The Understanding of Christian Faith

As an introduction to Christian systematic theology this volume treats all the main theological topics-from God to last things-seeking to explicate critically the understanding of them implicit in Christian faith itself in terms at once appropriate to Jesus Christ and credible to human existence. Its criteria accordingly are the ultimate criteria of on the one hand specifically Christian experience of Jesus as expressed by the apostolic witness and on the other hand generically human experience of existence as expressed by a sound philosophy. And as befits an introduction it employs these same criteria to clarify the process of actually doing Christian systematic theology. Thus it begins by explaining both what such a theology has to do and how it is to do it and ends by considering what it means to do theology as a Christian calling particularly as a professional theologian. . . . [H]is central claim that systematic theology is critical reflection and appropriation of the entire witness of faith. Critical reflection requires he says that claims of adequacy with the content of Christian witness are both appropriate to Jesus and credible to human experience. Therefore Ogden as a systematic theologian is the opposite of a reductive theologian either in terms of a commitment to tradition with a blind eye to all other academic disciplines. Rather he seeks to balance these two poles that vie for position in contemporary academic theology Consistent with his earlier thought Ogden remains a radically Christocentric theologian: in Jesus is revealed the nature of God and thus the nature of what it means to be fully human. That Jesus is decisive for human existence is not simply a call to belief; rather it is a claim that filters naturally into Ogdens understanding of what it means to be church. . . . . . [T]he academic will find Ogdens focused argumentation refreshing and challenging. The Understanding of Christian Faith will require the careful consideration of all who take up the task. --Anglican Theological Review All who seek clarity about what Christian faith means and why it is worthy of belief will discover here a cherished companion. Accessibly written and theologically complete this book excels as an introduction to systematic theology and requires no knowledge of Ogdens distinguished previous work even while readers familiar with his achievement will find their appreciation of his critical insight extended. Ogden is unsurpassed as a Christian theologian for our time and this book can be read again and again always with deeper reward. --Franklin I. Gamwell University of Chicago For those who have long awaited a summary of Schubert Ogdens systematic Christian theology this small handbook fits the bill. In every respect the work provides a model of and a model for constructing an adequate and fitting theology for our time. By covering all the basic questions or topics of classical Christian theology with proper revisions as needed one has a basis for seeing what needs to be done and how to do it. Its content rings semantically meaningful and true and existentially significant for human existence. As with all his works his theology is constructed with maximum candor. --William L. Power University of Georgia Written with the authors characteristic clarity integrity and directness this constructive brief interpretation of the Christian witness of faith will aid its readers--lay professional and in-between--in understanding and pursuing their own theological vocation. By providing a systematic context in which to situate the major contributions made in his previous published works this book will also assist in the ongoing reception of Ogdens theology by new generations of scholars. --Charles M. Wood Perkins School of Theology Southern Methodist University Schubert M. Ogden is University Distinguished Professor of Theology Emeritus at Perkins School of Theology Sou