Description
At the beginning of Christian Faith, B. A. Gerrish reminds us that dogmatics involves critical transmission of the Christian heritage. The dogmatic theologian must interpret and assess the traditional beliefs of the church while also considering the new and changing conditions in which that tradition is being embodied.
With that, Gerrish goes on to outline the various presuppositions and affirmations of the Christian faith before ultimately offering a powerful and compelling restatement of Christian faith for the twenty-first century. As part of his framework, Gerrish includes a critical comparison of Calvin's Institutes of the Christian Religion and Schleiermacher's Christian Faith while still paying close attention to the great cloud of theological witnesses from across the spectrum of Christian traditions. Gerrish's book provides a robust and penetrating revisioning of Christian theology, one that is thoroughly grounded in the classical traditions of the church.
Reviews
"Guided by his major models, John Calvin and Friedrich Schleiermacher, Professor Brian Gerrish, in this profound and judicious work, has produced the most important Glaubenslehre since Ernst Troeltsch. Both deeply grounded in his Reformed tradition and ecumenical in tone and intention, this is a dogmatic theology which no serious Christian theologian, of whatsoever confession, should miss: a masterwork by a master."
— David W. Tracy, Andrew Thomas Greeley and Grace McNichols Greeley Distinguished Service Professor Emeritus of Catholic Studies, and Professor of Theology and the Philosophy of Religions, University of Chicago Divinity School
"Brian Gerrish's long-awaited Christian Faith: Dogmatics in Outline is a gem of ripe historical scholarship and striking theological construction. Organized in two major parts, the first, 'Creation,' analyzes the 'elemental faith' presupposed by Christian faith, and the second, `Redemption,' itself divided in two ('Christ and Christian Existence' and 'The Spirit and the Church'), examines the beliefs and dogmas in which 'the distinctively Christian way of having faith' is expressed. All twenty-one chapters, introduced by finely crafted theses, begin with helpful studies of the diverse biblical sources of a doctrine, followed by explorations of significant moments in the doctrine's development (with special attention to the work of Gerrish's two 'main guides,' Calvin and Schleiermacher), before finally advancing the author's own critical and constructive statement. The author's primary criteria of dogmatic theology-fidelity to the apostolic witness to Jesus Christ and pertin nence to contemporary thought and experience-are deployed throughout the work. Rigorous and readable, fresh and thought-provoking, Gerrish's volume is an outstanding resource for teachers and students of Christian dogmatics."
— Daniel L. Migliore, Charles Hodge Professor Emeritus of Systematic Theology, Princeton Theological Seminary
"Preeminent theologian of the Reformed tradition Brian Gerrish has here set forth his much anticipated dogmatics in outline. He goes to the heart of essential Christian doctrines, adeptly engaging relevant biblical texts and key theologians. In the process, he conducts sustained conversations with Calvin and Schleiermacher—theologians for whom he is one of the foremost interpreters. Gerrish offers his own constructive conclusions in a set of theses, making good on his conviction that this is a living tradition inviting reinterpretations responsive to the context in which Christian faith is to be lived out. Christian Faith is truly a rich feast and will likely be recognized as one of the finest works of dogmatic theology in our time."
—Anna Case-Winters, Professor of Theology, McCormick Theological Seminary