One Layman S Contemporary Theology

The credential of the author is based upon the fact that he is a trained psychologist, a biologist and a scientist; and has been in management/business fields for many years, having been exposed in all aspects of commerce and finance. He has a Master degree in Industrial Psychology from the University of Sydney, Bachelor of Science degree with a double major in psychology from Australian National University and a major in Biology from RMIT. Was awarded the 'Elizabeth and Martin Summit Prize in Psychology', an annual award given to the most outstanding student in Psychology at Sydney University. He has been teaching in a university for several years and was involved in politics for some time, but voluntarily chose to pursue a different path because of the incompatible sets of values that are required against what he believed in. He has a background of Buddhist and Confucian upbringing and was converted to being a follower of Jesus as a Catholic. However, he had been battling with what the churches taught and his knowledge and understanding in the fields of biology and psychology, new discoveries of physical sciences in which he was trained, against the background of his upbringing in a culture that was homogenous and has survived for more than 5000 years of history and his life experiences in the modern commercial materialistic world culture. He believes in doing Gods work in whatever circumstances he was placed, to be guided by the principles of what he believed Jesus has taught in establishing a consistent logical framework that is universal and more holistic, the result of which is the writing of this book. One of his greatest gifts is his ability to analyze things logically and he has been a good debater when he was at school. He has thus put all his thoughts down, gathered from his training, life experiences and his wide exposure in the modern world environment to establish an overall consistent logical framework in understanding the meaning of life in the order of things; and the role religion plays in assisting each individuals to achieve the universal objective of a salvation and the conflicts that are generated as a result of different derivatives of history and culture of the world.

The events of the twentieth century have led to a rebirth of Protestant theology. This book is intended to help the layperson discover what is going on in theology. In clear, nontechnical language, it traces the rise of orthodoxy since the sixteenth century, and proceeds to examine schools such as fundamentalism, liberalism, and neo-orthodoxy. Because of their great influence and importance, the theologies of Karl Barth, Reinhold Niebuhr, and Paul Tillich are treated separately, and this revised and expanded edition contains new chapters on Rudolf Bultmann, Dietrich Bonhoeffer, and the God is DeadÓ controversy.

This introduction to contemporary theology looks at the origin and history of each movement, their major figures, and doctrinal emphases. The author evaluates the teachings and practices of each system in light of biblical Christianity.

This book offers in style and content an exciting new perspective on contemporary theology and its future in post-modern times. I welcome this new perspective. The style is agreeable, unpolemical, and enages in dialogue with the best of Barth and Bultmann, Ricoeur and Pannenberg, Cobb and Moltmann, showing what they havea to offer to the larger theological community and transferring it like a ferry boat into the post-modern age. The purpose is to offer an evangelical theology which is at the same time genuinely evangelical and relevant for post-modern ways of thinking. Wood writes with admirable clarity." --Jürgen Moltmann, University of Tübingen

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.

Hans Urs von Balthasar addresses the critical issues that have been unsettling the Catholic laity since the Second Vatican Council. In a clear and readable manner, he focuses on the core elements of the faith: the Word of God; the life, death, and resurrection of Christ; the sacraments; the structure of the Church; and Mary. Speaking plainly about the polarization within the Catholic Church, he also discusses the various ideological trends—such as liberalism, progressivism, and traditionalism—that have undermined the confidence and the unity of the faithful. "In this Primer, Balthasar addresses today's faithful laity who feel that [the] solidity of the Church is shifting beneath their feet. He speaks to those who fear that the Church has done what she ought not to do: that she is in fact relaxing her demands in order to win favor, not from God, but from man. Into this situation Balthasar re-proposes the'form' of Jesus Christ as revealed in his Church. This form is 'only the whole': the whole, concrete reality of Christ, conveyed within Catholic tradition. This form is 'spun from three strands' of Word, sacrament, and ecclesial authority. These three provide the Church with the ability to remain on course despite the winds blowing through history." — Angela Franks, Ph.D., From the Foreword