The mosaic of Christian belief : twenty centuries of unity and diversity
Title:
The mosaic of Christian belief : twenty centuries of unity and diversity
Personal Author EPSB:
Summary:
In this ambitious book, Olson delineates from an evangelical perspective what is and is not authentic Christian belief. Chapters feature such topics as the Bible, God, Jesus and the Church, beginning with an overview of orthodox belief about the topic, citing Scripture, the Church Fathers and noted Christian writers throughout history. Olson then devotes a section to heretical beliefs, and follows this with an examination of diverse non-heretical beliefs among orthodox Christians (including Roman Catholics, Eastern Orthodox believers, and most Protestants). He ends each chapter envisioning greater unity among Christians, despite honest disagreements. Attempting to mediate among the myriad dogmas, doctrines and opinions of orthodox Christians is no easy task, and Olson's descriptions of certain right beliefs and heresies (such as the psychological analogy for the Trinity and modalism) are sometimes barely distinguishable. Despite these and other small logical problems, Olson's book contributes greatly to contemporary evangelicalism not only in its impressive survey of many theologies, but also in its use of "The Great Tradition" of Christian belief as an essential guide to orthodoxy.
Year Published:
2002
Physical Description:
367 p. ; 24 cm.
Contents:
Introduction: The need for a "both-and" theology -- Christian belief : unity and diversity -- Sources and norms of Christian belief : one and many -- Divine revelation : universal and particular -- Christian Scripture: divine word and human words -- God : great and good -- God : three and one -- Creation : good and fallen -- Providence : limited and detailed -- Humanity : essentially good and existentially estranged -- Jesus Christ : God and man -- Salvation : objective and subjective -- Salvation : gift and task -- The church : visible and invisible -- Life beyond death : continuity and discontinuity -- The Kingdom of God : already and not yet.
ISBN:
9780830826957
Publisher:
Downers Grove, Ill. : InterVarsity Press ; Leicester, England : Apollos, c2002.