What Is Christianity?: A Dynamic Introduction
This introduction to Christianity is designed for use as a basic text to help provide structure, background, and perspective for a first year college course in theology or religious studies. It strives to be ecumenical in approach, though not without some impact from the author’s being a Roman Catholic. The text is organized around the categories of scripture, tradition, sacraments, and Christian life. Christian theology, presented both affirmatively and critically, stands at the center of an interdisciplinary approach that draws upon philosophical, historical, and social scientific perspectives.

The author pays serious attention to the inclusion of various peoples and points of view. Religious pluralism, globalization, engagement with the modern world, reason and faith, iconoclasm and sacramentality, and spirituality and religion are among the contemporary themes that run throughout the text.

Each chapter provides questions for discussion, a glossary of key terms, and a list of recommended primary sources and background texts. As an introduction, the text chooses not to be fully comprehensive, but rather to be intelligently selective as it lays the groundwork for student participation in class. The text provides materials for fostering conversations that bridge the current gap between objective academic approaches and approaches that engage the students personally.
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What Is Christianity?: A Dynamic Introduction
This introduction to Christianity is designed for use as a basic text to help provide structure, background, and perspective for a first year college course in theology or religious studies. It strives to be ecumenical in approach, though not without some impact from the author’s being a Roman Catholic. The text is organized around the categories of scripture, tradition, sacraments, and Christian life. Christian theology, presented both affirmatively and critically, stands at the center of an interdisciplinary approach that draws upon philosophical, historical, and social scientific perspectives.

The author pays serious attention to the inclusion of various peoples and points of view. Religious pluralism, globalization, engagement with the modern world, reason and faith, iconoclasm and sacramentality, and spirituality and religion are among the contemporary themes that run throughout the text.

Each chapter provides questions for discussion, a glossary of key terms, and a list of recommended primary sources and background texts. As an introduction, the text chooses not to be fully comprehensive, but rather to be intelligently selective as it lays the groundwork for student participation in class. The text provides materials for fostering conversations that bridge the current gap between objective academic approaches and approaches that engage the students personally.
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What Is Christianity?: A Dynamic Introduction

What Is Christianity?: A Dynamic Introduction

by Dennis M. Doyle
What Is Christianity?: A Dynamic Introduction

What Is Christianity?: A Dynamic Introduction

by Dennis M. Doyle

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Overview

This introduction to Christianity is designed for use as a basic text to help provide structure, background, and perspective for a first year college course in theology or religious studies. It strives to be ecumenical in approach, though not without some impact from the author’s being a Roman Catholic. The text is organized around the categories of scripture, tradition, sacraments, and Christian life. Christian theology, presented both affirmatively and critically, stands at the center of an interdisciplinary approach that draws upon philosophical, historical, and social scientific perspectives.

The author pays serious attention to the inclusion of various peoples and points of view. Religious pluralism, globalization, engagement with the modern world, reason and faith, iconoclasm and sacramentality, and spirituality and religion are among the contemporary themes that run throughout the text.

Each chapter provides questions for discussion, a glossary of key terms, and a list of recommended primary sources and background texts. As an introduction, the text chooses not to be fully comprehensive, but rather to be intelligently selective as it lays the groundwork for student participation in class. The text provides materials for fostering conversations that bridge the current gap between objective academic approaches and approaches that engage the students personally.

Product Details

ISBN-13: 9780809149933
Publisher: Paulist Press
Publication date: 11/01/2016
Pages: 320
Product dimensions: 6.00(w) x 9.00(h) x 0.70(d)

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments xiii

Chapter 1 Introduction 1

Treating My Own Faith Academically as I Treat Others 2

The Approach of This Textbook 3

What Is Christianity? 4

Christianity as a Global Phenomenon 5

Christianity in a World of Many Religions 9

Exclusive Model 10

Inclusive Model 10

Mutuality Model 11

Coexistence Model 12

Section 1 Scripture 19

Chapter 2 The Bible 21

The Old Testament as Canon 22

The New Testament as Canon 25

Translations 27

A Fourfold Method of Interpretation: Literal, Analogical, Moral, Anagogical 30

Academic Approaches to Biblical Studies 33

The Bible as Interpreted within Living Faith Communities 37

Chapter 3 The Hebrew Scriptures 43

Hebrew Scriptures, the Jewish Bible, and the Old Testament 44

Traditional and Modern Methods of Interpretation: Creation, Evolution, and Genesis 1 46

