The Oxford Companion to Christian Thought (Oxford Companions) 1st Edition

by Adrian Hastings (Editor), Alistair Mason (Editor), Hugh Pyper (Editor)

19 ratings

ISBN-13: 978-0198600244

ISBN-10: 0198600240

Why is ISBN important?

Hardcover

$9.91 - $80.00

Other Sellers

from

Other Sellers

See all 1 versions

Used: Acceptable | Details

Sold by -OnTimeBooks-

Fulfilled by Amazon

Access codes and supplements are not guaranteed with used items.

Get Fast, Free Shipping with Amazon Prime

FREE delivery Sunday, July 10 if you spend $25 on items shipped by Amazon

Or fastest delivery Friday, July 8. Order within 47 mins

Select delivery location

Only 1 left in stock (more on the way).

Ships from and sold by Amazon.com.

Available at a lower price from other sellers that may not offer free Prime shipping.

FREE delivery Sunday, July 10

Or fastest delivery Friday, July 8. Order within 47 mins

Select delivery location

Available at a lower price from other sellers that may not offer free Prime shipping.

Embracing the viewpoints of Catholic, Protestant, or Orthodox thinkers, of conservatives, liberals, radicals, and agnostics, Christianity today is anything but monolithic or univocal. In The Oxford Companion to Christian Thought, general editor Adrian Hastings has tried to capture a sense of
the great diversity of opinion that swirls about under the heading of Christian thought. Indeed, the 260 contributors, who hail from twenty countries, represent as wide a range of perspectives as possible.
Here is a comprehensive and authoritative (though not dogmatic) overview of the full spectrum of Christian thinking. Within its 600 alphabetically arranged entries, readers will find lengthy survey articles on the history of Christian thought, on national and regional traditions, and on
various denominations, from Anglican to Unitarian. There is ample coverage of Eastern thought as well, examining the Christian tradition in China, Japan, India, and Africa. The contributors examine major theological topics such as resurrection, the Eucharist, and grace as well as controversial
issues such as homosexuality and abortion. In addition, short entries illuminate symbols such as water and wine, and there are many profiles of leading theologians, of non-Christians who have deeply influenced Christian thinking, including Aristotle and Plato, and of literary figures such as Dante,
Milton, and Tolstoy. Most articles end with a list of suggested readings and the book features a large number of cross-references.
The Oxford Companion to Christian Thought is an indispensable guide to one of the central strands of Western culture. An essential volume for all Christians, it is a thoughtful gift for the holidays.

Bruce M. Metzger
134
Hardcover
$19.66 List: $79.99 (75% off)
Get it Jul 11 - 15
FREE Shipping
Only 3 left in stock - order soon.
the late F. L. Cross
40
Hardcover
38 offers from $5.83
Mark Allan Powell
175
Hardcover
12 offers from $86.33

Products related to this item
Sponsored Hide feedback

Page 1 of 1Start overPage 1 of 1

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

For The Oxford Companion to Christian Thought, the editors gathered together over 250 scholars, mostly British or American, including what one might call a "celebrity" contributor or two. There's an article each by the archbishop of Canterbury and his predecessor. As one would expect from an Oxford Companion, it is a collection of impressively thoughtful, scholarly, perhaps slightly stodgy, brief summaries of academia's collected erudition on a broad selection of big subjects. That said, it aims to be more at the level of the general reader than, say, The Oxford Dictionary of the Christian Church, with fewer and longer articles and briefer reading lists.

The book is unable to be as much of a compendium of consensus as such standard reference works usually are because in many cases there is no consensus to record. The editors' have invited contributors with a sympathy for a particular subject to write on it, and this one volume contains a multitude of viewpoints--all expressed within the courteous and cautious limits of the academically respectable and predominantly from theologically liberal perspectives. The angles of approach of the articles on, for example, evangelicalism, homosexuality, and Thomas Aquinas reflect the vastly diverging views of different parts of the Christian world, some more orthodox than others. These differences add an extra level of interest to what is destined to be a standard reference for a long time to come. --David Pickering, Amazon.co.uk

From Booklist

This new Oxford Companion gives a splendid panoramic view of the Christian intellectual tradition geared for the casual reader but aptly suited for scholarly consumption. The more than 600 alphabetically arranged entries range in length from several paragraphs to several pages when treating topics like Medical ethics, Protestantism, or the theological concept Revelation. Biographical entries include a limited number of historical personalities like Aristotle, Jesus, Origen, and Martin Luther, while contemporary twentieth-century thinkers like Karl Barth, Graham Greene, and John Paul II dominate the text. The editors added a helpful index of names that do not have their own entries but are mentioned and developed in supportive subject areas.

