

There has long been a need for a comprehensive but truly introductory single-authored textbook in theology. By introducing the reader to the biblical, doctrinal and contemporary dimensions of Christianity with the help of illustrated examples from selected primary texts, the book will provide an excellent grounding in theology for both students of the discipline and the general reader. The work will explore key 'tools' for the scientific study of theology, endeavouring both to affirm the rationale behind Christian thinking, and also to familiarize the reader with significant contrary positions. The solid foundations in biblical theology and hermeneutics given in the book will enable students to read Judeo-Christian scripture intelligently. Key testimonies regarding Jesus Christ will be scrutinized and the nature of the New Testament discussed. As well as the emergence of doctrinal orthodoxy and the later disagreements which have shaped contemporary Christianity, the reader will become familiar with the dimensions of current Christian thinking in its dialogue with post-modernity.

✦ Table of Contents

Title Page
Copyright Page
Contents
Acknowledgements
Foreword
Abbreviations
Part 1 Introduction
Chapter 1 Thoughtful Conversation about God
a) Theology: Thoughtful conversation about God
b) Theology: A basic human conversation
c) Theology: A confused conversation?
d) Theology: A conversation about meaning
e) Theology: A conversation across time
f) Theology as an open conversation
g) Theology and personal faith
h) Theology as history, interpretation and paradox
Summary
Part 2 Theology of Creation and Covenant
Chapter 2 Genesis: God, Creation and Humanity
a) The Bible: An inspired library
b) In the beginning
c) A Dam-burst of Theology
d) Introducing Adam and Eve
e) The poem of the Fall
f) The loss of communion
g) The Battles of the Sexes
h) East of Eden
i) Postscript: Authors, editors and Star Wars
Summary
Chapter 3 The Torah: Covenant, Exodus and the Law
a) The Bible and Christian interpretation
b) Abraham and monotheism
c) Fraternal rivalry from Isaac to Joseph
d) Moses and YHWH: The rebel meets the holy
e) The Divine Name
f) Exodus
g) Habiru and ritual identity
h) Ten words of freedom
i) Moses and Torah
Summary
Chapter 4 Nebi’im: Prophets, Kings and Covenant
a) Theology of covenant
b) Covenant and violence
c) Covenant and kingship
d) Covenant and the prophets
e) Injustice and infidelity
f) Invasion and salvation
g) Josiah and the Deuteronomist
h) Theology of exile
i) Colonization and later prophecy
Summary
Chapter 5 Ketubim: Priests,Poets, Wisdom
a) Ketubim and Theology
b) Priestly power and the second Temple
c) Ketubim and prayer
d) Ketubim as Proverbs
e) Ketubim and suffering
f) Ketubim and cynicism
g) Ketubim and love
h) Ketubim and welfare
i) Ketubim – triumph of the weak
j) Ketubim and apocalyptic
k) Colonization and Messianic expectation
Summary
Part 3 Theology of the Jesus Event
Chapter 6 Gospels: Theology of Jesus as Messiah
a) Theology on the edge
b) Qumran and messianic expectation
c) John the Baptizer
d) The Gospels of Christ
e) One Gospel, four flavours
f) Messiah as title
g) Messiah as servant
Summary
Chapter 7 The Theology of the Kingdom
a) The preaching of the Kingdom
b) Good news or Bad news?
c) Parables and a paradigm shift
d) On originals, allegories and context
e) Jesus and the new mind
f) Marvels and miracles
g) The new Moses
h) Abba father – the Lord’s Prayer
i) Kingdom: Vocation not location
Summary
Chapter 8 Death and Resurrection
a) The entry into Jerusalem
b) The cleansing of the Temple
c) Revolutionary Messiah?
d) The Last Supper
e) Gethsemane
f) Trial
g) Crucifixion – Good Friday
h) Death – Holy Saturday
i) The empty tomb
j) Apparitions
Summary
Chapter 9 The Jesus Movement in the Acts of the Apostles
a) Good news – the sequel
b) Ascension as essential
c) Pentecost
d) The kerygma
e) Life in common
f) Persecution – the death of Stephen
g) Paul, Peter, James and the Council of Jerusalem
h) The kerygma reaches Rome
Summary
Chapter 10 Paul
a) Paul: Global citizen and religious revolutionary
b) Damascus: Conversion, call or conundrum?
c) The Church as Body of Christ
d) Paul as a resurrection theologian
e) Paul and justification by faith
f) Paul on the futility of works and the Law
g) Paul’s life is a mission to outsiders
h) Paul and the Theology of Love
Summary
Chapter 11 John as Theologian
