SCM Studyguide: Theology in the Contemporary World

Book excerpt: No sooner have they mastered the basics than students of theology can quickly find themselves in over their heads. They are bombarded with claim and counter-claim as soon as they want to tackle anything topical. The contentious subjects tend to be the historical Jesus, gender and sexuality, or the atonement. Other subjects might be less contentious but attract an astonishing excess of literature. Take the vast literature tackling the subject of the Church, for instance, or the bloated body of tomes on various aspects of Pneumatology. This book tries to provide the bewildered and intimidated student with a primer that is at once introductory and incisive; approachable and informative. It will help those training for ministry to recover their fascination for the subject of theology and how it could apply to their future ministry. Subjects covered include - The Quests for the Historical Jesus - Third Article Theology - The Missional Church - Liberation Theology - Feminist, LGBT and Queer Approaches - Postmodern Faith and the Emerging Church - Nonviolent Atonement