20th-Century Theology: God and the World in a Transitional Age [Paperback]

Stanley J. Grenz (Author), Roger E. Olson (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 25, 1993

Recipient of a Christianity Today 1993 Critics' Choice Award! Now in paperback! Stanley Grenz and Roger Olson offer in this text a sympathetic introduction to twentieth-century theology and a critical survey of its significant thinkers and movements. Of particular interest is their attempt to show how twentieth-century theology has moved back and forth between two basic concepts: God's immanence and God's transcendence. Their survey profiles such towering figures in contemporary theology as Karl Barth, Rudolf Bultmann, Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Reinhold Niebuhr, Paul Tillich, Jurgen Moltmann and Wolfhart Pannenberg. It critiques significant movements like neo-orthodoxy, process theology, liberation theology and theology of hope. And it assesses recent developments in feminist theology, black theology, new Catholic theology, narrative theology and evangelical theology. An indispensable handbook for anybody interested in today's theological landscape.

Product Details

• Paperback: 393 pages
• Publisher: IVP Academic (October 25, 1993)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0830815252
• ISBN-13: 978-0830815258
• Product Dimensions: 8.8 x 6 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #288,035 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Stanley J. Grenz (1950-2005) earned a B.A. from the University of Colorado at Boulder in 1973, an M.Div. from Denver Seminary in 1976 and a D.Theol. From the University of Munich (Germany) in 1978, where completed his dissertation under the supervision of Wolfhart Pannenberg.

Ordained into the gospel ministry in 1976, Grenz worked within the local church context as a youth director and assistant pastor (Northwest Baptist Church, Denver), pastor (Rowandale Baptist Church, Winnipeg), and interim pastor. In addition he preached and lectured in numerous churches, colleges, universities and seminaries in North America, Europe, Africa, Australia and Asia.

Grenz wrote or cowrote twenty-five books, the most recent of which is Rediscovering the Triune God: The Trinity in Contemporary Theology (2004). His other books include The Social God and the Relational Self: A Trinitarian Theology of the Imago Dei (Westminster John Knox), Beyond Foundationalism: Shaping Theology in a Postmodern Context (with John R. Franke; Westminster John Knox), The Moral Quest: Foundations of Christian Ethics (IVP), A Primer on Postmodernism (Eerdmans), Women in the Church: A Biblical Theology of Women in Ministry (with Denise Muir Kjesbo; IVP), Revisioning Evangelical Theology: A Fresh Agenda for the 21st Century (IVP), and The Millennial Maze: Sorting Out Evangelical Options (IVP). He has also coauthored several shorter reference and introductory books for IVP, including Who Needs Theology? An Invitation to the Study of God (with Roger E. Olson), Pocket Dictionary of Ethics (with Jay T. Smith), and Pocket Dictionary of Theological Terms (with David Guretzki and Cherith Fee Nordling). He contributed articles to more than two dozen other volumes, and has had published more than one hundred essays and eighty book reviews. These have appeared in journals such as Christianity Today, The Christian Century, Christian Scholar's Review, Theology Today and the Journal of Ecumenical Studies.

For twelve years (1990-2002), Grenz held the position of Pioneer McDonald Professor of Baptist Heritage, Theology and Ethics at Carey Theological College and at Regent College in Vancouver, British Columbia. After a one-year sojourn as Distinguished Professor of Theology at Baylor University and Truett Seminary in Waco, Texas (2002-2003), he returned to Carey and resumed his duties as Pioneer McDonald Professor of Theology. In 2004 he assumed an additional appointment as Professor of Theological Studies at Mars Hill Graduate School in Seattle, Washington.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Comprehensive, Engaging Work, December 19, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: 20th-Century Theology: God and the World in a Transitional Age (Paperback)

If you are seriously interested in understanding the current theological diversity within Christianity and how it came to be, then this book is for you. Grenz and Olson diligently present the major theological ideas that have shaped theological discourse for the past one hundred years. The book provides a detailed survey of the ideas put forth by the great theologians of the past century and the movements that they founded: Neo-Orthodoxy, Existential Theology, Secular Theology, Process Theology, Liberation Movements, Neo-Catholicism, and American Evangelicalism. The "critical evaluations" of various theologians often reflect the authors' personal biases, but on the whole, this book is a very fair presentation of the many ways in which Christianity has attempted to speak to the modern world.

17 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Excellent Introduction to the Story of Modern Theology, April 27, 2001

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www.DavidLRattigan.com (United Kingdom) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: 20th-Century Theology: God and the World in a Transitional Age (Paperback)

I have just used this book as the set text for the 'contemporary theology' module of a theology degree, and I found it an excellent introduction to the basics of recent theological thought. It is certainly accessible for the average undergraduate, and is more easy-going than, say, David Ford's heavy volume 'Modern Theologians'. Although the writers are evangelicals, they generally treat those of other stock fairly even-handedly, and they cover all the main points and never fail to offer poignant criticisms. It becomes a little pedantic at times, particularly some of the obligatory words of praise offered to some of the more objectionable theologians such as Rudolf Bultmann. Such flattery seems rather insincere. There are also one or two points that could have been explained a bit more clearly, instead of being glossed over. On the whole though I couldn't recommend a better intro to contemporary theology. Incidentally, if you are reading modern theologians for the first time, I recommend Wolfhart Pannenberg and Karl Rahner. They were the ones who most impressed me, anyhow, and I think they both brought out important elements of the gospel.

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Excellent, November 1, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: 20th-Century Theology: God and the World in a Transitional Age (Paperback)

This is a sympathetic survery of 20th Century theology with a critical edge, which for its size is remarkably comprehensive. In their treatment of major theologians the authors weave together biographical detail with ideational exposition to make it an interesting and engrossing read (at least for those who enjoy theology!). An ideal introduction to this century's main theological currents. I wish though they could've have included a treatment of Hans Urs von Balthasar.