Faith Seeking Understanding: An Introduction to Christian Theology, third ed.

by Daniel L. Migliore

Overview

A superb, standard Christian theology text for nearly a quarter century, Daniel Migliore's Faith Seeking Understanding explores all of the major Christian doctrines in freshly contemporary ways. This third edition offers new FOR FURTHER READING suggestions at the end of each chapter, a substantial expansion of the glossary, and new material incorporated throughout, including a section on Christians and Muslims.

Further, the three imaginary theological dialogues culminating the book -- pointedly playful exchanges that have delighted countless readers -- are here joined by a fourth dialogue, between Karl Barth and Friedrich Nietzsche, on atheism. All in all, a new generation of students, pastors, and Christian educators, eager to better understand the rich heritage, central themes, and contemporary challenges of Christian theology, will find both guidance and stimulation in Migliore's updated work.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781467442213
Publisher:	Eerdmans, William B. Publishing Company
Publication date:	08/08/2014
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	503
File size:	754 KB

About the Author

 Daniel L. Migliore is Charles Hodge Professor Emeritus of Systematic Theology at Princeton Theological Seminary.

Table of Contents

Preface to the Third Edition x

Preface to the Second Edition xi

Preface to the First Edition xiii

Acknowledgments xvii

Sources Frequently Cited xviii

1 The Task of Theology 1

Theology as Faith Seeking Understanding 2

The Questionable Nature of Theology 7

The Questions of Theology 10

Methods of Asking Theological Questions 15

For Further Reading 19

2 The Meaning of Revelation 21

What Is Revelation? 21

God Hidden and Revealed 23

Revelation as Objective and Subjective 27

General and Special Revelation 30

Models of Revelation 34

Revelation as God's Self-Disclosure Narrated in Scripture 36

Revelation, Scripture, and Church 40

For Further Reading 44

3 The Authority of Scripture 46

The Problem of Authority in Modern Culture 47

Inadequate Approaches to the Authority of Scripture 49

The Indispensability of Scripture in Relating Us, by the Power of the Spirit, to the Living God Revealed in Jesus Christ 52

Principles of the Interpretation of Scripture 55

For Further Reading 65

4 The Triune God 66

The Problem of God in Modern Theology 66

The Biblical Roots of the Doctrine of the Trinity 70

Classical Trinitarian Doctrine 72

Distortions in the Doctrine of God 75

Restatement of the Meaning of the Doctrine of the Trinity 77

The Attributes of God 85

The Electing Grace of God 90

For Further Reading 94

5 The Good Creation 96

Christian Faith and the Ecological Crisis 96

Rereading the Scriptural Witness on Creation 101

Rethinking the Themes of the Doctrine of Creation 103

Trinity, Creation, and Ecology 110

Models of Creation 114

The Doctrine of Creation and Modern Science 117

For Further Reading 120

6 The Providence of God and the Mystery of Evil 121

Belief in Providence and the Reality of Evil 121

Providence and Evil in the Theological Tradition 125

Rethinking Providence and Evil 129

Recent Theodicies 132

The Triune God and Human Suffering 135

Providence, Prayer, Practice 140

For Further Reading 142

7 Humanity as Creature, Sinner, and New Being in Christ 143

Interpretations of "Image of God" 143

Created Humanity 146

Fallen Humanity 153

The Meaning of Original Sin and of Death as Enemy 158

New Humanity in Christ 163

For Further Reading 166

8 The Person and Work of Jesus Christ 168

Problems in Christology 168

Principles of Christology 172

Patristic Christology 174

Rethinking Classical Affirmations of the Persons of Christ 179

Rethinking Classical Interpretations of the Work of christ 187

Violence and the Cross 193

Dimensions of the Resurrection of Christ 198

For Further Reading 204

9 Confessing Jesus Christ in Context 205

The Particularity and Universality of the Gospel 206

Latin American Christology 208

African American Christology 212

Feminist, Womanist, and Mujerista Christologies 217

Hispanic Christology 220

Asian American Christology 224

The Local and the Global in Christology 228

For Further Reading 230

10 The Holy Spirit and the Christian Life 232

Neglect and Recovery of the Doctrine of the Holy Spirit 233

A Sketch of a Theology of the Holy spirit 235

The Christian Life: Justification 246

The Christian Life: Sanctification 250

The Christian Life: Vocation 256

For Further Reading 257

11 The New Community 259

The Problem of the Church 260

New Testament Images of the Church 262

Critique of Current Models of the Church 265

The Church and the Call to Communion 272

The church and the Call to Mission 276

classical Marks of the Church 280

For Further Reading 285

12 Proclamation, Sacraments, and Ministry 286

Proclamation of the Word 286

What Are Sacraments? 291

The Meaning of Baptism 294

The Meaning of the Lord's Supper 300

Baptism, the Lord's Supper, and Ethics 306

The Meaning of an Ordained Ministry 308

For Further Reading 313

13 The Finality of Jesus Christ and Religious Pluralism 314

The Ambiguity of Religion 314

Types of Christian Theologies of the Religins 319

Toward a Trinitarian Theology of the Religions 328

Salvation in Other Religions? 331

Christians and Jews 336

Christians and Muslims 339

Witness to Jesus Christ in a Religiously Pluralistic World 343

For Further Reading 346

14 Christian Hope 347

The Crisis of Hope in an Age of Terrorism 348

Principles for Interpreting Christian Hope 355

Classical Symbols of Christian Hope 360

Eschatology and Ethics 367

For Further Reading 372

Appendix A Natural Theology: A Dialogue 374

Appendix B The resurrection: A Dialogue 390

Appendix C Political Theology: A Dialogue 404

Appendix D Atheism: A Dialogue 421

Appendix E A Glossary of Theological Terms 441

Index of Names and Subjects 472

Index of Scripture References 481

Editorial Reviews

 Cornelius Plantinga Jr.
"A book that manages to be at once deeply traditional and freshly contemporary. . . . Hearty, winsome, and mature, Faith Seeking Understanding sharpens the same appetite it satisfies. Migliore everywhere shows that he knows the difference between what is usual in theology and what is vital."

Theology Today
"Presents theology in language that can be readily grasped by the theological beginner. Hurrah!"

The Expository Times
"This is theology with a sure and sharp pastoral touch. . . . An ideal primer in doctrine for students."

Religious Studies Review
"A seminary and undergraduate standard. . . . Migliore has thoroughly recrafted the volume in his lively and accessible style."

 Interpretation
"An admirable success. . . . Migliore hits just the right intermediate range to fill a real need."

Presbyterian Outlook
“Twenty-five years after it was first published, this book still maintains its status as one of the finest introductions to Christian theology in our time. . . . Outstanding for students and equally important for pastors who desire to sustain their theological skills or simply enjoy a good theological conversation.”
 

From the Publisher