Handbook of Evangelical Theologians
Overview
The thirty-three featured theologians reflect the breadth and diversity of the church. They range in date from Augustus H. Strong, born in the 1830s, to Alister McGrath, born in the 1950s. The number includes theologians who have had a significant impact, including Gordon Clark, Francis Schaeffer, Louis Berkhof, Millard Erickson, Carl Henry, J. I. Packer, John R.W. Stott, and others. In addition to biographies of each individual, each chapter reflects what the subjects regarded to be their theological task. Their central ideas are fit into the jigsaw of modern evangelical development.
The Handbook of Evangelical Theologians provides biographical information, major philosophical or theological beliefs and insight on each thinker's legacy as it pertains to evangelical Christianity. This resource cites each person's works in the context of why they were written and how they came to affect modern Christianity as a whole, rather than just a single denomination.
How Were These Theologians Chosen?
- Twentieth-century figures (i.e., for a theologian to be included, at least part of his career must have taken place during the 20th Century
- Representatives from both halves of the century (pre- and post-1950)
- Identification with the evangelical movement
- Significant influence on or in the evangelical movement
- Representatives of various denominational points of view: Arminian/Wesleyan, Calvinist/Reformed, charismatic, dispensationalist, Lutheran, Baptist and Anglican
- Major interest in theology rather than biblical studies
Also, each theologian's section was penned by a different author. The authors were chosen based on their expertise as it pertains to the theologian or his denomination. For example, Glen Scorgie had written a biography of James Orr, and the general editor, Walter A. Elwell's position at Wheaton College made Henry C. Thiessen’s literary output readily accessible.
Key Features
- Valuable biographical and theological information on 33 evangelical thinkers
- Covers the influence of each theologian
- Over 400 pages of information
Top Highlights
“McGrath discovered that ‘unless theology is grounded in the everyday life of the people, it fails to make any sense.’” (Page 447)
“Victorian culture made sharp distinctions between the intellect and the emotions, between materialism and idealism, and between science and faith.” (Page 131)
“Warfield made this idea explicit: ‘Though faith be a moral act and the gift of God, it is yet formally conviction passing into confidence; and … all forms of conviction must rest on evidence as their ground, and it is not faith but reason which investigates the nature and validity of this ground.… We believe in Christ because it is rational to believe in Him.’ Warfield went on to acknowledge that ‘of course mere reasoning cannot make a Christian.’ Nonetheless, the Holy Spirit never works ‘apart from evidence, but along with evidence.’” (Page 34)
“Warfield, in addition, was thoroughly unimpressed by the dispensationalism that became so important in American fundamentalism. To Warfield, the confessions of the Reformation Era provided the best guides to the coherence of Christian truth. By contrast, he saw in the modern theologies associated with John Nelson Darby, C. I. Scofield, and the other promoters of dispensationalism faulty exegesis, questionable theological construction, and errors on the work of the Holy Spirit.” (Page 32)
“‘the Scriptures are the joint product of divine and human activities, both of which penetrate them at every point, working harmoniously together to the production of a writing which is not divine here and human there, but at once divine and human in every part, every word and every particular.’” (Page 31)
Theologians
- Francis Schaeffer
- Louis Berkhof
- Millard Erickson
- J. I. Packer
- John R.W. Stott
- And many more!
Product Details
- Title: Handbook of Evangelical Theologians
- Editor: Walter A. Elwell
- Publisher: Baker
- Publication Date: 1997
- Pages: 465
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