Not Every Spirit: A Dogmatics of Christian Disbelief

by Christopher Morse

To believe in God is not to believe everything. To trust everything without awareness of what is untrustworthy is not genuine faith in God. In a biblical understanding of faith in God, then, what is the role of the call not to believe every spirit? What disbeliefs does faithfulness require? Are there some things that Christian faith refuses to believe? If so, how do we come to recognize what they are? "The presence of faithful disbelief in the church," Professor Morse suggests, "gives the church's teaching and practice its timeliness in every cultural situation." Part One of his book therefore explores the notion of Christian faith as disbelief and how the task of "testing the spirits" develops and comes to be understood within Christianity as a theological discipline called dogmatics. Part two focuses on uncovering disbeliefs of the Christian faith concerning the Word of God, the being of God, Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit, creation, salvation, humanity, the church, and the life to come. Here, then, is a fresh and timely dogmatic text that will take its place as a standard work on Christian teachings. "Professor Morse's meticulous scholarship in this book convinces Christians to examine not only what they believe but also to give attention to what they are called to disbelieve. In today's world of turmoil, distrust, and violence, Morse's work challenges Christians to reflect seriously on what they are to believe and what they are to do." -Delores S. Williams, Union Seminary, NY Christopher Morse holds the Dietrich Bonhoeffer Chair in Theology and Ethics at Union Seminary, New York, and is the author of The Logic of Promise in Moltmann's Theology.

Genres: Theology

421 pages, Paperback

First published February 1, 1994

Reviews

[Rebecca · Rating 3 out of 5]

I applaud Morse's efforts to argue that, with every premise of the faith we accept, certain "faithful disbeliefs" become activated in our lives. He does an adequate job of describing many of my own faithful disbeliefs. The trouble is, he's wordy and hasn't organized the chapters well for easy reading. Theology shouldn't have to be this hard... not the reading part anyway. A good re-write would go a long way!

[Lainie · Rating 3 out of 5]

A wee bit of Systematics pre-reading ... in order to "prime the pump."

[Racheal Kerr · Rating 4 out of 5]

I did it.

Assigned as the core textbook in my Introduction to Theology class. Meaty and masterful. It is comprehensive and gave me an excellent foundation as a jumping place to make theolgocal claims, identify them, and return to once again to mull over. It hurt a little reading it, but I'm grateful for the exercise.

By the end of the course, I finally feel fully acclimated to the flow of the chapters and would probably benefit from going through it all a second and third time to soak. Maybe - MAYBE! - on an extended rainy storm day with only candle light as the electricity is out; and when all my friends were going to arrive the next day until the storm hit so I'm lonely and theologizing in solitude while mulling over my bookshelf collection of books - MAYBE!

I appreciated how Morse outlines theological methodology and particularly enjoyed reading each chapter to examine the doctrine more closely. My course had us read alongside other writers on each doctrine, and Morse's texts provided a solid vantage point to begin engaging other views.

If you choose to read only a small portion (which honestly would benefit everyone! Choose Chapters 1, 4, and 13. Oh my Lord, I am in disbelief I actually got through all 14. And am very pleased! )💫

I'll have to keep my copy as the margins are fully annotated and the pages are colorful with highlighted passages. 😁🤓 It's not necessarily for nostalgia, but why not. Not Every Spirit will find me for the next three years as it knowingly looks at me from my bookshelf. Come at me, Seminary. I should commence my studies in a remote and rainless desert.

[Meredith Kadet Sanderson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Making dogmatic theology dense, convoluted and yet deeply moving since 1994. Thanks Christopher Morse.

[Jessie Cummins · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really enjoyed the approach to church dogmatics through different loci of beliefs and disbeliefs.