Elements of Christian Thought: A Basic Course in Christianese

by Eugene F. Rogers Jr.

In the spring of 2020, as the coronavirus pandemic disrupted classrooms around the world, teachers scrambled to convert their lectures and presentations into a format more conducive to online and distance learning.

For Eugene Rogers, this meant transcribing as closely as possible the spoken lectures that have made his Introduction to Christian Thought course at UNC Greensboro, a course he has taught some forty times, justly famous.

The result is this book: an insightful, winsome, and engaging introduction to the history of Christian thought by a teacher at the height of his craft.

For Rogers, the history of Christian thought is the story of a language--it's "Christianese," if you will--that participants use to frame their agreements and their disagreements alike. From Anselm to Wyschogrod, Rogers introduces us to the most interesting speakers of Christianese and their importance, enabling us to both listen in on and take part in the living conversation about God's activity in and for our world.

Genres: Christianity

320 pages, Hardcover

Published May 25, 2021

About the author

Eugene F. Rogers is Professor of Religious Studies at the University of North Carolina, Greensboro. Educated at Princeton, Tübingen, Rome, and Yale, Rogers taught at Yale College and Divinity School, Shaw University Divinity School, St. Anselm College, and, from 1993 to 2005, at the University of Virginia, where for several years he chaired the Program in Theology, Ethics, and Culture. All eight of his finished Ph.D. students have had full-time employment in colleges or universities, six tenure-track. In 2002-03, he was the Eli Lilly Visiting Associate Professor of Christian Thought and Practice in the Religion Department at Princeton University. He has held fellowships from the Fulbright Commission, the Mellon Foundation, the National Humanities Center, the Lilly Foundation, the Center of Theological Inquiry at Princeton Seminary, and the Center for the Study of Religion at Princeton University. He is author or editor of five books and some thirty articles and translations. He joined the UNCG faculty in 2005.

Reviews

[Achsah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Growing up in an evangelical environment, it often seemed like there was one right answer to every question. Reading this book with a review of different theologians' takes on various Christian concepts was really helpful in getting a taste of the expanse of ideas about God and Christianity.

I wish there were more women and theologians of color included, but the book is worth reading for several takes in it, with this being my favorite: "Oppressors use the example of Jesus to justify the suffering of those they oppress...you must learn to ask diagnostic questions when someone tells you to take up your cross and follow Jesus: 1) Who is carrying the hammer and nails? And 2) are you willing to climb the cross with me?"

[Dariela Schneider Teran · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent primer for those who are interested in dipping into Theology and wouldn't know where to start. Loved the "lecture" feel of the book, although it does lend to its being a little pandering sometimes. You can tell it was written with students in mind, so it has great information with a somewhat informal dlivery.

[Caomhghain · Rating 5 out of 5]

A quite brilliant which clearly elucidates theology. One has to admire the intellectual honesty, scrupulous analysis of conflicting ideas and the constant reconciliation of what Christianity is. And yet. So much brilliance expended on what in the end seems so slight.