Shapers of Christian Orthodoxy: Engaging with Early and Medieval Theologians [Paperback]

Bradley G. Green (Editor)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 5, 2010

• Irenaeus
• Tertullian
• Origen
• Athanasius
• The Cappadocians
• Augustine
• Anselm
• Aquinas

The best of evangelical theology has always paid attention to the key thinkers, issues and doctrinal developments in the history of the church. What God has done in the past is key to understanding who we are and how we are to live. The purpose of this volume is threefold: to introduce a selection of key early and medieval theologians, to strengthen the faith of evangelical Christians by helping them to understand the riches of the church's theological reflection, and to help them learn how to think theologically. These essays offer insightful analysis of and commentary on eight key theologians, from Irenaeus to Aquinas, along with critical assessment of how evangelicals should view and appropriate the insights of these thinkers. The intention of the contributors is to, as Augustine says, cultivate minds "fired by the grace of our creator and savior" so that we might think well and rightly about our good and great God and live in his light.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"For those evangelicals who are seeking to advance their understanding of how Christianity evolved before the Reformation, this collection of essays offers the means of doing so. The reader will see clearly how Protestantism, indebted to its predecessors, is part of a larger and older continuum of faith." (D. H. Williams, professor of religion in patristics and historical theology, Baylor University )

"This is a superb collection of essays on the greatest theologians of the Great Tradition during the first thirteen centuries of church history. It is encouraging to see such fresh and creative engagement with the development of Christian doctrine seen through the prism of its major shapers. Highly recommended!" (Timothy George, Beeson Divinity School )

"Every student of Christian truth should be aware of the doctrinal contribution of each of the persons treated in this volume. The authors, experts in their field of contribution, have given substantial treatment to the thought of each individual, highlighting their major and enduring contribution to Christian thought, but including their thinking on a wide spectrum of subjects. Brad Green's editorial conception of how each chapter should progress and the overall contribution it should make to the whole makes this an eminently useful book as a text. But its textbook quality does not mean that it is not just as desirable for pleasure reading. The combination of explanatory narrative, interaction with other scholars and primary source references creates both relevance and credibility for an important discussion of vital foundational issues in the history of Christian doctrine." (Tom Nettles, The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary )

"One of the most encouraging developments in evangelical theology over the last few years has been the increasing awareness among its theologians of the fact that the roots of much evangelical belief predate the Reformation. Yet it remains the case that there are few entry-level guides to the great thinkers of the early and medieval church which are specifically designed to help evangelicals come to a better understanding of the origins of their thinking. For this reason, this collection of essays is most welcome, as it not only provides the reader with helpful introductions to the thought of key theologians but also opens up avenues of further exploration for those interested in probing deeper into the great resources of the wider Christian tradition." (Carl Trueman, Westminster Theological Seminary )

"These substantial essays are clear and scholarly introductions to some of the main patristic and early medieval theologians. It is not possible to understand the theology of the Reformation or of the Puritan movement, or of evangelicalism more generally, without recognizing that these movements consciously built not only upon Scripture, but on a conciliar, patristic and early medieval foundation. At the Reformation this tradition was deliberately purified, not overthrown. The editor and the other contributors are to be congratulated on providing fine studies of those whose writings helped to form the orthodox Protestant identity." (Paul Helm, Regent College )

"Protestant theology has sometimes been charged with dismissing tradition in favor of Scripture alone. More plausibly, it has been criticized for creating a time warp in which theological students are transported directly from Augustine to the sixteenth-century Reformers. This volume effectively challenges both of these assumptions by attending to a variety of key thinkers from the early centuries and the Middle Ages. Their significance for contemporary evangelical Christianity is here demonstrated in essays that offer clear, accessible and scholarly introductions to a student audience. In opening up important fields of historical theology, this collection will provide a valuable study guide." (David Fergusson, professor of divinity and principal of New College, University of Edinburgh )

Product Details

• Paperback: 398 pages
• Publisher: IVP Academic (October 5, 2010)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0830838864
• ISBN-13: 978-0830838868
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 6 x 1.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #329,679 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Brad Green lives in Jackson, Tennessee, where he teaches theology at Union University. He is also one of the founders of Augustine School, a Christian liberal arts school in Jackson. His web page is www.bradleyggreen.com. For info on "The Gospel and the Mind," see www.thegospelandthemind.com.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An excellent introduction to the theologians who theologized, January 21, 2011

By 

Joel L. Watts "Joel Watts" (Charleston, WV) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Shapers of Christian Orthodoxy: Engaging with Early and Medieval Theologians (Paperback)

In a compendium of Christian theologians, editor Bradley G. Green compiles accounts of ten (Irenaeus, Tertullian, Origen, Athanasius, The Three Cappadocians, Augustine, Anselm, Aquinas) early and medievel doctors of the Christian church which secured Christian orthodoxy for generations to come. While orthodoxy was not always present, the contributors are able to show a clearer line of connection between the ancient writers and thinkers by writing short theo-biographical essays and laying in a chronological method. While there is no end to the making of books on these theologians, by having shorter essays, next to each other and in one (con)dense volume, modern Christians can easily spot the building blocks to modern orthodoxy.

This book works as a teaching tool for Church history as well as an introduction to how to do theology - something that the editor notes he learned from reading Augustine. Far too often, many modern Christians are disconnected with their past, namely the theologians who have shaped and built the ancient theological framework of the Church. Simply put, not every theological stance seen as orthodox today came suddenly from the Apostles. Most developed in one way or another over time. So do the methods of theologizing (not Anslem and Thomas Aquinas), but we often simply study the now well-developed theology as if it has always been. What each essayist does is to remind us that with each theologian, he was building only upon those who came before, but also putting himself into the mix. For example, Shelton notes that Irenaeus spoke of God personally, and not about God as those pre-dated the Bishop of Lyons while Augustine, according to Green, continuously rehashed his life while working through his theological treatises while Athanasius made use of Ignatius of Antioch.

