Theology The Basics 4th Edition by Alister E McGrath ISBN 1119158087 978-1119158080

This fourth edition of the international bestseller is the ideal introduction for those who are new to Christian theology. In this revised and expanded edition, the author introduces readers to the central ideas and beliefs, the key debates and the leading thinkers of Christianity. Throughout, the aim is to bring clarity and brevity to the central ideas of theology, both traditional and contemporary.

The text comprehensively covers the individual doctrines that form the Christian belief system, weaving together these doctrines, their history, and the intellectual nuance behind them into an inter-connected web. All major Christian denominations are explored, as are their differences and shared customs and beliefs. This rich tapestry results in a clear view of Christianity, providing a coherent vision of the religion in its main forms.

Table of contents:

 List of Illustrations xi

Preface xiii

The Development of Christian Theology: A Short

Historical Overview xviii

The Apostles’ Creed xxvi

Getting Started xxviii

1 Faith 1

What is faith? 1

Can God’s existence be proved? 3

Are proofs of God’s existence of any use? 7

Faith is beyond reason but not contrary to reason 8

Faith and God’s promises 10

Faith and doubt: the problem of suffering 13

Engaging with a text 16

2 God 19

Analogies in theology 21

God as father 24

A personal God 28

God as almighty 32

Can God suffer? 35

Engaging with a text 37

3 Creation 39

Creation in the Old Testament 39

The concept of creation “out of nothing” 41

Creation and dualism 43

Implications of the doctrine of creation 44

Models of God as creator 46

Humanity and creation: the “image of God” 48

Creation and natural theology 51

Creation and creationism 57

Engaging with a text 59

4 Jesus 61

Jesus as Messiah 62

Jesus as Lord 64

Jesus as Son of God 65

Jesus as Son of Man 66

Jesus as God 67

Functional statements about Jesus 68

Early Christological models 71

The Council of Chalcedon 73

The incarnation and icons 74

Jesus as mediator 76

The debate about the “Historical Jesus” 78

Engaging with a text 80

5 Salvation 82

Pauline images of salvation 83

The problem of analogy: salvation as ransom 84

The cross as a sacrifice 88

The cross as a victory 91

The cross and forgiveness 93

Salvation, sin, and Christ 97

An Orthodox perspective: salvation as deification 100

Salvation as being righteous in the sight of God 101

Salvation, Christ, and the redeemed life 102

Engaging with a text 103

6 Spirit 105

Biblical models of the Holy Spirit 105

Irenaeus on the role of the Holy Spirit 109

The debate over the divinity of the Holy Spirit 111

The filioque debate 114

The functions of the Spirit 117

The symbols of the Spirit: a dove, fire, and oil 123

Engaging with a text 124

7 Trinity 127

The grounds of the doctrine of the Trinity 128

The development of the doctrine of the Trinity 131

A trinitarian heresy: modalism 135

Visualizing the Trinity 137

The Trinity and the naming of God 138

Communicating the Trinity: hymns 142

The “social Trinity”: Jürgen Moltmann 143

Engaging with a text 146

8 Church 150

The church: local or universal? 150

Only one church? 152

The catholicity of the church 154

The church: holy or just human? 156

The church as constituted by the Word of God 161

Pure or mixed body: what difference does it make? 163

Ministry within the church: the Second Vatican Council 164

Engaging with a text 167

9 Sacraments 170

What is a sacrament? 171

What is the function of the sacrament? 174

What factors affect the effectiveness of sacraments? 177

Is infant baptism justified? 179

In what way, if any, is Christ present at the eucharist? 184

Engaging with a text 189

10 Heaven 191

The New Testament 191

Augustine: the two cities 194

Medieval debates about the resurrection body 195

Modernity: criticism and recovery of eschatology 196

Jürgen Moltmann: the theology of hope 198

Spe Salvi: Benedict XVI on the Christian hope 199

The last things 201

Engaging with a text 207

Moving On 210

Audio and Video Resources for

This Textbook 213

Brief Glossary of Theological Terms 214

Details of Theologians Cited 223

Sources of Citations 232

Index 245