Christology: A Guide for the Perplexed

The excellent seris of introductions entitled A Guide for the Perplexed has a worthy addition in Alan Spence's Christology. -- The Revd Dr. Paul Goodliff * Baptist Times, January 2010 * Clearly written and made more accessible for the general reader by its brief chapters and halpul headings. [...] the book is useful and well argued. -- Gerald O'Collins SJ * Pastoral Review, The * [Alan Spence] offers a lucid historical and conceptual introduction to classical and modern Christology... This historical background provides an essential foundation on which to outline later developments and discuss contemporary approaches to the subject. -- A. Spence * Reform, April 2009 * Spence's book serves as an excellent introductory summary that helpfully clarifies the complex and contentious issue of Christology. * Religious Studies Review, September 2009 * Christology is a useful book as we continue to refute error and pursue a biblical understanding of Christ amid the swirl of theological 'innovation'. -- Ian Hugh Clary * Barnabas Spring 2010 * In this book, Alan Spence introduces the reader to the trajectories of both classical and modern Christology, with an equal part devoted to both. He presents his role as that of a host who is required to introduce a late arrival (the reader) to two groups of distinguished guests (church fathers and modern theologians) at a dinner party. His role is to connect the newcomer to the conversation that has been going on between the two groups. Spence is a good guide to both groups, although he seems on surer footing in describing classical Christology. In reality, though, Spence is more than a host, for he has his contribution to make. -- Edwin Chr. Van Driel * Interpretation, April 2010 * The first part of the book offers a concise summary of the most important concepts involved in Christology. * Theologische Rundschau (Bloomsbury translation) * This admirably lucid book fills an extremely important gap in the theological market, offering a historical and conceptual introduction to classical and modern Christology. While allowing it to speak for itself, Spence weaves the material into a sensitive meta-narrative, thus offering a coherent and digestible account of the development of Christology. In doing so he brings conceptual clarity to the conundrums encountered along the way, and above all highlights what exactly was at stake at each stage. -- Susannah Ticciati, King's College London Mention -Book News, February 2009 Title mentioned in author's article in Reform, November 2009

Dr Alan Spence has been a teacher in Harare, an evangelist in the South African townships, a human rights advocate in Zimbabwe and Moderator of the Presbyterian Church of Southern Africa. He is now a minister in the United Reformed Church serving two congregations in London, UK.

1. The task of Christology; Introduction; 2. Dismissing the paradox: Docetics and Ebionites; Early Christianity; 3. Like God in act or in being: Arianism and the 'homoousion'; Council of Nicaea; 4. Neglecting the human mind: Apollinarianism; Church in Alexandria; Church in Antioch - Logos-anthropos; 5. Two natures and one person: the Definition of Chalcedon; 6. Divine and human willing: duothelitism The split the church; 7. The universal presence of the body of Christ: Lutheran Christology; 8. The Holy Spirit in the life of Jesus: a Reformed christology; 9. Reacting to the creeds: Liberalism and the search for the historical Jesus; 10. Modern ways of interpreting Christ: Schleiermacher and Barth; 11. The importance of history: Pannenburg and Wright; 12. Questions that face us today.