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God Has Spoken: A History of Christian Theology
Christian theology didn’t develop in a vacuum. Understanding the story behind the doctrines that have been debated, defined, and defended throughout history is crucial for truly understanding the doctrines themselves. In this groundbreaking resource, professor Gerald Bray traces the history of Christian theology from the early church to the modern era. Structured to parallel the order in which orthodoxy gradually matured in response to challenges from both inside and outside the church, this volume outlines how Christians have struggled to understand, confess, and worship the triune God through the centuries.
1264 pages, Hardcover
First published October 15, 2014
19 people are currently reading
213 people want to read
About the author
Gerald L. Bray
99 books39 followersGerald L. Bray (Ph.D., University of Paris--Sorbonne) is director of research for the Latimer Trust, based in London, and a research professor at Samford University, teaching in the Beeson Divinity School in Birmingham, Alabama. A priest of the Church of England, Bray has also edited the post-Reformation Anglican canons. He has edited several volumes of the Ancient Christian Commentary on Scripture and Ancient Christian Texts, as well as volume one of the Ancient Christian Doctrine series, all for IVP Academic. General EditorTimothy George (Th.D., Harvard University) is a renowned Reformation historian and author of Theology of the Reformers, as well as many other theological and historical works. He is founding dean of Beeson Divinity School of Samford University and an executive editor of Christianity Today.
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
June 29, 2016
A large, erudite, lucid, balanced, and generally irenic offering from the pen of one of the more prominent evangelical Anglicans around.
What's Unique?
Most prospective readers will want to know how Bray's historical theology compares to Pelikan's and to Allison's. Allison's is the shortest and is by far the most accessible of the three. He lays out the historical development of the major theological loci in separate chapters for ease of reference, but he ends up giving the impression that different doctrines are neatly separable and discrete from one another. Pelikan's magisterial five-volume work does the best job of laying out the development of doctrine. Perhaps the simplest way of contrasting Pelikan and Bray is to say that Pelikan does good historical theology and Bray does good historical theology. Bray's greatest strength, to my mind, is how well he demonstrates the interconnectedness of Christian theology. He does this by following Christian theology's development both chronologically and systematically. Consider the book's structure:
The Israelite Legacy
The Person of the Father
The Work of the Father
The Person of the Son
The Work of the Son
The Person of the Holy Spirit
The Work of the Holy Spirit
One God in Three Persons
In each part, Bray demonstrates how the church has engaged pertinent questions over time, but he also attempts to show that the above outline reflects, more or less, the order in which the church has wrestled with theological questions. This proved helpful, on the whole, since each transition to a new chapter circled back in time a little bit without circling all the way back. Certain major theologians are covered in multiple places because they made major contributions to the development of multiple doctrines. The Trinity is the key to the structure, obviously. Although sometimes the chapters and parts aren't as neat as one would like, this fits well with Bray's emphasis, upon reaching the 20th-century, that Trinitarian theology is now recognized nearly universally as the grammar of the Christian faith.
Positives?
More than any other historical theology I've read, this book will teach its readers how to think theologically. And this is due largely to what I noted above--that Bray ably demonstrates the interconnectedness of all Christian theology.
Bray embraces Allen/Swain's Reformed catholicity, evincing broad sympathy for all branches of the Christian Church. He doesn't major on his own theological forebears but highlights significant figures from all traditions. In describing more recent theological contributions, he notes and gives voice to the major Protestant, Roman Catholic, and Eastern Orthodox theologians; moreover, he gladly notes when Roman Catholic or Eastern Orthodox thinkers seem better than Protestants.
The footnotes are immensely informative, pointing the interested reader to all kinds of worthwhile resources in English, French, German, Latin, Byzantine Greek, modern Greek, et al. Bray seems to have read everything, which gives this volume a leg up on Pelikan's older work.
Negatives?
This one-volume historical theology probably should've been released in two volumes, perhaps even three. I wondered constantly whether the binding was going to crack on me. Thankfully, it never did.
There's no bibliography. Inexcusable.
Summary
I'm glad I read it, not least because Bray helped me to be less provincial (geographically and temporally) in getting me to read folks like Marius Victorinus, Symeon, Bonaventure, Palamas, and Lossky for the first time. I also plan to dive deeper into Maximus the Confessor because of Bray's praise for him.
Recommended especially for pastors and for students cutting their theological teeth.
What's Unique?
Most prospective readers will want to know how Bray's historical theology compares to Pelikan's and to Allison's. Allison's is the shortest and is by far the most accessible of the three. He lays out the historical development of the major theological loci in separate chapters for ease of reference, but he ends up giving the impression that different doctrines are neatly separable and discrete from one another. Pelikan's magisterial five-volume work does the best job of laying out the development of doctrine. Perhaps the simplest way of contrasting Pelikan and Bray is to say that Pelikan does good historical theology and Bray does good historical theology. Bray's greatest strength, to my mind, is how well he demonstrates the interconnectedness of Christian theology. He does this by following Christian theology's development both chronologically and systematically. Consider the book's structure:
The Israelite Legacy
The Person of the Father
The Work of the Father
The Person of the Son
The Work of the Son
The Person of the Holy Spirit
The Work of the Holy Spirit
One God in Three Persons
In each part, Bray demonstrates how the church has engaged pertinent questions over time, but he also attempts to show that the above outline reflects, more or less, the order in which the church has wrestled with theological questions. This proved helpful, on the whole, since each transition to a new chapter circled back in time a little bit without circling all the way back. Certain major theologians are covered in multiple places because they made major contributions to the development of multiple doctrines. The Trinity is the key to the structure, obviously. Although sometimes the chapters and parts aren't as neat as one would like, this fits well with Bray's emphasis, upon reaching the 20th-century, that Trinitarian theology is now recognized nearly universally as the grammar of the Christian faith.
