Systematic theology is important. Taking the Bible’s teaching and answering questions about God’s nature, the Bible’s presentation of anthropology and what exactly this thing called church should be provides applications of Scripture that instruct the church and prod her toward godliness. But systematic theology is necessarily done by people.
So theology is a decidedly human project, complete with all of the influences and experiences to which all people are bound. For instance, the Christian formulation of the Trinity, came as a response to those who questioned the deity of Jesus. For this reason, it became imperative for the church to articulate the teaching of the Bible concerning Jesus’ function within the godhead. Without at least a cursory knowledge of its history, one cannot fully understand the importance of clearly and deliberately promoting a Trinitarian Christology.
For this reason, Gregg R. Allison, professor of Christian theology at Southern Seminary, provided the church with a resource tracing the growth and development of the foundational doctrines of Protestant theology.
“Such concentration on the accumulated wisdom of the ages provides great benefit to Christians and churches today as they seeks to live faithfully and obediently to Jesus Christ,” writes Allision.
Allison’s new book Historical Theology, closely follows Wayne Grudem’s popular-standard Systematic Theology, tracing the historical development of the doctrines Grudem presents. Billed as “companion” to Grudem, Allison’s book resembles Grudem’s in both its organization and format.
In his introduction, Allison lists eight reasons for studying historical theology: (1) the church owns a long history of guarding orthodox Christianity against heresy; (2) faithful and diligent Christians in the past contributed foundational biblical interpretations and theological formulations on which the church still relies; (3) church history is home to admirable examples of Christians living as examples of Christ; (4) studying Scripture with personalities from history combats individualism; (5) historical theology informs the church’s communication to her current context; (6) history naturally emphasizes the most important issues -- majors on the majors; (7) the past shines with examples of God’s promise-keeping faithfulness to his people; and (8) historical theology places the church in a long-standing tradition of learning, preaching and living the gospel.
Allison, following Grudem, treats the primary areas of theology: the Bible, God, humanity, Christ, the Holy Spirit, salvation, the church and the end of time. For each area, he surveys teachings on the subject from the early church, the middle ages, Reformation and post-Reformation and modern times.
“My hope is that the church, and evangelicals in particular, will become as familiar with the giant of the past -- clement of Rome, Justin Martyr, Irenaeus, Augustine, Thomas Aquinas, Martin Luther, Huldrych Zwingli, John Calvin, John Wesley, Karl Barth -- as they are with Billy Graham, John Piper, J.I. Packer, Chuck Colson, Ravi Zacharias, Tim Keller, Al Mohler, and Mark Driscoll.”
As an introduction to historical theology, Allison’s new work will not disappoint the reader who seeks to learn from that great cloud of witnesses in church history.
Historical Theology: An Introduction to Christian Doctrine (Zondervan 2011, $44.99), Gregg R. Allison
Late this week I got it in the mail. Then, about mid morning today, I got it in my hands (insert mail-receiving realities of apartment living). Here's what I saw first:
