How does Christianity relate to other religions? Beginning with a consideration of the biblical perspective, Veli-Matti Kärkkäinen offers a detailed and comprehensive survey of the diverse explanations proposed by teachers of the church down through the ages. This indispensable guide is for anyone seeking to grasp Christianity?s relationship to world religions.
Renowned theologian and philosopher of religion John Hick takes a hard look at intellectual problems facing Christians in the late twentieth century: Where exactly does Christianity fit into the scheme of the world in light of other world religions? and Is it possible to remain Christian while accepting the truth of other beliefs? Employing the use of a dialogue between "Phil" (philosophy) and "Grace" (theology), Hick explores the validity of other religions and Christianity's place among them. Offering good reasons for why the traditional stance that Christianity is the only true religion is no longer workable, he puts forth a cogent defense of Christianity in the global context of other religions. This book is must reading for those concerned about the uniqueness of Christianity and how it is to be interpreted theologically in today's world.
This Very Short Introduction provides both the believer and non-believer with a balanced survey of the central questions of theology. David Ford's approach draws us in to considering the principles underlying religious belief, including the centrality of salvation to most major religions, the concept of God in ancient, modern, and postmodern contexts, the challenge posed to theology by prayer and worship, and the issue of sin and evil. He also probes the nature of experience, knowledge, and wisdom in theology, and discusses what is involved in interpreting theological texts. In this new edition, Ford considers the contemporary relevance of theology, including the effect of globalization and digitized communication, examines the theological responses to change and development in science, considers the impact of increased engagement between Islam and the West, and looks at the development and importance of theology between the different faiths. ABOUT THE SERIES: The Very Short Introductions series from Oxford University Press contains hundreds of titles in almost every subject area. These pocket-sized books are the perfect way to get ahead in a new subject quickly. Our expert authors combine facts, analysis, perspective, new ideas, and enthusiasm to make interesting and challenging topics highly readable.
Western Christianity’s interaction with world religions used to be, for the most part, overseas. Today, “religious others” often live next door. At a changing time when one public prayer spoken during the 2009 U.S. presidential inauguration festivities was addressed to “O god of our many understandings,” the evangelical Christian church should do more than simply dismiss non-Christian religions as pagan without argument or comment. The Church needs a theology of religions that is Christ-honoring, biblically faithful, intellectually satisfying, compassionate, and that will encourage Spirit-powered mission. Oregon-based theology professor Todd L. Miles writes to that end in A God of Many Understandings?, attempting, as the scholar Veli-Matti Kärkkäinen puts it, “to think theologically about what it means for Christians to live with people of other faiths and about the relationship of Christianity to other religions."
An authoritative and beloved textbook, updated for the current generation of theology students. Daniel L. Migliore’s classic theology textbook returns in a new edition, revised and supplemented with fresh material. Faith Seeking Understanding covers fundamental topics for budding theologians, from biblical hermeneutics to the incarnation to the life of faith. As in previous editions, the material culminates in four imaginative dialogues between prominent thinkers to illustrate major theological debates. In addition to updates throughout the text, the fourth edition also includes a new introduction and an additional chapter on Christology. Students will appreciate the textbook’s accessible style, comprehensive reading recommendations, and glossary of theological terms.
Religion has always been an integral part of the literary tradition: many canonical and non-canonical texts engage extensively with religious ideas, and the development of English Literature as a professional discipline began with an explicit consideration of the relationship between religion and literature. Literature also plays an important role in religious writing, as twentieth-century work on narrative theology has acknowledged. Both the recent theological turn of literary theory and the renewed political significance of religious debate in contemporary western culture have generated further interest in this interdisciplinary area. An Introduction to Religion and Literature offers a lucid, accessible and thoughtful introduction to the study of religion and literature. While the focus is on Christian theology and post-1800 British literature, substantial reference is made to earlier writers, texts from North America and mainland Europe, and other faith positions. Each chapter takes up a major theological idea and explores it through close readings of well-known and influential literary texts.
An Introduction to Religious and Theological Studies walks students through topical issues to be encountered in the study of the Abrahamic religions: Judaism, Christianity, and Islam as these religions encounter other religions in the context of the wider ecumenism. The text is written from a Christian point of view and aims at helping students understand that to be Christian is to be ecumenical. African Traditional Religions (ATRs) has been included in this survey to provide background for the religious traditions and cultures of peoples of Africa as Christianity moves inexorably southward. The book has been written with undergraduate general education students in mind--including meeting the needs of those in seminaries and theological institutes.
Freshly updated for this second edition with considerable new material, this authoritative introduction to the history of Christian theology covers its development from the beginnings of the Patristic period just decades after Jesus's ministry, through to contemporary theological trends. A substantially updated new edition of this popular textbook exploring the entire history of Christian thought, written by the bestselling author and internationally-renowned theologian Features additional coverage of orthodox theology, the Holy Spirit, and medieval mysticism, alongside new sections on liberation, feminist, and Latino theologies, and on the global spread of Christianity Accessibly structured into four sections covering the Patristic period, the Middle Ages and Renaissance, the reformation and post-reformation eras, and the modern period spanning 1750 to the present day, addressing the key issues and people in each Includes case studies and primary readings at the end of each section, alongside comprehensive glossaries of key theologians, developments, and terminology Supported by additional resources available on publication at www.wiley.com/go/mcgrath
Can Christians learn from other religions? This book offers a fascinating account of the nature, role, and purposes of religious diversity within God's providential plan.
How does Christianity relate to other religions? Beginning with a consideration of the biblical perspective, Veli-Matti Kärkkäinen offers a detailed and comprehensive survey of the diverse explanations proposed by teachers of the church down through the ages. This indispensable guide is for anyone seeking to grasp Christianity?s relationship to world religions.
