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The Great Theologians: A Brief Guide Paperback – March 8, 2010

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Gerald R. McDermott (Author)
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4.8 out of 5 stars 14 customer reviews
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Product Details

  • Paperback: 214 pages
  • Publisher: IVP Academic (March 8, 2010)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 0830838759
  • ISBN-13: 978-0830838752
  • Product Dimensions: 6 x 0.6 x 9 inches
  • Shipping Weight: 13.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
  • Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (14 customer reviews)
  • Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #27,641 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Top Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 starsWisdom in a multitude of counselors
By Michael Dalton VINE VOICE on June 13, 2010
Format: Paperback
In The Great Theologians: A Brief Guide, Gerald R. McDermott provides "a short and accessible introduction to some of the greatest theologians - so that any thinking Christian" can "get a ballpark idea of what is distinctive to each."

Do we need to read and study what the great minds of the church have said? McDermott answers, "Ignoring the great and godly minds of the church - who have been ruminating on God for thousands of years - when we have them at our fingertips through books and even the Internet seems to be a kind of arrogance and presumption." He likens comparing our thoughts with theirs as iron sharpening iron (Prov. 27:17 KJV). By studying their works we can learn what theology is best.

The author chose eleven individuals who, in his opinion, had the greatest influence on the development of Christian thought. This does not mean that all of them had good theology. Friedrich Schleiermacher gave rise to liberal theology, but understanding his thought is important to comprehending the strange turns taken by modern theology.

Each chapter covers a different individual and begins with a story about the person's life, highlighting important events. This leads to a review of the main themes in their thinking. The author then zeroes in on one theme that is distinctive to that individual and examines it in detail. He concludes each section with lessons we can learn, a brief selection from the person's writings, questions for reflection and discussion, and a list of resources for further reading.

The author's knowledge of the subject matter, his eye for important details, his skill as a writer and his wisdom in providing practical application make this a delight to read. Even though I had read about most of these individuals before, I gained new insights.Read more ›
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5.0 out of 5 starsTheology for the rest of the world
By Emily on December 14, 2010
Format: Paperback
As interested in the "greats" of Christian theology as I am, I was intimidated by the sheer vastness of the field. I didn't know where to begin. No matter what I read, it seemed that each theologian referred to the works of yet another theologian I had never heard of. Fortunately this book gives a concise, well-balanced, and interesting overview of the main theologians. After reading this book, I have a better understanding of the history of both the Christian church, and the Western world as a whole. For the time-pressed college student, or anyone who wants to know more about theology but lacks the time, this book is a great place to start. It's a fairly easy read, and I would say that even some high school students might be able to handle it.

Furthermore, it has whet my appetite, and I've moved on to reading a biography and the sermons of Jonathan Edwards, one of the theologians outlined in the book. This book is theology for those of us who aren't in seminary. Great stuff.
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5.0 out of 5 starsA very brief guide.
By Jeffrey A. Thompson VINE VOICE on July 22, 2010
Format: Paperback
McDermott gives a very succinct and a very readable chapter on each of the lives and theologies of eleven great theologians: Origen, Athanasius, Augustine, Augustine, Calvin, Edwards, Schleiermacher, Newman, Barth and Von Balthasar. Each chapter starts with a biographical sketch. It then covers the major themes of thought of the theologian. Third, the chapter covers the distinctive theme for that theologian. The rest of the chapter has a section on what we can learn from the theologian, a short selection from one of the works of the theologian, a few discussion questions and finally some recommended readings.

McDermott's writing is easy to read and is very enthusiastic about theology. He brings out the strengths of the theologian and some of the problems. However, he always has irenic tone to his writing. I've read most of the theologians and for a brief summary, McDermott's does a very good job about bringing out the main themes of the theologians. His chapter on Edwards is my favorite because he brought out how Edwards focused on the beauty of God rather than the wrath of God in his work. People who know only Edwards's sermon "Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God" might be surprised by that observation. I found his biographical sketch of Calvin a little too simplistic, but his summary of his theology was good. The final chapter is about how we can learn from all the theologians and use the "Great Tradition". I would equate "Great Tradition" to C. S. Lewis's "Mere Christianity." The suggestions are valid, but I think has some problems as well. Some of the true contributions of these theologians come from heights the theologians climbed and not the common grounds where ecumenical theology treads.Read more ›
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4.0 out of 5 starsA Primer on Great Theologians
By Alex Tang on January 17, 2011
Format: Paperback Verified Purchase
Gerald McDermott is professor of religion and philosophy at Roanoke College in Salem, Virginia and a teaching pastor at St. John Lutheran Church. In this brief survey he introduces eleven theologians which he considers to have contributed significantly to the development of theology. These theologians are Origen, Athanasius, Augustine, Thomas Aquinas, Martin Luther, John Calvin, Jonathan Edwards, Friedrich Schleiermacher, John Henry Newman, Karl Barth and Hans Urs von Balthasar.

His approach is very useful. He first introduces them by giving a short theological biography about them, then highlights several main features of their theological contributions and then focuses on their main contribution. I find this very useful as a primer for non theologians and for people who wants to know more about theology but are afraid to ask.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 starsOverall, a good read concerning some of the major players in the...

This is a great beginner's guide to some of the greatest theologians. His biographies are condensed, but succinctly address each one quite nicely and can be treated as a number of... Read more

Published 9 months ago by Ryan
5.0 out of 5 starsA Great resource. Came before time and as described

A Great resource. Came before time and as described. This is another reference I used for my doctoral research o9n Spiritual Giftedness.
Thank you.

Published 10 months ago by Amazon Customer
4.0 out of 5 starsFour Stars

A good start and could be expanded

Published 19 months ago by Paul A Morrison
5.0 out of 5 starsA very good introduction to some of the great theologians of the...

This book is absolutely magnificent in offering a brief introduction to some of the major theologians that have spanned church history. Read more

Published 19 months ago by TheophilusBana
5.0 out of 5 starsThe Great Theologians

I was more than impressed that the book looked almost "new". With such type of purchases one can never really know what to expect, especially a used book. Read more

Published on June 9, 2013 by Martinez
5.0 out of 5 starsWell done.

This is an excellent book for those wanting to know about the great theologians-it is written so that a layman can read and digest the information easily. Read more

Published on February 16, 2013 by C. Johnson-Ackermann
5.0 out of 5 starsYou're gonna want more

Prepare to be absolutely shocked by these brief stories of some of the world's great thinkers. I found this book riveting. Read more

Published on January 21, 2013 by Kevin Pratt
5.0 out of 5 starsVery well written and easy to read.

I am using this book currently as the study material for the Adult Sunday school in my church. I have found that the people who are in my study have found this book to be very... Read more

Published on November 17, 2010 by Adam Moore
4.0 out of 5 starsCouldn't go too far wrong with this..

As I started out on this book, I have to say I was a little hesitant.

The thought that kept on repeating on me was how can you encapsulate the life work of any prolific... Read more

Published on August 13, 2010 by C. Gracey
5.0 out of 5 starsGreat Introduction to the Great Theologians

Want a quick glimpse of Christianity's foremost theologians? Gerald McDermott provides brief biographical sketches, theological summaries, and primary source material from eleven... Read more

Published on August 5, 2010 by Trevin Wax

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