Outstanding Christian Thinkers – serie

The Cappadocians are the 4th-century writers St Basil the Great, St Gregory Nazianzus and St Gregory of Nyssa. They were central to the defence of Christian Orthodoxy and should be of interest to students of the early Church.

Karl Rahner (1904-1984) has been called the most important and influential Roman Catholic thinker of the twentieth century. He was a major influence at the Second Vatican Council, and his extensive writings have inspired generations of modern students of theology. Dych provides a concise introduction to Rahner's theological interests and covers his thinking from his student days to the time of his death Rahner's writings are numerous and complex, but this volume provides a sure and accessible guide to his legacy. In addition, Dych attempts to connect Rahner's main theological teachings with those of Vatican II and with the teachings found in the Exercises of St. Ignatius Loyola. In so doing, Dych places Rahner in the context of modern Catholic doctrine and the ongoing experience of Christians anxious to explore the mysteries of God and creation.

Paul Tillich (1886-1965) was a remarkable theologian who was as much at home in a philosophical discussion as he was in the pulpit, and as keenly interested in art and politics as in his life-work as a professional theologian. Tillich's attacks on Nazism led to the banning of his books, his dismissal from Frankfurt University, and ultimately his departure for the United States in November 1933. His many points of contact with key thinkers in theology and philosophy (including Heidegger, Otto, Bultmann, Adorno and Barth) make him a compelling figure for those interested in the history of ideas in the Twentieth Century.J. Heywood Thomas critically reviews the philosophical background to Tillich's theology, including his debts to Schelling, Kant, and Husserl. He surveys Tillich's achievement as a philosophical theologian, examining his ontological approach to Christology and salvation, and his understanding of the church as a spiritual community. Thomas concludes with an exploration of Tillich's contribution to the changed situation of theology today.

Soren Kierkegaard (1813-1855) has been proposed as the 'father' of existentialism, as a forerunner of post-modernism and as the proponent of a purely humanistic religiosity. According to Julia Watkin all of these approaches suppress the reality of Kierkegaard as a Christian thinker, albeit one of a uniquely challenging cast who saw the need to treat Christianity as a personal existential adventure in which one is not afraid to risk oneself. In Kierkegaard, Watkin uses Danish critical sources to classify the legendary thinker as one of a radical Christian persuasion.Kierkegaard raised and addressed vital philosophical and ethical-religious questions about existence in a way that continues to be relevant across disciplines, generations, and cultures. This book distinctly and simply introduces Kierkegaard to new readers as a Christian religious thinker.

Augustine of Hippo is a giant in the history of Christian thinking. Commended by St. Jerome for having virtually "refounded the old faith", he was a philosopher, theologian, preacher, interpreter of scripture, monk and bishop. Augustine dominated the minds of medieval theologians, had an enormous effect on the leaders of the Reformation, and continues to influence Christian thought today.Mary Clark provides a clear and rounded account of what Augustine taught and argued, from his rejection of Manicheism through his ideas on grace, salvation and the Trinity.

One of the best known Christians of the twentieth century, Dietrich Bonhoeffer is admired as a theologian for his unparalleled independence of mind, creativity and brilliance by liberals and conservatives alike.

Edith Stein was beatified in 1987 and canonized in 1998 but is still relatively unknown in the English-speaking world. She provides an example of a Christian thinker deeply engaged in the debates of her own day, and her work offers models and insights for addressing the questions of the 21st century. Sarah Borden presents an overview of St Edith Stein's life and thought, beginning with a biographical chapter and then covering the major areas in which she wrote. These include her early work in phenomenology, her political writings, her studies on women and women's education, as well her later turn to medieval metaphysics, and spiritual and religious texts. The final chapter covers the controversies surrounding Stein's beatification and canonization. Arranged by topic and proceeding largely in chronological order, the book is accessible and aimed at a general audience, although the material is presented in such a way as to be useful to specialists.

Andrew Louth examines all the traditions on which Denys' work draws: the Fourth Century Greek theologians, pagan philosophy and Syrian Christian thought. The corpus of Denys the Areopagite appeared in the sixth century and have since been deeply influential on Christian thinking both in East and West. Who their author was remains a mystery but in this book Professor Louth documents and comments on his compelling vision of the beauty of God's world and his revelation, together with his profound awareness of the ultimate mystery of the unknowable God who utterly transcends all being.

John Calvin's (1509-64) influence reaches from the Reformation to Karl Barth and beyond. Outstanding as biblical scholar, preacher and practical Church reformer, Calvin intended all his work to serve the Word of God. Although couched in 16th-century terms, his theology drew on the wealth of previous Christian thought and continues to be relevant to the situation of the Church today. This book is a comprehensive introduction to the whole range of Calvin's theology. Concentrating on Calvin's major work "The Institutes of the Christian Religion", Parker explains its relevance to Christians of all times. This volume should give readers a full and serious sense of Calvin both as a Christian and as a thinker

St. Thomas Aquinas (c. 1225-1274) is widely viewed as one of the greatest Christian thinkers of all time. Aquinas was the ultimate combination of theologian and philosopher; and his influence on Christian life and thought reaches from the Council of Trent to the Second Vatican Council and through to today. Brian Davies shows that Aquinas's approach to the common questions of faith and existence is just as pressing and significant in our time. Here, the latest scholarship is incorporated with a clear and indispensable guide to Aquinas's thought.

