Customer Reviews

Essentials of Christian Theology

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William Placher is a well-known theologian, a good writer and a great teacher, recognised as such by the American Academy of Religion a few years ago. When this book came out last year, I recognised it at once as a very valuable resource, both for classroom use and for congregational study. The book can be used as a good introduction to the key issues in theology, a companion volume for systematic theology classes, a worthwhile text for contemporary issues in theology, and a good pro-and-con collection on significant topics. As such, it should serve as a textbook in many settings.

Many of the names incorporated into this volume are significant figures in theology. I am pleased to have met several of them; I had heard of almost all of them before getting this text, which speaks to the prominence of the contributors.

There are nine primary issues addressed in the text, each with two essays developing the topic from different (although not always directly opposing) viewpoints. Each addresses aspects of what Placher identifies in the first chapter as the five factors in context of theology in North American today -- issues of modernity, post-modernity, ecumenism, pluralism, and the Barthian challenge. Placher describes the Barthian challenge as the idea that 'Christianity should never compromise its principles to fit the culture around it.' Placher defines ecumenism and pluralism for the context of this book, but modernity and post-modernity always present a challenge in definition.

Placher acknowledges that the nine primary topics are fairly standard; not all theological topics are covered here (such is often impossible in one-volume texts). He arranges them in the following manner:

Revelation and authority
Doctrine of God
Creation and providence
Human nature and sin
Christology (person and work of Jesus Christ)
Ecclesiology (church)
Christian life
Pluralism from a Christian perspective
Echatology (end-times; also, intentions and purposes)

Placher provides a brief introduction to each of the nine topics; these are almost always 7-8 pages in length, setting the stage for the subsequent dual presentations.

One of the more interesting exchanges for me was the chapter on 'Human nature and sin', where Placher paired Clark W. Williamson with Serene Jones. Serene Jones' father, Joe Jones, was a colleague of many years of Williamson; knowing Williamson and the elder Jones personally, and having met the younger Jones and having read her work independently, the exchange of views here was intriguing.

Placher's format is interesting -- the text is laid out with pull-quotes and text boxes scattered generously throughout the narrative, highlighting key points. There are suggested readings after each chapter, as well as questions for reflection and discussion. Placher's own introduction has a topically-arranged bibliography of further readings, too. There is a useful glossary of terms and names, as well as a good index.

The readings here are worthwhile without being unnecessarily hard or obtuse -- while this is a grand collection of theological scholars, it is also a good collection of accessible readings presuming no particularly in-depth theological education.

If you are beginning a journey in Christian theology, this book is for you. Dr. Placher has put together a collection of essays by 18 distinguished scholars. Nine important issues are discussed. Each section begins with a helpful introduction by Dr. Placher which serves to frame the discussion. Then two authors with different perspectives present their thoughts on the topic. At the end of each chapter are questions for discussion and a list of additional resources.

This book could serve as an excellent launching pad for further research in any of these areas. The great thing about the book is that it is not set up in an "us" versus "them" way. The authors don't set themselves up on the opposite sides of issues. Rather, each presents his or her own views in a non-confrontational way. By reading two perspectives on an issue, more of the nuance of the topic shows through. This is a wonderful resource.

I teach at a conservative evangelical seminary and used this as a supplementary text to the mainstay (Millard Erickson). I must say that Placher has done a fantastic job of choosing a stellar lineup of essayists from a broad spectrum of opinion. Moreover, unlike some counterpoint books that leave the reader bewildered, each section here is unified by Placher's excellent introductions. The opinions expressed range from progressive evangelical to mainline liberal, and while there are definitely some places where my students were irritated (e.g. a defense of homosexual practice) or simply mystified (Cobb's process theology), their overall impression was positive. They recognized how much their horizons had been broadened, and that is the mark of an excellent introduction.

As a seminary student who read this book over the summer, not for a class, but just to keep up my theological "chops," I wholeheartedly recommend this book to anyone wanting to explore different facets of theology from a multitude of viewpoints. The best use of this book is to read the introductions and the essays, and note the authors and issues of interest for future exploration. Because of the diversity of viewpoints, nobody will be in agreement with every theologian in this book. But all of them will make you think. Most of the authors (not all) operate from the traditional trinitarian framework at least as a launching pad, so much of this material at least speaks the same language as the knowledgable reader.

In my opinion, the most interesting theologians represented were John Cobb, the process theologian, whose writings I might investigate further, and Serene Jones, who does theology that makes sense to the averate person in the pew (actually, there are several who do that). My least favorites were Clark Williamson, a stereotypical liberal on a soapbox, and Sallie McFague, who gets too close to pantheism for my comfort (actually, she would be known as a "panentheist"). It was encouraging to me to read some very thoughtful evangelicals as well, including Stanley Grenz and Richard Mouw.

Bottom line: if you want to get past Calvin, Luther, and that ilk and see where the action is in theology TODAY, this is a great place to start.