Positives?
More than any other historical theology I've read, this book will teach its readers how to think theologically. And this is due largely to what I noted above--that Bray ably demonstrates the interconnectedness of all Christian theology.
Bray embraces Allen/Swain's Reformed catholicity, evincing broad sympathy for all branches of the Christian Church. He doesn't major on his own theological forebears but highlights significant figures from all traditions. In describing more recent theological contributions, he notes and gives voice to the major Protestant, Roman Catholic, and Eastern Orthodox theologians; moreover, he gladly notes when Roman Catholic or Eastern Orthodox thinkers seem better than Protestants.
The footnotes are immensely informative, pointing the interested reader to all kinds of worthwhile resources in English, French, German, Latin, Byzantine Greek, modern Greek, et al. Bray seems to have read everything, which gives this volume a leg up on Pelikan's older work.
Negatives?
This one-volume historical theology probably should've been released in two volumes, perhaps even three. I wondered constantly whether the binding was going to crack on me. Thankfully, it never did.
There's no bibliography. Inexcusable.
Summary
I'm glad I read it, not least because Bray helped me to be less provincial (geographically and temporally) in getting me to read folks like Marius Victorinus, Symeon, Bonaventure, Palamas, and Lossky for the first time. I also plan to dive deeper into Maximus the Confessor because of Bray's praise for him.
Recommended especially for pastors and for students cutting their theological teeth.
May 28, 2020
Gerald Bray’s historical survey of Christian theology begins at it’s Jewish roots, and takes on a peculiarly Trinitarian approach as he describes and evaluates the theological conversation of the Patristics to the middle of the 20th century.
His 1,200+ pages tome is divided into eight parts:
1. The Israelite Legacy
2. The Person of the Father
3. The Work of the Father
4. The Person of the Son
5. The Work of the Son
6. The Person of the Holy Spirit
7. The Work of the Holy Spirit
8. One God in Three Persons
What’s refreshing about this vast survey is Bray’s attempt to synthesise history with theological development. In other words, rather than being a dry theological work which organises chapters according to the various aspects of Christian theology (as most systematic theology textbooks do), he largely organises his material according to chronology.
For example, Parts 2 and 3 on the Person and Work of the Father largely deal with the period before the Council of Nicaea in AD 325. Parts 4 and 5 on the Son largely cover the period of the Medieval church with some intersection with the Reformation. In Parts 6 and 7 on the Holy Spirit, he briefly covers the early church period, especially the difference between Western (Roman/Latin) and Eastern (Greek/Orthodox) traditions, but these chapters are centred around the developments of the Reformation period up to the Enlightenment. Part 8 considers the Enlightenment and its subsequent impact on modernity.
Pros:
There are benefits and drawbacks to this approach. The benefits are that by rooting theological developments in history, Bray helps the reader understand not just the issues that were at stake, but the cultural, political, sociological conditions which gave rise to them. In other words, he shows that Christian theology was not developed in a vacuum. Because of this, Bray is very kind to viewpoints to which he may not subscribe. His work is largely descriptive, and though he is by no means an indifferent observer of events, he hesitates to jump to conclusions and often offers a counter-perspective to show how complex things are.
Another benefit of his (largely) chronological arrangement is that it helps with the reading process. Rather than mere abstract concepts, he presents theological development in quite an organic way. He has a humorous streak which can occasionally be spotted and his transitional sections help one connect the dots between one period with another or one idea with another.
He also gives voice to the Eastern Orthodox tradition, which isn’t that common in Evangelical scholarship. Those sections were refreshing reads which expanded my mind and reminded me that all theology is “traditioned,” that is, we don’t come to the Bible or our theology with a blank slate.
I found the last chapter particularly helpful as the author offered his thoughts on where theology, specifically Trinitarian theology, is heading. His assessment of the current trends which emphasise the emotional and psychological elements of what it means to be human (concepts yet to be part of the wider theological discourse), challenges us to think more deeply about how theology should help the average Christian live as God’s people today. He does not mention it, but I feel that as conversations about mental (and emotional) health are becoming increasing common in Christian circles, it will be interesting to see if a Trinitarian approach can be adopted to address these questions.
Cons:
Because the material is not arranged systematically according to specific topics, it does require the reader to make one’s on connections at various points. Also, because Bray is a historian, his descriptive approach might not sit well if we’re used to more analytical ways of studying doctrine. I find some of the chapter or section headings to have only a vague with its contents, but I understand it would be difficult to do so because of his approach.
Additionally, the scope of his endeauvre means that he cannot be comprehensive. So I found his sections on Christology with which I was more familiar to be thin. I’m sure this would apply to other sections. So here’s an important caveat: this is not a historical theological textbook. Because Bray wants to tell the story of theological development, he has to trade depth for breadth. For instance, he doesn’t have a chapter on the atonement in which he lists out the various models from the Patristics to the modern period. Some will undoubtedly find this “lack of systematic organisation” hard to swallow.
The focus of his work is largely on what we would now call “systematic theology.” So he isn’t concerned about the modern distinction between “biblical theology” and “systematic theology.” (Maybe this is just a passing fad?)
Finally, there is no bibliography at the end, which is disappointing.
Conclusion:
Bray’s work is unashamedly Trinitarian in his framework and is a model of how that mode of thinking can shape our theology. I think it’s true that modern Christians, even in the Evangelical and Reformed circles I find myself, are unable to articulate doctrines about the Trinity, let alone consider its implications for daily life.
God has Spoken is not a simple read for the uninitiated, but for those who embark on the journey that Bray takes the reader, it can be extremely rewarding.
