Fundamental Theology: A Protestant Perspective

by Matthew L. Becker

Overview

Introducing university students to the academic discipline of Christian theology, this book serves as an orientation to "fundamental theology" from a Protestant perspective by addressing issues that are preliminary and foundational to the discipline in the context of a liberal arts university. The book also sets forth what has traditionally been called a "theological encyclopedia", that is, a description of the parts of Christian theology that together form the discipline into a unified academic subject. Finally, the book examines the relation of Christian theology to the arts and sciences within the university and underscores the need for critical and positive interaction with these other academic disciplines.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780567568335
Publisher:	Bloomsbury Academic
Publication date:	02/12/2015
Pages:	600
Product dimensions:	6.10(w) x 9.10(h) x 1.30(d)

About the Author

Matthew L. Becker is Associate Professor of Theology at Valparaiso University, USA. An ordained Lutheran minister, Dr. Becker has served congregations in Chicago and Oregon, USA. He is author of The Self-Giving God (T&T Clark, 2004).

Table of Contents

Preface
Acknowledgments
Abbreviations

Introduction: Ways into Theology

Part I: Christian Theology

1. Traditions of Christianity
An historical overview
The distribution of Christian traditions
Apostolic tradition and the traditions of Christendom

2. Traditions of Christian Theology
Ancient Greek theology
Ancient Jewish theology
Early and medieval Christian theology
Reformation and post-Reformation theology
Modern Christian theology
The last century of Christian theology

3. What Is Christian Theology?

Part II: The Subject of Christian Theology

4. The Natural Knowledge of God

5. Natural and Philosophical Theology

6. Atheisms
Critiques of God and religion
The issue of theodicy
Skepticism about the skeptics
The persistence of God in human experience

7. Special Revelation and Christian Faith
The hidden God
The gospel and Christian faith
Special revelation in Christian theology
Believing and knowing
The basic structures of faith-statement

8. Sources and Norms of Christian Theology
The issue of sources and norms
Sources and norms of Christian theology

9. Interpreting the Scriptures
Avoiding extremes
Theological hermeneutics
Excursus: Martin Luther, “Concerning the Study of Theology”

10. Jesus of Nazareth as the Center of Salvation History
A salvation-historical approach to the Bible
Sources for the historical Jesus
The quest for the historical Jesus
The actions and teaching of Jesus
Opposition to Jesus, the death of Jesus, and his resurrection
The re-creating Spirit and the new creation

11. Key Themes in Special Revelation
God the Creator
Christ the Redeemer
The Holy Spirit
Trinitarian theology
The church
Last things
The promise of the gospel

Part III: Christian Theology within the University

12. The Shape of Christian Theology as a University Discipline
Placing Christian theology within a university
Theological encyclopedia
Dividing theology
The aim of theology as a whole

13. The Sub-disciplines of Christian Theology
Fundamental theology
Historical theology
Practical theology

14. Christian Theology and the Humanities
Christ and culture
Christian theology within the humanities

15. Christian Theology and the Sciences
Modern encounters between theology and the sciences
Theology and the human sciences
The anthropic principle
Creationism and Intelligent Design
Rethinking the Christian doctrines of creation and sin
Barbour's four models
Christianity and the ecological crisis
Leading figures


Postscript

Glossary of Names

Glossary of Terms

Bibliography

Biblical Index

Index of Persons

Index of Subjects

Editorial Reviews

"Matthew Becker offers college students a crucial book for their study of theology. Fundamental Theology not only provides much of the background material needed to orient students to the study of theology, introducing them to the diversity, practice, and history of Christian traditions, but also provides incisive accounts of basic questions in theology. Becker does this with care to the ecumenical, historical, and present day needs of theological work. Every student can find a place to start and continue the study of theology. In each chapter, Becker does more than summarize or arrange theological positions. He provides important insight while providing connections to the often forgotten theological past. This is the rare book that can play a role on the reference shelf when needed as well as the main text for discussion in an undergraduate theology classroom. - Gregory Walter, St. Olaf College, USA

"This work represents the state of the art in systematic theology; it is a major intellectual achievement that responds to all the stronger and many of the weaker challenges with a persuasive and careful method of argumentation, including both exegesis, historical theology and contemporary philosophy of religion. In a mode of traditional and progressive systematics, and always attentive to contemporary debates, Becker moves outside the established lines of conflict on many of the issues by proposing cutting-edge new readings of, and often forgotten interpretive options, to long-standing theological problems. In ecumenical terms, this promising account of Christian thought outshines the simpler but apparently quite tempting and somewhat successful approach of polarization and radical exclusion (religious or otherwise)." - Paul Silas Peterson, University of Tubingen, Germany

From the Publisher