Biblical Hermeneutics
Five Views
Part of the Spectrum Multiview Books series
Five experts in biblical hermeneutics gather here to state and defend their approach to the discipline. Contributors include: Craig Blomberg with the historical-critical/grammatical approach, Richard Gaffin with the redemptive-historical approach, Scott Spencer with the literary/postmodern approach, Robert Wall with the canonical approach and Merold Westphal with the philosophical/theological approach.
War, Peace, and Violence: Four Christian Views
Part of the Spectrum Multiview Books series
In a world of war, terrorism, and other geopolitical threats to global stability, how should committed Christians honor Jesus Christ and his Word?
In this volume in IVP Academic's Spectrum series, four contributors-experts in Christian ethics, political philosophy, and international affairs-offer the best of current Christian thinking on issues of war and peace. They present four distinct views:
• Eric Patterson, just war view
• Myles Werntz, nonviolence view
• A. J. Nolte, Christian realist view
• Meic Pearse, church historical view
Each contributor makes a case for his own view and responds to the others, highlighting complexities and real-world implications of the various perspectives. Edited and with an introduction and conclusion by the philosopher Paul Copan, this book provides a helpful orientation to the key positions today.
Spectrum Multiview Books offer a range of viewpoints on contested topics within Christianity, giving contributors the opportunity to present their position and also respond to others in this dynamic publishing format.
Christian Ethics
Four Views
Part of the Spectrum Multiview Books series
Christian Ethics: Four ViewsBrad J. Kallenberg: Virtue EthicsJohn Hare: Divine Command EthicsClaire Peterson: Natural Law EthicsPeter Heltzel: Prophetic EthicsChristian Ethics: Four Views
The Nature of the Atonement
Four Views
Part of the Spectrum Multiview Books series
A long history of biblical exegesis and theological reflection has shaped our understanding of the atonement today. The more prominent highlights of this history have acquired familiar names for the household of faith: Christus Victor, penal substitutionary, subjective, and governmental. Recently the penal substitutionary view, and particularly its misappropriations, has been critiqued, and a lively debate has taken hold within evangelicalism. This book offers a "panel" discussion of four views of atonement maintained by four evangelical scholars. The proponents and their views are: Gregory A. Boyd: Christus Victor view Joel B. Green: Kaleidescopic view Bruce R. Reichenbach: Healing view Thomas R. Schreiner: Penal Substitutionary view Following an introduction written by the editors, each participant first puts forth the case for their view. Each view is followed by responses from the other three participants, noting points of agreement as well as disagreement. This is a book that will help Christians understand the issues, grasp the differences and proceed toward a clearer articulation of their understanding of the atonement.
Covenantal and Dispensational Theologies
Four Views on the Continuity of Scripture
Part of the Spectrum Multiview Books series
• Covenant Theology: Michael S. Horton, Gresham Machen Professor of Systematic Theology and Apologetics, Westminster Seminary California
• Progressive Covenantalism: Stephen J. Wellum, professor of Christian theology, Southern Baptist Theological Seminary
• Progressive Dispensationalism: Darrell L. Bock, Senior Research Professor of New Testament Studies, Dallas Theological Seminary
• Traditional Dispensationalism: Mark A. Snoeberger, professor of systematic theology and apologetics, Detroit Baptist Theological Seminary.
Divine Impassibility
Four Views of God's Emotions and Suffering
Part of the Spectrum Multiview Books series
Does God suffer? Does God experience emotions? Does God change?
How should we interpret passages of Scripture that seem to support one view or the other? And where do the incarnation and Christ's suffering on the cross fit into this?
This Spectrum Multiview volume brings together four theologians with decidedly different answers to these questions. The contributors make a case for their own view-ranging from a traditional affirmation of divine impassibility (the idea that God does not suffer) to the position that God is necessarily and intimately affected by creation-and then each contributor responds to the others' views.
The lively but irenic discussion that takes place in this conversation demonstrates not only the diversity of opinion among Christians on this theological conundrum but also its ongoing relevance for today.