Who should read: anyone interested in studying the development of Christian theology from within a Trinitarian framework, and with a sensitivity towards its situatedness in history. The potential reader should at least have a basic understanding of key doctrinal issues from the early church to the Enlightenment. Might not be suitable if names like Irenaeus, Anselm of Canterbury and Schleiermacher mean nothing to you.
His 1,200+ pages tome is divided into eight parts:
1. The Israelite Legacy
2. The Person of the Father
3. The Work of the Father
4. The Person of the Son
5. The Work of the Son
6. The Person of the Holy Spirit
7. The Work of the Holy Spirit
8. One God in Three Persons
What’s refreshing about this vast survey is Bray’s attempt to synthesise history with theological development. In other words, rather than being a dry theological work which organises chapters according to the various aspects of Christian theology (as most systematic theology textbooks do), he largely organises his material according to chronology.
For example, Parts 2 and 3 on the Person and Work of the Father largely deal with the period before the Council of Nicaea in AD 325. Parts 4 and 5 on the Son largely cover the period of the Medieval church with some intersection with the Reformation. In Parts 6 and 7 on the Holy Spirit, he briefly covers the early church period, especially the difference between Western (Roman/Latin) and Eastern (Greek/Orthodox) traditions, but these chapters are centred around the developments of the Reformation period up to the Enlightenment. Part 8 considers the Enlightenment and its subsequent impact on modernity.
Pros:
There are benefits and drawbacks to this approach. The benefits are that by rooting theological developments in history, Bray helps the reader understand not just the issues that were at stake, but the cultural, political, sociological conditions which gave rise to them. In other words, he shows that Christian theology was not developed in a vacuum. Because of this, Bray is very kind to viewpoints to which he may not subscribe. His work is largely descriptive, and though he is by no means an indifferent observer of events, he hesitates to jump to conclusions and often offers a counter-perspective to show how complex things are.
Another benefit of his (largely) chronological arrangement is that it helps with the reading process. Rather than mere abstract concepts, he presents theological development in quite an organic way. He has a humorous streak which can occasionally be spotted and his transitional sections help one connect the dots between one period with another or one idea with another.
He also gives voice to the Eastern Orthodox tradition, which isn’t that common in Evangelical scholarship. Those sections were refreshing reads which expanded my mind and reminded me that all theology is “traditioned,” that is, we don’t come to the Bible or our theology with a blank slate.
I found the last chapter particularly helpful as the author offered his thoughts on where theology, specifically Trinitarian theology, is heading. His assessment of the current trends which emphasise the emotional and psychological elements of what it means to be human (concepts yet to be part of the wider theological discourse), challenges us to think more deeply about how theology should help the average Christian live as God’s people today. He does not mention it, but I feel that as conversations about mental (and emotional) health are becoming increasing common in Christian circles, it will be interesting to see if a Trinitarian approach can be adopted to address these questions.
Cons:
Because the material is not arranged systematically according to specific topics, it does require the reader to make one’s on connections at various points. Also, because Bray is a historian, his descriptive approach might not sit well if we’re used to more analytical ways of studying doctrine. I find some of the chapter or section headings to have only a vague with its contents, but I understand it would be difficult to do so because of his approach.
Additionally, the scope of his endeauvre means that he cannot be comprehensive. So I found his sections on Christology with which I was more familiar to be thin. I’m sure this would apply to other sections. So here’s an important caveat: this is not a historical theological textbook. Because Bray wants to tell the story of theological development, he has to trade depth for breadth. For instance, he doesn’t have a chapter on the atonement in which he lists out the various models from the Patristics to the modern period. Some will undoubtedly find this “lack of systematic organisation” hard to swallow.
The focus of his work is largely on what we would now call “systematic theology.” So he isn’t concerned about the modern distinction between “biblical theology” and “systematic theology.” (Maybe this is just a passing fad?)
Finally, there is no bibliography at the end, which is disappointing.
Conclusion:
Bray’s work is unashamedly Trinitarian in his framework and is a model of how that mode of thinking can shape our theology. I think it’s true that modern Christians, even in the Evangelical and Reformed circles I find myself, are unable to articulate doctrines about the Trinity, let alone consider its implications for daily life.
God has Spoken is not a simple read for the uninitiated, but for those who embark on the journey that Bray takes the reader, it can be extremely rewarding.
Who should read: anyone interested in studying the development of Christian theology from within a Trinitarian framework, and with a sensitivity towards its situatedness in history. The potential reader should at least have a basic understanding of key doctrinal issues from the early church to the Enlightenment. Might not be suitable if names like Irenaeus, Anselm of Canterbury and Schleiermacher mean nothing to you.
January 3, 2015
Has reading God Has Spoken cured me of my curiosity when it comes to church history? Perhaps. If I said yes, it would be in a teasing way. That being said, I think it will be the rare reader indeed that finds the whole book--every part, chapter, heading--interesting or of interest.
If I had to sum up the book in just a few words, I'd say it was about the history of arguments. That isn't exactly fair, mind you. But that's keeping it short. Is arguments the absolute best word? Maybe, maybe not. Debates. Discussions. Either one could work in certain places. But arguments genuinely is the best word in some cases.
This one is "a history of Christian theology." The first priority of the book is not in communicating sound doctrine clearly and concisely. I would be hesitant to say that was a priority at all. You could easily walk away from the book more confused than when you started. That is if you're looking for this book to tell you what is sound and good and right to believe. It isn't so much a matter of right and wrong, good and bad, sound and heretical. It isn't so much categorizing men as belonging or not belonging to a group of sound and biblical theologians.
No, the priority of this one, the whole point of it really is to trace "Christian theology" from the first century to the past decade. You could say it opens with "where did we start?" and concludes with "where might we be heading?"