The volume clearly illustrates the vast diversity of opinion operative in modern Christian thought. Conservatives, radicals, religious practitioners, philosophers, and unbelievers share an equal spotlight. Each entry is signed by one of 260 Catholic, Protestant, or Orthodox contributors hailing from renowned universities throughout the world, giving requisite authority to the work. Considerable coverage is given to Eastern thought and the experiences of Christianity in places like Africa China, and India. The brief bibliographies direct the reader to a balanced presentation of the subject discussed, as evidenced in the entry Homosexuality. Here eight sources are cited, showing both the historical understanding of homosexuality and the leading moral variances. Cross-references lead from the reading of one article to another.

This reasonably priced title is recommended for all academic and large public libraries. The highly regarded Oxford Dictionary of the Christian Church (3d ed., 1997) is a necessary complement because of its greater specificity and more comprehensive bibliographies. REVWR
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

Publisher ‏ : ‎ Oxford University Press; 1st edition (December 21, 2000)
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 808 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0198600240
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0198600244
Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 4.49 pounds
Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 2.3 x 10.7 x 8.8 inches

Best Sellers Rank: #1,407,161 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #1,151 in Christianity (Books)
- #2,583 in Religion Encyclopedias
- #3,269 in Religious Philosophy (Books)

Customer Reviews:
19 ratings

About the author

Follow authors to get new release updates, plus improved recommendations.

Adrian Hastings

Brief content visible, double tap to read full content.

Full content visible, double tap to read brief content.

Discover more of the author’s books, see similar authors, read author blogs and more

Products related to this item
Sponsored Hide feedback

Page 1 of 1Start overPage 1 of 1

Customer reviews

5 star		69%
4 star		20%
3 star 0% (0%)		0%
2 star		11%
1 star 0% (0%)		0%

How customer reviews and ratings work

Top reviews from the United States

There was a problem filtering reviews right now. Please try again later.

Craig L. Howe

A Massive Undertaking

Reviewed in the United States on June 27, 2001

Verified Purchase

More than eight years in the making, the editors deserve a note of thanks for compiling this thoughtful, thorough and scholarly collection of 260 theologians' thoughts on more than 600 of Christianity's big issues.
The book represents a panorama of viewpoints. Catholic, Protestant, Orthodox, conservative, radical and evangelical viewpoints are all represented in the signed entries. A bibliography follows each essay and cross-references lead from one topic to another. Controversial topics are dealt with in a balanced fashion.
I have two problems with the book. First, I am easily distracted when I use it. This is more my problem than the editors'. When I consult this volume I have a specific topic or question I want answered. The interesting and provocative nature of the entries often leads me far astray from the question I want answered. It is the same problem I have with Study Bibles. I become so enmeshed in the commentary; I lose sight of the verse or topic I want to research.
Second, graphically each page is a vast sea of gray. There are no illustrations, pictures or white space to visually break up the entries. If the content were not so stimulating, you would never pick up the book.
Despite my reservations, this is a great addition to any Christian's library. If it were not for the graphics, it would deserve five stars.

10 people found this helpful

Helpful

Greekpoet

Brand new, much better than advertised

Reviewed in the United States on February 24, 2022

Verified Purchase

Book much better than advertised....doubt whether it had ever been opened. Price on back was 75£ !!!. I paid barely 10%.

Helpful

A Gentleman and a Scholar

An OUTSTANDING Reference Book

Reviewed in the United States on July 30, 2019

Verified Purchase

Whether you are clergy or a layperson seeking to learn more about your faith's history, this book is well worth adding to your library.
It's the perfect pairing to The Oxford Companion to the Bible.

