The Cambridge Companion to Christian Doctrine

Cambridge Companions to Religion

by Colin E. Gunton (Editor)

What is Christian doctrine? The fourteen specially commissioned essays in this book serve to give an answer to many aspects of that question. Written by leading theologians from America and Britain they place doctrine in its setting--what it has been historically, and how it relates to other forms of culture--and outline central features of its content. New readers will find this an accessible and stimulating introduction to the main themes of Christian doctrine, while advanced students and specialists will find a useful summary of recent developments in Christian thought.

Genres: Theology, Philosophy, Religion, Christianity

328 pages, Paperback

First published June 18, 1993

About the author

Colin Ewart Gunton (1941-2003) was a British systematic theologian. As a theologian he made contributions to the doctrine of Creation and the doctrine of the trinity. He was Professor of Christian Doctrine at King's College London from 1984 and co-founder with Christoph Schwoebel of the Research Institute for Systematic Theology in 1988. Gunton was actively involved in the United Reformed Church in the United Kingdom where he had been a minister since 1972. He was arguably the most important British theologian of his generation.

Gunton's most influential work was on the doctrines of Creation and the Trinity. One of his most important books is The One, the Three and the Many: God, Creation and the Culture of Modernity" (1993), and is "a profound analysis of the paradoxes and contradictions of Modernity." The One, the Three and the Many remains a "majestical survey of the western intellectual tradition and a penetrating analysis of the modern condition."

Reviews

[Russrook]

An absolute joy to return to this book after many years away. Someone recently asked me if I could only own one book on Christian doctrine, what would it be? Obviously an impossible question to answer but if you’re looking to buy a book on the subject, this is a great title to acquire.

[Joshua Reynolds]

Some essays were helpful, others less so. In fact, some chapters were very obscure in style and content. The volume lacked the theological cohesion of single author systematics.

[Dwight Walker]

Excellent doctrinal book including well picked quotations from Scripture to back up thoughts. It helped me get depth of say Christology and Holy Spirit. I keep Bible handy to look up high quantity of quotations from Scripture so I get gist of arguments of theologians. It is down line so not off beat so very valuable in Christian growth in depth and meaning of one's Christian faith. It is crystal clear on Holy Spirit, Christology, Eschatology and Trinity. It goes much deeper than many churches do so is valuable in learning Christian doctrine in one's life.

[Joseph Sverker]

This is a great companion to doctrine. In rather breif articles it gives you the most important points in a various of issues. The contributors are well known theologians and it is rather impressive to see who Gunton have been able to put together. There are really only to exceptions, Gerard Loughlin's article on authority and Kathryn Tanner's on Jesus Christ are extraordinarily disappointing. I have no idea what they wanted to do with their articales. I see no main point.