Words. Definitions. Associations. Ideas. Concepts. Choosing words carefully, precisely, emphatically. Understanding what men mean by the words they use. Misunderstanding what men mean by the words they use. Reacting and responding. Contemplating. Pondering. Studying. Considering. Sometimes compromising.
World views. Philosophies and philosophers. For Christians with a genuine interest in philosophy--all philosophy, not just so-called Christian philosophy--this book is probably written with you in mind. It is very much a history of philosophy. Men making much of their grand and sometimes not so grand thoughts of God. Thoughts that may be drawn from Scripture, but, just as easily drawn from their own imaginations. Or from other schools of thought--other sources, other influences.
It is thorough. It is packed with information. Plenty of names. Plenty of dates. Plenty of places. Plenty of ideas. Plenty of councils, creeds, catechisms, and confessions. Plenty of footnotes. Most chapters have hundreds--yes, hundreds--of footnotes. To keep it relatively simple, it traces the development of three groups: Roman Catholics, Eastern Orthodox, and Protestants. (It traces several Protestant denominations as well.) It traces threats, dangers, weaknesses. It focuses on essentials and nonessentials. Expect plenty of detailed discussion on the Lord's Supper and baptism. Also election.
One of the greatest strengths of the book, perhaps, is its organization. The organization alone cannot make it comprehensible and readable. But without it being so well-organized, readers wouldn't stand a chance. So in a way, the approach is topical instead of chronological. But at the same time, the chronology tends to come in waves. So that as one progresses through the book, one gets closer and closer to the present day.
Another strength of the book--intentional or not--is that it emphasizes the humanity of believers, of theologians, of scholars, of philosophers. It is too simplistic to categorize a theologian in terms of his being "good" or "bad" or "right" or "wrong" or "worth reading" or "best skipping." Yes, Bray presents readers with some theologians that clearly, obviously get it wrong. But even in his presentation of the ones who "got it right," one gets the idea that they were fallible, capable of big and small mistakes in their thinking. That they got a couple of points or positions right, but, they got a couple of points or positions wrong. That just because they get one or two things right, doesn't mean that believers should accept every single thing they wrote as true and right and good.
This isn't a book that you should read if you're looking for what to believe about God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit. It is instead what men have believed--for better or worse--throughout twenty centuries of history. What men have argued about and in some cases fought for.
t isn't a book that says, "The Bible says this, this, this, and that is true. Believe it. Live it. Trust it. Proclaim it." In all the discussion of doctrine, at least in most of the discussion to my recollection, it is never the Bible says this or that. It is instead, this person taught this, this person wrote that. It is not arguing for certain doctrines with a foundational support or framework of the Bible itself. It is this is what men believed in this century, in that century. It is a book about what men at various times have believed of God and about God. It isn't "this is the God as revealed by the Bible" instead it is "this is what men have said about God."
Is God Has Spoken a good match for you? It all depends on what you expect, what you want, and what you need. It depends on why you're seeking it out and what you hope to gain from reading it.
If I had to sum up the book in just a few words, I'd say it was about the history of arguments. That isn't exactly fair, mind you. But that's keeping it short. Is arguments the absolute best word? Maybe, maybe not. Debates. Discussions. Either one could work in certain places. But arguments genuinely is the best word in some cases.
This one is "a history of Christian theology." The first priority of the book is not in communicating sound doctrine clearly and concisely. I would be hesitant to say that was a priority at all. You could easily walk away from the book more confused than when you started. That is if you're looking for this book to tell you what is sound and good and right to believe. It isn't so much a matter of right and wrong, good and bad, sound and heretical. It isn't so much categorizing men as belonging or not belonging to a group of sound and biblical theologians.
No, the priority of this one, the whole point of it really is to trace "Christian theology" from the first century to the past decade. You could say it opens with "where did we start?" and concludes with "where might we be heading?"
Words. Definitions. Associations. Ideas. Concepts. Choosing words carefully, precisely, emphatically. Understanding what men mean by the words they use. Misunderstanding what men mean by the words they use. Reacting and responding. Contemplating. Pondering. Studying. Considering. Sometimes compromising.
World views. Philosophies and philosophers. For Christians with a genuine interest in philosophy--all philosophy, not just so-called Christian philosophy--this book is probably written with you in mind. It is very much a history of philosophy. Men making much of their grand and sometimes not so grand thoughts of God. Thoughts that may be drawn from Scripture, but, just as easily drawn from their own imaginations. Or from other schools of thought--other sources, other influences.
It is thorough. It is packed with information. Plenty of names. Plenty of dates. Plenty of places. Plenty of ideas. Plenty of councils, creeds, catechisms, and confessions. Plenty of footnotes. Most chapters have hundreds--yes, hundreds--of footnotes. To keep it relatively simple, it traces the development of three groups: Roman Catholics, Eastern Orthodox, and Protestants. (It traces several Protestant denominations as well.) It traces threats, dangers, weaknesses. It focuses on essentials and nonessentials. Expect plenty of detailed discussion on the Lord's Supper and baptism. Also election.
One of the greatest strengths of the book, perhaps, is its organization. The organization alone cannot make it comprehensible and readable. But without it being so well-organized, readers wouldn't stand a chance. So in a way, the approach is topical instead of chronological. But at the same time, the chronology tends to come in waves. So that as one progresses through the book, one gets closer and closer to the present day.
Another strength of the book--intentional or not--is that it emphasizes the humanity of believers, of theologians, of scholars, of philosophers. It is too simplistic to categorize a theologian in terms of his being "good" or "bad" or "right" or "wrong" or "worth reading" or "best skipping." Yes, Bray presents readers with some theologians that clearly, obviously get it wrong. But even in his presentation of the ones who "got it right," one gets the idea that they were fallible, capable of big and small mistakes in their thinking. That they got a couple of points or positions right, but, they got a couple of points or positions wrong. That just because they get one or two things right, doesn't mean that believers should accept every single thing they wrote as true and right and good.
