Description
Book SynopsisThis book introduces students to theology with sustained attention to how Christian beliefs and the church's worship interact, both historically and in practice. Dennis Okholm approaches the subject from the necessary intersection of theology and liturgy, showing that learning the church's doctrine apart from its worship undermines both. The book flows as if the reader were participating in a service of worship. It features illustrative charts and figures that complement challenging concepts and includes suggestions for assignments at the end of the book.
Table of ContentsContentsPreface:
How to Read This Book
1. Liturgical Ophthalmology, or Why Christian Theology and Ethics Begin and End with Worship
We Enter by "Gathering"
2. What Is Christian Theology?
We Pray the "Collect" of the Day
3. What Are the Sources for and the Results of Doing Theology?
We Hear Scripture and Respond in the "Liturgy of the Word"
4. Who Is God? The Doctrine of the Trinity
We Recite the "Creed" in Response to Hearing the Word
5. Who Is Jesus Christ? Christology
We Ponder the Creed's Meaning for Our Belief in Jesus Christ
6. How Did the World Come into Existence and What Keeps It Going? Creation and Providence
We Join in the "Prayers of the People": Thanksgiving and Intercession for the World and the Church
7. What Is a Human Being? Theological Anthropology
We Kneel in the "Confession" of Our Sins
8. What Did Christ Do for Humans? Soteriology
We Hear That We Are Forgiven in the "Absolution"
9. Who Is the Holy Spirit and What Does the Holy Spirit Do? Pneumatology
We Pray the "Epiclesis" That Invokes the Holy Spirit's Active Presence in Communion
10. What Is the Church? Ecclesiology
We Continue the "Liturgy of the Table" with the "Passing of the Peace of Christ"
11. The Sacraments
We Practice "Baptism" and Celebrate "Eucharist"
12. What Is the Future of God, Humans, and the World? Eschatology
The "Dismissal" That Sends Us Out into the World from Which We Gathered
The Benediction
Appendix:
Examples of Assignments to Be Used with This Book
Indexes
