Faith In Christ Today Invitation To Systematic Theology

In Volume I the author analyses the Word of God and the response of the Christian community in a lucid and accesible way. In this second volume he interprets the classical assertions of the Christian faith in terms of Gods creative and redemptive project in the world of today. His experiential approach is meant to restore the credibility, vibrancy and relevance of faith in Christ for our times.

The task of theology is to translate the priceless message of the gospel of Christ from its ancient sources into current experiences and patterns of thought. In this first volume, the author presents a lucid and accessible account of the Word of God and challenges his readers to find their own responses to this message. In volume II he interprets the classical assertions of the Christian faith in terms of Gods creative and redemptive project.

Are you intimidated by theology? Confused? Bored? Michael Jinkins knows it doesn't have to be that way. "Theology is our critical and prayerful reflection on the totality of life," he writes. "We all do theology on a regular basis, whether or not we are conscious of the fact." In Invitation to Theology Jinkins offers a knowledgeable, helpful and caring guide to walk you through the basics of the Christian faith. Following the pattern of the ancient summary of the Christian faith, the Apostles' Creed, Jinkins highlights the key doctrines of God, Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit, humanity, church, salvation and resurrection. He cuts a clear path through theological terms, traditions and debates. And in the spirit of C. S. Lewis, he invites you to consider some of the most profound reflections--from the distant past to the present day--on Christian belief. Throughout this fascinating journey, the main road is always kept in view: "The meaning and shape of our life together as a community of persons is grounded in the inner life of God, the Trinity, and has been revealed to us in the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ." If you are eager to think about your faith, to examine what and why you believe and to reflect on how such faith can be lived out in our world, Invitation to Theology is the book for you.

This textbook will give students a clear understanding of the connection between faith and reason. Illuminating Faith gives students a clear and accessible introduction to some of the major ways faith and the relationship between faith and reason have been understood within Western Christianity. In twenty-six short and easy to digest units it covers different accounts of faith beginning with Scripture, moving through the history of Christian thought, and ending with contemporary views. Along the way it explores some of the decisive theological and philosophy accounts of faith, such as faith seeking understanding, faith and supernatural virtue, faith and skepticism, and faith and science. Yet it also includes significant issues and movements not typically covered in introductory texts, such as documents from church councils, faith as knowledge, assent, and trust in the Protestant scholastics, faith and the heart in pietism, secularized accounts of faith, faith after Auschwitz, and faith and liberation. The goal of each unit is to introduce students to topical issues surrounding the nature of faith, to provide historical background for each topic, and to generate further discussion and reflection on the nature of faith. The result is a well balanced and unique introduction to various understandings of faith. Designed specifically with classroom use in mind, Illuminating Faith includes a glossary of words, an update-to-date bibliography, and each chapter ends with questions for discussion as well as suggestions for relevant reading material.

At the beginning of Christian Faith, B. A. Gerrish reminds us that dogmatics involves critical transmission of the Christian heritage. The dogmatic theologian must interpret and assess the traditional beliefs of the church while also considering the new and changing conditions in which that tradition is being embodied. With that, Gerrish goes on to outline the various presuppositions and affirmations of the Christian faith before ultimately offering a powerful and compelling restatement of Christian faith for the twenty-first century. As part of his framework, Gerrish includes a critical comparison of Calvin's Institutes of the Christian Religion and Schleiermacher's Christian Faith while still paying close attention to the great cloud of theological witnesses from across the spectrum of Christian traditions. Gerrish's book provides a robust and penetrating revisioning of Christian theology, one that is thoroughly grounded in the classical traditions of the church.

""McGlasson's book is a pointed, powerful, and hard-hitting outline and defense of the way dogmatic theology must grow out of and be defined by the canonical shape of the Word in its witness to the risen Lord. This is a book that will rustle feathers at a time when feathers need rustling in a church that has allowed our grasp of God's truth to slip away from its scriptural and Christological moorings. Written with clarity and helpful argumentative sweep and summary, McGlasson raises challenges that must be faced by all pastors, seminarians, and theologians."" --Ephraim Radner, author of Hope among the Fragments ""A welcome addition to the growing body of literature on theological method and authority. Major influences on the author include Brevard Childs and Karl Barth."" --Donald G. Bloesch, Emeritus, Dubuque Theological Seminary ""Persuaded that both liberal and evangelical theologies fail to convey the mature consensus of historic and canonical Christian faith, Paul McGlasson offers a passionate and learned defense of his own proposal. Although readers will not find all of his criticisms or suggestions convincing, this book will provoke, illuminate, and display the enduring relevance of dogmatic theology for the life of the church."" --Michael Horton, Westminster Seminary Paul C. McGlasson is an ordained minister in the Presbyterian Church (USA). He received his MDiv from Yale Divinity School and his PhD from Yale University in Systematic Theology. He is the author of several books, including God the Redeemer, Canon and Proclamation, and Invitation to Dogmatic Theology. McGlasson has served the church both as a parish minister, and as a teacher of theology in college and seminary.

What does it mean to live by faith? Answers are more elusive than ever. Beginning with a rich discussion of the Reformation legacy, historian-theologian B.A. Gerrish responds that if we release our thinking from sectarian, partisan lenses, we find that faith denotes a multitude of impulsestrust, doubt, fidelity, and confidenceand is a fundamental human posture. It undergirds not only "saving" faith but also "secular" varieties in other religious traditionsand even outside religions. We all literally live by faith in every phase of our lives. Gerrish's prolegomenon to theology goes on to ask what then is the use of belief? How, in fact, do we come to faith? And how are religious and secular faith related, especially in relation to Jesus Christ?Gerrish opens up the notion of faith to encompass the "discovery of personal meaning in one's existence" and the theological drive to articulate the deepest drives of the human self.

In this engaging text Darren Marks provides a refreshing introduction to Christian faith that will be of special interest to university and seminary students. Innovative in his organization, Marks explores seven key doctrines and highlights the profound interconnections among them in a way that points us beyond the mere theological formulations to the living God of the Bible. Engaging academic discussions of the past and the present, Marks contextualizes these doctrines and shows their meaning for the day-to-day life of a faith community. Including illustrative narrative callouts and study questions, this book ultimately aims to inspire, illuminate and encourage Christians toward a vital and relevant life of worship, discipleship and mission.