Theology Books

Book SynopsisOration on the Philosophical Studies Necessary for the Student of Theology -- 1545

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Book SynopsisIn his almost forty-year career as a theologian, Hendrik M Vroom has become an intelligent observer and authority in the field of religious diversity. For more than a century Western theology has been exposed to rigorous criticism, while granting space to other worldview traditions. What was once common has lost its self-evidence, leading to intriguing questions. Do theistic religions worship the same God? Do religions have the same morality? Do they accept the same rules for accounting what one believes? And as our world becomes more pluralistic as religions change and affect each other, how can their followers be certain about their beliefs and moralities? These are stimulating and essential questions for anyone interested in the phenomenon of religion.

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Book SynopsisFrancis Story collaborated with Dr. Ian Stevenson to study rebirth memories in Sri Lanka, Thailand, and India. The book contains essays and case studies supporting the hypothesis of rebirth, shedding light on human destiny after death.

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Book SynopsisThis timeless classic recounting the correspondence between two devils is one of Lewis’s most brilliant imaginative creations and has sold millions of copies worldwide.“My Dear Wormwood....? Enter Screwtape, an experienced devil. His nephew Wormwood is just at the start of his career as a tempter and has been assigned to secure the damnation of an ordinary young man who has just become a Christian.? In this slyly humorous exchange, C. S. Lewis delves into moral questions about good and evil, temptation, repentance, and grace. Though the cunning actions of Wormwood and Screwtape occur nearly 100 years ago, readers will marvel at the parallels to modern life today.This is a book for C. S. Lewis fans and anyone who wants to take a deep dive into what it means to be a human. Lewis uses The Screwtape Letters to convey religious concepts like temptation in an understandable way by exploring free will and

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Book SynopsisIn Surprised by Hope: Rethinking Heaven, the Resurrection, and the Mission of the Church, top-selling author and Anglican bishop, N.T. Wright tackles the biblical question of what happens after we die and shows how most Christians get it wrong. We do not “go to” heaven; we are resurrected and heaven comes down to earth--a difference that makes all of the difference to how we live on earth. Following N.T. Wright’s resonant exploration of a life of faith in Simply Christian, the award-winning author whom Newsweek calls “the world’s leading New Testament scholar” takes on one of life’s most controversial topics, a matter of life, death, spirituality, and survival for everyone living in the world today. 

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Book SynopsisTrade Review“A thought-provoking read sure to attract intrigued skeptics and believers alike.” — Booklist

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Book SynopsisDrawing on scientific research and logical argument James Jones directly confronts the claims that cognitive science can eliminate, or debunk, religion. He provides an accessibly written, persuasive account of why these claims are not convincing.Trade Review[T]his volume will be useful to students and scholars alike interested in deepening their engagement with the field of cognitive approaches to religion and will be a useful addition to course or module materials for students studying in this area. * Paul-François Tremlett, Religion *certainly deserves the attention of the general public, and offers a welcome antidote to the misrepresentations of cognitive science of religion * Tom Uytterhoeven, ESSSAT *Table of ContentsAcknowledgements ; Introduction: A Voice from the Border of Religion and Science ; Chapter One: Explanations -How Science Seeks to Explain Religion ; Chapter Two: Explaining-What does it Mean to Explain Religion? ; Chapter Three: Physicalism-Is a Purely Physicalist Account Compelling? ; Chapter Four: Beyond Physicalism-Mind and Nature ; Chapter Five: Our Pluralistic Universe - Living on the Border of Science and Religion ; Appendix: Sources, References, and Further Discussions ; Bibliography of Sources Used In Preparing the Text

