The newly updated and expanded edition of the bestselling introduction to Historical Theology

Historical Theology: An Introduction to the History of Christian Thought traces the development of Christian theology from its earliest days to the present. Assuming no prior knowledge of the subject, this authoritative yet accessible textbook introduces the major theological movements, key ideas, and individual theologians of the Patristic Period, the Middle Ages and Renaissance, the Reformation and Post-Reformation, and the Modern Era up to the present day. Throughout the book, students explore central themes through numerous case studies, primary readings, and study questions at the end of each section.

Now in its third edition, Historical Theology including substantial new sections on theodicy, modern African Christologies, and postcolonial theology. The book retains the structure of the previous editions, covering the key development and people within all the main historical periods while introducing readers to the core themes of historical theology across the centuries. This fully updated new edition:

• Provides a general overview of each period covered, including historical background and main theological developments
• Features individual case studies and excerpts from primary texts to allow readers to examine specific themes in greater detail
• Defines the fundamental theological vocabulary necessary for engaging with other works
• Highlights the importance of the discipline of historical theology and its place in wider Christian theology
• Contains references to further readings in each chapter and full glossaries of important words, names, phrases, and theological developments
• Includes web material developed by the author to help users get the most out of using this textbook, along with sample lectures on some of its themes

Written by one of the most renowned theologians in the field, Historical Theology: An Introduction to the History of Christian Thought, Third Edition remains the perfect textbook for advanced undergraduate and graduate courses in Christian History, Christian Theology, and the Reformation.

Alister E. McGrath is Andreas???Idreos???Professor of Science and Religion, Faculty of Theology and Religion, University of Oxford, UK. He is an acclaimed scholar, theologian, intellectual historian, lecturer, and author. He has written some of the most widely used theology textbooks, including the bestselling Christian Theology: An Introduction, now in its sixth edition (2016, Wiley Blackwell). With Wiley Blackwell he also published Reformation Thought: An Introduction, Firth Edition (2021), Science & Religion: A New Introduction, Third Edition (2020), Theology: The Basics (2017), The Christian Theology Reader, Fifth Edition (2016), and many more.

How to Use This Book xii

Introduction 1

The Concept of “Theology”: A Brief Introduction 1

The Architecture of Theology 5

Historical Theology: Its Purpose and Place 9

1 Early Christian Theology: The Patristic Period, c.100–451 17

A Clarification of Terms 18

Difficulties in Approaching Early Christian Theology 19

The Historical Background to Early Christian Theology 20

Centers of Early Christian Theological Reflection 24

Key Theologians 25

Key Theological Developments 28

Key Names, Words, and Phrases 37

Case Studies 38

2 The Middle Ages and the Renaissance, c.500–1500 83

On Defining the “Middle Ages” 84

Medieval Theological Landmarks in Western Europe 86

The Rise of Scholasticism 90

The Italian Renaissance 91

The Rise of Humanism 92

Medieval Theological Landmarks in Eastern Europe 93

Key Theologians 95

Key Theological Developments 100

Key Names, Words, and Phrases 105

Case Studies 106

3 The Reformation and Post-Reformation Periods, 1500–1750 133

Reformation – or Reformations? 134

A Clarification of Terms 135

Post-Reformation Movements 141

Key Theologians 145

Key Theological Developments 149

Developments in Theological Literature 151

Key Names, Words, and Phrases 155

Case Studies 156

4 The Modern Period, 1750 – The Present Day 196

A Cultural Watershed: The Enlightenment 198

The Enlightenment Critique of Traditional Theology 199

Romanticism and the Critique of the Enlightenment 203

The Crisis of Faith in Victorian England 204

The Crisis of the First World War 205

Postmodernism and a New Theological Agenda 207

Key Theologians 209

Some Recent Western Theological Movements and Trends 212

Key Names, Words, and Phrases 227

Case Studies 228

Where Next? 300

A Glossary of Theological Terms 302

Sources of Citations 314

Suggestions for Further Reading 319

Index 321