Placher's volume is helpful to the first-time reader of Christian theology, but it is also engaging to a more seasoned audience. His introduction ("Why Bother with Theology?") not only stands as a useful argument on its own--it also sets an appropriate tone for the rest of the book.

Each chapter focuses on a specific issue of Christian doctrine (e.g. trinity, atonement, church). Placher begins every chapter with a brief but cogent summary of the history of the topic, including some of the historical theological perspectives that have shaped how we think about the topic today.

The chapters continue with brief essays from prominent contemporary theologians--two per chapter--presenting their perspectives. They represent the diversity in contemporary theological scholarship, ranging from the liberal to the conservative, the systematic to the scriptural, and including liberation and feminist theologies.

It is a great first-time read, and it is also something that should then be kept on the shelf for future reference. It may be rather expensive, but it is worth every penny.

Essentials of Christian Theology Edited by William Placher, 2003.

I will not bother reciting an outline of the book's contents, as Mr. ErFurt Messick has already done an admirable job for us. I will add to the five star reviews the opinion that this is a superior source for learning about Christian Theology. I also agree with Mr. Messick that several of the contributors to this book, especially Stanley Grenz (recently departed), Robert Jenson, Sallie McFague, Ted Peters, and Noel Leo Erskine are major names in American writing on Theology. My apologies to the others if I am less familiar with their work.

I was especially pleased to see the chapter entitled 'What About Them?' which took a far lively look at the nature of relations between Christian faiths and the other faiths of the world. That a book limited to nine theological topics should include that one is a very nice recommendation for the book. My only problem with the subject in general within Christianity is that it strikes me as being like a conference between Alexander the Great, Caesar Augustus, Hannibal, Gengis Khan, and Cyrus the Great came to a conference in Athens, hosted by Alexander, who seated everyone at a rectangular table with him at the head (maybe King David at the other head), opened the windows so that the sun shined in everyone's eyes but his, and gave himself a highest chair. It seems that, from a scholarly point of view, it is better a topic for Philosophy of Religion than for Theology. After ruminating on that thought for a bit, I still think the Philosophy faculty is better equipped to handle it, but I agree with Placher that it is an issue in which Christians need to place themselves with a reasonable amount of honesty.

This one issue is a case study in how I feel about the treatment of Theology in general, in higher education. Another trouble spot is in the area of what one may call 'contextual' theologies, where black African-American women (womanists) have a different theology than South American (liberationist) resistance clerics. I am all in favor of contextual hermeneutics, but those things which go on on either side of hermeneutics, exegesis and theology, seem to be aiming at a single consensus understanding of Christianity and its sources.

So there are two topics which fall outside the lines of the way Martin Luther or John Calvin may have imagined theology. And that brings up another point. I find it odd that general introductions to Christian theology are very light on Catholic theology (Carl Rahner does get mentioned now and again) and silent on Eastern Orthodox Christianity (although books on Theosis and Kenosis do seem to be more common lately).

Bottom line is that by bringing in 18 different voices on 9 different subjects, Christian Theology is presented in a somewhat more 'crazy quilt' fashion than usual. Placher goes to great lengths to integrate the material. Each pair of essays on each subject has a Placher introduction, but there is little cohesion between the related subjects of Trinity, Christology, and Atonement. I also sometimes find the essays just too short to do their subjects justice. Most of the time, they seem like journal survey articles giving a summary of opinions on the topic.

This is more like a 'reader' on theology topics than a coherent text, and for a reader, I prefer the original voices such as Augustine, Basil, Abelard, Aquinas, Luther, Calvin, Schleiermacher, and Barth. A 'good' book, but not great.

The book arrived faster than I thought it would considering the distance. It arrived in perfect shape at a fair price. I will buy from them again.

Essentials of Christian Theology was a well written and very well organized book. It provided a good sampling of historical and contemporary theological questions, perspectives and interesting writing styles. Placher kept his views in the mix as well. Systematic Theology is not an easy subject but the diversity of perspectives and tones was helpful. The book provided a good introduction to the subject capable of holding the interest of newbies to the field. I liked the structural arrangement very much which allowed for focus on some primary theological questions and the presentation of the material in a fairly uncomplicated but not overly simplistic manner.

The type was easy to see and the layout of the book was also easy on the eye with enough white space to give the mind and the eye adequate rest. The Glossary and Index were indispensible! This book is an important contribution to help students achieve scholastic appreciation of a subject historically made over bearing and unecessarily dense.

I was very skeptical when I read the authors brief summary in the beginning of this book. He states the views are from people from every walk, ethnic and "sexual orientation." That automatically threw a red flag for me. The view on homosexuals is jaded and far from Divine viewpoint. One reviewer was absolutely correct when he stated "it is a place for liberals and Christians to meet." Saints don't compromise leave this book on the discounted shelf.