MU Libraries New Books: Doctrinal Theology

About the new book list

11/18/2009

The RSS feeds for the new books list is updated every Wednesday and contains a list of books added to the Ellis Library collection for the last six weeks. The titles are grouped by call number classification, and are listed by week and alphabetically by title.

Books for the most recent weeks are currently on the New Books Shelves inside the north entrance of Ellis Library. They can be checked out.

God incarnate : explorations in Christology / Oliver D. Crisp. (11/18/2009)

11/18/2009

Call #: BT203 .C75 2009

Christ and evolution : wonder and wisdom / Celia Deane-Drummond. (11/11/2009)

11/11/2009

View title at
Amazon.com

Product Description

The way Christ is understood is at the heart of Christian faith and self-understanding. It forms the basis of Christologies that can range from the most traditional, expressing the understanding Christ as both human and divine person, to the most liberal, where Christ is understood as divine inasmuch as he is a man who is perfectly obedient to the will of God. Our images of Christ inevitably bear on the particular culture in which we are situated. So, it is somewhat surprising that the science and religion dialogue has focused most on a doctrine of God, while rarely addressing the figure of Christ.

This book sets out to develop a Christology that is far more conscious of the evolutionary history of humanity and current evolutionary theories about the natural world in general. It argues that one means of developing a Christology that can be informed by such theories is through the concepts of wisdom and wonder. Both have a defined theological role but also act as mediating concepts with science and point to a spirituality that incorporates both science and theology.

Call #: BT203 .D43 2009

God in early Christian thought : essays in memory of Lloyd G. Patterson / edited by Andrew B. McGowan, Brian E. Daley & Timothy J. Gaden. (11/11/2009)

11/11/2009

Call #: BT98 .G59 2009

Plantations and death camps : religion, ideology, and human dignity / Beverly Eileen Mitchell. (11/11/2009)

11/11/2009

View title at
Amazon.com

Product Description

Historical theologian Beverly Mitchell probes some of the most egregious assaults on humans in the modern era to divine not only the root of racial and ethnic oppressions but also the unassailable heart of human dignity revealed in that suffering. Mitchell's work looks at the parallel oppressions that were visited upon African Americans in the slave era and upon Jews in the Nazi era. Even apart from the many similarities in their respective plights, Mitchell finds a deeper commonality in the underlying religious and ideological justifications for their oppressions and the underlying, dynamic theological features of each. Even more striking is the strong assertion of their own dignity in the face of such oppression, an assertion on which Mitchell builds her theological anthropology. She finds important collaborative "lessons regarding what it means to be human in a world in which discrimination, alienation, and maltreatment between human beings are daily companions." We live in an era of rampant violence and widespread violations of human dignity. Mitchell's work calls us back to the deepest roots of human dignity and the solidarity that maintains it.

Call #: BT702 .M58 2009

The Bible and the hermeneutics of liberation / edited by Alejandro F. Botta and Pablo R. Andiñach. (11/11/2009)

11/11/2009

View title at
Amazon.com

Product Description

The same Bible that historically has been invoked to support exploitation is also a source of inspiration for those fighting oppression and injustice. This collection of essays highlights the different receptions that liberationist hermeneutics has found in a number of contemporary contexts. The authors, originating from various countries and continents and nurtured by diverse theological insights, provide regional overviews of liberating struggles and liberation hermeneutics or engage the biblical text from various perspectives, including mujerista and feminist Afrocentric readings. This is an enriching panorama of ideas and readings all centered on the Bible as a key to liberation. The contributors are Pablo R. AndiÃ±ach, Alejandro F. Botta, Gerald O. West, Hans de Wit, Erhard Gerstenberger, Jione Havea, Mercedes L. GarcÃa Bachmann, Musa W. Dube, Theodore W. Jennings Jr., Luise Schottroff, Ada MarÃa Isasi-DÃaz, Monica Jyotsna Melanchthon, Lai Ling Elizabeth Ngan, and Mortimer Arias.

Call #: BT83.57 .B53 2009

The immediacy of God / Douglas Vickers. (11/11/2009)

11/11/2009

View title at
Amazon.com

Call #: BT130 .V53 2009

The nature of our humanity : ethical issues in genetics and biotechnology / Paul Jersild. (11/11/2009)

11/11/2009

View title at
Amazon.com

Product Description

This book addresses a current, frontline issue in the perennial exchange between science and religion. Jersild surveys the contemporary scene in genetic research and the visionary goals of a number of scientists concerning the human future. He focuses on human identity "Who Are We?" as the critical question, first addressing our biological origins in light of evolution and presenting a holistic understanding of human nature. He then turns to the world of biotechnology and the tension between human limitations and human potential in light of prospective genetic enhancements. The implications of genetic engineering, the impact of pharmacology, and the human desire for perfection and immortality all enter into a volatile mix of ideas and aspirations concerning the human future. Jersild brings a Christian perspective to these developments in spelling out a responsible stance.

