A History of Christian Theology: A Trinitarian Approach

by Gerald Bray

Publisher:

Crossway

, 2024

Overview

A Historical Examination of Christian Theology through a Trinitarian Framework

Theology is important. But so is the story behind the specific doctrines that have been debated, defined, and refined throughout church history. In this book, professor Gerald Bray introduces readers to the history of Christian theology, the Trinity (our doctrine of God), and the Bible (our knowledge of God).

Unlike other books on the topic, Bray’s volume is not organized primarily by time period or distinct doctrinal categories. Rather, it puts theology first and history second, following a Trinitarian pattern that begins with God the Father, moves on to God the Son, and ends with God the Holy Spirit. This unique approach offers readers a more holistic understanding of the development of theology, paralleling the order in which the church wrestled through challenging theological issues and controversies related to God, man, and salvation.

Accessible: Aimed at non-specialists, not just the academic community

Unique Organization: Uses a Trinitarian framework to provide a more holistic understanding of the development of theology

Historical: Explores the Jewish background behind the development of Christian theology

Written by Gerald Bray: An internationally renowned historian and theologian

Replaces God Has Spoken: A History of Christian Theology

Key Features

• Uses a Trinitarian framework to provide a more holistic understanding of the development of theology
• Aimed at non-specialists, not just the academic community

Contents

• Preface

Part 1: The Israelite Legacy

• Chapter 1: Christianity and Judaism
• Chapter 2: A Shared Inheritance

Part 2: The Person of the Father

• Chapter 3: God as Father
• Chapter 4: The Father and His Children

Part 3: The Work of the Father

• Chapter 5: The Reconciliation of the World
• Chapter 6: Providence and Predestination
• Chapter 7: The Work of the Father and the Trinity

Part 4: The Person of the Son

• Chapter 8: The Challenge of the Incarnation
• Chapter 9: The Son of God
• Chapter 10: The Christian Theological Vocabulary
• Chapter 11: The Son of Man

Part 5: The Work of the Son

• Chapter 12: The Body of Christ
• Chapter 13: The Death of Christ
• Chapter 14: The Coming of Christ’s Kingdom

Part 6: The Person of the Holy Spirit

• Chapter 15: The Forgotten Person of the Trinity?
• Chapter 16: Spirit of the Father, Spirit of the Son

Part 7: The Work of the Holy Spirit

• Chapter 17: The Presence of God
• Chapter 18: The Inspiration of Holy Scripture
• Chapter 19: The Preservation of the Church
• Chapter 20: The Pathway to Heaven
• Chapter 21: The Mystical Body of Christ

Part 8: One God in Three Persons

• Chapter 22: The Classical Doctrine of God
• Chapter 23: The Eclipse of Theology
• Chapter 24: The Trinitarian Revival
• Chapter 25: The Challenge of God Today
• Chronological List of Persons
• Chronological List of Events
• General Index
• Scripture Index

Praise for A History of Christian Theology: A Trinitarian Approach

Despite its breadth, one that covers the centuries, A History of Christian Theology also plumbs the depths of numerous doctrines throughout the church’s last two thousand years. This volume is an excellent resource for students, pastors, and scholars, and for anyone who wants to study the organic development of the church’s theology. This will prove to be an invaluable resource for generations to come.

—J. V. Fesko, Harriet Barbour Professor of Systematic and Historical Theology, Reformed Theological Seminary, Jackson

A remarkably learned, wise, and substantial study of the history of Christian doctrine. Written by an Anglican who is also an evangelical, this volume interacts with the entire scope of Christian theology in all of its major ecclesial trajectories. This book will stand the test of time—in the best tradition of Newman, Harnack, and Pelikan.

—Timothy George, Distinguished Professor of Divinity, Beeson Divinity School, Samford University; General Editor, Reformation Commentary on Scripture

Product Details

• Title: A History of Christian Theology: A Trinitarian Approach
• Author: Gerald Bray
• Publisher: Crossway
• Print Publication Date: 2024
• Logos Release Date: 2024
• Pages: 1232
• Era: era:contemporary
• Language: English
• Resources: 1
• Format: Digital › Logos Research Edition
• Subject: Theology, Doctrinal › History
• Resource ID: LLS:HSTCHRSTNTPPRCH
• Resource Type: Monograph
• Metadata Last Updated: 2024-10-15T17:48:43Z

About Gerald Bray

Dr. Gerald Bray is Research Professor of Divinity at Beeson Divinity School in Birmingham, AL, and Distinguished Professor of Theology at Knox Theological Seminary, Fort Lauderdale, FL.

He was born and raised in Montreal, Canada, where he did his undergraduate work at McGill University. He completed his doctoral studies at the Sorbonne in Paris and went on to study theology in Cambridge. In 1978 he was ordained in the Church of England and served a parish in London for two years before going on to teach at Oak Hill College in London. He has been at Beeson since 1993.

Dr. Bray is the editor of the Anglican journal Churchman and has published a number of books, including the award-winning Biblical Interpretation: Past and Present (InterVarsity Press, 1996), Yours Is the Kingdom: A Systematic Theology of the Lord's Prayer(InterVarsity Press, 2007), God Is Love (Crossway, 2012), and his most recent work, God Has Spoken: A History of Christian Theology (Crossway, 2014).

Dr. Bray speaks several languages fluently. He has lived in Germany, Greece, and Russia, and he has taught in several European countries and Australia. He can often be found in one of the archives of the Church of England, researching parts of its history, on which he has also published a number of important works. He is also an avid swimmer and cyclist.