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Cafe Theology
If theology doesn't stretch our minds, it probably won't stretch our lives. In "Cafe Theology", Mike invites us to grab a cappuccino and travel with him from Creation to New Creation, as he presents us with a rich and human view of life and of Life-Giver. Whether we've been on the Christian journey our whole life, we're just starting out or we haven't even bought a ticket, this extraordinary book is applicable to our ordinary lives.
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First published April 1, 2005
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Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
April 15, 2013
This aims at providing, in contemporary terms, an "understanding (of) the faith that is common to Christians of all types and stripes" . It's an apologetic of Christian orthodoxy in other words, covering the main subjects that form the Christian world view i.e. Creation, The Fall, The Trinity, Atonement etc. It's approach is systematic and theological and while it is an unashamedly ecumenical book it is neither so broad in stroke as be watered down or dilute nor lost in the contentious minutiae of theological debate. It is actually quite direct, broad-minded and well read in it's hinterland, readable and even, occasionally funny, citing such theological heavy weights as St Ignatious, St Augustine and Martin Luther alongside Alan Bennett, T.S Elliot, Shakespeare, Dawkins and Monty Python!
A job well done.
July 27, 2024
Systematic theology lite. Often enough, it’s as insightful as any other book I’ve read. That this is a rather unknown book may mean that Lloyd suffers from a bad publicist. One of the books strengths is ironically one of its biggest weaknesses. Organized around ten major Christian concepts (creation, fall, atonement, church, etc), each chapter plays out in a barrage of insights on each subject. The insights are generally independent of one another, thus the book’s weakness, as it often feels like you’re moving through an unconnected train of thought on a given topic. But the weight of the insights, and their diversity, also makes it useful as a resource in any type of teaching setting on the issue.
January 14, 2022
There were a few things I wasn't quite sure about, but on the whole it was solid and engaging, and parts of it were Very Good Indeed. Also, I sort of feel like I've discovered a kindred spirit in Michael Lloyd. :)
August 31, 2012
Really pleased I read this. It gives a great basic foundation of theology, which I found strengthened my faith even more. Very well written and enjoyable.
May 16, 2018
This is a good, easy-to-read primer for theology, coming from the Alpha Stable and written by Mike Lloyd, now principal of Wycliffe College, Oxford. Most of the bases are well covered, and it's difficult to ask more for a sub-400 page book. My main quibble is the excess of anecdotes and illustrations, not all of which are that pertinent to the point that he is trying to make. It's a bit like reading the transcript of a 24 hour sermonathon.
My copy is a first edition and it gives the impression of having been rushed out to print, with poor formatting. I'm assuming that later editions are better set out. His speculation in the Creation chapter about the fall and the origin of evil is interesting, even though I'm not sure I can go all the way with him. A couple of other points I thought Hmmm. But a well-needed book and very suited to those who have done the Alpha course and want to go a bit deeper.
My copy is a first edition and it gives the impression of having been rushed out to print, with poor formatting. I'm assuming that later editions are better set out. His speculation in the Creation chapter about the fall and the origin of evil is interesting, even though I'm not sure I can go all the way with him. A couple of other points I thought Hmmm. But a well-needed book and very suited to those who have done the Alpha course and want to go a bit deeper.
August 18, 2024
I was disappointed with the weak arguments used in the book as elements of Christian theology. I was recommended this book as reading on the theology course I was on. The book is to reflect the basics of Western Christian theological positions. That is important to distinguish. Theology books tend to ignore Eastern Theology. The ideas in here are very much from a Western position, in particular the ideas of sin. Sin in the West is most of the time an act that is done against God and God as a judge punishes us justly for this. Eastern Theology sees sin more as sickness.
To that end, as a theology book, it lays out the important aspects of Western Christianity as found in Roman Catholicism and Protestantism. The main focus as part of the chapters are Creation, Fall, Providence, Incarnation, Atonement, Resurrection and Ascension, Spirit, Trinity, the Final Victory of God and The Church. The style of each chapter is to set out in a way as to define why each of these doctrines are important and what they entail.