Archbishop Rowan Williams's study of Teresa of Avila exemplifies his own deep spiritual theology.Together with her contemporary and friend, St. John of the Cross, Teresa of Avila stands at the highest point of Catholic spiritual writing in the troubled age of the Reformation and Counter-Reformation. She is also one of the founding figures of modern Spanish literature. Teresa's vivid descriptions of her experiences in prayer have long made her an object of intense interest to psychologists of religion.This book makes use of recent historical research on Teresa and her society and provides a full introduction to all her major works. It shows Teresa as more than just a chronicler of paranormal states of consciousness. She emerges as a genuine theologian in her own right, with a powerful contribution to make to contemporary understanding of God.

Karl Barth (1886-1968) has been called the most important Protestant theologian since Schleiermacher. A lifetime of work produced a huge and complex body of writings that emerged from both his theological teaching and from his engagement in church life. The publication of some of his work posthumously has invited fresh and attentive interpretations of his thought.This book draws together these readings to provide a clear and authoritative introduction to the main themes in Barth's theology. In an accessible way, it shows the continuity and coherence of Barth's work and stresses the importance of his biblical and ethical writings alongside his systematic theology. The book focuses on Barth's response to modernity, postmodernity and the tasks of theology, presenting him as an outstanding resource for constructive theology in our age.

Here is the clearest possible exposition of the life and teachings of the diminutive Carmelite Friar whose influence has been so very profound. This book argues that St John of the Cross as a multifaceted, 'myriad minded man' is an Outstanding Christian Thinker. Within this book we shall encounter many facets of his genius for living the spiritual life: John as mystic, artist, theologian, psychologist and initiator of dialogue with other faiths, concluding that John can best be understood for Christians today as a 'practical theologian' par excellence who offers clear and practical help to contemporary Christians in their journey to encounter with the Living Lord. John is the inheritor of the medieval tradition and he is our contemporary. Like John's leap onto the city walls of Toledo, high above the perilous cliffs of the Tajo, so, the saint says, the Christian life must be a similar leap of faith 'in darkness and unknown' as we take a deep breath, place our trust in God and let go into the full clear air alone at last and in terrifying wonder of God's loving embrace. Series Editor: Brian Davies OP, Professor of Philosophy at Fordham University, New York.This series offers a range of authoritative studies on people and movements who have made an outstanding contribution to Christian thought and understanding. The series ranges across the full spectrum of Christian thought, to include Catholic and Protestant thinkers, to cover East and West, historical and contemporary figures.

St Anselm of Canterbury (1033-1109) was one of the greatest Christian writers of medieval Europe. Although best known as the inventor of the famous 'ontological argument' for God's existence, his writings cover all the chief aspects of Christian doctrine and have been a major influence on western theology. Equal to Anselm's theology are his spiritual writings, which are alive with an understanding of the gentleness and mercy of a God who comes to meet humanity in its suffering and striving. In this exceptional and authoritative study, Dr. Evans explores the full range of Anselm's work, expertly placing both the theology and the devotional writings in context for the modern reader.

Augustine of Hippo is a giant in the history of Christian thought, commended by St Jerome for having virtually 're-founded the old faith'. He was a philosopher, theologian, preacher, interpreter of scripture, monk and bishop. Augustine dominated medieval theology, strongly influenced the debates of the Reformation and continues to shape Christian thought today. This book is intended for those who want a comprehensive introduction to Augustine's life and thought, and provides a clear and rounded account of his teachings and influence.

From her earliest years, Catherine of Siena (1347-80) was griped by the mystery of God incarnate. This was the beginning of a life-long love story, a life-long conversion in which Christ spoke to Catherine and she communicated the truth of his being to the world of her time. Creation itself, she says, is an act of love, and Christ is the bridge by which human beings come to realize their full humanity, their inmost nature, which is to love. Mystic, champion of the poor and Church reformer, Catherine was declared a Doctor of the Church in 1970. She was unable to write until she was thirty, but she corresponded with Popes, Cardinals, scholars and civic authorities. She was a true daughter of the fourteenth century, famous in her own life time, and yet her thinking and her work seem entirely relevant in the political and ecclesial context of our own time. When Pope Paul VI was asked whether she should be considered a politician, his answer was yes, but in a thoroughly spiritual way; this, he said, is why 'the teaching of this singular woman politician is still meaningful and valuable'.