The Doctrine of God: A Global Introduction

by Veli-Matti Kärkkäinen

Publisher:

Baker Academic

, 2004

Overview

A Christian's understanding of God is crucial to how he or she views everything else. In The Doctrine of God: A Global Introduction, Veli-Matti Karkkainen surveys what the church has traditionally thought about God. He also examines what the church today, both in North America and around the world, thinks about God and shows how the insights of Christians from various cultures can enrich an understanding of God. Karkkainen's book will reward pastors and laypeople with a much fuller understanding of who God is and how we can enter a deeper relationship with him.

While introducing readers to the relevant biblical and historical developments of the classic theistic tradition, the primary focus of the work is its introduction to major contemporary theological movements and the writings of representative theologians. Karkkainen begins with the doctrine of God in the Old and New Testaments, then moves through patristic and medieval understandings of God and into the views of Luther and Calvin. Next he examines the doctrine of God in the thought of Barth, Tillich, Rahner, Kung, Pannenberg, and other European theologians. The heart of the book is an extensive discussion of the doctrine of God in modern movements such as process theology, ecological theology, African and Caribbean theology, Asian theology, and Latin American theology. This comprehensive textbook will serve courses in the doctrine of God, systematic theology, and contextual theology.

Key Features

• Excellent introduction to theistic traditions and principles
• Summarizes major classical and modern theologians
• Includes both subject and scripture indexes

Contents

Top Highlights

“The lasting contribution of Gregory of Nazianzus is the argument that the names ‘Father,’ ‘Son,’ and ‘Holy Spirit’ are terms of relation.” (Page 76)

“What about the possibility of having knowledge of God apart from the revelation in Christ? Barth is skeptical. His thinking shifted from an extreme denial of knowledge of God apart from revelation⁵ to a less vehement position,⁶ but his main views did not change.⁷ The basic reason Barth so adamantly opposed any notion of natural theology was that for him revelation of God—to be revelation in the first place—is of a redemptive nature. Revelation is more than a vague knowledge of God. Only knowledge of God that helps us know God as Savior can be called Christian revelation.” (Page 126)

Praise for the Print Edition

The power of this book is the careful, even presentation of a wide range of non-Western Christian theologians. They pose challenges and offer creative alternatives from diverse worldviews. This is a reader-friendly book with helpful subject and scriptural indexes.

—A. L. Kolp, Choice

Karkkainen meets a felt need of many theology students--to be given an introduction in global perspective to great themes like this one: the doctrine of God. The book reveals what theologians around the world are saying about this primary and all-important subject and will stimulate readers to imagine God in more relevant and transforming ways.

—Clark Pinnock, professor emeritus of systematic theology, McMaster Divinity College

Product Details

• Title: The Doctrine of God: A Global Introduction
• Author: Veli-Matti Karkkainen
• Publisher: Baker Academic
• Publication Date: 2004
• Pages: 320

About Veli-Matti Kärkkäinen

Veli-Matti Kärkkäinen joined the Fuller faculty as associate professor of systematic theology in 2000 and was named full professor in 2003. He also holds a teaching position at the University of Helsinki as Dozent of Ecumenics. Prior to coming to Fuller, Kärkkäinen served as president and professor at IsoKirja College in Keuruu, Finland. He has taught and lived with his family on three continents: Europe, Asia (Thailand), and North America (the U.S.) He has also lectured and served as visiting professor in various schools around the world. He travels widely and has a command of several languages.

A prolific writer, Kärkkäinen has published 11 books in English (and seven in his native language, Finnish), most recently The Trinity: Global Perspectives (2007), One With God: Salvation as Deification and Justification (2004), and Trinity and Religious Pluralism: The Doctrine of the Trinity in Christian Theology of Religions (2004), as well as more than 100 articles, which have appeared in international scholarly journals. He is also the editor (with William Dyrness) of Global Dictionary of Theology (2008). Kärkkäinen was appointed to three editorial boards in 2008, which include the Strategic Initiatives in Systematic Theology series by InterVarsity Press, the Studies in Systematic Theology series by Brill Press (Leiden, Netherlands), and the International Journal of Systematic Theology. He is a member of three working groups of the World Council of Churches and has participated in numerous international consultations. He is also an external examiner for Wales University.