Thinking with the Church

Thinking with the Church offers twelve meaty essays from a renowned historian, theologian, and Calvin scholar. In this volume B. A. Gerrish focuses on the progression of the Calvinist tradition and examines historical theology as a critical engagement with past leaders of Christian thought and their opponents.

In the first two parts the essays focus on philosophical theology, considering such questions asWhat is religion? and What is revelation? Part three turns directly to historical interpretation of the Calvinist tradition, viewed in the very diverse work of three of its foremost representatives -- Calvin himself, Friedrich Schleiermacher, and Charles Hodge. Finally, in the fourth and fifth sections, Gerrish deals with particular Christian doctrines in which the diversity of the Calvinist tradition is apparent -- the atonement, the Eucharist, and grace. Historical interpretation is the foundation throughout, but Gerrish does not exclude the critical engagement that belongs to the task of historical theology.

Three of these essays are completely new; the others were previously published in a variety of places -- journals, symposia, an encyclopedia -- but have been extensively revised.