This isn't a book that you should read if you're looking for what to believe about God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit. It is instead what men have believed--for better or worse--throughout twenty centuries of history. What men have argued about and in some cases fought for.
t isn't a book that says, "The Bible says this, this, this, and that is true. Believe it. Live it. Trust it. Proclaim it." In all the discussion of doctrine, at least in most of the discussion to my recollection, it is never the Bible says this or that. It is instead, this person taught this, this person wrote that. It is not arguing for certain doctrines with a foundational support or framework of the Bible itself. It is this is what men believed in this century, in that century. It is a book about what men at various times have believed of God and about God. It isn't "this is the God as revealed by the Bible" instead it is "this is what men have said about God."
Is God Has Spoken a good match for you? It all depends on what you expect, what you want, and what you need. It depends on why you're seeking it out and what you hope to gain from reading it.
December 7, 2019
There are not many tools that are as neglected and as important as the historical survey of whichever discipline you seek to study. Learning how established truths came to be established is almost as important as coming to grips with the fact that there have been others who are studying what we have and there are reasons why the understood/assumed aspects are often understood and assumed.
Theology is a discipline that is ripe with “personal truths”, “direct revelations” and “that’s always been”s. Coupled with an unhealthy desire to remain virtually ignorant of 2000 years of development and distinctions, many people know what they believe, but not why they believe it(pretty sure I am ripping of R.C. Sproul on that one) This survey will not help the average reader, at least not directly. Due to its size and depth, this work will remain out of the hands of many. That is disappointing for a couple of reasons.
Bray does a terrific job of writing this in a way that allows anyone willing to pick up and read to learn a great deal. He is not overly technical and it is not dry. The chapters are long….long. The book is long….long. I really believe that this could have been split into 3 volumes and the chapters broken up to make them much more accessible. When your chapter has reached the 300 footnote level, you have exceeded my attention span by quite a few references.
Bray’s writing is approachable and enjoyable and he makes the topic he writes on just the same. Many people would be challenged and encouraged, just as I was. Bray referenced Allison’s Historical Theology early on and he made a point that, while covering the same topic, these are not the same book. Allison’s order is systematic and very, very logical. Bray presents the topics in their historical context. I am still not sure which way I prefer.
Allison’s presents you with a very linear progression of specific beliefs but Bray has produced a work that gives you a sense of empathy for those going through the formalizing process. This does a lot to limit chronological snobbery and made me put more than a few pre-labeled heretic stones back in my pocket.
I am not sure how to organize any deep thoughts on this work because it was often like drinking from a fire hose. But, there were a few things that I really enjoyed.
*His treatment of Barth and those influenced by him was extensive and a fun read. He also dealt pretty extensively with those who followed Barth and Process Theology.
*I enjoyed reading about how the doctrine of the Trinity developed, both in the Fathers and beyond.
*I felt his interaction with Schleirmacher was not as extensive as his legacy warrants. But maybe I am overly influenced by Mike Horton who seemingly attributes everything negative from the 19th century on (including wars and crop failures) to Freddy S. That might be a stretch. Might be. But I do think his influence was/is quite far reaching and would have enjoyed a bit more interaction with him.
*I really enjoyed reading about the Eastern Church and seeing its influence even after the Schism. His section on the filloque has me thinking and studying about double procession and questioning what I have just assumed.
Much of what I remember is either towards the end of the book (did I mention it is long) or issues that I have been or will be studying more. There is a ton of information to be found in this work and, although it is long, it is probably worth more than one trip through. At the very least it will remain a good book to consult when studying different topics.
God Has Spoken is a great book. It is an undertaking. Reader be warned, it is 1200 pages and it is rich. You are going to have to work through it, but you’ll find much that makes the effort worthwhile.
I received a review copy from Crossway.
Theology is a discipline that is ripe with “personal truths”, “direct revelations” and “that’s always been”s. Coupled with an unhealthy desire to remain virtually ignorant of 2000 years of development and distinctions, many people know what they believe, but not why they believe it(pretty sure I am ripping of R.C. Sproul on that one) This survey will not help the average reader, at least not directly. Due to its size and depth, this work will remain out of the hands of many. That is disappointing for a couple of reasons.
Bray does a terrific job of writing this in a way that allows anyone willing to pick up and read to learn a great deal. He is not overly technical and it is not dry. The chapters are long….long. The book is long….long. I really believe that this could have been split into 3 volumes and the chapters broken up to make them much more accessible. When your chapter has reached the 300 footnote level, you have exceeded my attention span by quite a few references.
Bray’s writing is approachable and enjoyable and he makes the topic he writes on just the same. Many people would be challenged and encouraged, just as I was. Bray referenced Allison’s Historical Theology early on and he made a point that, while covering the same topic, these are not the same book. Allison’s order is systematic and very, very logical. Bray presents the topics in their historical context. I am still not sure which way I prefer.
Allison’s presents you with a very linear progression of specific beliefs but Bray has produced a work that gives you a sense of empathy for those going through the formalizing process. This does a lot to limit chronological snobbery and made me put more than a few pre-labeled heretic stones back in my pocket.
I am not sure how to organize any deep thoughts on this work because it was often like drinking from a fire hose. But, there were a few things that I really enjoyed.
*His treatment of Barth and those influenced by him was extensive and a fun read. He also dealt pretty extensively with those who followed Barth and Process Theology.
*I enjoyed reading about how the doctrine of the Trinity developed, both in the Fathers and beyond.