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Book SynopsisJourney Back to God explores Origen of Alexandria''s creative, complex, and controversial treatment of the problem of evil. It argues that his layered cosmology functions as a theodicy that deciphers deeper meaning beneath cosmic disparity. Origen asks: why does God create a world where some suffer more than others? On the surface, the unfair arrangement of the world defies theological coherence. In order to defend divine justice against the charge of cosmic mismanagement, Origen develops a theological cosmology that explains the ontological status and origin of evil as well as its cosmic implications. Origen''s theodicy hinges on the journey of the soul back to God. Its themes correlate with the soul''s creation, fall and descent into materiality, gradual purification, and eventual divinization. The world, for Origen, functions as a school and hospital for the soul where it undergoes the necessary education and purgation. Origen carefully calibrates his cosmology and theology. He portTrade ReviewScott's book on Origenian theodicy constitutes an important instrument for the study of this fascinating area and the religious phenomenon more broadly, for which the author should be wholeheartedly congratulated * Doru Costache, St Cyril's Coptic Orthodox Theological College, The Journal of Religious History *Theologically astute and historically informed... [S]tudents in both theology and patristics will find the book informative and worthwhile. * Religious Studies Review *Journey Back to God focuses...on the manner in which one of the early church's greatest intellectuals vindicated God amidst the horrors of evil and suffering...[The book] is an argument crafted not only out of history but also out of generous measures of theory and philosophy...Scott helps us understand how a towering figure in the Greek patristic tradition wrestled with the same conundrum. * Marginalia Review of Books *An erudite review... Scott himself achieves more originality when he defines theodicy as a navigation for which the charts are furnished by experience... Scott is none the less better than his word. * Journal of Theological Studies *Mark Scott focuses upon the problem of evil as an instructive perspective from which to assess the full range of Origen's views. Placed in a speculative and cosmic narrative they are primarily designed as pastoral guidance, and they are not so much a solution to the problems of human suffering and sinfulness as a set of speculations enabling humans to navigate their way toward God with hope and freedom. * Rowan A. Greer, Professor of Anglican Studies Emeritus, Yale Divinity School *By arguing that Origen does not so much explain away our pain and suffering as provide a spiritual map that helps us move forward through it, Mark Scott gives us a book on a major early Christian theorist on a topic of perennial value that will be of great interest to a wide variety of readers. * Paul R. Kolbet, author of Augustine and the Cure of Souls: Revising a Classical Ideal *Scott skillfully navigates his way through Origen's treatment of the complex issues surrounding the presence of evil, suffering, and death in a world held to be created by a good, omniscient, and omnipotent God. He shows that Origen, one of the most important and controversial figures of the early Church, uses an overarching framework of pedagogy to hold all these elements together, not without tension and ambiguity, but in a way that provides insights still valuable today. * V. Rev. Dr. John Behr, Dean, St. Vladimir's Orthodox Theological Seminary *This volume offers a well-written and clear tracing of Origen's treatment of the problem of evil...[it] rewards the attentive reader far beyond expectation * Heythrop Journal *Table of ContentsPreface ; Acknowledgments ; Introduction ; Chapter 1: Theodicy as Navigation: Toward a Theoretical Paradigm ; Chapter 2: Framing Questions: God and Evil in Paradox ; Chapter 3: Paradise Lost: Pre-existence, the Fall, and the Origin of Evil ; Chapter 4: The Physician of Souls: Suffering as Remedial Punishment ; Chapter 5: Theology of Ascent: The Journey of the Soul to Perfection ; Chapter 6: Journey's End: The Triumph of Good and Universal Salvation ; Conclusion ; Bibliography

