Darren C. Marks (ed.) Shaping a Theological Mind: Theological context and methodology (Ashgate, 2002) 144pp (with thanks to Ashgate for a review copy)
This is a fantastic short book of essays with the likes of Colin Gunton, John Webster, Jurgen Moltmann, John Milbank and Kathryn Tanner, charting how these (and others) approach the theological task with regards methodology. Some of the essays, and these are arguably the more interesting, trace the theological journey the author has made or is making. I think theological autobiography is an underused way of doing theology.
Gunton charts the influence of Jenson becoming his doctoral supervisor and pointing him towards Barth, meeting John Zizioulas as part of the British Council of Churches commission on the Trinity, Christoph Schwoebel joining the theology department at King's and starting the Research Institute in Systematic Theology, as some of the moments which shaped the way he did theology. The title of his chapter 'Theology in communion' reflects the central importance for Colin that theology was done in community, it was not an isolated activity.
John Webster charts his move towards dogmatics, Alister McGrath the relationship in his work between theology and science, Jurgen Moltmann's chapter is a short summary of his recently published autobiography.
I recommend this book if you like to understand the theological journey and contexts that shaped the work of these theologians. Theology is a lived activity that is shaped by life and through the places we visit and the people we meet. (Incidently Darren Marks has recently published another collection, titled Shaping a Global Theological Mind.)
Thanks for this recommendation.
The author's new book on global theology looks good too.
Posted by: aaron g | March 25, 2008 at 03:49 AM