*I felt his interaction with Schleirmacher was not as extensive as his legacy warrants. But maybe I am overly influenced by Mike Horton who seemingly attributes everything negative from the 19th century on (including wars and crop failures) to Freddy S. That might be a stretch. Might be. But I do think his influence was/is quite far reaching and would have enjoyed a bit more interaction with him.
*I really enjoyed reading about the Eastern Church and seeing its influence even after the Schism. His section on the filloque has me thinking and studying about double procession and questioning what I have just assumed.
Much of what I remember is either towards the end of the book (did I mention it is long) or issues that I have been or will be studying more. There is a ton of information to be found in this work and, although it is long, it is probably worth more than one trip through. At the very least it will remain a good book to consult when studying different topics.
God Has Spoken is a great book. It is an undertaking. Reader be warned, it is 1200 pages and it is rich. You are going to have to work through it, but you’ll find much that makes the effort worthwhile.
I received a review copy from Crossway.
November 7, 2014
An important aspect of studying Scripture is understanding and studying the history of how Christian doctrine has been formulated over the years. Having a valuable resource available that traces that journey, noting the key points to include the why and how of why certain doctrines were held firm and others rejected, is indeed an important addition to an believer’s bookshelf. Gerald Bray’s book, God Has Spoken: A History of Christian Theology, is just that helpful compendium.
This is a massive book and rightfully so given the lengthy history of doctrine it traces within its pages. In part one, Bray begins by discussing the Jewish roots of the faith, focusing most of his time on the parting of the ways between Judaism and those who understood their Hebraic roots as pointing to Christ. The real division between the two faiths resides in what Bray notes as the reality that “Both the rabbis and Jesus believed that all authority came from God and that it was contained in the law of Moses. But Jesus taught that the written law pointed to him as its author, its content, and its fulfillment, and he claimed authority over it.”
Despite the clear differences between Judaism and Christianity, it is important to understand there is a shared inheritance. One such inheritance is that of a belief in a divine act of creation. Bray aptly notes “Belief in the divine creation of the material universe is another important legacy to the church from ancient Israel.” While other pagan civilizations believed their multiplicity of gods were involved in making all things come to be, both Judaism and Christianity affirm a supreme God as over and above everything and He alone is worthy of worship. Bray notes the importance that “Jews and Christians also believed that everything made by God was fundamentally good. The goodness of creation meant that evil could not be inherent in any part of it.” Thus, those who try and affirm death or decay prior to sin have a difficult time establishing any historicity of such a belief, either in Christianity or Judaism.
Part two is a discussion of God the Father. Bray again traces the Hebraic roots of the faith and how they connect with Christianity and where they diverged along the way. The idea of God as Father, while addressed to a minimal degree in the Old Testament, was not something that was noted on a grand scale. Thus, when Jesus referred to God as His Father, using terms of intimacy of relationship, this understandably stirred up the Jews. They made the connection that Jesus was claiming to be equal with God. This idea of fatherhood was also present in pagan cultures. Bray rightly noted the influence of Greek philosophy upon both Judaism and Christianity, in particular that of Plato. Jewish writers such as Philo were heavily influenced by Plato, although as Bray comments, Philo “always made sure that it was adjusted to the teaching of the Old Testament.” Nonetheless, some teachings of Plato found their way into Judaism and Christianity for that matter resulting in some serious problems that the early church had to address.
Another interesting discussion point Bray provides is the challenge of the incarnation, specifically Jesus being fully God and fully man. While the theology of the incarnation can be said to have not been as fully developed within the early church as it is today, Bray states “In the early days of the church, confessional statements about Jesus were simple and unsophisticated, but they were always there. From the very beginning, no one could join the community without professing Jesus as Lord and Savior.” Yet how Jesus could be both fully God and fully man at the same time remained a point of discussion. This resulted in a number of heresies developing within the early church such as Adoptionism and Arianism. These positions gained such popularity and were of such concern to the church that it was recognized they needed to be addressed. Bray outlines how these issues were addressed at the Council of Nicea and what took place after that Council. This was truly a formative and important time for the church and Bray does an excellent job of noting the players and the results of the many theological decisions that were made during this period. Bray provides a lot of information to dig through, but it is well worth the effort as he shares insight that I had not read prior to engaging this book, despite taking numerous church history and doctrine courses in Bible College and Seminary.
While the vast majority of this book is focused specifically on the history of doctrine, both how Christianity traces its roots from Judaism and additionally how the early church developed the doctrine we hold to today, Bray also takes the time to discuss some important issues the body of Christ is currently facing. To some degree, we are facing some of the same challenges the early church faced, namely how man understands God. The horrors of World War II resulted in some liberal theologians trying to reframe who God is and how He relates to His creation. Bray notes “they reshaped the classical picture of an impassible God.” This led to the question of whether God “feels” with Christ’s declaration on the cross of “Why have you forsaken me” being the focus of their position. Bray does an admirable job of wading through this issue of whether God has feelings in the sense we understand that concept. I appreciated his discussion on this issue and his willingness to let Scripture speak where it speaks and to admit a bit of mystery exists outside our comprehension when such a conclusion is the only one possible.
As noted by Bray at the conclusion of this excellent book, “What we can say for certain is that as long as the Christian church continues to exist there will be theological reflection, because without theology the Bible and its message cannot be preached or understood, let alone applied, as it must be if the gospel is to be securely implanted in the hearts and minds of believers.” God has indeed spoken and has spoken through His word. Thus it is vital to take the time to look back at history to see where and how doctrine has developed so that by doing so we can stand firm on biblical truth.
