Understanding Christian Doctrine.

Intro -- Title Page -- Copyright Page -- Contents -- Preface to the Second Edition -- Acknowledgments -- Introduction -- Chapter 1 Finding a Way In -- The Social Dimension -- Why Bother with the Christian Worldview? -- Problems -- It Looks Like Religion is on the Way Out -- Science has Displaced Religion -- Metaphysics is Impossible -- Agnosticism Makes More Sense -- Religion is Horrid and Cruel -- Religion Reinforces Patriarchy -- Faith is Just a Psychological Projection -- The Next Stage -- Questions for Reflection and Discussion -- Glossary -- Chapter 2 The Theistic Claim -- Natural Theology -- Arguments for the Existence of God -- The Cosmological Argument -- The Ontological Argument -- The Design Argument -- Contemporary Physics -- Additional Arguments -- Moral Experience -- Love -- Music, Literature, and Art -- The Complex Relationship between Reason and Experience -- Conclusion -- Questions for Reflection and Discussion -- Glossary -- Chapter 3 The Nature of God -- Alternative Approaches to Christian Doctrine -- The Barthian Approach -- The Schleiermacherian Approach -- Revisionist Theologians -- The Concept of God in the Hebrew Bible -- The Classic Account of God -- The Process Challenge -- The Feminist Account of God -- Between the Two Views -- Questions for Reflection and Discussion -- Glossary -- Chapter 4 The Trinity -- Sources for Theology -- Biblical Roots for the Doctrine of the Trinity -- Development of the Doctrine of the Trinity -- Three Dangers in Interpreting the Trinity -- Modern Accounts of the Trinity -- Standing Back -- Conclusion -- Questions for Reflection and Discussion -- Glossary -- Chapter 5 The Problem of Evil and Suffering -- The Different Types of Suffering and Evil -- The Reason Why Suffering and Evil is a Problem -- The Inadequacy of the Traditional Responses -- Ivan's Question and Critique.

Doctrine as the Christian Response -- Questions for Reflection and Discussion -- Glossary -- Chapter 6 Creation and the Significance of Humanity -- The Scientific Narrative -- The Biblical Narrative -- Reconciling Different Narratives -- The Fall -- Standing Back -- Questions for Reflection and Discussion -- Glossary -- Chapter 7 God Incarnate -- Reasons for the Doctrine of the Incarnation -- New Testament Witness -- Sorting It Out in the Early Church -- Feminist Reflections -- Making Sense of the Incarnation Today -- Radical Implications of the Incarnation -- Questions for Reflection and Discussion -- Glossary -- Chapter 8 Dying to Sin, Living to Redemption -- Biblical Roots of the Atonement -- Different Theories -- Christ as Sacrifice -- Christ Who Pays the Debt -- Christ as Victor -- Christ as Moral Example -- Problems with Atonement -- Moral Authority and Forgiveness -- Conclusion -- Questions for Reflection and Discussion -- Chapter 9 The Holy Spirit and the Church -- Biblical Roots of the Doctrine of the Holy Spirit -- The Development of the Holy Spirit in the Early Church -- The Work of the Holy Spirit within the Church -- The Work of the Holy Spirit outside the Church -- Ecclesiology -- Biblical Images of the Church -- Marks of the Church -- One and Unity -- Holy -- Catholic -- Apostolic -- Other Perspectives on the Church -- Conclusion -- Questions for Reflection and Discussion -- Glossary -- Chapter 10 Sacraments and the Life of Virtue -- Definition of Sacraments -- The Classic Roman Catholic Understanding -- Reformation and Protestant Views -- Standing Back -- Questions for Reflection and Discussion -- Glossary -- Chapter 11 Religious Diversity: What is God Up To? -- Other Religions as a Problem -- The Pluralist Hypothesis -- Exclusivism -- Inclusivism -- Theologians Critical of the Categories -- Moving the Debate Forward -- Conclusion.

Questions for Reflection and Discussion -- Glossary -- Chapter 12 Hope Beyond the Grave -- Accounts of Life after Death in the Different Religions -- The Christian Tradition -- The Resurrection of Jesus -- Jesus as a Model of the Life to Come -- A Redeemed Creation -- Hell -- Conclusion -- Questions for Reflection and Discussion -- Glossary -- Chapter 13 The End of the Age -- The Scientific Account -- The Fundamentalist Account -- Standing Back -- Questions for Reflection and Discussion -- Glossary -- Chapter 14 Participating in the Conversation -- Participating in the Tradition -- Internet Resources -- Index -- EULA.

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Electronic reproduction. Ann Arbor, Michigan : ProQuest Ebook Central, 2024. Available via World Wide Web. Access may be limited to ProQuest Ebook Central affiliated libraries.