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Book SynopsisIn the first critical study of the major theologians of pentecostalism, one of the fastest growing and most influential religious traditions in the world, Christopher A. Stephenson establishes four original categories to classify pentecostal theologians'' methodologies in systematic/constructive theology. The four categories are based respectively on: the arrangement of biblical texts; the relationship between theology and Christian spirituality; doctrine concerning the kingdom of God; and pneumatology as a basis for philosophical and fundamental theology. Stephenson analyzes each methodological type and suggests a pentecostal theological method that builds on the strengths of each. He then offers his own, original contribution, arguing for a reciprocal relationship between pentecostal spirituality and doctrine that follows the pattern of lex orandi, lex credendi, and develops a doctrine of the Lord''s supper as a demonstration of this reciprocal relationship.Types of Pentecostal TheolTrade ReviewStephenson is a careful reader and an excellent synthesizer of ideas. His skill in systematizing the ideas of the four Pentecostal theologians not only is admirable but also renders their works easily digestible even by lay church persons...Stephenson's theological method is relevant, beautiful, and engaging. * The Journal of Religion *For those who believe that Pentecostals do not have a systematic theology of their own, Types of Pentecostal Theology may surprise you. Christopher Stephenson has performed an insightful and compelling analysis of selected Pentecostal theologies. He demonstrates how early Pentecostals failed to meet the critical standards of the theological discipline, but contemporary Pentecostal scholars have tapped into the roots of the movement, producing promising, creative, and constructive results. * Cecil M. Robeck, Jr., Professor of Church History and Ecumenics and Director of the David du Plessis Center for Christian Spirituality, Fuller Theological Seminary *There was a time when some might have found the very idea of a systematic Pentecostal theology odd. But that time is over. Scholars and thoughtful lay people must now find their way through an ever increasing flood of often creative and insightful systematic theological writing by a wide variety of Pentecostal thinkers. How to do it? Stephenson's carefully researched, fair-minded, and highly readable book now provides an indispensable road map through this inviting but sometimes daunting landscape. * Harvey Cox, author of The Future of Faith *As the Pentecostal movement comes of age and joins larger theological discussions of Christian beliefs, practices, and affections, scholars need a map to locate the variety of Pentecostal approaches that have emerged in the last few decades. Types of Pentecostal Theology provides that map. Focusing mainly on North America, Stephenson identifies four distinct styles of Pentecostal theology, and then adds his own voice to the mix, developing a new model based on the ancient rule of lex orandi, lex credendi. This is an impressive first book from a Pentecostal theologian who will no doubt have much to say in the years ahead. * Douglas Jacobsen, author of Thinking in the Spirit *This volume by Stephenson (Lee Univ.) joins a growing number published by Pentecostal scholars in university presses that foster Pentecostal engagement with various scholarly discourses and make this engagement accessible to the Pentecostal community. * CHOICE *Stephenson's book is without doubt one of the most significant assessments of Pentecostal theology to date... The book is the first to offer a thorough treatment and classification of several original types of systematic theology among Pentecostals. The chapters are suggestive, lucid, and critical. No course on theological method at Pentecostal institutions can afford to ignore this work, and it is sure to find its place among those interested in comparative methodology. * Pneuma *Table of ContentsPreface Introduction 1. Systematic Theology as ''Bible Doctrines:'' Myer Pearlman, E. S. Williams, and French L. Arrington 2. Systematic Theology and Christian Spirituality: Steven J. Land and Simon K. H. Chan 3. Systematic Theology and the Kingdom of God: Frank D. Macchia 4. Systematic Theology as Philosophical and Fundamental Theology in Pneumatological Perspective: Amos Yong 5. ''Regula Spiritualitatis, Regula Doctrinae:'' A Contribution to Pentecostal Theological Method Bibliography Index

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Book SynopsisWhy would a perfectly good and loving God consign anyone to eternal suffering in hell? In Sinners in the Presence of a Loving God, R. Zachary Manis examines in detail the various facets of the problem of hell, considers the reasons why the usual responses to the problem are unsatisfying, and suggests how an adequate solution to the problem can be constructed.Historically, there are four standard explanations of the nature and purpose of hell: traditionalism, annihilationism, the choice model, and universalism. In Manis''s assessment, all are deficient in some crucial respect. The alternative view that he develops and defends, the divine presence model, stands within the tradition that understands hell to be a state of eternal conscious suffering, but, Manis contends, avoids the worst problems of its competitors. The key idea is that the suffering of hell is not the result of a divine act that aims to inflict it, but rather is the way in which a sinful creature necessarily experiences tTrade ReviewA short review of this kind cannot do justice to the subtlety, breath, readability, insightfulness and rigor of Manis's Sinners in the Presence of a Loving God. Suffice it to say that no theologian or philosopher who is interested in the doctrine of hell, and paradoxically being spiritually nourished by reflecting upon it, can afford not to read this theologically sensitive and ecumenical manuscript. * Jordan Wessling, Lindsey Wilson College, Columbia, International Journal of Systematic Theology *Table of ContentsAcknowledgments Introduction Criteria for an Adequate Solution Theodicy vs. Defense Part I: Developing the Problem Chapter One: The Problem of Justice, The Problem of Love The Problem of Justice An Uncommon Solution: Shedd The Popular Response: Aquinas A Revised Version of the Response Problems for the Revised Response An Alternative Strategy: Denying that God Has Obligations Remaining Options The Problem of Love Chapter Two: The Doxastic Problem Preliminaries Doxastic Problems The Problem of Coercion The Problem of Neighbor Love The Problem of Worship The Problem of Religious Motivation The Problem of Despair Addendum: Additional Problems for Calvinists and Other Theological Determinists The Extreme Version of the Problem of Justice The Extreme Version of the Problem of Love Further Doxastic Problems The Problem of Faith The Problem of Hope Part II: The Standard Options Chapter Three: Traditionalism and Universalism Traditionalism Universalism The Case for Universalism Talbott on Love and Justice Adams on Horrendous Evil and the Metaphysical "Size Gap" Chapter Four: Providence, Freedom, and God's Creation of the Damned The Free Will Argument against Universalism Molinism and Universalism Why Does God Create the Damned? Molinist Anti-Universalism (M-AU) A Nonstandard Account of Providence: McCann Open Theist Anti-Universalism (OT-AU) The Tradition Trilemma Why Not Universalism? Chapter Five: Annihilationism Internal Disputes Retributive Annihilationism Non-Retributive Annihilationism Natural Consequence Annihilationism (NCA) Objections to NCA Free Will Annihilationism (FWA) Objections to FWA Chapter Six: The Choice Model The Direct Form Help from Kierkegaard The Role of Self-Deception The Indirect Form More Help from Kierkegaard Why Not Annihilation? Answer #1: Annihilation as Undesirable to the Damned Answer #2: Annihilation as Indefeasibly Bad Answer #3: The Soul as Inherently Indestructible Answer #4: Humans as Essentially Immortal In Defense of the Kierkegaardian Answer Why Not the Choice Model? Part III: The Divine Presence Model Chapter Seven: Developing an Alternative to the Standard Options Return to the Tripartite Structure Introducing the Divine Presence Model Help from Eastern Orthodoxy Divine Omnipresence and Divine Hiddenness Divine Hiddenness as Necessary for Human Freedom Divine Hiddenness as a Natural Consequence of Sin Hiddenness on the Divine Presence Model The Phenomenology of Religious Experience and the Fear of the Lord Retribution and Eternal Punishment Chapter Eight: Objections, Replies, and Further Refinements Addressing Standard and Shared Problems Solutions in Common with the Choice Model A (Possible) Point of Difference Why Not Annihilation? Why Not Eternal Divine Hiddenness? Hybrid Views Baker Lewis Kvanvig Walls Talbott The Inescapable Love of God Conclusion Beyond the Day of Judgment Appendix: Is the Divine Presence Model Biblical? The Scriptural Record of Close Encounters with God Christ the Way Unveiling the Heart The Face of God Christ the Truth Jesus and the Pharisees Light and Darkness Does Christ Come to Judge, or Not? Christ the Life The Curse of Death The Destruction of Hades The River of Fire and the River of Life Bibliography Index