Each essay on the life of a theologian begins with a brief biographical sketch but is mainly focused on the theological centers of the saint's writing. For example, Green's essay on Augustine is sectioned off into areas such as `The Theology and theologizing of Augustine', `Augustine the recipient of grace' and such, but with each of these main sections broken down further into smaller focuses such as `God the cause of evil?' which falls under the subsection of Man under the formerly mentioned larger area. In `God the cause of evil?' Green attempts to correct a long held view that Augustine viewed God as the ultimate cause of evil, which is of no small disconcerting effort to modern senses. The essayist answers the question not by merely explaining Augustine, or making excuses for him as many are apt to do for the tougher theologians such as Tertullian and Calvin, but by letting Augustine defend himself against such tradition. Each essay is well cited, filled to the brim with actual quotations, and bookended with the essayist's evaluation of the theologian or some form of appropriation for the modern reader. Essentially, the questions are asked as to who the theologian was, what did they bring to the Church, and more importantly, why do they still continue to matter today. Along with this is included, for each theologian, and well stocked bibilography.

What may be lacking, or perhaps an unwelcomed addition, is a pure Protestant viewpoint. For example, with Irenaeus, the essaying seems to go out of his way to defend the Protestant viewpoint about papal authority and observance of Mary although I am sure he would readily admit that Rome and the East appropriate the theologian in much the same way that Protestants do, both to their own ends. Further, his study and treatment of Irenaeus' view of the Godhead seems to be overly optimistic to the Trinitarian doctrine while Carl Beckwith`s treatment of Marcellus of Ancyra is rather one sided, forcing Marcellus deeper into heresy, the pit from which modern scholarship is pulling him from. While the effect of bringing various essayists to bare is that different styles and biases appear, the only consistent bias is that certain doctrines are to remain almost undeveloped from the start, all the while acknowledging that they were developed and to tread upon ancient prejudices. If we accept the principle of doctrinal progression, then it would be useful to acknowledge it for most to all of the doctrines and ask the question, which is glossed over in this book, to what end can we say that any of them are now fully developed?

Many Christians today simply do not have an understanding of how, or who, developed doctrine. Not only are the people necessary to know, but so too the circumstances in which these doctrines developed and beyond that as well, how radically different Christianity may have turned out had heresies become orthodox. Books such as this one work towards that end with the goal of educating the Christian to know more about his or her faith and in some way contribute themselves to the progression of the Christian Church. We may each have our favorite theologians, but to see them almost in a ladder form, helps to place them in the context of both the history and the future. We know upon whom they rested so that we know upon whom we rest.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Important Christian Theologians, June 11, 2011

By 

James (ROSSVILLE, TN, United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Shapers of Christian Orthodoxy: Engaging with Early and Medieval Theologians (Paperback)

Evangelicals have been blessed with the recent increase of studies on the early church fathers. For example, Michael Haykin's "Rediscovering the Church Fathers: Who They Were and How They Shaped the Church" and Bryan Litfin's "Getting to Know the Church Fathers: An Evangelical Introduction" both come to mind as recent good introductions. This is another important book in the study of the early church fathers, as it examines eight key theologians in the Christian tradition who have shaped what we believe today. The theologians included in this volume are the following (with the author in parenthesis):

Irenaeus (W. Brian Shelton)

Tertullian (Gerald Bray)

Origen (Bryan Litfin)

Athanasius (Carl Beckwith)

The Cappadocians (Robert Letham)

Augustine (Bradley G. Green)

Anselm (David Hogg)

Aquinas (Mark W. Elliott)

Each entry contains a short biography introducing the theologian, an introduction to specific writings, and a theological analysis. The individual sections close with a bibliography for further research.

To take an example, Brad Green's chapter is a good introduction to Augustine's thought. Covering almost 60 pages (pp. 235-292), Green provides a glimpse into key aspects of Augustine's life and theology. After surveying Augustine's life, Green examines some of the major points of his thought: God, Creation, Providence, Man, Grace and Salvation, Incarnation and Redemption, Church and Sacraments, Bible and Knowledge, and Civil Authority. In each case, although Green cannot go into detail, he does go to the important sections of quotes in Augustine's writings (such as the Confessions for aspects of salvation and City of God for issues related to Civil Authority). What I found helpful about the chapter is that it gives you the ability to see where something is in Augustine's massive writings, and go there for yourself. That is the benefit of an introductory volume like this, and each chapter does something along these lines.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent summary of the lives and thought of some important Christians of the past., January 10, 2011

By 

PastoralMusings "mslapastor" (Dixie) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Shapers of Christian Orthodoxy: Engaging with Early and Medieval Theologians (Paperback)

Intervarsity Press is doing a wonderful work for Christians with their commitment to bringing the writings of the ancients to us. Among these is an introduction to some early and medieval theologians that is called "Shapers of Christian Orthodoxy".

This book covers the life, thought, writings, and theology of Inenaeu, Tertullian, Origen, Athanasius, The Cappadocians, Augustine, Anselm, and Aquinas.

The contributors are honest about the ones of whom they write. They show their great contributions to Christian theology, and they also show their errors. What I appreciated was that they seemed to deal fairly with some who have not been fairly dealt with. I am speaking specifically of Tertullian and Origen. Though not without their failures, these two are certainly rehabilitated through an examination of their lives and writings. Thankfully, we can find that they were not as bad as many of us have been told.

In a time when the church is adrift theologically and many evangelicals fear the ancients, this book is a welcome help to those who are serious about Christian doctrine from an ancient perspective.

This review copy provided freely by IVP with no expectation or demand of a positive review.