Alister McGrath, Christian Theology: An Introduction Chapter 5 Getting Started Preliminaries Wiley-Blackwell 2010
Defining Theology A working definition of theology Sources Development Relationships Applications The historical development of the idea of theology Early Christianity and polytheism The doctrine of God The discipline of sacred learning Religious studies The development of theology as an academic discipline The founding of universities in western Europe, 12th century A theoretical or a practical discipline? Justification of the place of theology in universities Wiley-Blackwell 2010
The Architecture of Theology Biblical studies Knowledge of Jesus Christ Debated relationship between biblical studies and systematic theology Systematic theology Clear and ordered overview of main ideas of Christian faith Organization around a particular method Philosophical theology Clarification of Christian ideas Critical reactions: Tertullian and Karl Barth Historical theology Connection between historical/social context and theology Provisional or conditional elements in theology Pastoral (practical) theology Edward Farley and Don S. Browning Spiritual or mystical theology Thomas Merton (1915-68) Wiley-Blackwell 2010
The Question of Prolegomena Prolegomena = “forewords” (where to begin?) Starting-point in basic human experience: F.D.E. Schleiermacher: “feeling of absolute dependence” Paul Tillich: “method of correlation” Karl Rahner: urge to transcend limitations of human nature Critique: Karl Barth Prolegomena as “the things that must be said first in theology” The doctrine of the Word of God Reaction against preoccupation with method Wiley-Blackwell 2010
Commitment and Neutrality in Theology Arguments for detachment and neutrality Detachment is necessary to avoid prejudice in the quest for truth A critical environment forces one to ask hard questions Arguments for commitment Liberation theology: truth demands commitment All scholarship has precommitments and presuppositions Christian theology arises in response to the faith of a community Seminaries and “faculties of religion” Wiley-Blackwell 2010
Orthodoxy and Heresy Historical aspects Theological aspects Walter Bauer, Orthodoxy and Heresy in Earliest Christianity Early tolerance of diverse views Power of the Roman church to impose its views Criticism of Bauer’s hostility to doctrinal norms Theological aspects F.D.E. Schleiermacher’s Christian Faith Fundamental notion of God’s redemption of humanity through Christ alone Inadequate understandings of redemption: Ebionitism Docetism Pelagianism Manichaeism Wiley-Blackwell 2010
The Theology of the Relation of Christianity and Secular Culture Justin Martyr (c.100-c.165) Christianity and Platonism Tertullian (c.160-c.225) What has Athens to do with Jerusalem? Augustine of Hippo (354-430) Critical appropriation of classical culture H. Richard Niebuhr (1894-1962) Christ against culture Christ of culture Christ above culture Christ and culture in paradox Christ the transformer of culture Wiley-Blackwell 2010