Helpful

HongGilDong

The book I got is good as I ordered. it is clean and no writngs in to and tight binding.

Reviewed in the United States on November 6, 2013

Verified Purchase

The book I got is good as I ordered. it is clean and no writngs in to and tight binding.

Helpful

Norman M Pritchard

Great service

Reviewed in the United States on May 26, 2015

Verified Purchase

Wonderful resource delivered in excellent condition in quick time! Thank you.

Helpful

VanGo

Comprehensive and Indispensable to Christian and the Curious

Reviewed in the United States on November 23, 2005

This is a large, heavy and cumbersome book to read whilst in a non-tabled environment, but I've learnt so much from having gone out on a limb and purchasing it that I've also learnt to develop strong arm muscles!

A couple of things I have loved about this 'book' (an insufficient word, more accurate would be to describe it as a reference tool, a library of human ideas and thought). Foremost is its sheer comprehensiveness, every subject and topic of Christian thought is covered by an expert in the field and with an accompanying further reading section. In addition are subjects dealing with other religions and Christianity's theological relationship with them (a paucity in today's world which often competes with a comparison with culture and history).

From this expertise therefore emerges the most erudite and enlightening of commentary - another of its strengths. From this authoritativeness is an indispensible guide for any Christian living in the modern world. He who seeks to understand the place of Christianity in the modern world, where it has come from and hints of where it is going. I myself gained solace from the issues of faith which have been previously discussed and treated by emminent theologians from centuries past.

One thing I would have slight fault with this publication is the sometimes forthrightness of its authors. It is sometimes easy to forget that all of its contents are interpretation and not set in stone, much like Scripture itself. I was sometimes put off by some explanations and viewpoints, but this is of course remedied with a reading list below every entry.

Its ultimate strength, however, is as an accompanying and accessible guide to living a Christian life. It provides those who desire it with the ability to make your own judgment on Christian thought and provide intellectual/theological argument to your beliefs. This is very important to all Christians even if it does not necessarily lead to the solving of our differences.

I can safely say that this tome has so much human thought and ideas within it that Christian or non Christian alike will wonder at its breadth.

3 people found this helpful

Helpful

Manuel Haas

Library of Christian Thought

Reviewed in the United States on March 26, 2002

There is no denying that the Oxford Companion to Christian Thought is a very expensive book, but as it is something like an entire library in one book, it sure is worth its price.
You can have a look at the table of contents to see what you can find in the Companion. The essays are written by brilliant and committed theologians, there isn't even a whiff of the dead prose of encycolpedias.
The stress is on contemporary theology, but the excerpts which are accessible here show you that the history of Christian thought is well represented too.
Christianity is more than just your local church and your local preacher's views. This book gives you an idea what has been going on all around the world in the past 2000 years. There is much to learn!

7 people found this helpful

Helpful

Tron Honto

Worth the $$

Reviewed in the United States on March 19, 2001

This book is quite an amazing look at Christianity. Not only does it cover a wide range of topics, its contributors come from a variety of backgrounds. It is niether centered on Western Christianity nor is it overly dogmatic. Particularly I was impressed with the tact with which hotly debated issues were presented (e.g., abortion, homosexuality, etc.). Moreover, it is extraordinarily accessible while remaining engaging. The articles are written excellently with further readings provided at the end. It's an impressive accomplishment that I would whole-heartedly recommend to any Christian from any background.

12 people found this helpful

Helpful

Top reviews from other countries

Mr. Philip R. Hyne

If you thought Christian thought was difficult thought then you thought wrong!

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on March 9, 2017

Verified Purchase

a mine of information on all sorts of topics with one thing in common - clear, comprehensible English giving clear comprehensible articles that are easy to read and understand. Anyone interested in Christianity should have a copy - shame the publishers appear to have discontinued it. Great stuff.

Ewen Donald Cameron

Five Stars

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on August 17, 2014

Verified Purchase

of immense value

See all reviews

The Oxford Companion to Christian Thought (Oxford Companions) 1st Edition

Customers who viewed this item also viewed

Products related to this item
Sponsored Hide feedback