What does this book get right? Well, one thing I really like about Cafe Theology is that it really is pro-nature and pro-environmentalist. I really wanted to give the book a higher grade because I feel it is so important for Christian books to oppose climate change. Given that American Evangelicals are committed to destroying the planet with their support of Donald Trump and the American Evangelical support of fossil fuels, it is good to hear voices opposing climate change from Christians. Understandably, the guy who wrote it is a British vicar in the Church of England. However, we desperately need more theology books and writings opposing climate change.
Why then did I give it a low score? One of the issues I have with the book is that it puts forward ideas that were misrepresentations of theological positions and not understanding Christian positions themselves. For example, Cafe Theology criticises Platonic philosophy as being against material, ignoring that Christianity is exceptionally heavily indebted to Platonic philosophy and ideas. Multiple different ideas from Platonic thinking have ended up in Christianity including ideas of the soul, eternal life (partial influence), certain ideas of the forms. I don't think that this book acknowledges this well. To think that Christianity univocally believes in the material world as being important ignores all the parts of the New Testament which mentions "the flesh" or weakness of the flesh which is definitely Platonic or at the very least Grecian in origin.
Another point of problem is that the book I feel gives a poor explanation at times as to why something was defended as a part of theological doctrine. Take the Trinity; Michael Lloyd asserts that the Trinity means that violence is not a part of God as there is no violence in the Trinity. The problem with this is that this squarely contradicts representations of God in the Old Testament, which depict him as a God of violence. The Trinity as a concept was separated thousands of years from the depiction of God in the Old Testament. However, we have to negotiate our faith in light of that point. Saying the Trinity is not violent is a negotiation in light of the violence commanded by God in the Old Testament.
The book takes a Trinitarian hermeneutics of scriptures; which is a post-Hoc interpretation of scriptures. Yet this of course is problematic for that we try to read the Bible from our position, the previous writings were written from an entirely different position, thousands of years removed from this hermeneutical lens. It argues that scripture is to be a point of correction. The problem is that we negotiate with the text. There is no inherently unchanged meaning with the text as language changes with meaning over time. A good example is that the verb "marry" and nouns "husband" and "wife" do not appear in the Old Testament. The word marriage appears once. Anytime these words appear, we are translating the words, verb take (as marry) and nouns man and woman (as husband and wife). Seeing scripture as a "fixed point" totally ignores the social and contextual readings that the majority of Christians take to the Bible. Is the Bible inspired by God? Well, I believe people were inspired by God to write it and compile it. That has a different meaning than somehow the spirit breathed over the text.
I don't want to write a review to be discouraging. The deconstruction of Christianity has led me down more critical roads of analysing texts on theology. This is the sort of relatively easy book for Christians of Western Christianity. Its arguments are weak and at times easily refuted, but I will say it makes good points in part.
To that end, as a theology book, it lays out the important aspects of Western Christianity as found in Roman Catholicism and Protestantism. The main focus as part of the chapters are Creation, Fall, Providence, Incarnation, Atonement, Resurrection and Ascension, Spirit, Trinity, the Final Victory of God and The Church. The style of each chapter is to set out in a way as to define why each of these doctrines are important and what they entail.
What does this book get right? Well, one thing I really like about Cafe Theology is that it really is pro-nature and pro-environmentalist. I really wanted to give the book a higher grade because I feel it is so important for Christian books to oppose climate change. Given that American Evangelicals are committed to destroying the planet with their support of Donald Trump and the American Evangelical support of fossil fuels, it is good to hear voices opposing climate change from Christians. Understandably, the guy who wrote it is a British vicar in the Church of England. However, we desperately need more theology books and writings opposing climate change.
Why then did I give it a low score? One of the issues I have with the book is that it puts forward ideas that were misrepresentations of theological positions and not understanding Christian positions themselves. For example, Cafe Theology criticises Platonic philosophy as being against material, ignoring that Christianity is exceptionally heavily indebted to Platonic philosophy and ideas. Multiple different ideas from Platonic thinking have ended up in Christianity including ideas of the soul, eternal life (partial influence), certain ideas of the forms. I don't think that this book acknowledges this well. To think that Christianity univocally believes in the material world as being important ignores all the parts of the New Testament which mentions "the flesh" or weakness of the flesh which is definitely Platonic or at the very least Grecian in origin.