Call #: BT702 .J47 2009

Wesley, Aquinas, and Christian perfection : an ecumenical dialogue / Edgardo A. Colón-Emeric. (11/11/2009)

11/11/2009

View title at
Amazon.com

Review

A considerable accomplishment. Colon-Emeric brings together figures from quite disparate theological traditions, examines the thought of each fairly and judiciously, and offers comparisonsthat are truly illuminating. This is a finecontribution to the history of theology and to ecumenical studies --Joseph Wawrykow, Associate Professor of Theology, University of Notre Dame

Call #: BT766 .C63 2009

Miracles : everything that is or was or is to come is a miracle : revelations from scripture, science and life / Olen R. Brown. (11/4/2009)

11/4/2009

View title at
Amazon.com

Call #: BT97.3 .B76 2007

Paths not taken : fates of theology from Luther through Leibniz / Paul R. Hinlicky. (11/4/2009)

11/4/2009

View title at
Amazon.com

Product Description

In this book Paul Hinlicky suggests that — to the detriment of the church as a whole — Martin Luther’s legacy did not unfold as he himself would have hoped or expected. Paths Not Taken analyzes the unhappy fate of theology in the tradition of Luther through the pivotal early modern theological philosopher Gottfried Leibniz. Through this lens Hinlicky shows how the twofold intention of reforming the Church according to the gospel and providing a Christian philosophy of culture for a renewed Christendom diverged along the way. / In his conclusion Hinlicky considers three outstanding contemporary representatives of theology in Luther’s tradition — Pannenberg, J�ngel, and Jenson — and settles on a path to be taken by Lutheran theology after Christendom and after modernity.

Call #: BT40 .H56 2009

What's wrong with sin? : sin in individual and social perspective from Schleiermacher to theologies of liberation / Derek R. Nelson. (11/4/2009)

11/4/2009

Call #: BT715 .N45 2009

Alternative Christs / edited by Olav Hammer. (10/28/2009)

10/28/2009

View title at
Amazon.com

Product Description

Few, if any, individuals have had such a profound influence on Western culture as Jesus, even though not a single detail of his life or teaching can be confirmed with certainty. This lack of reliable biographical data has left his life open to broad interpretation. Jesus, gnostic and apocryphal sources insist, never truly died on the cross since he was a divine being, whose human frame was an illusion. Muslim sources affirm that Jesus was a prophet of God and will return at the end of time. Jörg Lanz von Liebenfels formulated racial theories in which Jesus was a redeemer for Aryans only, while the Renaissance polymath Guillaume Postel was convinced that Christ had returned as a Venetian woman. This book explores these and other views without taking sides in any theological arguments and presents research on a variety of alternative Christologies.

Call #: BT304.9 .A44 2009

Isaak A. Dorner : the triune god and the gospel of salvation / Jonathan Norgate. (10/28/2009)

10/28/2009

View title at
Amazon.com

Product Description

Norgate assesses the way in which the Christian doctrine of the Trinity is the foundation for all other Christian doctrines, especially the Christian understanding of salvation. He investigates in detail the approach of the German Lutheran theologian, Isaac A. Dorner (1809-1884) to this question. Analysis of his arguments concerning the priority of the doctrine of God for Christian belief and dogmatics is given. It examines the form of his doctrine of God's triunity, and gives an extensive study of how Dorner's particular account of God's triune identity informs the Christian conception of God's relation to the world, first, as Creator and, second, as Saviour. In this process, it seeks to refocus attention on Dorner as a major figure in the development of modern theology. The relationship between Dorner's doctrines of the triune God and salvation is assessed. Dorner's positive reconstruction of the Christian idea of God as Trinity provides helpful resources in delineating a non-competitive account of God's relation to the world. This means that God is not confused with nor distant from the world. The eternal vitality of God's immanent personality is the basis of His vital economic activity, which culminates in the incarnation of the Son. We follow the main tributaries of Dorner's arguments in System of Christian Faith, beginning with an analysis of his doctrine of God, via his development of the doctrines of creation, humanity, and the incarnation of the God-man. An assessment is given of those doctrines which pertain to the way in which God brings salvation through Jesus Christ: sin, Jesus, and atonement. Norgate concludes by comparing Dorner's achievements with those found in more recent theologies of atonement. "T&T Clark Studies in Systematic Theology" is a series of monographs in the field of Christian doctrine, with a particular focus on constructive engagement with major topics through historical analysis or contemporary restatement.