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Book SynopsisThis book is a study of the ancient Jewish and Christian apocalypses involving ascent into heaven, which have received little scholarly attention relative to apocalypses concerned primarily with the end of the world. Recent developments like the publication of the Aramaic Enoch fragments from Qumran and interest in questions of genre in the study of the apocalypses make this a particularly appropriate time to undertake this study. The book emphasizes the emergence of the understanding of heaven as temple in the Book of the Watchers, the earliest of these apocalypses, and the way in which this understanding affects the depiction of the culmination of ascent, the hero''s achievement of a place among the angels, in the ascent apocalypses generally. It also considers the place of secrets of nature and the story of creation in these works. Finally, it offers an interpretation of the pseudepigraphy of the apocalypses and their function. It places the apocalypses in relation to both their bibTrade ReviewThis monograph provides a welcome continuation of the trend away from a pre-occupation with eschatology when studying the apocalypses. Himmelfarb offers good evidence that priestly speculation played a role in the early apocalypses ... She makes a good case for regarding these apocalypses as scribal products. * Reviews in Religion and Theology *

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Book SynopsisUsing a fresh reading of Barth's Church Dogmatics, Hunsinger advances a new interpretation of the Protestant theologian's work, and places it in relation to contemporary discussions of truth, justified belief, double agency, and religious pluralism.Trade ReviewBrings a thoroughness and carefulness to the daunting work of Barth interpretation ... He admirably and aptly accounts for the complexity and richness of Barth. * Journal of Religion *

