Historical theology an introduction to christian doctrine pdf

It's meant as a companion to Grudem's systematic theology - and probably would do well in tandem with it. Allison covers all of the major topics and basics of Church History from a theological standpoint - all the various early church heresies, councils, creeds, schisms, and movements. He traces the historical roots of various theological beliefs and also the roots of some heretical movements. All in all, it's a great and readable I think this is a good basic introduction to Historical Theology.

All in all, it's a great and readable introductory book. But it's just that For those who are more versed in Church History, this won't be enough to satisfy your hunger I'd recommend it for the layperson, but probably not for the seminarian or person wanting a bit more depth and detail to their study of Church History. The 2 volume set of Justo Gonzalez's "The Story of Christianity" was one that I really enjoyed also which may be a better choice depending on the reader's interest and level of knowledge of Church History.

Jul 31, Curby Graham rated it it was amazing. As the title states - this is a companion book to Wayne Grudem's excellent Systematic Theology. However, Allison's work can be read alone or prior to Grudem's. Historical Theology takes a chronological approach to all the major doctrines such as justification, the Lord's Supper, Baptism, Church polity etc.

He gives a definition of the topic then an overview of how the Early Church era, Medieval Church era, Reformation Church era and Modern Era have viewed the doctrine and the challenges still re As the title states - this is a companion book to Wayne Grudem's excellent Systematic Theology. He gives a definition of the topic then an overview of how the Early Church era, Medieval Church era, Reformation Church era and Modern Era have viewed the doctrine and the challenges still remaining.

His style is thoughtful and very accessible even to the laymen who is not familiar with the subject. But a scholar will also find this a rewarding read. So a Baptist, Catholic and Presbyterian would all benefit from this work. Highly recommended and should be in any apologist, theologian or minister's library as well as that of anyone interested in Church History and thought.

Jan 24, Nicholas Campbell rated it liked it. Allison does some good work generally especially on the subject of Roman Catholicism , however, I find that this book is underwhelming. Ultimately, You Allison does some good work generally especially on the subject of Roman Catholicism , however, I find that this book is underwhelming.

Ultimately, You can tell he wrote to a particular audience. Just as well, the audio lectures are surface level explanations of the doctrines with some historical theology thrown in. I listened to the audio book. As a result, I won't give a full review. However, what I am about to say, I believe, can be said of the published editions. Allison's Calvinism is very evident throughout the book. He does not retain any objectivity. View 1 comment. Feb 08, Kingsley Layton rated it really liked it Shelves: reference.

I found this to be a helpful and worthy companion to Grudem's work. It is worth the effort. An excellent read Recommend this book to every Christian, a must read. It should be on every theological student bookshelf!

Yes and yes. Apr 23, J. Coltaine rated it liked it Shelves: systematics. A valuable resource and an easy read, but definitely tailored to its audience. Its more of a defense of Grudem's Systematic Theology through historical theology. Jul 08, Matthew Bandy rated it it was amazing. How many of you have every studied how we got to now in our theology?

If you don't know, then read this book! Good 'textbook' style book on the historical positions of the church on various topics Good 'textbook' style book on the historical positions of the church on various topics Jan 27, Aaron Kleinheksel rated it really liked it Shelves: history-biography , religion-theology.

I originally picked this up both because I was interested in reading an historical theology text, and also because this volume is recommended as a companion to Systematic Theology: An Introduction to Biblical Doctrine , which I had already read and thoroughly enjoyed.

Reformed views of the relationship between foreknowledge and the sovereign eternal decrees of God was very opaque to me. It needed to be explained better. Allison ends by simply stating that the denunciations of Open Theism rest on "careful exposition of scripture and sophisticated philosophical arguments," but doesn't tell you what they are.

Very frustrating. Additionally, I would love to see a comparison between Open Theism arguments v. On the surface, at least, they seem to share some concepts They were excellent. I highly recommend this book for anyone looking for a 1 volume historical theology that is very accessible to both scholars and laypeople though I increasingly despise those distinctions as time goes on. It is arranged by doctrines, and so it can be easily used as a reference or simply read in smaller bites over time for those intimidated by its size.

Jul 20, Eric rated it liked it Recommends it for: Bible study teachers. Very straightforward overview of theology, grouped by issue, with a time line analysis inside each issue. Because historical theology is such a large topic, the book only gives a quick analysis of positions and theologians, even though it is a long book. Since this book is designed, in part, to be a reference resource, it would be much improved if each chapter had a bibliography for that chapter including more in depth works, with explanatory notes rating the supporting references.

With the easy Very straightforward overview of theology, grouped by issue, with a time line analysis inside each issue. With the easy availability of online resources, both direct, and through ordering of materials, a detailed topical bibliography would be quite useful.

Dec 09, James rated it it was amazing. An amazing volume. It was Highly enjoyable to read as he traced the major headings of systematic theology trough church history. He often quotes the same theologians, giving one a very unified understanding of what the brightest thinkers were teaching.

My personal favorites were the chapters on Christology. It was stunning and beautiful to see such deep and consistent reflection on Christ over the last years. This companion to the classic bestseller Systematic Theology is unique among historical theologies. Gregg Allison sets out the history of Christian doctrine according to a topical-chronological arrangement—one theological element at a time instead of committing to a discussion of theological thought according to its historical appearance alone.

Historical Theology is an easy-to-read textbook for any Christian who wants to know how the church has come to believe what it believes today. Gregg Allison's clear and concise structure make this resource an ideal introduction to Christian doctrine.

Previously he served on Cru staff at the University of Notre Dame and overseas in Italy and the Italian-speaking region of Switzerland. He is a pastor of Sojourn Community Church, and is the theological strategist for Sojourn Network, a church planting network of about thirty churches. You may unsubscribe from these email communications at any time. If you have any questions, please review our Privacy Policy or email us at yourprivacy harpercollins.

All Rights Reserved. Search search-icon. Path 5. Shop all books Audiobooks Children's Books Shop all books. Bible Covers Protect your Bible with beautifully designed covers. Again, the footnotes are ever-present for the reader who wants to delve deeper into a person or idea presented.

The book is surprisingly readable, and, dare I say, fascinating to anyone remotely interested in history. For many doctrines, there are dissenters and Allison briefly mentions them in context. Given the scope of his project, he couldn't feasibly go deeply into controversies. He states, "Such selectivity means that, while I do tell the story of the historical development of Christian doctrines, it is not the whole story" p.

But even so, this volume weighs in at pages, and gives enough background to satisfy without bogging down a reader. I highly recommend Historical Theology for not only church and school libraries, but it is an excellent source of insight into church history that is ideal for home bookshelves as well.

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