This revised and updated introduction offers a global survey of understandings of God in Scripture, Christian history, and contemporary theology. The second edition incorporates developments in theological research over the past decade.  
  
__Praise for the First Edition__  
  
"\[A\] fascinating historical and global overview of theology."  
\--International Bulletin of Mission Research   
"This astonishingly wide-ranging and well-informed book will serve as an introduction to the doctrine of God for scholars of all kinds and for many generations of students. The story of the numerous theologians and thinkers within the long, rich, and varied Christian tradition is freshly told with great insight and intelligence. I warmly recommend this book for its thoroughness, scope, clarity, and fairness."  
\--__William K. Kay__, University of Chester  
  
"I know of no better introduction to the essential elements of the contemporary discussion of the doctrine of God than this. The author surveys the biblical and historical materials, recounts recent European and North American responses to classical theism, and then draws African, Asian, and Latin American theologians into the conversation. An impressive accomplishment, this text is very useful to teachers and scholars alike."  
\--__D. Lyle Dabney__, Marquette University  
  
"Kärkkäinen has produced a trilogy that will become a prophetic call for a new theological paradigm. In completing this series, he has created a work that will serve the global Christian world for the new century. He has rendered a particular service to the churches in the South and the East by challenging them to ponder their theological richness and by showing them how they can make unique theological contributions to shape healthy, global Christianity that is familiar and friendly to their varying sociocultural contexts."  
\--__Wonsuk Ma__, Oral Roberts University

__Veli-Matti Kärkkäinen__ (DrTheol, University of Helsinki) is professor of systematic theology at Fuller Theological Seminary in Pasadena, California, and docent of ecumenics at the University of Helsinki, Finland. He is the author of numerous books, including Pneumatology and Christology.

In recent years, the doctrine of God has once again become a central focus of theological discussion and debate. In this ecumenical, international, and contextual introduction, internationally respected scholar Veli-Matti Kärkkäinen offers a global survey of understandings of God in Scripture, Christian history, and contemporary theology. This new edition incorporates developments in theological research over the past decade and has been substantially updated throughout.

This ecumenical, international, and contextual introduction offers a global survey of understandings of God in Scripture, Christian history, and contemporary theology. Now substantially updated throughout.

__Contents__ Introduction: God-Talk Then and Now  
__Part 1: The Texture of Historical Developments__ 1. Biblical Narrative and Testimonies of God  
For Orientation: God-Talk in the Bible  
Old Testament: Jewish Monotheism  
New Testament: Christian Trinitarian Monotheism 2. The Rise and Consolidation of the Christian Doctrine of God  
Classical Theism: What Is It?  
Early Fathers on God and Trinity  
The Emergence of the Trinitarian Doctrine and Its Challengers  
Patristic and Creedal Establishment of the Doctrine of God 3. From the Medieval to the Modern Quest for God  
Mystical Visions and Sophisticated Doctrines of Medieval Times  
The Zenith of Classical Theism: The "Schoolmen" on the Doctrine of God  
The Rise of the Social Model of the Trinity  
The Reformers and Their Followers on God  
The Mystical Experience of God among Catholic Reformers  
Post-Reformation Testimonies and Doctrines  
God in Modernity  
Reflections: Looking Back and Forward __Part 2: God in Contemporary Theological Interpretations__ 4. Interpretations of God among European Theologies  
God as the Wholly Other: Karl Barth  
God as the Mystery of the World: Karl Rahner  
God as Communion: John Zizioulas and Eastern Orthodox Tradition  
God as the Power of the Future: Wolfhart Pannenberg  
The Crucified God: Jurgen Moltmann  
God's Existence in Dispute: Secularism and New Atheism(s)  
Reflections on Contemporary European Views of God 5. Interpretations of God from Diverse North American Contexts  
For Orientation: The North American Mosaic  
Rebuttals to Classical Theism: Secular and Process Theologies  
Revisions of Classical Theism: Contextual Interpretations  
Revisiting Classical Theism: Evangelicalism and Open Theism  
Reflections on the North American Scene 6. Interpretations of God in the Global South  
For Orientation: Theology Goes Global  
God in African Theologies  
God in Latin American Theologies  
God in Asian Theologies  
Reflections on Non-Western God-Talk __Part 3: The Christian God among Religions__ 7. Christian Theology Faces Religious Plurality and Pluralism(s)  
Religious Plurality as a New Challenge  
Theological Responses to Pluralism(s)  
How to Approach the Dialogical Comparative Task 8. The Gods of the Religions  
Allah of Islam  
The Deities of Hinduism  
Any Deities in Buddhism?  
Concluding Reflections on the Comparative Theological Exercise Epilogue: The Future of God-Talk in the Third Millennium  
Indexes