Call #: BT115 .N67 2009

Jesus Christ salvation of all / Luis F. Ladaria [edited by Rafael Luciani translated by Maria Cristina Herrera and Maria Isabel Reyna]. (10/28/2009)

10/28/2009

View title at
Amazon.com

Product Description

This book is a collection of essays that were published between 2003 and 2006. The author addresses why it is necessary to maintain that Christ is the universal saviour, even though this assertion may sound unintelligible, perhaps shocking, and even arrogant to some of our contemporaries. Ladaria nevertheless holds to the uniqueness of the person of Christ as being essential for the ultimate salvation of humankind, because salvation means to participate in the glory that Christ possesses in His humanity, offering us salvation as a free gift and revealing himself as paradigm of what humanity can fully be and become.

Call #: BT203 .L32 2008

The mystery of the rosary : Marian devotion and the reinvention of Catholicism / Nathan D. Mitchell. (10/28/2009)

10/28/2009

View title at
Amazon.com

Review

“In this truly remarkable work, from both scholarly and practical perspectives, Mitchell clearly articulates the central role of a unique devotion in the life of the Roman Catholic Church. . . . In providing a solid historical foundation, Mitchell also shows how art, liturgy, and ritual have influenced and been influenced by this prayer over the past five centuries.”
- Library Journal

“In this dazzling venture in ‘reframing,’ what could have been a nostalgic revisiting of a traditional devotion has, instead, been rendered a masterful reflection on Catholic identity and imagination. With all the prowess of an accomplished scholar, the ear of a poet, and the soul of an artist, Nathan Mitchell leads us from Caravaggio to Rahner, Erasmus to Vatican II with singular aplomb and dexterity. This case study in early modern Catholicism will reshape your understanding of post-Tridentine Catholicism, as well as the powerful Marian devotion which helped transform it.”
- Edward Foley, Catholic Theological Union

“Mitchell has demonstrated that religion is sustained and communicated not primarily by creeds and dogmatic statements, but by art and architecture as well as by other symbols, rituals, stories, myths and metaphors. This book sheds much needed light on the contemporary Catholic Church. . . . The brilliant discussion of Caravaggio’s work alone is worth the price of the book!”
- Kevin Seasoltz, author of A Sense of the Sacred: Theological Foundations of Sacred Architecture

Call #: BT645 .M58 2009

"Let the little children come to me" : childhood and children in early Christianity / Cornelia B. Horn & John W. Martens. (10/14/2009)

10/14/2009

View title at
Amazon.com

Product Description

Although Jesus called on his first followers to welcome children in his name and to become like children, the lives of the first Christian children have remained in the shadows. This book explores the hidden lives of children at the origins of Christianity. It draws on insights gained from comparisons of children's experiences in ancient Judaism and the Graeco-Roman world. The authors also engage a vast body of early Christian literature, extending from the New Testament to sermons, letters, theological treatises, poetry, pedagogical manuals, and historiography in Greek, Latin, Syriac, and other languages of the early Christian world. The guiding question of the book focuses on how Christianity changed the lives of children in the ancient world. Some of the other questions examined by the authors include: Did boys and girls both receive a formal education? Were Christian children slaves? How did they participate in manual labor? What kinds of games did children play? How did children become a part of the Christian church? This book breaks new ground in the study of early Christianity by examining the challenges to Christian childhood in the first centuries of the Church. The authors look at the violence perpetrated against children, and they consider the effects and opportunities arising from Christians' experiences of martyrdom and from the increased Christian interest in various forms of asceticism, including celibacy. The book brings into the open the lives of early Christian children and throws much needed light on what has been a largely neglected area of study in early Christianity.

Call #: BT705 .H67 2009

The living and true God : the mystery of the trinity / Luis F. Ladaria [translated by Evelyn Harrison revised by Doris Strieter and Thomas Strieter]. (10/14/2009)

10/14/2009

View title at
Amazon.com

Product Description

The Christian church affirms that the Trinity - one God in three persons, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit - is the central mystery of the Christian faith that enlightens all other mysteries of the faith. An understanding of the Trinity is essential for the protection and defence of the divine/human person of Jesus Christ and his saving work. This book documents the historical development of the doctrine of the Trinity and its significance for the Christian faith. In a broad and systematic way, Ladaria traces the debates within the early Christian church as the concept of the Trinity developed. He also reflects on the great masters of church tradition concerning their understanding of the trinity and is in dialogue with various contemporary theologians on this subject. This book has been written especially for theological students and professors as an aid in grasping the Trinitarian formulation both historically and theologically and to assist in deepening their faith and reflection in the mystery of God.

Call #: BT111.3 .L33 2009

I love Jesus & I accept evolution / Denis O. Lamoureux. (10/7/2009)

10/7/2009

View title at
Amazon.com

Call #: BT712 .L35 2009

Love that rejoices in the truth : theological explorations / Charles M. Wood. (10/7/2009)

10/7/2009

View title at
Amazon.com

Call #: BT28 .W66 2009

Perspectives on eternal security : biblical, historical, and philosophical perspectives / edited by Kirk R. MacGregor and Kevaughn Mattis [foreword by H. Wayne House]. (10/7/2009)

10/7/2009

View title at
Amazon.com

Call #: BT753 .P47 2009

The finger of God : how God's existence impacts upon humanity / Vincent John Delany. (10/7/2009)

10/7/2009

View title at
Amazon.com

Review
"With regard to your lectures, I have nothing but praise. I greatly enjoyed reading them. You are in a very special position to publish this work from every standpoint -- ability, knowledge and experience." -- From a letter received by the author from Dr Martyn Lloyd-Jones, the world's greatest English-speaking Christian teacher of the last century, former Minister of Westminster Chapel, and the author of The Fight of Faith

Product Description
"The Finger of God" sets out to describe how God's existence impacts upon humanity. All people are implicated in an unfolding Divine Plan governing their individual destiny, and that of Planet Earth. This Divine Plan's outworking and inevitable fulfilment is discussed from a biblical perspective, with especial reference to contrasting actions and narratives of good and evil. Prime themes are the issue of separation between Man and God, occasioned by disobedience; divine overtures, often overlooked; and the potential for reconciliation. The context for discussion is the issue of Christian religiosity - how it is viewed and practiced not only by the Christian world at large, but also by its formal practitioners and religious leaders. The constant reality of a spiritually present dynamic kingdom is contrasted with the contradictory discordant voices of visible churches. A fundamental thread throughout the work is the necessity to promote doing the right thing (what the Bible refers to as righteousness) - toward our fellow human beings, and especially to God - rather than to follow mere religious precepts. Transformation is brought about by recognising that the incarnation, death and resurrection of Jesus lies at the heart of salvation and immortality. A reasoned guide is presented as to ongoing and future conflicts between light and darkness, and under what circumstances a righteous divine victory will emerge whereby God's intentions are successfully implemented in a new, perfect environment for the eternal benefit of humankind.

Call #: BT94 .D45 2009

The one God : a critically developed evangelical doctrine of trinitarian unity / Michael L. Chiavone. (10/7/2009)

10/7/2009

View title at
Amazon.com

Call #: BT130 .C42 2009

Transforming atonement : a political theology of the Cross / Theodore W. Jennings Jr. (10/7/2009)

10/7/2009

View title at
Amazon.com

Product Description
Many books on the Christian doctrine of atonement have been published in recent years. Some point out the difficulties of traditional atonement theories; others attempt a revision of one of the classical three types; others attempt to combine aspects of these types.

Jennings attempts something new: by approaching the question of the meaning of the cross through close attention to the biblical passages that serve as the basis of any reflection on the cross of Jesus and an engagement with patristic as well as contemporary discussion. The result is an alternative theology of the cross that grounds the message concerning the cross in the socio-political reality in which it was historically located and points to the way in which this message bears upon contemporary social and ecclesial reality.

Jennings's truly fresh understanding for Christians of the meaning of Jesus' death specifically grounds the cross in the concrete political confrontation within which it occurred, relates the message about the cross to the practice of Jesus (thus keeping in relationship the gospels and the theology of Paul), and shows how the cross bears on overcoming of human division and sin, reconciliation to God, and new forms of social reality in the community of the crucified.

About the Author
Theodore W. Jennings Jr. is Professor of Biblical and Constructive Theology, Chicago Theological Seminary, Chicago. With interests ranging across Christian doctrine and biblical theology, his recent writings include Jacob's Wound: Homoerotic Narrative in the Literature of Ancient Israel; Reading Derrida, Thinking Paul; and The Insurrection of the Crucified.

Call #: BT453 .J36 2009

The historiographical Jesus : memory, typology, and the Son of David / Anthony Le Donne. (9/30/2009)

9/30/2009

View title at
Amazon.com

Review
I know of no other work like this in the field of historical Jesus research. This book might point the way to a whole new approach for distinguishing authentic Jesus research. --Craig A. Evans, Payzant Distinguished Professor of New Testament, Acadia Divinity College of Acadia University

Product Description
The Historiographical Jesus introduces a new theory and approach for studying the life of Jesus. Anthony Le Donne uses the precepts of social memory theory to identify memory refraction in the Jesus tradition the refocusing distortion that occurs as the stories and sayings of Jesus were handed down and consciously and unconsciously framed in new settings with new applications. Recognition of this refraction allows historians to escape the problematic dichotomy between memory and typology. The author focuses on the title "Son of David" as it was used in Jewish and Christian traditions to demonstrate both how his new theory functions and to advance historical Jesus research.

About the Author
Anthony Le Donne (Ph.D. Durham University) is the author of Historical Jesus: A Postmodern Paradigm (Eerdmans, 2010). He lives in Loomis, California.

Call #: BT303.2 .L39 2009