The Melody of Theology: A Philosophical Dictionary

by Jaroslav Pelikan, Valerie Hotchkiss (Foreword by)

Overview

While compiling a comprehensive bibliography of the works of Jaroslav Pelikan for a Festschrift celebrating his 80th birthday in 2003, I occasionally brought to light an article or lecture that Jary himself had all but forgotten. This is not surprising, given his prolific, fifty-eight-year publishing history. Called "the premier historical theologian of our time," Pelikan took on the history of Christianity and Christian doctrine in its entirety--from East to West and from the apostolic age to contemporary issues. Indeed, to say he is the "premier" or "foremost" scholar in this field is an understatement, for he is the only scholar recognized as the authority for the immense field of all of Christian history.

This Wipf and Stock series aims to reprint a selection of Pelikan's writings that are no longer in print, such as Historical Theology, an erudite survey of the history of theology as both bound by tradition and ever- changing, or The Melody of Theology, a collection of brief reflections on important theological topics which one reviewer called "the ultimate bed- side book." The versatility of Pelikan's thinking is apparent in another work reprinted in this series, The Excellent Empire, which juxtaposes Gibbons Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire with the "rise and triumph" of the Christian Church. Pelikan's facile mind comprehended big, expansive ideas and as an author he could synthesize, analyze, compare, and interpret large periods of history. His sweeping views of theological history, as in From Luther to Kierkegaard, are invaluable for understanding the field, but he could also zero in on a particular author or topic, as in his elegant study of Faust the Theologian, or his last publication, a commentary on The Acts of the Apostles. From great editorial projects such as Luther's Works (55 volumes) to succinct and cogent essays such as Whose Bible Is It?, Jaroslav Pelikan considered himself "a chronicler of one of the most overwhelming explosions in the history of the human mind and spirit," that is, Christianity and its impact on theology, philosophy, culture, and world history.

The reprinting of Pelikan's writings is a worthy undertaking not only because they were so influential in the twentieth century, but also because they will stand the test of time and continue to influence students, schol- ars, ministers, and laypeople. Though scholarly in nature and dealing with complex themes, Pelikan's work is nonetheless accessible and his topics are compelling. Jesus Through the Centuries (1985) and Mary Through the Centuries (1996) were popular best-sellers. Other examples include his Bach Among the Theologians (1989), which is required reading for musicians. And several of his books began as public lecture series, including Imago Dei (1990), What Has Athens to Do with Jerusalem? (1997) and Interpreting the Constitution (2004), in addition to the Jesus and Mary works. Pelikan's writings show us the interrelation of Christian tradition and intellectual history within broad cultural frames of reference drawn from philosophy, music, the visual arts, literature, rhetoric, political and legal theory, and the natural sciences. Crossing boundaries and making connections was Pelikan's strength. He knew the primary literature and the languages in which they were written. He saw the larger picture and he painted it with breathtaking majesty and mastery.

Jaroslav Pelikan was a man of many achievements. In addition to his prodigious publishing career, he also served in positions of distinction from Dean of the Graduate School at Yale to president of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. He received prestigious awards such as the Jefferson Award of the National Endowment for the Humanities and the John W. Kluge Prize for Lifetime Achievement in the Human Sciences (bestowed by the Library of Congress which in 2000 named him a "Living Legend"), and accepted some forty-six honorary degrees. Now through this reprint series, the legend continues and the man lives on through his writings.

Valerie Hotchkiss, Andrew S. G. Turyn, Endowed Professor and Director of the Rare Book&Manuscript Library
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
June 2013

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781725234048
Publisher:	Wipf & Stock Publishers
Publication date:	02/01/2014
Series:	Jaroslav Pelikan Reprint Series
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	284
File size:	36 MB
Note:	This product may take a few minutes to download.

About the Author

Jaroslav Pelikan (1923-2006) was Sterling Professor of History Emeritus at Yale University. He authored many books, including Whose Bible Is It? A History of the Scriptures through the Ages and Credo: Historical and Theological Guide to Creeds and Confessions of Faith in the Christian Tradition.

Table of Contents

Preface

Angel

Apocatastasis

Apophatic

Atheist/Agnostic

Atonement

Augustine of Hippo

Authority

Baptism

Bible

Byzantium

Canon of Hebrew Scripture (the Old Testament)

Canon of the New Testament

Cappadocians

Church

Continuity

Creeds of Christendom

Dante Alighieri

Development of Doctrine

Dictionary

Dogma

Dostoevsky, Fyodor Mikhailovich

Duty

Ecumenical

Emerson, Ralph Waldo

Enlightenment

Erasmus, Desiderius

Eschatology

Eucharist

Evil

Faith

Filioque

Friendship

Gibbon, Edward

Gifford Lectures

Goethe, Johann Wolfgang von

Gospel

Grace

Harnack, Adolf von

Hellenization

Heresy

Hermeneutics

Historiography

Holy Spirit

Icons

Image of God

Incarnation

Justification by Faith

Languages

Libraries

Luther, Martin

Mary

Medieval

Melody

Mystery

Mystical

Natural Theology

Newman, John Henry

Origen of Alexandria

Orthodoxy

Patristics

Paul the Apostle

Reformation

Renaissance

Revelation

Rome

Sacrament

Sacred Science

Schleiermacher, Friedrich Daniel Ernst

Scholarship

Sermon on the Mount

Sin

Slays

Sobornost'

