The inspiration of the Bible is central to Christian faith, yet there is no general agreement on the nature of this inspiration. In this provocative book, Kern Robert Trembath reviews seven major evangelical explanations of inspiration and demonstrates that all either view the Bible itself as the actual recipient of inspiration or explain biblical authority on grounds more appropriate to the doctrine of God--in effect investing the Bible with characteristics that properly belong only to God. Building on the work of William Abraham, Trembath constructs his own theory of inspiration--one that regards inspiration as a tripartite concept involving the elements of initiator, means, and receiver. He insists that only a human being can be the recipient of inspiration and that the Bible must therefore be understood as the means, rather than the end, of the process. He goes on to articulate a new definition of biblical inspiration--as "a mediated enhancement of human experience by God, through the Bible"--and argues that this new understanding of inspiration is most compatible with a Thomistic doctrine of God, which insists that God's acts are mediated through the world, rather than immediately occurring in it.

Six major scholars selected for their contributions in the study of biblical inspiration and who provide a veritable cross-section of the diversity of viewpoints on this topic as found in Anglo-American scholarship are surveyed. Abraham Heschel James Burtchaell Bruce Vawter William Abraham Kern Trembath Paul Achtemeier This presentation offers a constructive criticism of these insights from a Roman Catholic perspective, synthesizes their significant contributions, and shows the continuing dialogue among North American scholars in the field of biblical inspiration. A unique contribution of this book is that it affirms the traditional understanding of biblical inspiration as set forth by the Catholic Church, most notably in Dei Verbum of the Second Vatican Council, while at the same time positing the continuity between past biblical inspiration and present spiritual illumination. Book jacket.

Christianity has an inherent capability to assume, as its novel mode of expression, the local idioms, customs, and thought forms of a new cultural frontier that it encounters. As a result, Christianity has become multicultural and multilingual. What is the role of theology in the imagination and articulation of Christianity’s inherent multiculturalism and multi-vernacularity? Victor Ezigbo examines this question by exploring the nature and practice of contextual theology. To accomplish this task, this book engages the main genres of contextual theology, explores echoes of contextual theological thinking in some of Jesus’s sayings, and discusses insights into contextual theology that can be discerned in the discourses on theology and caste relations (Dalit theology), theology and primal cultures (African theology), and theology and poverty (Latin American liberation theology).

The Encyclopedia of Christian Theology, translated from the French Dictionnaire Critique de Théologie 2nd Edition, features over 530 entries, contributed by 250 scholars from fifthteen different countries. Alphabetically arranged entries provide the reader a critical overview of the main theological questions and related topics, including concepts, events, councils, theologians, philosophers, movements, and more. Hailed as a "masterpiece of scholarship," this reference work will be of great interest and use for scholars, students of religion and theology as well as general readers.

Philosophical theology is aimed primarily at theoretical understanding of the nature and attributes of God and of God's relationship to the world and its inhabitants. During the twentieth century, much of the philosophical community (both in the Anglo-American analytic tradition and in Continental circles) had grave doubts about our ability to attain any such understanding. In recent years the analytic tradition in particular has moved beyond the biases that placed obstacles in the way of the pursuing questions located on the interface of philosophy and religion. The result has been a rebirth of serious, widely-discussed work in philosophical theology. The Oxford Handbook of Philosophical Theology attempts both to familiarize readers with the directions in which this scholarship has gone and to pursue the discussion into hitherto under-examined areas. Written by some of the leading scholars in the field, the essays in the Handbook are grouped in five sections. In the first ("Theological Prolegomena"), articles focus on the authority of scripture and tradition, on the nature and mechanisms of divine revelation, on the relation between religion and science, and on theology and mystery. The next section ("Divine Attributes") focuses on philosophical problems connected with the central divine attributes: aseity, omnipotence, omniscience, and the like. In Section Three ("God and Creation"), essays explore theories of divine action and divine providence, questions about petitionary prayer, problems about divine authority and God's relationship to morality and moral standards, and various formulations of and responses to the problem of evil. The fourth section ("Topics in Christian Philosophy") examines philosophical problems that arise in connection with such central Christian doctrines as the trinity, the incarnation, the atonement, original sin, resurrection, and the Eucharist. Finally, Section Five ("Non-Christian Philosophical Theology") introduces readers to work that is being done in Jewish, Islamic, and Chinese philosophical theology.

Uniquely authoritative and wide-ranging in its scope, The Oxford Dictionary of the Christian Church is the indispensable reference work on all aspects of the Christian Church. It contains over 6,500 cross-referenced A-Z entries, and offers unrivalled coverage of all aspects of this vast and often complex subject, from theology; churches and denominations; patristic scholarship; and the bible; to the church calendar and its organization; popes; archbishops; other church leaders; saints; and mystics. In this new edition, great efforts have been made to increase and strengthen coverage of non-Anglican denominations (for example non-Western European Christianity), as well as broadening the focus on Christianity and the history of churches in areas beyond Western Europe. In particular, there have been extensive additions with regards to the Christian Church in Asia, Africa, Latin America, North America, and Australasia. Significant updates have also been included on topics such as liturgy, Canon Law, recent international developments, non-Anglican missionary activity, and the increasingly important area of moral and pastoral theology, among many others. Since its first appearance in 1957, the ODCC has established itself as an essential resource for ordinands, clergy, and members of religious orders, and an invaluable tool for academics, teachers, and students of church history and theology, as well as for the general reader.

This volume surveys the state of the discipline on topics of greatest importance to evangelical theology. The authors critically assess the state of the question, from both classical and evangelical traditions, and propose a future direction for evangelical thinking on the subject.--[Résumé de l'éditeur].

A world-renowned sociologist argues that evangelical biblicism is impossible and produces unwanted pastoral consequences.

SEARCHING FOR ABSOLUTES IN A POSTMODERN WORLD. In this postmodern age, truth--especially religious or moral truth--is widely criticized and constantly challenged, yet perhaps more important than ever. It was this realization that led James Emery White to examine the concepts of truth as held by five twentieth -century theologians: - Cornelius Van Til - Millard J. Erickson - Francis A. Schaeffer - Donald G. Bloesch - Carl F. H. Henry

Misusing Scripture offers a thorough and critical evaluation of American evangelical scholarship on the Bible. This strand of scholarship exerts enormous influence on the religious beliefs and practices, and even cultural and political perspectives, of millions of evangelical Christians in the United States and worldwide. The book brings together a diverse array of authors with expertise on the Bible, religion, history, and archaeology to critique the nature and growth of "faith-based" biblical scholarship. The chapters focus on inerrancy and textual criticism, archaeology and history, and the Bible in its ancient and contemporary contexts. They explore how evangelicals approach the Bible in their biblical interpretation, how "biblical" archaeology is misused to bolster distinctive views about the Bible, and how disputed interpretations of the Bible impact issues in the public square. This unique and timely volume contributes to a greater understanding and appreciation of how contemporary American evangelicals understand and use the Bible in their private and public lives. It will be of particular interest to scholars of biblical studies, evangelical Christianity, and religion in the United States.