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Book SynopsisThe full systematic theology which Jensen begins with The Triune God: Systematic Theology I promises to be the capstone of his long and distinguished career as a theologian. Jensen begins this first of two volumes with an extended discussion of the nature and norms of theology. He then devotes the bulk of the volume to the identity and being of the biblical God, including classic christological and soteriological questions most systems take up elsewhere.Trade ReviewRobert Jenson's two volume Systematic Theology is a highly creative and individual synthesis of a number of often divergent strands of contemporary theology ... This is a work that deserves and requires patient, diligent, attentive readers, to whom it will demonstrate that the sheer oddity of Christian faith is one of its chief glories and the clearest proof of its divine origin. * Francis Watson, University of Aberdeen, Scottish Journal of Theology *Without attempting to be as encyclopedic, say, as Pannenberg, or as imposing as someone like Barth, Jenson has opted instead to be judicious, an endeavour that succeeds admirably. At his fingertips he has an astonishing fund of citations and quotations from every period of theology's history and every ecumenical tradition ... Besides being theologically deft, the work is also culturally, scientifically and philosophically sophisticated. * George Hunsinger, Princeton Theological Seminary, Scottish Journal of Theology *Robert W. Jenson gives us the twentieth century's most accomplished systematic theology written in English. It has few peers in any language. It is concise without being trivial, learned but not inaccessible, ecumenical while still rooted in Lutheran confessions, and stunningly fresh and original in its approach to the major topics. No one at any level, whether advanced or neophyte, can fail to learn from this work or remain unchallenged by it. It is the consummate work of a lifetime. * George Hunsinger, Princeton Theological Seminary, Scottish Journal of Theology *A major event in English language academic theology ... It is every inch a theologian's work, dense and difficult at times, but wide-ranging, historically and ecumenically, and rooted in the life and liturgy of the Church. * Theology *

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Book SynopsisSystematic Theology is the capstone of Robert Jenson''s long and distinguished career as a theologian, being a full-scale systematic/dogmatic theology in the classic format. This is the second and concluding volume of the work, and considers the works of God, examining such topics as the nature and role of the Church, and God''s works of creation.Trade ReviewRobert Jenson's two volume Systematic Theology is a highly creative and individual synthesis of a number of often divergent strands of contemporary theology ... This is a work that deserves and requires patient, diligent, attentive readers, to whom it will demonstrate that the sheer oddity of Christian faith is one of its chief glories and the clearest proof of its divine origin. * Francis Watson, University of Aberdeen, Scottish Journal of Theology *Without attempting to be as encyclopedic, say, as Pannenberg, or as imposing as someone like Barth, Jenson has opted instead to be judicious, an endeavour that succeeds admirably. At his fingertips he has an astonishing fund of citations and quotations from every period of theology's history and every ecumenical tradition ... Besides being theologically deft, the work is also culturally, scientifically and philosophically sophisticated. * George Hunsinger, Princeton Theological Seminary, Scottish Journal of Theology *Robert W. Jenson gives us the twentieth century's most accomplished systematic theology written in English. It has few peers in any language. It is concise without being trivial, learned but not inaccessible, ecumenical while still rooted in Lutheran confessions, and stunningly fresh and original in its approach to the major topics. No one at any level, whether advanced or neophyte, can fail to learn from this work or remain unchallenged by it. It is the consummate work of a lifetime. * George Hunsinger, Princeton Theological Seminary, Scottish Journal of Theology *

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Book SynopsisIn The Names of God, as in his previous study, Toward a Grammar of Biblical Poetics (OUP, 1992), Herbert Brichto continues to argue against the atomistic readings of the Hebrew Bible by the currently dominant schools of Biblical scholarship. He maintains, that despite the repetitions and self contradictions found in the Five Books of Moses, the Pentateuch possesses an aesthetic and ideological wholeness. Its harmonious blend of stories and structures inform one another as they give shape and meaning to the relationship and expectations between a benevolent God and recalcitrant humankind. In particular, Bichto focuses his poetic reading on the Book of Genesis. He uses the methods of contemporary literary criticism to examine one of the greatest inconsistencies within Genesis, the alternating use of Yahweh (the Lord) and Elohim (God) as names for the Deity. Often cited as the proof of multiple authorship, Brichto shows, instead, that this inconsistency serves as a device for a single auTrade Review"Like Brichto's other writings, this work is masterfully written with language that is unusually rich and daring."--Robert J. Ratner, Congregation Beth Ha Tephila

