A history of Christian thought; [Hardcover]

Paul Tillich (Author)

Product Details

• Hardcover: 300 pages
• Publisher: S.C.M. Press; 2nd edition (1968)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0334006201
• ISBN-13: 978-0334006206
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #317,786 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

30 of 30 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Brilliant and scholarly, but a bit dry., January 11, 2002

By 

Kerry Sullivan (Taylor, Texas) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: A History of Christian Thought (Touchstone Books) (Paperback)

These lectures clearly reveal Paul Tillich as one of the greatest, most brilliant, theologians of the 20th century. The book summarizes and critiques the entire history of Christian thought (with special emphasis on German theologians). Tillich's appraisals of others are completely fair. His own insights that he shares along the way are those of a devout and brilliant liberal Christian. He summarizes his approach as follows: "Theology must see both sides, man's essential nature, wonderfully and symbolically expressed in the paradise story, and man's existential condition, under sin, guilt, and death."

I have only one reservation. This may well be Tillich's most accessible work, as one reviewer states. But that speaks more to the difficulty of Tillich's other works than to the ease of working through this treatise. It is brilliant, it is beautiful, but it is tough going. I had to reread many passages two or three times to understand them (and a few I simply had to give up on). The book is absolutely worth the effort, but for anyone looking for a somewhat simpler (but excellent) introduction to Christian thought, I would recommend Alister McCrath's "Christian Theology, an Introduction."

38 of 41 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Tillich's Most Accessible Work, December 20, 1999

By 

Jonathan Strandjord (Chicago, IL United States) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: A History of Christian Thought (Touchstone Books) (Paperback)

Paul Tillich was perhaps the most important and influential 20th Century theologian writing in English. His books, however, are tough slogging--especially for those who haven't read all the many continental philosophers and theologians with whom Tillich was arguing. This book, which consists of transcriptions of lectures Tillich gave on the history of Christian thought, is, besides being a wonderful introduction to the subject matter, the best possible introduction to Tillich's own thinking. Wonderfully accessible, engaging and lively, this book is thoroughly readable. If only more of his lectures on other topics were available!

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent Guide to Recurrent Ideas in Theology, October 26, 2005

By 

Jason M. Silverman (Dublin, Ireland) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: A History of Christian Thought (Touchstone Books) (Paperback)

Whether or not one agrees with Tillich's theological-philosophical position or his liberal-Lutheran tendencies, his overview and analysis of Christian theology here offered is an excellent introduction or refresher. With precision and clarity he connects various movements and strains of thought which one might otherwise consider unrelated, or, more importantly, unimportant to oneself. Ultimately, the book (consistent with Tillich's existentialist leanings) attempts to point to theology's inherent purpose--personal application. He does so in this book with impeccable scholarly and intellectual skill.