Many people equate evangelical Christianity with conservatism in religion, politics, theology and social attitudes. Some are scandalized by any separation between them. As one evangelical pastor's wife declared to a church group "We are a conservative people!" In fact, however, evangelicals have not always been conservative; radical stances on doctrines, worship, social norms, politics and church leadership have often marked evangelicalism in the past. The 2007 movie Amazing Grace about Wi...

Liberal Christian theology is a big topic in today's churches and seminaries. But what does liberal theology really mean and why is it so controversial? What does it actually believe about truth, Scripture, and Jesus Christ? And where does it lead?The term "liberal theology" is often misinterpreted, confused with a set of loose ideologies within the Christian faith and sometimes rallied behind by genuine Christians who are simply concerned about modern social justi...

Roger Olson's Classical and Contemporary Introduction to Christian DoctrineFor the first time, celebrated historical theologian Roger Olson offers his own constructive theology, distilling decades of scholarly expertise into a concise systematic theology that is both approachable and substantial. Building on his acclaimed work in historical theology, Christian Theology examines the major doctrines of the Christian faith.This introduction is accessi...

Many Christians’ faith exists as a loose collection of unexamined clichés and slogans borrowed from songs, devotional books, sermon illustrations, and even the internet. Too often this belief system (if it can be called a “system”) lacks coherence and intelligibility; it can hardly be expressed, let alone defended, to others. The problem with folk religion is that it too easily withers under the onslaughts of secularism or seemingly reasonable answers provided by cults and new religions. C...

Postconservative theology may be said to parallel with "postliberal theology" at its best. Orthodox, biblical, but open to new insights about how to interpret Scripture. But the new insights must be faithful as well as fresh. Postconservative theology is not the same as "progressive theology," which tends to lean toward indeterminant faith expressions, whereas "postconservative" allows for particular faith commitments and expressions but understands that the constructive task of theology i...

For some decades American (and other) culture has been obsessed with cults. But what does "cult" mean? How should a religious group be identified as a cult? Who joins cults and why? These and other questions are answered in this book. It provides a basic introduction to cults, "unsafe sects," especially from an orthodox Christian perspective. Here readers will also find accounts of the author's personal experiences of cults.

In this book, Roger Olson sets forth classical Arminian theology and addresses the myriad misunderstandings and misrepresentations of it through the ages. Irenic yet incisive, Olson argues that classical Arminian theology has a rightful place in the evangelical church because it maintains deep roots within Reformational theology, even though it maintains important differences from Calvinism.Myths addressed include:Myth 1: Arminian Theology Is the Oppo...

Appropriately the premier volume in the Guides to Theology series, The Trinity provides readers with a basic knowledge of the central and most distinctive doctrine of the Christian faith -- the triune nature of God.Concise, nontechnical, and up-to-date, the book offers a detailed historical and theological description of the doctrine of the Trinity, tracing its development from the first days of Christianity through the medieval and Reformation eras and into the modern age....

The historical movement known as Pietism emphasized the response of faith and inward transformation as crucial aspects of conversion to Christ. Unfortunately, Pietism today is often equated with a "holier-than-thou" spiritual attitude, religious legalism, or withdrawal from involvement in society.In this book Roger Olson and Christian Collins Winn argue that classical, historical Pietism is an influential stream in evangelical Christianity and that it must be recovered as a resource...

An ECPA 2003 Gold Medallion FinalistThe story of Christian theology has often been divisive and disjointed. Providing this companion volume to his earlier work The Story of Christian Theology, Roger E.Olson thematically traces the contours of Christian belief down through the ages, revealing a pattern of both unity and diversity. He finds a consensus of teaching that is both unitive and able to incorporate a faithful diversity when not forced intothe molds of ...

In this fascinating spiritual-theological autobiography, Robert Rakestraw tells of his lifelong, unceasing search for God. After a troubled and unconventional childhood, he came to know the grace and freedom of God in a personal way during his college years. He then embarked on an unwavering intellectual and spiritual quest for truth and meaning in life. Without technical language, Rakestraw highlights significant developments and revisions in his understanding of God and God's ways of int...

An international cast of theologians come together in this volume to offer essays in tribute to the late Stanley J. Grenz, one of the leading theologians of his generation. Accordingly, the volume includes timely explorations in some of the most exciting areas in contemporary theology. It is only fitting that these very explorations revolve around the key motifs of Grenz's theology (Trinity, community, eschatology) and the key sources from which he drew for theology's construction (Scriptu...