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Book SynopsisCharles Marsh offers a reappraisal of Bonhoeffer''s theology and attempts to reclaim his promise for contemporary theological inquiry. The hardcover edition of this book was the first serious scholarly treatment of Bonhoeffer in English in nearly twenty years. Marsh examines Bonhoeffer''s work in the context of the German philosophical tradition from Kant to Heidegger, as well as its relationship to Karl Barth.Trade ReviewThis is without doubt the most important book on Bonhoeffer's theology which has appeared for many years. Those of us who are engaged in Bonhoeffer studies will be grateful for the careful study by Charles Marsh of this particular context of Bonhoeffer's theology. * Edwin Robertson, Church of England Newspaper *Rediscovering Bonhoeffer will mean, for many, seeing Jesus in a more wonderful light. All power to Professor Charles Marsh. * Amos Cresswell, Methodist Recorder *a careful and detailed reading of everything Bonhoeffer wrote. His theological analysis of these writings, few published in his lifetime, is meticulous... The whole book is well documented throughout and the notes are full and helpful. * Edwin Robertson, Theology, March/April 1995 *excellent...It is a scholarly, although accessible work...the achievement of this book is impressive and amply delivers on its stated goal of `Reclaiming Dietrich Bonhoeffer'. I hope that it will renew interest in Bonhoeffer's theology and become a sure guide for those eager to make their way into the complexities of his thought. * Reviews in Religion and Theology *He does not allow the fascinating story of Bonhoeffer's life and his many involvements...to distract him from a careful and detailed reading of everything Bonhoeffer wrote. His theological analysis of these writings, few published in his lifetime, is meticulous...It is beautifully written. * theology, March/April 1995 *Marsh writes vigorously, relishing his words. His argument is lean, his theological reasoning never fleshed out with unnecessary prattle. Marsh is well versed in the philosophy and theology he builds into the structure of his argument, and like Bonhoeffer, Marsh is brilliant. This is a brilliant book. In the field of Bonhoeffer studies it is the most original sustained contribution by an individual in the last ten years. As such it is of great importance. * The Revd. Dr. Stephen Plant, Modern Believing *It has very considerable scholarship which does justice to Bonhoeffer's profundities not only in terms of his own time, but for our own very different times since. * ANVIL *Charles Marsh's study is the most technical discussion of Bonhoeffer's theological writings to have appeared for some time. The social nature of the human person, both in relation to God and to others, is explored and provides a helpful contrast to the distortions of Cartesian and Kantian treatments of the subject ... it is a fresh and rewarding appraisal of Bonhoeffer's theology. It reveals again the compelling force of a theological contribution set within a life of martyrdom. * David Fergusson, Journal of Theological Studies, Vol. 47, No. 1, Apr '96 *

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Book SynopsisThis book is a study of the human weaknesses that separate us from God and it is one of the most subtle and fascinating works ever written on the relationship of various sins to their corresponding virtues. This is the first complete translation of this important medieval visionary work.Trade Review"With care and graceful style, Bruce Hozeski has rendered this important but little-known work by one of medieval Europe's great women mystics. This is a valuable contribution to a growing inventory of resources in the history of spirituality."--Ralph Keen, University of Iowa "This volume...discusses the human weaknesses that separate us from god, and focuses on our moral flaws, which appear to be inherent in human consciousness, while revealing the importance of repentane and the virtues of rebuilding our union with God....If you're looking for a handbook of life, here it is."--Medium

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Book SynopsisThis book argues that Philip Melanchthon, conventionally pictured as hopelessly caught in the middle between Erasmus and Luther, and more Erasmian than a Lutheran theologian should have been, was, at least theologically, not Erasmian at all, but in fact sharply anti-Erasmus. Wengert draws largely on Melanchthon''s Scholia on the Epistle of Paul to the Colossians as well as on a range of other contemporary sources to address a number of important questions, including the complicated and elusive relationship between humanism and the Reformation and the issues of proper biblical interpretation of free will, of divine and human righteousness, and of political order.Trade ReviewWengert's book clearly ranks with the very best studies of Melanchthon that we have in print. * The Journal of Religion *... this is not only an immensely stimulating book, but one that merits the highest rating and due recognition as a work of lasting value for a wide readership ... a work of major importance. * Journal of Theological Studies *... an erudite contribution to Reformation studies ... A book to be read on holiday or study leave. * The Expository Times *

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Book SynopsisThis book attempts to understand Calvin in his sixteenth-century context, with attention to continuities and discontinuities between his thought and that of his predecessors, contemporaries, and successors. Richard Muller is particularly interested in the interplay between theological and philosophical themes common to Calvin and the medieval doctors, and developments in the rhetoric and argument associated with humanism.Trade Review... this is one of the most stimulating and important books on Calvin that I have read for some time ... Calvin scholars cannot afford to ignore this book. * The Journal of Theological Studies *No Calvin scholar - or theologian - should work with Calvin without reading this learned work. * Religious Studies Review *This detailed and perceptive work will be crucial for all interested in Calvin studies. * Religious Studies Review *It is safe to say that anyone attempting to do serious study of Calvin's theology in our day will have to read Muller's volume. It is a tour de force in historical theology and a needed corrective to much gibberish that has been penned about the Genevan Reformer, especially in the twentieth century. * The Southern Baptist Journal of Theology *An excellent book, one of the most important works on historical theology ... essential reading for anyone wishing to study Calvin's theology and exegesis, both as a model of critical historical methodology and for its illumination of Calvin's programme and the development of his thought. * Sixteenth Century Journal *Muller's scholarship is so strong and his arguments so convincing that future Calvin scholars will only be able to ignore this book at their peril. * Sixteenth Century Journal *Muller's astute analysis reveals the complex and evolving relationships among all the aspects of Calvin's ministry ... stimulating and impressive analysis. * American Historical Review *Richard A. Muller begins this extraordinary book by doing something modern scholars too seldom do: he puts John Calvin and his thought back into their sixteenth-century historical context. * American Historical Review *Ultimately Oxford University Press and the author are to be thanked for a work of such strength, originality, and importance. * Reviews in Religion and Theology *

