Learning Theology With the Church Fathers

Intervarsity Pr, October 2002. Paper Back. New. Christopher Hall understands the danger. Writing a book about theology is a risky endeavor, especially divorced from our experience of it in worship. The Church Fathers saw no distinction between theology and spirituality -- their lives were crucibles in which some of the most formative questions of the Christian faith were refined and sharpened, separating heresy from truth. That said, their theological writings are of such a depth and quality they warrant an insightful introduction. Here it is. In this second volume of a projected three volume series (Reading Scripture with the Church Fathers being the first and Praying with the Fathers the provisional third), Hall proceeds to uncover the fathers' teachings on such doctrines as the nature of Christ, the Trinity, God's providence, the resurrection of the body, the authority of scripture and the apostolic church. Keeping extraneous comments to a minimum, he allows the fathers to speak for themselves with clear commentary between. We think Basil the Great speaks well here: ''Learning truth is like learning a trade; apprentices grow in experience little by little, provided they do not despise any opportunity to increase their knowledge.'' This primer takes that business to heart. 308 pp.