Philosophy for Understanding Theology, Second Edition [Paperback]

Diogenes Allen (Author), Eric O. Springsted (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 17, 2007

Philosophy for Understanding Theology has become the classic text for exploring the relationship between philosophy and Christian theology. This new edition adds chapters on postmodernism and questions of the self and the good to bring the book up to date with current scholarship. It introduces students to the influence that key philosophers and philosophical movements through the centuries have had on shaping Christian theology in both its understandings and forms of expression.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Diogenes Allen is Stuart Professor of Philosophy Emeritus at Princeton Theological Seminary in Princeton, New Jersey. He is the author of a number of books including Christian Belief in a Postmodern World: The Full Wealth of Conviction.

Eric O. Springsted is the author of The Act of Faith: Christian Faith and the Moral Self and Simone Weil and the Suffering of Love, and editor of Spirituality and Theology.

Product Details

• Paperback: 336 pages
• Publisher: Westminster John Knox Press; 2 edition (October 17, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0664231802
• ISBN-13: 978-0664231804
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 5.9 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #204,655 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

27 of 30 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars great overview of philisophical history, July 18, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Philosophy for Understanding Theology (Paperback)

It's about time! A book that brings together the great minds of philosophical thought and their theologies in a cronologically ordered system. This is a great resource for those interested in this field. It logically brings together a history of thought from Plato to Satre and explores in a way that is not over the abilities of most college graduates. I recommend this book for those who want to put together these two disciplines in a historical context but not to the depth of reading all of the original authors. Some prior reading of the classic works in philosophy and theology is recommended in order to be able to fully utilize this resource.

17 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Outstanding, February 7, 2004

By 

John D. White "camsterdad" (Cayce, South Carolina United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Philosophy for Understanding Theology (Paperback)

Allen, of Princeton Theological Seminary, writes here of the interrelatedness of philosophy and theology within the history of Christian thought and ideas. He covers the important influence of philosophical thinking on theology from the early years with Plato and Aristotle up to today. A must read for all serious about maturing in their theology. A very helpful book for those wanting to begin the process of being theologians themselves. We are in Allen's debt for writing such an informative and readable book.

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A masterful introductory text, August 27, 2008

By 

J. Harrison (Fort Worth, TX) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Philosophy for Understanding Theology, Second Edition (Paperback)

Allen is remarkably clear and easy to read, yet he does not sacrifice scholarship or content to be so. This volume packs an amazing amount of material in its 280 pages, containing every big name in the history of philosophy. Yet this book is not simply a historical overview of the major tenets of the discipline; it is focused at every turn on showing how philosophy has impacted Christian thought. While Allen covers all one would expect from Plato and Artistotle to Hegel and Kant, he makes a deliberate effort to show how such leading Christian thinkers as Augustine and Aquinas interpreted and applied philosophy to their theology. This text is a superior introduction to the relationship between philosophy and theology. Highly recommended.