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Book SynopsisThis book attempts to resolve one of the oldest and bitterest controversies between the Eastern and Western Christian churches: namely, the dispute about the doctrine of deification. A. N. Williams examines two key thinkers, each of whom is championed as the authentic spokesman of his own tradition and reviled by the other. Taking Aquinas as representative of the West and Gregory Palamas for the East, she presents fresh readings of their work that both reinterpret each thinker and show an area of commonality between them much greater than has previously been acknowledged.Trade ReviewA fine example of intrareligious dialogue: taking up an issue which has led to division and schism within a particular religion ... written in a lucid and at times lightly humorous style - a refreshing element not often found in works of this sort. The work gracefully combines penetrating insight with a sometimes wry look at how theologians and philosophers arrive at their conclusions. * Studies in Interreligious Dialogue *

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Book SynopsisThe nature and content of the thought of Duns Scotus (c.1266-1308) remains largely unknown except by the expert. This book provides an accessible account of Scotus''s theology, focusing both on what is distinctive in his thought, and on issues where his insights might prove to be of perennial value.Trade Reviewparticularly welcome, as it is the first comprehensive treatment of Duns Scotus's theology in English ... This little book is a remarkabel achievement. * Giorgio Pini, Religious Studies, Vol. 37 *This little book is not easy reading, but is definitely worth the effort. Cross is to be thanked especially because he does not conceal the difficulty of the subject, and infects the reader with the desire to study Scotus's work directly, which is indeed the mark of a successful introduction. * Giorgio Pini, Religious Studies, Vol. 37 *in a few pages Cross manages to cover many different and difficult issues. This is indeed a great merit ... Cross's analytical skilfulness is always rewarding. * Giorgio Pini, Religious Studies, Vol. 37 *Table of Contents1.: Duns Scotus, philosophy, and theology 2.: God: existence, unicity, and simplicity 3.: God: perfection, infinity, and religious language 4.: God: knowledge and agency 5.: God the Trinity 6.: Humanity: body, soul, and immortality 7.: Humanity: freedom, ethics, and sin 8.: Humanity: predestination, merit, and grace 9.: Jesus: God and man 10.: Jesus: predestination and merit 11.: Sacraments Additional notes Bibliography Index locorum General index

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Book SynopsisThis is the third volume in Alvin Plantinga''s trilogy on the notion of warrant, which he defines as that which distinguishes knowledge from true belief. In this volume, Plantinga examines warrant''s role in theistic belief, tackling the questions of whether it is rational, reasonable, justifiable, and warranted to accept Christian belief and whether there is something epistemically unacceptable in doing so. He contends that Christian beliefs are warranted to the extent that they are formed by properly functioning cognitive faculties, thus, insofar as they are warranted, Christian beliefs are knowledge if they are true.Trade ReviewWarranted Christian Belief is a tour de force ... it will be a welcome summary of an important movement, and for anyone interested in debates about the rationality of religious belief, a reference book for many years to come. * Books & Culture *Plantinga has an eminently winsome writing style - down-to-business but also witty and at times playfully sarcastic ... Plantinga is a contemporary analytical philosopher, but he bucks the trend, and theologians and historians of Christian thought will be impressed by the historical and theological acuity on display in this book. * Books & Culture *Warranted Christian Belief is the product of decades of effort, retraced steps, refined argumentation, prolonged meditation, and conversation with other philosophers and theologians. * Books & Culture *This is an impressive book ... Every philosopher interested in epistemology should read it and every philosopher should be interested in epistemology * Australasian Journal of Philosophy *This is an important book, the culmination of Plantinga's three part work in epistemology ... do not be offended by that word ('C*******n') in the title ... read this book even if you foolishly insist that Christianity is not a live option * Australasian Journal of Philosophy *Table of ContentsPreface Part I Is There a Question? 1 Kant 2 Kaufman and Hick Part II What Is the Question? 3 Justification and the Classical Picture 4 Rationality 5 Warrant and the Freud-and-Marx Complaint Part III Warranted Christian Belief 6 Warranted Belief in God 7 Sin and Its Cognitive Consequences 8 The Extended Aquinas/Calvin Model: Revealed to Our Minds 9 The Testimonial Model: Sealed Upon Our Hearts 10 Objections Part IV Defeaters? 11 Defeaters and Defeat 12 Two (Or More) Kinds of Scripture Scholarship 13 Postmodernism and Pluralism 14 Suffering and Evil Index