Interpreting Scripture within the Context of Different Traditions 49

Creation and the Trinity 49

Genesis 2:4b-3: Tribal Initiation and Original Sin 50

Read from the Point of View of Cultural Anthropology 50

Read from the Point of View of Jewish and Christian Faith Traditions 52

Interpreting Scripture with a Focus on Liturgy: Exodus 1-13… 55

The Myth Explains the Ritual 56

The Ritual Acts Out the Myth 56

Interpreting the Jewish Bible with a Focus on Jewish Life 58

Chapter 4 The New Testament 65

Jesus as the Fulfillment of the Old Testament 65

Point and Counterpoint in the New Testament 68

Interpreting the New Testament with a Focus on Ritual 73

Baptism 73

Eucharist 74

Addressing Objections to Celebrating the Eucharist 76

Interpreting the New Testament with a Focus on Christian Life 78

The Prologue to the Gospel of John 82

Did Jesus Think of Himself as God? 82

Section 2 Tradition 89

Chapter 5 Christian Tradition 91

Various Qualifications Concerning the Term Tradition 91

Christian Tradition and the Social Construction of Reality 94

Christian Tradition and Narrative 97

The Question of Truth 99

The Christian Story as an Overarching Narrative 100

Christian Tradition in a Pluralistic Society 104

Chapter 6 Christian Doctrine 109

Getting the Story Right 109

Creeds, Councils, and Christology 111

The Trinity 117

Soteriology and Eschatology 119

The Meaning of Christian Doctrine for Today 121

Chapter 7 Church Divisions and Ecumenism 131

Claims Concerning Continuity with the Faith of the Apostles 131

Catholics and Orthodox 132

Before Martin Luther 136

Martin Luther 138

The Radical Reformation 140

Reformed Churches 141

The Council of Trent 142

John Wesley 144

Ecumenical Movements 146

More Recent Ecumenical Progress 148

Frustrations and Hopes 152

It All Belongs to All of Us 153

Section 3 Sacraments 161

Chapter 8 Sacramental Consciousness 163

The Experience of Life's Deeper Dimensions 166

Sacramental Consciousness and Augustine 169

Sacramental Consciousness and the Catholic Imagination 171

The Church as Sacrament 174

Sacramental Consciousness in a U.S. Hispanic Perspective 175

Sacramental Consciousness in an African American Perspective 177

Chapter 9 Sacraments of Initiation: Baptism, Confirmation, Eucharist 183

Seven Sacraments 184

Traditional Catholic Focus on the Objectivity of Sacramental Grace 187

Three Sacraments of Initiation: Baptism, Confirmation, and Eucharist 189

Baptism 191

An Ideal Meaning of Church 193

Baptism and Eternal Salvation 194

Confirmation 195

Confirmation for Youth 196

Pentecostals and Baptism in the Holy Spirit 197

Eucharist 197

New Directions for the Eucharist 199

Chapter 10 Sacraments of Commitment and Healing 207

Holy Orders 208

Holy Orders and Church Structure 208

Bishop, Priest, Deacon 209

Lay Ecclesial Ministers 211

Marriage 213

Love and Marriage 213

Marriage and Inclusion I: Many Types of Families 215

Marriage and Inclusion II: LGBT 216

Marriage and Christian Division 218

Reconciliation and Anointing of the Sick 219

Reconciliation 219

Anointing of the Sick 219

Reconciliation in the Aftermath of Apartheid in South Africa 221

Need for Empathy 222

Forgiveness and Healing in the Ecumenical Movement 223

Section 4 Christian Life 231

Chapter 11 Love as the Greatest Commandment 233

Love and the Universal Call to Holiness 233

Love in Scripture 235

Bernard Lonergan: Authenticity, Hypocrisy, and Conversion… 236

Bias 237

Bias, Sin, and Conversion 238

Racism as Bias 240

Nietzsche: Christians Are Hypocrites 242

Benedict: Christian Love Is Authentic 244

A Further Point from Pope Saint John Paul II 246

Chapter 12 Commandments, Virtues, Pacifist Activism 253

The Ten Commandments 253

Virtue Ethics 256

Aristotle on the Virtues 257

Aquinas on the Natural Virtues 258

Aquinas on the Supernatural Virtues 260

Contemporary Virtue Ethics 262

Pacifist Activism 263

Leo Tolstoy and the Influence of His Interpretation of the Sermon on the Mount 263

Mahatma Gandhi 265

Dorothy Day 266

Martin Luther King 267

Chapter 13 Catholic Social Teaching on Peace, Social Justice, and the Environment 275

Leo XIII's Rerum Novarum 275

Return Novarum Rejects Socialism 276

Rerum Novarum Places Moral Restraints upon Capitalism 278

Background of Modern Catholic Social Teaching 279

Catholic Social Teaching Documents and Their Basic Principles 280

Preferential Option for the Poor 282

Subsidiarity 284

The Common Good 285

Human Rights and Peace 286

Consistent Ethic of Life 287

Human Development 288

Dignity 288

Solidarity 289

Market Plus 290

Gratuitousness 291

Inclusion 291

Sustainability: Care for the Environment 292

Index 299

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