Söderblom, Nathan

Solitude

Text of the New Testament

Thomas Aquinas

Tradition

Trinity

University

Worship

Zion

Index

What People are Saying About This

From the Publisher

"This is the ultimate bedside book. Replete with sinuous, compact discussions of first and last things—sin, faith, grace, and John Henry Newman—it reflects Jaroslav Pelikan's lifelong commitment to what he calls 'the great new fact of Christianity' . . . This book works like a tuning fork for the mind. With it, the harmony of Pelikan's thought and life has itself become part of the great Christian tradition."
—Christian Science Monitor

"This is a rewarding and exciting book from beginning to end. It shows the reflection of a master of his work, where the work continually reveals the author's enjoyment, both exemplifying and satisfying Horatio's utile dulci. Packed with knowledge and insight, it informs, stimulates, and delights. It also corrects, or at least reproves, some vulgar errors . . . A valuable book."
—Roland M. Frye

"I found Pelikan's thinking fascinating, elegant, informative, scholarly, and deeply personal and attractive . . . There is always some insight to gain. [Pelikan's book] provides a course in nearly the whole of Christian faith and history—in terms of just one person's journey."
—Robert B. Coote, Pacific Theological Review

"Jaroslav Pelikan ranged so widely in his exploration of historic Christian traditions, and his work probed so deeply, that it is a real boon to see Wipf and Stock bringing some of his books back into print. They were excellent reading when they first appeared; they remain excellent reading today."
—Mark A. Noll, McAnaney Professor of History, University of Notre Dame

Editorial Reviews

Reflecting on 82 theological/philosophical topics (e.g., atonement), movements (e.g., Enlightenment), and persons (e.g., Augustine), renowned Christian historian and theologian Pelikan deals with ``major themes of scholarship in the history of the Christian theological tradition.'' The result is a personal work that does not fit the mold of such works as the Oxford Dictionary of the Christian Church in scope or approach. Coverage is selective, with continuity maintained (and occasionally imposed) by interweaving several of the themes within each entry. A thought-provoking glimpse into the mind of a mature scholar, this book should be read, not just referred to. Recommended. Craig W. Beard, Harding Univ. Lib., Searcy, Ark.

Library Journal

An intellectual autobiography in the format of a philosophical dictionary. Arranged in alphabetical order, the eighty odd entries address such topics as Faith, Sen, Dante, St. Paul, Apocatastatis, Eschatology, and the Trinity. A singular portrait of a prominent theologian's life and work. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)

Booknews

"This is the ultimate bedside book. Replete with sinuous, compact discussions of first and last things—sin, faith, grace, and John Henry Newman—it reflects Jaroslav Pelikan's lifelong commitment to what he calls 'the great new fact of Christianity' . . . This book works like a tuning fork for the mind. With it, the harmony of Pelikan's thought and life has itself become part of the great Christian tradition."
—Christian Science Monitor

"This is a rewarding and exciting book from beginning to end. It shows the reflection of a master of his work, where the work continually reveals the author's enjoyment, both exemplifying and satisfying Horatio's utile dulci. Packed with knowledge and insight, it informs, stimulates, and delights. It also corrects, or at least reproves, some vulgar errors . . . A valuable book."
—Roland M. Frye

"I found Pelikan's thinking fascinating, elegant, informative, scholarly, and deeply personal and attractive . . . There is always some insight to gain. [Pelikan's book] provides a course in nearly the whole of Christian faith and history—in terms of just one person's journey."
—Robert B. Coote, Pacific Theological Review

"Jaroslav Pelikan ranged so widely in his exploration of historic Christian traditions, and his work probed so deeply, that it is a real boon to see Wipf and Stock bringing some of his books back into print. They were excellent reading when they first appeared; they remain excellent reading today."
—Mark A. Noll, McAnaney Professor of History, University of Notre Dame

From the Publisher

Objective, accurate, awesomely informed, and just plain useful—and regularly on the target that each heading indicates. It is thoroughly ecumenical in a delightful sense although it does not neglect to note doctrinal differences... This is an extraordinarily informative and readable book, its subjects very alive today in theological, philosophical, and historical circles.

Rev. Walter J. Ong

[Pelikan] has assembled some 82 gleanings from the rich surplus of his scholarship into a readable, informative, and delightful dictionary of theology...[which is] literate rather than technical in style, and good-humored rather than solemn in tone...[Pelikan's] presentation is always balanced, comprehensive, ecumenical, and thought provoking.

Antioch Review - M. Edmund Hussey

This is a rewarding and exciting book, from beginning to end. It shows the reflections of a master on his work, where the work continually reveals the author's enjoyment, both exemplifying and satisfying the Horation utile dulci. Packed with knowledge and insight, it informs, stimulates, and delights. It also corrects, or at least reproves, some vulgar errors...A valuable book.

Roland M. Frye

This is the ultimate bedside book. Replete with sinuous, compact discussions of first and last things—sin, faith, grace and John Henry Newman—it reflects Jaroslav Pelikan's life-long commitment to what he calls 'the great new fact of Christianity'...This book works like a tuning fork for the mind. With it, the harmony of Pelikan's thought and life has itself become part of the great Christian tradition.

Christian Science Monitor - Thomas D'Evelyn