Views and Contributors:
Strong Impassibility (James E. Dolezal, assistant professor in the School of Divinity at Cairn University)
Qualified Impassibility (Daniel Castelo, professor of dogmatic and constructive theology at Seattle Pacific University)
Qualified Passibility (John C. Peckham, professor of theology and Christian philosophy at Andrews University)
Strong Passibility (Thomas Jay Oord, professor of theology and philosophy at Northwest Nazarene University.
God and the Problem of Evil
Five Views
Part of the Spectrum Multiview Books series
Evil abounds. And so do the attempts to understand God in the face of such evil.God and the Problem of EvilPhillip Cary: A Classic ViewWilliam Lane Craig: A Molinist ViewWilliam Hasker: An Open Theist ViewThomas J. Oord: An Essential Kenosis ViewStephen Wykstra: A Skeptical Theism ViewGod and the Problem of Evil
Psychology & Christianity
Part of the Spectrum Multiview Books series
Psychology and Christianity: Five Views
Original Sin and the Fall
Five Views
Part of the Spectrum Multiview Books series
"What is this that you have done? "Views and Contributors:
• An Augustinian View (Hans Madueme, Covenant College)
• A Moderate Reformed View (Oliver Crisp, The University of St. Andrews)
• A Wesleyan View (Joel B. Green, Fuller Theological Seminary)
• An Eastern Orthodox View (Andrew Louth, Durham University)
• A Reconceived View (Tatha Wiley, University of St. Thomas)
Faith and Reason
Three Views
Part of the Spectrum Multiview Books series
Life confronts us with an endless stream of questions. Some are trivial. But some draw us into the deepest dimensions of human inquiry, a place where our decisions have profound implications for life and faith. Is there a God, and if so, how can I know anything about who or what God is? Is the quest for truth an elusive dream? How should I live and what should I value? What happens at the end of my biological existence? These questions lead people of every creed and belief to consider important existential concepts. But many people wrestle with the relationship between faith and reason as they dig into the roots of this theological and philosophical pursuit. Does a shared interest in a common set of questions indicate that philosophy and theology are close kin and allies, or are they competitors vying for our souls, each requiring a loyalty that excludes the other? In Faith and Reason, Steve Wilkens edits a debate between three different understandings of the relationship between faith and reason, between theology and philosophy. The first viewpoint, Faith and Philosophy in Tension, proposes faith and reason as hostile, exclusive opposites, each dangerous to the integrity of the other. The second, Faith Seeking Understanding, suggests that faithful Christians are called to make full use of their rational faculties to aid in the understanding and interpretation of what they believe by faith. In the third stance, Thomistic Synthesis, natural reason acts as a handmaiden to theology by actively pointing people toward salvation and deeper knowledge of spiritual truths. Bringing together multiple views on the relationship between faith, philosophy and reason, this introduction to a timeless quandary will help you navigate, with rigor and joy, one of the most significant discussions of the Christian community.
The Historical Jesus
Five Views
Part of the Spectrum Multiview Books series
The scholarly quest for the historical Jesus has a distinguished pedigree in modern Western religious and historical scholarship, with names such as Strauss, Schweitzer and Bultmann highlighting the story. Since the early 1990s, when the Jesus quest was reawakened for a third run, numerous significant books have emerged. And the public's attention has been regularly arrested by media coverage, with the Jesus Seminar or the James ossuary headlining the marquee.
The Historical Jesus: Five Views provides a venue for readers to sit in on a virtual seminar on the historical Jesus. Beginning with a scene-setting historical introduction by the editors, prominent figures in the Jesus quest set forth their views and respond to their fellow scholars.
On the one end Robert M. Price lucidly maintains that the probability of Jesus' existence has reached the "vanishing point," and on the other Darrell Bock ably argues that while critical method yields only a "gist" of Jesus, it takes us in the direction of the Gospel portraits. In between there are numerous avenues to explore, questions to be asked and "assured results" to be weighed. And John Dominic Crossan, Luke Timothy Johnson and James D. G. Dunn probe these issues with formidable knowledge and honed insight, filling out a further range of options.
The Historical Jesus: Five Views offers a unique entry into the Jesus quest. For both the classroom and personal study, this is a book that fascinates, probes and engages.