New book - The Great Theologians

[Bct...@aol.com]

Dear all,

 

This is just a tidbit.

 

I received a free book in the mail today from IVP Academic, because I am on their monthly email list about new books that they publish, and I had entered a contest.  The contest was a matching one, where you had to match a list of great theologians with a few things they were known for or had said (can't quite remember now).  But I won, as no doubt did many other folks, and they sent me a complimentary copy of the new book they were promoting, The Great Theologians: A Brief Guide, by Gerald R. McDermott. 

 

The book arrived today, and it covers Origen, Athanasius, Augustine, Aquinas, Luther, Calvin, Edwards, Schleiermacher, Newman, Barth, and Von Balthasar.  It is said to be quite readable, and even possibly to lend itself to study groups, so I am going to read it and see what it's like.

 

Just wanted to share with you that because of you all, and the education I have obtained from you, I was able to be one of their many winners of the great theologians quiz!

 

Jane

 

[fcba%40comcast.net]

If we were the reason for your getting the book we want the book!!!!

;-)

BTW the book sounds similar to one I really enjoyed by Hans Kung entitled GREAT CHRISTIAN THINKERS. It had chapters on Paul, Origen, Augustine, Aquinas, Luther, Schlieiermacher & Barth. I hope you like it half as much as I like Kung's book. McDermott was at the recent GCTS conference I enjoyed.

 

Chris

God Is Still Laughing
http://home.comcast.net/~fcba

[George Demetrion]

Good evening all,
 
Don't know if anyyone has seen Roger Olson's review book on the Shack.  I saw it at Barnes & Noble the other night and found this review.  For those who haven't seen Olson's text or the review, the following may be of interest. 
http://www.discerningreader.com/book-reviews/finding-god-in-the-shack
 
Best,
 
George
 

---

From: Bct...@aol.com
Date: Mon, 15 Mar 2010 18:51:44 -0400

Subject: New book - The Great Theologians

To: confessi...@googlegroups.com

[herb.davis]

Folks,  I am trying to find out if the sermon note for 3/21 got posted.  Will someone let me know.  Did you get this post? Herb

[Jean Easland]

YES------ROGER

----- Original Message -----

From: herb.davis

To: confessi...@googlegroups.com

[Wanda Lester]

Hi Herb,

 

Yes, it came through just fine for me and I've been mulling over your comments all day.  BTW... I do very much enjoy your notes and find them very helpful as I mull over the texts each week.  Thanks for sending them on.

 

Actually I rather thought you were right on target....the focus of this text should be on God..on Jesus not us.... 

How foolish indeed in the eyes of the world is the extravagance of God's gift to us in Jesus...and how costly was the price he paid.  

 

Thanks again...

Wanda

[herb.davis]

Dear George,  Thanks for the review of the review on the Shack.  I agreed with much of what the reviewer had to say but felt the style was to harsh.  I would hope our review would attempt to tease the reader to consider the issues the reviewer exposed without dissing the reader.  You seem to be about the same task, you hve a gentel and kind style.  Peace, Herb

[Matt]

Judging from his website, the person who wrote the "review of the
review" is a card-carrying member of the flat-earth society. If N.T.
Wright, Philip Yancey, Brian MacLaren, and Anne Rice are heretics, who
makes it through the narrow door? Even "The Cost of Discipleship" by
Dietrich Bonhoeffer gets a "not recommended" rating, but I couldn't
follow the link to find out why.

[George Demetrion]

Hi Matt,
 
I get that he is saying that Olson was too charitable.  When I flipped through the Olson text, he notes that the Shack was about 90% on target.
 
That would be pretty good, huh?
 
Best,
 
George
 
I haven't read the book itself, but these amazon reviews of Olson's review of the Shack may provide some additional illumination on Olson's key focus in his review: http://www.amazon.com/Finding-God-Shack-Seeking-Redemption/product-reviews/0830837086/ref=dp_top_cm_cr_acr_txt?ie=UTF8&showViewpoints=1
 
> Date: Wed, 17 Mar 2010 11:11:31 -0700
> Subject: Re: Olson on the Shack
> From: mau...@gmail.com
> To: confessi...@googlegroups.com

[Matt]

It's been years since I've written something that was 90% correct!!

[fcba%40comcast.net]

Matt,

 

You and I think that we did 90% work but we merely had merciful teachers.

 

;-)

Chris

God Is Still Laughing
http://home.comcast.net/~fcba

----- Original Message -----
From: "Matt" <mau...@gmail.com>
To: "Confessing Christ Open Forum" <confessi...@googlegroups.com>
Sent: Wednesday, March 17, 2010 4:33:15 PM GMT -05:00 US/Canada Eastern
Subject: Re: Olson on the Shack

[Gabe]

Matt, Jane and Shack readers,

I wrote this post once but it got lost in the ether :)

Roger Olson, a friend, is a solid theologian and historian of
doctrine, a self-defined "post-conservative" who gets into hot water
from time to time with the evangelical community. For a take on his
framework see his "Reformed and Always Reforming; The Postconservative
Approach to Evangelical Theology," Baker 2007). A grade of "90"
forOlson's book on The Shack may turn out to be too high. I believe he
would be interested in what we come up with as a Guide, Jane. I can
send it to him for a response.

Again, Jane, our leader: I invited the Rev. Ernest Ryden to join our
discussion. He is a retired Lutheran pastor who also was communication
staff person for the Rhode Island Council of Churches. Willis may
remember him from our Cape Cod Tabletalk group. He is doing a study of
The Shack at First Lutheran West Barnstable and would be a valuable
conversation partner for us. Are you out there, Ernie?

I was not sure what to tell Ernie about the pagers we are presently
discussing. A dim recollection is that we had gone up to page 150,
ending with chapter 10, then began to treat the material topically.
The rest of the book invites exploration of the doctrines of the
person and the Work of Christ, eschatology, hermeneutics and more, as
well as the issues of ecclesiology , institutions/orders of
preservation, and the Trinity which we have taken up a bit.

--Gabe

[Matt]

Olson gave "The Shack" a 90. The online reviewer I described as a
member of the flat-earth society was much less charitable in his meta-
review of Olson's review.