I highly recommend this book, especially for pastors and Seminary students. It is full of valuable information, in many cases information I had only read in passing in other books that discuss similar or related subject matter. It is a resource I will return to many times in the future and it is well worth taking the time to read and study.
I received this book for free from Crossway Books for this review. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
This is a massive book and rightfully so given the lengthy history of doctrine it traces within its pages. In part one, Bray begins by discussing the Jewish roots of the faith, focusing most of his time on the parting of the ways between Judaism and those who understood their Hebraic roots as pointing to Christ. The real division between the two faiths resides in what Bray notes as the reality that “Both the rabbis and Jesus believed that all authority came from God and that it was contained in the law of Moses. But Jesus taught that the written law pointed to him as its author, its content, and its fulfillment, and he claimed authority over it.”
Despite the clear differences between Judaism and Christianity, it is important to understand there is a shared inheritance. One such inheritance is that of a belief in a divine act of creation. Bray aptly notes “Belief in the divine creation of the material universe is another important legacy to the church from ancient Israel.” While other pagan civilizations believed their multiplicity of gods were involved in making all things come to be, both Judaism and Christianity affirm a supreme God as over and above everything and He alone is worthy of worship. Bray notes the importance that “Jews and Christians also believed that everything made by God was fundamentally good. The goodness of creation meant that evil could not be inherent in any part of it.” Thus, those who try and affirm death or decay prior to sin have a difficult time establishing any historicity of such a belief, either in Christianity or Judaism.
Part two is a discussion of God the Father. Bray again traces the Hebraic roots of the faith and how they connect with Christianity and where they diverged along the way. The idea of God as Father, while addressed to a minimal degree in the Old Testament, was not something that was noted on a grand scale. Thus, when Jesus referred to God as His Father, using terms of intimacy of relationship, this understandably stirred up the Jews. They made the connection that Jesus was claiming to be equal with God. This idea of fatherhood was also present in pagan cultures. Bray rightly noted the influence of Greek philosophy upon both Judaism and Christianity, in particular that of Plato. Jewish writers such as Philo were heavily influenced by Plato, although as Bray comments, Philo “always made sure that it was adjusted to the teaching of the Old Testament.” Nonetheless, some teachings of Plato found their way into Judaism and Christianity for that matter resulting in some serious problems that the early church had to address.
Another interesting discussion point Bray provides is the challenge of the incarnation, specifically Jesus being fully God and fully man. While the theology of the incarnation can be said to have not been as fully developed within the early church as it is today, Bray states “In the early days of the church, confessional statements about Jesus were simple and unsophisticated, but they were always there. From the very beginning, no one could join the community without professing Jesus as Lord and Savior.” Yet how Jesus could be both fully God and fully man at the same time remained a point of discussion. This resulted in a number of heresies developing within the early church such as Adoptionism and Arianism. These positions gained such popularity and were of such concern to the church that it was recognized they needed to be addressed. Bray outlines how these issues were addressed at the Council of Nicea and what took place after that Council. This was truly a formative and important time for the church and Bray does an excellent job of noting the players and the results of the many theological decisions that were made during this period. Bray provides a lot of information to dig through, but it is well worth the effort as he shares insight that I had not read prior to engaging this book, despite taking numerous church history and doctrine courses in Bible College and Seminary.
While the vast majority of this book is focused specifically on the history of doctrine, both how Christianity traces its roots from Judaism and additionally how the early church developed the doctrine we hold to today, Bray also takes the time to discuss some important issues the body of Christ is currently facing. To some degree, we are facing some of the same challenges the early church faced, namely how man understands God. The horrors of World War II resulted in some liberal theologians trying to reframe who God is and how He relates to His creation. Bray notes “they reshaped the classical picture of an impassible God.” This led to the question of whether God “feels” with Christ’s declaration on the cross of “Why have you forsaken me” being the focus of their position. Bray does an admirable job of wading through this issue of whether God has feelings in the sense we understand that concept. I appreciated his discussion on this issue and his willingness to let Scripture speak where it speaks and to admit a bit of mystery exists outside our comprehension when such a conclusion is the only one possible.
As noted by Bray at the conclusion of this excellent book, “What we can say for certain is that as long as the Christian church continues to exist there will be theological reflection, because without theology the Bible and its message cannot be preached or understood, let alone applied, as it must be if the gospel is to be securely implanted in the hearts and minds of believers.” God has indeed spoken and has spoken through His word. Thus it is vital to take the time to look back at history to see where and how doctrine has developed so that by doing so we can stand firm on biblical truth.
I highly recommend this book, especially for pastors and Seminary students. It is full of valuable information, in many cases information I had only read in passing in other books that discuss similar or related subject matter. It is a resource I will return to many times in the future and it is well worth taking the time to read and study.
I received this book for free from Crossway Books for this review. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
December 21, 2016
This book was long! It provides a history of Christian Theology, which I hoped would take a balanced approach. This was not the case, and I am majorly disappointed with the book. The first sections covering the first 300-400 years are outstanding, but then things degrade. As a soon as Augustine is introduced the authors language changes. Instead of objectively describing the arguments and discussions, he language implies that Augustine’s views were a discovery of absolute truth. Then, following an incredibly boring section on thoughts regarding the Holy Spirit through the middle ages, the writing degrades further. Calvin’s works are also described as if they were God’s word. Ultimately the book should be called a history of Reformed theology. The author was happy to spend considerable time discussing enlightenment atheists, German liberal theologians and atheist theologians, but only referred to non-reformed Protestants (Quakers, some Baptists, most Anabaptists, Methodists, Pentecostals, etc.) very briefly in a language suggesting that all their views were incorrect and therefore irrelevant. The triumphalist tone in regards to reformed theology was highly irritating, even as I agree with most of what was written. No mention was made of liberation theology, which surprised me, given the extensive coverage of atheistic and liberal theological trends. No mention was made of Open Theism. No mention was made of Mennonite theology. So, ultimately, I am not impressed and would be happy to give the book away to any reformed friend who would like to collect it.