Kärkkäinen, Veli-Matti

Cover

Title Page

Copyright Page

Abbreviations

Preface

Introduction

Part 1: The Texture of Historical Developments

1. Biblical Narrative and Testimonies of God

2. The Rise and Consolidation of the Christian Doctrine of God

3. From the Medieval to the Modern Quest for God

Part 2: God in Contemporary Theological Interpretations

4. Interpretations of God among European Theologies

5. Interpretations of God from Diverse North American Contexts

6. Interpretations of God in the Global South

Part 3: The Christian God among Religions

7. Christian Theology Faces Religious Plurality and Pluralism(s)

8. The Gods of the Religions

Epilogue

Subject Index

Scripture Index

Back Cover

Contents  
  
Introduction: God-Talk Then and Now  
Part 1: The Texture of Historical Developments  
1\. Biblical Narrative and Testimonies of God  
For Orientation: God-Talk in the Bible  
Old Testament: Jewish Monotheism  
New Testament: Christian Trinitarian Monotheism  
2\. The Rise and Consolidation of the Christian Doctrine of God  
Classical Theism: What Is It?  
Early Fathers on God and Trinity  
The Emergence of the Trinitarian Doctrine and Its Challengers  
Patristic and Creedal Establishment of the Doctrine of God  
3\. From the Medieval to the Modern Quest for God  
Mystical Visions and Sophisticated Doctrines of Medieval Times  
The Zenith of Classical Theism: The "Schoolmen" on the Doctrine of God  
The Rise of the Social Model of the Trinity  
The Reformers and Their Followers on God  
The Mystical Experience of God among Catholic Reformers  
Post-Reformation Testimonies and Doctrines  
God in Modernity  
Reflections: Looking Back and Forward  
Part 2: God in Contemporary Theological Interpretations  
4\. Interpretations of God among European Theologies  
God as the Wholly Other: Karl Barth  
God as the Mystery of the World: Karl Rahner  
God as Communion: John Zizioulas and Eastern Orthodox Tradition  
God as the Power of the Future: Wolfhart Pannenberg  
The Crucified God: Jurgen Moltmann  
God's Existence in Dispute: Secularism and New Atheism(s)  
Reflections on Contemporary European Views of God  
5\. Interpretations of God from Diverse North American Contexts  
For Orientation: The North American Mosaic  
Rebuttals to Classical Theism: Secular and Process Theologies  
Revisions of Classical Theism: Contextual Interpretations  
Revisiting Classical Theism: Evangelicalism and Open Theism  
Reflections on the North American Scene  
6\. Interpretations of God in the Global South  
For Orientation: Theology Goes Global  
God in African Theologies  
God in Latin American Theologies  
God in Asian Theologies  
Reflections on Non-Western God-Talk  
Part 3: The Christian God among Religions  
7\. Christian Theology Faces Religious Plurality and Pluralism(s)  
Religious Plurality as a New Challenge  
Theological Responses to Pluralism(s)  
How to Approach the Dialogical Comparative Task  
8\. The Gods of the Religions  
Allah of Islam  
The Deities of Hinduism  
Any Deities in Buddhism?  
Concluding Reflections on the Comparative Theological Exercise  
Epilogue: The Future of God-Talk in the Third Millennium  
Indexes

The Doctrine of God

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