Constructive Theology: A Contemporary Approach to Classical Themes

by Serene Jones

Coordinated by Serene Jones of Yale Divinity School and Paul Lakeland of Fairfield University, fifty of North America's top teaching theologians (members of the Workgroup on Constructive Christian Theology) have devised a text that allows students to experience the deeper point of theological questions, to delve into the fractures and disagreements that figured in the development of traditional Christian doctrines, and to sample the diverse and conflicting theological voices that vie for allegiance today.

Genres: Theology, Religion

334 pages, Paperback

First published November 15, 2004

About the author

A highly respected scholar and public intellectual, the Rev. Dr. Serene Jones is the 16th President of the historic Union Theological Seminary in the City of New York. The first woman to head the 180-year-old institution, Jones occupies the Johnston Family Chair for Religion and Democracy. She is also currently the President of the American Academy of Religion, which annually hosts the world’s largest gathering of scholars of religion. Jones came to Union after seventeen years at Yale University, where she was the Titus Street Professor of Theology at the Divinity School, and Chair of the University’s Program in Women, Gender and Sexuality Studies . The author of several books including Trauma and Grace, Jones, a popular public speaker, is sought by media to comment on major issues impacting society because of her deep grounding in theology, politics, women’s studies, economics, history, and ethics.

Reviews

[John Richardson · Rating 4 out of 5]

After first being introduced to it in my first quarter of seminary, I finally got around to reading and finishing this text in earnest. Speaking as a theological student of the early 21st century, I don't feel I really have a frame of reference for what distinguishes systematic and constructive theology. My impression is that constructive theology is a response to and attempt at refurbishing systematic theology rather than any sort of alternative to it. As a whole, the text is an serviceable primer to theology, and certainly for studying at my very progressive alma mater (which was "woke" long before there was such a term).

[Kelly · Rating 2 out of 5]

Very well organized and easy to follow along. Productive read.

[Cathy · Rating 4 out of 5]

warning! Not your bedtime reading!
but if you're looking for a good historical overview of key Christian theological doctrines, this is good one.