a) The writings of John
b) Overview and undertones
c) Timelines and differences
d) Themes of the end
e) The Beloved disciple: Man, woman or committee?
f) Sitz im Leben – Expulsion from the synagogue?
g) The Man born blind
h) Jewish themes in John
i) Incarnation
j) The image of God: Adam remade
Summary
Part 4 Theology in the Classical Period
Chapter 12 Canon: Scriptural Basis of Theology
a) Canon – a collection of unity and diversity
b) Canon – patterning an explosion
c) The fall of Jerusalem and the Canon
d) Canon and Christian persecution
e) Apocalypse – summing up the Canon
f) Authorship and the Canon
g) Marcion blasts the Canon
h) Epilogue – the Bibles of the Christian tradition
Summary
Chapter 13 Kerygma to Creeds
a) Kerygma to Creed
b) Creeds in the Canon
c) Creeds and Baptism
d) The Rule of faith: Creeds in the community
e) Hellenization of the Gospel?
f) Light from light: Justin as the first theologian
g) The Nicene Creed
Summary
Chapter 14 Councils and Controversy
a) Councils, controversy and Christianity
b) Begotten not made
c) Tertullian: One God, Three persons, Trinity
d) Arius
e) The Council of Nicaea
f) The Council of Constantinople
g) Ephesus 431
h) Chalcedon 451
Summary
Chapter 15 Ecclesiology: New Israel, New Jesus, New Empire?
a) New Israel, New Kingdom
b) New Jesus: The Body of Christ
c) New Order
d) New Calvary
e) The Diaspora, Greeks and God fearers
f) Monasticism
g) Church growth: Stark realities
h) Eastern Emperor, Western Pope
Summary
Chapter 16 Augustine, Anselm, Aquinas
a) Augustine of Hippo: Restless heart
b) The City of God
c) Augustine and Pelagius
d) Anselm on the God thought (the ontological argument)
e) Anselm on Redemption: Why did God become man?
f) Aquinas: Rebel with a cause
g) Summa Theologiae: The five ways
h) Baptizing Aristotle and drowning YHWH?
Summary
Chapter 17 Sacraments
a) Signs of love
b) Baptism
c) Confirmation
d) Eucharist
e) Penance
f) Extreme unction
g) Marriage
h) Holy Orders
Summary
Chapter 18 Ecclesiology in Three Dimensions
a) One, Holy, Catholic, Apostolic?
b) The Great Schism
c) Crusades
d) The European reform: Martin Luther
e) The Swiss Reform: Zwingli and Calvin
f) English reform
g) Nationalized Theology and Catholic reform
Summary
Part 5 Theology in Modern and Contemporary Dialogue
Chapter 19 Theology ‘versus’ Philosophy?
a) Descartes and the Enlightenment
b) Hume and Empiricism
c) Kant and the unknowable God
d) The unknowable Jesus?
e) The unspeakable Science?
f) Enlightenment in the spirit
g) Enlightenment through intuition
h) Enlightenment of the word
i) Enlightenment made reasonable
j) Enlightenment through language
Summary
Chapter 20 Theology ‘versus’ Science
a) Origin of the thesis
b) Biblical Science, Natural Theology?
c) Copernicus and Galileo
d) Newton, Leibniz and Theodicy
e) Nineteenth century: Darwin and design
f) Twentieth century: Einstein and particle physics
g) Big Bang and the Anthropic Principle
h) Epilogue
Summary
Chapter 21 Theology ‘versus’ Anthropology?
a) Human beings, socio-political animals
b) Marx and the eradication of Religion
c) God in man’s image? Feuerbach and Newman
d) Psychoanalysis: Freud, Jung, Frankl
e) Sociology of Religion: James and Durkheim
f) The Holy: Otto and Tillich
Summary
Chapter 22 Dialogues in Different Voices
a) Kierkegaard and Nietzsche
b) Existentialism and the birth of Postmodernism
c) Postmodern hermeneutics
d) Liberation Theologies
e) Feminist biblical criticism
f) Mariology as liberation?
g) Epilogue: Marian veneration
Summary
Chapter 23 Dialogues in Ethics
a) What must I do?
b) Ethical theory in Christianity
c) Secular ethical theory
d) Beginning and end of life
e) War and peace
f) Environment
g) Sex, family and relationships
Summary
Chapter 24 Dialogues in Faith
a) Dialogues in faith
b) Dialogues between faiths
c) Salvation and interfaith dialogue
d) Salvation and the role of Christ
e) Salvation and eschatology
f) Dante. Last word on the last things?
Summary
Chapter 25 Dialogue and the Future
a) Reviewing the journey
b) Theological method
c) Dialogues on the event horizon
d) Dialogues in new directions?
e) Theology is everywhere
f) Last word or first conversation?
Part 6 Customer Support: References and Readings
References, Extracts, Further Readings
Introduction
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Glossary
Overview of biblical and theological terms
Index