The Mosaic of Christian Belief: Twenty Centuries of Unity and Diversity, 2nd ed.
Overview
In The Mosaic of Christian Belief Roger E. Olson thematically traces the contours of Christian belief down through the ages, revealing a pattern of both unity and diversity. He finds a consensus of teaching that is both unitive and able to incorporate a faithful diversity when not forced into the molds of false either-or alternatives.
The mosaic that emerges from Olson’s work, now updated throughout and with a new chapter on the Holy Spirit, displays a mediating evangelical theology that is irenic in spirit and tone. Olson, writing with nonspecialists in mind, has masterfully sketched out the contours of the Great Tradition of the Christian faith with simplicity while avoiding oversimplification.
- Expresses the best of evangelical Christianity in terms of that tradition’s beliefs
- Bridges unnecessary and unfortunate gulfs between perspectives and interpretations
- Provides a mediating theological perspective within the broad tradition of evangelical Protestant Christianity
- Introduction: The Need for a “Both-And” Theology
- Christian Belief: Unity and Diversity
- Sources and Norms of Christian Belief: One and Many
- Divine Revelation: Universal and Particular
- Christian Scripture: Divine Word and Human Words
- God: Great and Good
- God: Three and One
- Creation: Good and Fallen
- Providence: Limited and Detailed
- Humanity: Essentially Good and Existentially Estranged
- Jesus Christ: God and Man
- The Holy Spirit: Person and Power
- Salvation: Objective and Subjective
- Salvation: Gift and Task
- The Church: Visible and Invisible
- Life Beyond Death: Continuity and Discontinuity
- The Kingdom of God: Already and Not Yet
Top Highlights
“the idea that Christ’s saving work is not necessary for everyone.” (Page 281)
“The second major alternative to Christian belief about Christ’s saving atonement is a fairly recent one. It is the view promoted by at least some members of the Korean-based religion known as the Unification Church or simply Unificationism.” (Pages 282–283)
“This is a classical case of both-and theology rather than either-or theology. We cannot have one model of the Trinity without the other one, even though they stand in tension with each other. How a single being can be faithfully and somewhat accurately described as both a single mind with multiple dimensions and a community of persons knitted together inseparably in a bond of love is beyond complete understanding. Nevertheless, divine revelation requires that God be described in both ways.” (Page 156)
“Christians need an interpretive tradition and communities that value it as second only to Scripture itself in order to define what ‘authentic Christianity’ believes.” (Page 35)
“The Gnostics believed that matter is either evil or so corrupt that the heavenly redeemer could not combine with matter.” (Page 235)
What evangelicals have needed, and what [Olson] has provided, is a basic, relatively comprehensive, nontechnical, nonspeculative one-volume introduction to the Christian faith. The book offers a mediating and Arminian perspective within the broad evangelical tradition that underlines both shared beliefs and real diversity. At a time of extreme opinion, it is a godsend.
—Clark Pinnock, author of Flame of Love
The book is written in language that should be accessible to undergraduate students and serious-minded church members and will, hopefully, help to stem the tide of theological ignorance that threatens the health of the church.
—Terrance Tiessen, Providence Theological Seminary
Anyone seeking help in maintaining a commitment to the truth of the gospel while also embracing genuine Christian diversity will find no better guide than this book.
—Jonathan Wilson, Regent College
- Title: The Mosaic of Christian Belief: Twenty Centuries of Unity and Diversity, 2nd Edition
- Author: Roger E. Olson
- Edition: 2nd Edition
- Publisher: IVP
- Publication Date: 2016
- Pages: 399
- Resource Type: Topical
- Topic: Theology
Roger E. Olson is the Foy Valentine Professor of Christian Theology and Ethics at Baylor University’s George W. Truett Theological Seminary. Previously he served as professor of theology at Bethel University in St. Paul, Minnesota. He is the author of 18 books, including The Journey of Modern Theology: From Reconstruction to Deconstruction (IVP).
Dr. Olson was born and raised in the Upper Midwest of the United States and considers himself a “Bapticostal.” He grew up Pentecostal but became Baptist while attending North American Baptist Seminary. His PhD in religious studies is from Rice University in Houston, and he studied at the University of Munich with theologian Wolfhart Pannenberg. He served as editor of Christian Scholar’s Review in the 1990s and has served as consulting and contributing editor for Christianity Today. He is married and has two daughters and two beautiful grandchildren. He enjoys southern gospel music, Victorian gothic mystery books, and traveling.
Reviews
2 ratings
Jonathan Parizo
3/1/2024
As one who normally does not leave book reviews (this may be my first), I felt compelled to leave one for this book. Roger Olson does a great job providing an introduction to historic Christian beliefs concerning the major areas of theology. He follows a consistent pattern in every chapter, covering the basic orthodox beliefs always held by nearly all Christians (what he calls the Great Tradition), views that have appeared within the church that are antithetical to those beliefs (i.e., heresies), and diversity of opinion within the church on secondary matters. Furthermore, he ends each chapter with a short proposal for a unitive Christian vision that respects the Great Tradition and the diversity among believers. I recommend this book to interested laypeople and think it is an essential read for anyone pursuing ministry or formal theological education.
Ian Carmichael
1/2/2022
Very, very helpful introductory volume for "Great Tradition" theology. True Olson quality.