January 27, 2025
A massive and dense book. This book easily gets 5 stars for the sheer amount of information Bray is able to cover in quite a bit of depth. There are hundreds of theologians/philosophers covered over a 2000 year span and he does a great job connecting them all together in this work.
There inevitably is quite a bit of whiplash as you go from one theologian’s ideas to the next, who disagreed with the theologian before, to the next, who disagrees with both before him, and to the next, who synthesizes ideas from theologians before him but has another disagreement. It makes this a very long read, I truly tried to fully understand each and every theology discussed but sometimes I was still dwelling on the previous idea a few pages ago, and suddenly I’m onto a new idea. But this is to be expected in a work like this. It’s more of a survey than it can be a deep dive into any one particular theologian.
The big takeaways from this book just can’t be any and all of the nitty gritty details. I’ve already probably forgotten most of the specifics. The takeaway is that these details Bray covers build into an understanding of the overall flow of theological thought across time and geography and denominations. And he does a fantastic job of that.
I definitely don’t agree with Bray on many things; his untimely personal interjections of his viewpoint in the midst of explaining some theologian was certainly a distraction. But overall this was a great book, and I know I’ll be referring to it again in the future.
There inevitably is quite a bit of whiplash as you go from one theologian’s ideas to the next, who disagreed with the theologian before, to the next, who disagrees with both before him, and to the next, who synthesizes ideas from theologians before him but has another disagreement. It makes this a very long read, I truly tried to fully understand each and every theology discussed but sometimes I was still dwelling on the previous idea a few pages ago, and suddenly I’m onto a new idea. But this is to be expected in a work like this. It’s more of a survey than it can be a deep dive into any one particular theologian.
The big takeaways from this book just can’t be any and all of the nitty gritty details. I’ve already probably forgotten most of the specifics. The takeaway is that these details Bray covers build into an understanding of the overall flow of theological thought across time and geography and denominations. And he does a fantastic job of that.
I definitely don’t agree with Bray on many things; his untimely personal interjections of his viewpoint in the midst of explaining some theologian was certainly a distraction. But overall this was a great book, and I know I’ll be referring to it again in the future.
December 28, 2022
* This a huge book showing how the trinity is the core of all other Christian doctrine and makes Christianity distinct from other monotheistic religions
* Goes through church history looking at formation of doctrines from scripture through diffrent people at different time
* The trinity, atonement the divine person of Christ in two natures, the nature of the church, Hersey and orthodoxy, modernism, liberalism
* How each era was affected by there dominant philosophies and used or either nicked words from the culture to describe biblical truths
* However the book also shows how the bible changed, amended or displaced the dominanat philosophies of their day. For instance neoplasticism had little affect on theology and the creeds of the early church, however words form the culture where used to describe biblical truths
* Key philosophies mentioned in the book: Neoplatonism, Aristotelism, humanism, classical learning, enlightenment, Darwinism, Marxism, modernism etc-
* Good book a lot in it
* Early church fathers, medievalist, reformers, enlightenment thinkers, modernisists, etc
* Goes through church history looking at formation of doctrines from scripture through diffrent people at different time
* The trinity, atonement the divine person of Christ in two natures, the nature of the church, Hersey and orthodoxy, modernism, liberalism
* How each era was affected by there dominant philosophies and used or either nicked words from the culture to describe biblical truths
* However the book also shows how the bible changed, amended or displaced the dominanat philosophies of their day. For instance neoplasticism had little affect on theology and the creeds of the early church, however words form the culture where used to describe biblical truths
* Key philosophies mentioned in the book: Neoplatonism, Aristotelism, humanism, classical learning, enlightenment, Darwinism, Marxism, modernism etc-
* Good book a lot in it
* Early church fathers, medievalist, reformers, enlightenment thinkers, modernisists, etc
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 11, 2019
No one can ever accuse Bray of not being thorough! God Has Spoken covers every major theologian and the development of almost every theological belief imaginable, which is quite a feat, but this is also a bit overwhelming. While here is an excellent reference work it was easy to get bogged down in the innumerable arguments for a single theological point (I'm looking at you chapter 16 and your 82 pages on the Filioque controversy!). I found myself skimming more than a few sections as name after name rolled over me. That's not to downplay the significance of this work, but it would have been massively helped if, somewhere in it's 1225 pages, a summary of each chapter and the major historical highlights had been summarized for quick reference.
January 19, 2025
This is a re-print/re-issue of Bray's original book titled "God Has Spoken." To my knowledge, there have been no changes (aside from cover design and title).
This is an amazing, single-volume history of the development of Christian thought, through a helpful trinitarian structure/lens. It should be read as an account of how Christian theology was hammered out, and not as strictly a narrative history (though the reader does gain a ton of historical insight, obviously). At 1200 pages, it's quite comprehensive, but inevitably there are issues, thinkers, and events that feel like they were given short-shrift, or I wish were characterized a bit differently, but it's an amazing accomplishment of research and writing.
Full video review here: https://youtu.be/TP8KioGkfLU
This is an amazing, single-volume history of the development of Christian thought, through a helpful trinitarian structure/lens. It should be read as an account of how Christian theology was hammered out, and not as strictly a narrative history (though the reader does gain a ton of historical insight, obviously). At 1200 pages, it's quite comprehensive, but inevitably there are issues, thinkers, and events that feel like they were given short-shrift, or I wish were characterized a bit differently, but it's an amazing accomplishment of research and writing.
Full video review here: https://youtu.be/TP8KioGkfLU
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