Another point of problem is that the book I feel gives a poor explanation at times as to why something was defended as a part of theological doctrine. Take the Trinity; Michael Lloyd asserts that the Trinity means that violence is not a part of God as there is no violence in the Trinity. The problem with this is that this squarely contradicts representations of God in the Old Testament, which depict him as a God of violence. The Trinity as a concept was separated thousands of years from the depiction of God in the Old Testament. However, we have to negotiate our faith in light of that point. Saying the Trinity is not violent is a negotiation in light of the violence commanded by God in the Old Testament.
The book takes a Trinitarian hermeneutics of scriptures; which is a post-Hoc interpretation of scriptures. Yet this of course is problematic for that we try to read the Bible from our position, the previous writings were written from an entirely different position, thousands of years removed from this hermeneutical lens. It argues that scripture is to be a point of correction. The problem is that we negotiate with the text. There is no inherently unchanged meaning with the text as language changes with meaning over time. A good example is that the verb "marry" and nouns "husband" and "wife" do not appear in the Old Testament. The word marriage appears once. Anytime these words appear, we are translating the words, verb take (as marry) and nouns man and woman (as husband and wife). Seeing scripture as a "fixed point" totally ignores the social and contextual readings that the majority of Christians take to the Bible. Is the Bible inspired by God? Well, I believe people were inspired by God to write it and compile it. That has a different meaning than somehow the spirit breathed over the text.
I don't want to write a review to be discouraging. The deconstruction of Christianity has led me down more critical roads of analysing texts on theology. This is the sort of relatively easy book for Christians of Western Christianity. Its arguments are weak and at times easily refuted, but I will say it makes good points in part.
October 31, 2019
A superb book. Michael Lloyd sets out the structure of Christian faith superbly and then explains how and why it all interconnects and links using profound insights.
He also writes with enthusiasm (you can feel it bubbling over) and humour
One reviewer said that it can feel a bit like a 24 hour sermon. That's true. But it's a fine sermon! And another said they thought they'd found a kindred spirit in Mike Lloyd. I think It have too.
The chapter on the Fall didn't quite do it for me; not that I have a better alternative. And it's rather harsh to knock off a star for that. But then judgments are never easy...
He also writes with enthusiasm (you can feel it bubbling over) and humour
One reviewer said that it can feel a bit like a 24 hour sermon. That's true. But it's a fine sermon! And another said they thought they'd found a kindred spirit in Mike Lloyd. I think It have too.
The chapter on the Fall didn't quite do it for me; not that I have a better alternative. And it's rather harsh to knock off a star for that. But then judgments are never easy...
January 17, 2022
This remarkable book views the universe and its humanity through the lens of the Christian faith … by taking theological aspects of Christianity and recounting them in simple terms, the author takes the misery out of theology … well-done …
January 18, 2020
I liked it but found it not as interesting as his talks
March 19, 2020
It's a book where you have to take one bite at a time, chew it over well in your mind, journal and digest it slowly, thoughtfully think about the concepts. It's a book to be savored.
December 8, 2023
This book was a very good introduction and overview of theology. I found it very engaging and not a dry dense type of theology presentation. My only real disagreement was in the small mentioning of billions of years and evolution. I believe the Bible is literal fact not up for interpretation on creation therefore I do not adhere to billions of years, Big Bang, evolution.
June 29, 2008
I am so enjoying this book - a basic review of Christian doctrine. While it's size and thickness is a bit scary it simply states what we believe and why, a great introduction for those of us who have grown up around the Bible but never studied it formally.
May 4, 2010
Great easy to read introduction to theology that effects our day to day lives
September 11, 2014
Very good, easy to read over view of the basic doctrines of Christianity, apart from the crazy bit about the angels having a pre-humankind fall, that was a bit lord of the ringsy......
February 25, 2016
The thinking person's Alpha!
October 2, 2016
Thorough and well-written, witty and hilarious at times, but can be a bit milked towards the end. Learnt a lot from it, substantial yet accessible.
July 2, 2013
so packed with stuff - not an easy read! Not sure I followed or agreed with everything but good.
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews