The Great Theologians: A Brief Guide

The book arrived faster than what I was quoted for and in great condition. Thanks for making this grad student's day!

As I started out on this book, I have to say I was a little hesitant.The thought that kept on repeating on me was how can you encapsulate the life work of any prolific theologian in twenty odd pages? Some of these guys have published millions of pages of work?However when I got to the end of the book I have to humbly confess - not that the author had successfully surmised the career work of each and every one of these famous theologians - but rather that the author had successfully communicated to me the distinguishing features that each of their ministries had contributed to the rolling juggernaut that is the Christian tradition down through the ages through the Word of God.If you want a decent taster of some of the world changing theologians - there are not many better places to start than this.Here are the theologians covered;Origen - Athanasius - Augustine - Aquinas - Luther - Calvin - Edwards - Schleiermacher - Newman - Barth - Con BalthasarThe thing you may note if you are half familiar with dead theologians is that some of the guys on the list (particularly the guys towards the end of the list) are not very popular at all in some circles. In fact I am almost certain that asking some of your knowledgeable churchy buds about some of these guys is akin to asking a lamppost what it thinks about dogs.But in spite of this my advice would be to man up, soldier on and read on as the author's insights into some of these guys not only will better enable you to communicate with some traditions who you previously treated as dengue plague infested dirt bags - but it will help you see clearly that God has used all of these guys in varying degrees and ways for his glory. It is also helpful in showing us that Jesus aside no theologian is wholly infallible and all have varying degrees of raging imperfectionsI particularly liked how McDermott rounded out the book with a chapter on what these theologians teach us about theology. The salient points were as follows;*All theologians work within a distinct cultural environment which helps shape their thinking.*The cultural limitations of theologians do not prevent their opening up truth for the church.*The Holy Spirit is at work in the history of the Great Tradition.*There has been development of understanding over time through the history of the Great Tradition.*We will be able to discern the spirits today (which is the work of theology) only by studying afresh this great tradition.*We should read not only about the great theologians but the actual writings of these thinkers.I thought the book was pretty good - as a side - it was obvious Jonathan Edwards is close to the author's heart as he seems to get a mention in each chapter - but that's okay with me.Wierd as it may sound - I personally found the chapter on Schleiermacher very helpful - reason being it really helps me engage with many from the liberal tradition who although outwardly use many of the same phrases that I would when it comes to Christian jargon mean something totally different.All in all - get your hands on one - read.

Most Christians, even if they read on a regular basis, will pretty much choose books that help them live the Christian life. Books extolling “how to” live the Christian life dominate the landscape of bookstores because that is what the market wants.There is nothing wrong per se with giving practical suggestions for how to live the Christian life. In his terrific introduction to Puritan theology, J. I. Packer underscores how Puritan preachers gave many applications in their sermons.Applying the truths of Scripture is critical to being a Christian who is growing. James 1:22-25 makes this crystal clear:But prove yourselves doers of the word, and not merely hearers who delude themselves. For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks at his natural face in a mirror; for once he has looked at himself and gone away, he has immediately forgotten what kind of person he was. But one who looks intently at the perfect law, the law of liberty, and abides by it, not having become a forgetful hearer but an effectual doer, this man will be blessed in what he does.The problem occurs when one’s reading is all about application. It is a problem, among other reasons, because we simply assume the author holds to a biblical framework. Sure the author may cite verses here and there, but are they handling Scripture responsibly? It takes biblical and theological discernment to determine whether that is the case.What are the theological assumptions that the author holds? Those assumptions will inform how the author reads Scripture, and then makes his case for believers to apply his suggestions.I am always on the lookout for thoughtful introductory books that help Christians think more carefully about their faith.Gerald McDermott’s The Great Theologians: a Brief Guide is such a book. It covers eleven, perhaps the top eleven, most consequential theologians. The chapters are short, but meaty. The chapters are meaty, but accessible.If you want to know more about the thinkers that are behind the “practical” books you are reading, McDermott’s book is recommended with gusto!

I am using this book currently as the study material for the Adult Sunday school in my church. I have found that the people who are in my study have found this book to be very engaging and the discussions we have had have been very lively and entertaining. I am also currently in seminary and have used this book on a number of occasions for research material in several of my history papers. McDermott does not do a deep dive by any means on any of these theologians, but that is not the intent of this book either. It is a very handy guide to some of the more prominent theologians. McDermott is fair in his portrayal of each man and genuinely projects his enthusiasm for theology in his writing. We have only covered the first 3 chapters at the time of this review, but I can see that the people in my class have enjoyed this subject and are recognizing the benefit to studying such important men in the Christian faith. I would definitely recommend this book to any one who is looking for a primer on theologians either for their own edification or for a new subject to teach in Sunday school. The questions that McDermott has in the back of each chapter are great for group discussion and we have never run out of material to cover in our 30-40 minute class. [...]