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Book SynopsisThis is the third volume in Alvin Plantinga''s trilogy on the notion of warrant, which he defines as that which distinguishes knowledge from true belief. In this volume, Plantinga examines warrant''s role in theistic belief, tackling the questions of whether it is rational, reasonable, justifiable, and warranted to accept Christian belief and whether there is something epistemically unacceptable in doing so. He contends that Christian beliefs are warranted to the extent that they are formed by properly functioning cognitive faculties, thus, insofar as they are warranted, Christian beliefs are knowledge if they are true.Trade ReviewWarranted Christian Belief is a tour de force ... it will be a welcome summary of an important movement, and for anyone interested in debates about the rationality of religious belief, a reference book for many years to come. * Books & Culture *Plantinga has an eminently winsome writing style - down-to-business but also witty and at times playfully sarcastic ... Plantinga is a contemporary analytical philosopher, but he bucks the trend, and theologians and historians of Christian thought will be impressed by the historical and theological acuity on display in this book. * Books & Culture *Warranted Christian Belief is the product of decades of effort, retraced steps, refined argumentation, prolonged meditation, and conversation with other philosophers and theologians. * Books & Culture *This is an impressive book ... Every philosopher interested in epistemology should read it and every philosopher should be interested in epistemology. * Australasian Journal of Philosophy *This is an important book, the culmination of Plantinga's three part work in epistemology ... do not be offended by that word ('C*******n') in the title ... read this book even if you foolishly insist that Christianity is not a live option. * Australasian Journal of Philosophy *The book is full of philosophical and theological interest and is an exciting book to read... Throughout the book the writing is clear and entertaining, parts of it written with a controlled passion and enthusiasm, and with hafts of sarcasm, self-deprecation and other assorted humour. Plantinga has command of a vast range of philosophical and theological material. * Mind *Table of ContentsPreface Part I Is There a Question? 1 Kant 2 Kaufman and Hick Part II What Is the Question? 3 Justification and the Classical Picture 4 Rationality 5 Warrant and the Freud-and-Marx Complaint Part III Warranted Christian Belief 6 Warranted Belief in God 7 Sin and Its Cognitive Consequences 8 The Extended Aquinas/Calvin Model: Revealed to Our Minds 9 The Testimonial Model: Sealed Upon Our Hearts 10 Objections Part IV Defeaters? 11 Defeaters and Defeat 12 Two (Or More) Kinds of Scripture Scholarship 13 Postmodernism and Pluralism 14 Suffering and Evil Index

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Book SynopsisChristians frequently come into conflict with themselves and others over such matters as music, popular culture, and worship style. Yet they usually lack any theology of art or taste adequate to deal with aesthetic disputes. In this provocative book, Frank Burch Brown offers a constructive, ''ecumenical'' approach to artistic taste and aesthetic judgment--a non-elitist but discriminating theological aesthetics that has ''teeth but no fangs''.While grounded in history and theory, this book takes up such practical questions as: How can one religious community accommodate a variety of artistic tastes? What good or harm can be done by importing music that is worldly in origin into a house of worship? How can the exercise of taste in the making of art be a viable (and sometimes advanced) spiritual discipline? In exploring the complex relation between taste, religious imagination, and faith, Brown offers a new perspective on what it means to be spiritual, religious, and indeed Christian.Trade ReviewThis is a fascinating study: a book which gives the reader much to consider. Despite its teasing title, it is a serious examination of a serious subject * Journal of Theological Studies *The author is not only an erudite and distinguished scholar but a fair-minded man who does full justice to the opinions of those whose positions in theology and aesthetics are different from his own * Journal of Theological Studies *

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