Engaging Theology: A Biblical, Historical, and Practical Introduction

Good morning,I had to let people know how awesome this book is. I know it’s a textbook, but it does not read as a textbook, it reads like a conversation. Every sentence and topic seems extremely relevant and provides depth without becoming abstruse. Likewise, the pairings of concepts such as reason and faith designed not to “conquer truth” but to “protect God’s mystery” resonate.My favorite sentence so far is, “we should begin with a revelation that Jesus is a person and ask if we are genuinely human persons.” I find this stunning and worth repeating when I teach the Bible in May.Well, that’s all for now. Merry Christmas.Get Outlook for iOS

"Engaging Theology" is not just a systematic theology about doctrine, but a textbook on how and why the study of doctrine changes our lives. This book is a mere 300 pages, but is one of the most refreshing systematics I've read. "Engaging Theology" is an introductory theology book that focuses on bringing systematic theology into the context of life and practice, showing the relevance of each topic for the Christian and the Church. The first chapter isn't an introduction to theology, but a treatment of how we study theology via a theological method.•Each of the doctrines of the Christian faith are detailed, expounded, and clarified based on exegetical and theological arguments. Historical theologians are contended with and Scripture is upheld as the standard for each. Each chapter includes:- Story: a historical and developmental account of the importance of this doctrine in Church history.- Doctrinal Exposition: key elements of each doctrine are taken alongside biblical, historical, and contemporary issues and key figures.- Theological Relevance: not only is relevance highlighted for modern Christians, but dialogue between heterodox and non-Christian religions is included, addressing various theological issues and debates- Spiritual Relevance: each concludes with relevance to the spiritual life, encouragement, and integration into personal and corporate life.•This is a highly engaging and approachable systematic. It not only details theology but instructs how to do theology. The crux of each chapter is on the relevance to the believer in public, personal, and corporate life—and this feature alone is what makes this an invaluable volume for any Christian, pastor, or teacher. **book graciously provided by Zondervan Academic for an honest review

I have read numerous theology books and introductions to theology as a holder of multiple degrees in theology, and working on another. This book stands in a league of its own.One of my main complaints with theological textbooks or "systematic theology" as some would call it is the isolation of the theology from Christian history. As the history of the church is the history of God's activity in the church it is important for me to see how each theological topic has been handled throughout church history. This book does an excellent job of engaging historical theology alongside the systematic elements of theology.Above all, I love the accessibility of this book. While introductions to theology are below my normal scope of reading, as a pastor I am constantly looking for the best book to point new converts to the faith in order to align them with orthodox beleifs. Each conversation (chapter) will include a story of a key figure in Christian history that helped to define the belief, a doctrinal exposition of the ins and outs of the belief, a contemporary theological reflection and how that belief engages with contemporary culture, and lastly, each conversation will include a discussion on how this belief influences a personal individual practice of the faith and spiritual formation.The thing that I love about the structure of these conversations is that it checks all of the boxes that I want someone to know about theology. It checks the box for its historical development, the details of the belief, its contemporary relevance, and how that belief influences your own personal spiritual formation.The last thing that I want to point out is that this book does a good job of not trying to indoctrinate the reader to one particular vein of Christian expression (The authors are evangelical but the book isn't a dogma of evangelical expression). In the words of the authors themselves, they quote an early Protestant theologian saying, "In essentials unity, in non-essentials liberty, and in all things charity." So they stay true to the essentials of the faith (which they define and I think rightfully as the Nicene Creed) but they allow for diversity in both expression and belief within the non-essentials (anything outside of the creed). And in allowing for diversity, they don't create a gross caricature or paint extreme pictures of expressions that are not their own.Overall, this is hands down the best introduction to theology on the market and I will be recommending it to everyone who wants to engage in the essentials of the Christian faith!