What's the Point of Theology?: Wisdom, Wellbeing and Wonder

by Alister E. McGrath

Overview

Theology is the study of the nature of God and of religious belief. But why should that matter to us?

What's the point of theology?

In this wonderfully accessible book, renowned theologian Alister McGrath answers that question--What's the point of theology?--and explores the depth and breadth theology can bring to our lives. Drawing on insights from his experience of coming to Christianity from atheism, this exhilarating and enlightening volume reveals how theology can help us grow in wisdom, contribute to our wellbeing, spark our innate sense of wonder, and above all, grow in faith and love as we draw ever closer to the divine. 

Ideal for new and seasoned Christians who want to engage more deeply with their faith, as well as those who are puzzled by spiritual matters and curious to find out more, What's the Point of Theology? will open your eyes to all that theology has to offer--a wiser understanding of what really matters, a richer vision of the good life, a deeper appreciation of the beauty of nature, and an avenue to strengthen your faith and relationship with God.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780310152064
Publisher:	Zondervan Academic
Publication date:	07/12/2022
Sold by:	HarperCollins Publishing
Format:	eBook
Pages:	176
Sales rank:	127,806
File size:	655 KB

About the Author

Alister E. McGrath is a historian, biochemist, and Christian theologian born in Belfast, Northern Ireland. McGrath, a longtime professor at Oxford University, now holds the Chair in Science and Religion at Oxford. He is the author of several books on theology and apologetics, including Christianity's Dangerous Idea and Mere Apologetics. He lives in Oxford, England and lectures regularly in the United States.

Table of Contents

Introduction 1

Part 1 Theology: Some Opening Reflections

1 Discovering theology: seeing things in a new way 7

Theology as a new way of seeing things 11

Imagining the new world of faith 15

Charles Taylor: imagining a new (but real) world 18

2 Theology as a 'big picture' 23

Christian doctrines: isolated or interconnected? 24

The 'big picture': weaving things together 26

Understanding theological disagreement 28

Finding the best 'big picture' 30

Dorothy L. Sayers on the Incarnation 33

Mapping the landscape of faith 36

3 Theology: five criticisms 40

Theology is vacuous nonsense, which isn't worth studying 40

Theology is irrelevant for most ordinary Christians 43

Theology has no place in the life of the Church 46

Theology seems detached from the Bible 48

Theology is a Western invention 50

Part 2 Why Theology Matters: Wisdom, Wellbeing and Wonder

4 Wisdom: discovering the depths of faith 57

Karl Popper: the three worlds 57

Growing in wisdom: a New Testament foundation 59

The wisdom of the Christian past: an antidote to superficiality 64

Going deeper: mapping the Christian vision of salvation 69

Making connections: theology and a wider vision of life 74

Faith: being realistic about what we can know 77

The darkness of faith: coping with uncertainty 80

5 Wellbeing: discerning value and meaning 84

Theology and wellbeing: the neglected importance of meaning 86

Connectedness: discovering a coherent and meaningful world 90

Faith: inhabiting a Christian vision of reality 91

The importance of the Incarnation 93

Transforming our existence: mapping the Incarnation 95

Mattering: Christianity and human value 98

The heart's desire: finding fulfilment 103

6 Wonder: expanding our vision of life 107

Why wonder matters 109

Attentiveness: seeing and respecting nature as God's creation 111

The intellectual appeal of faith 115

Speaking about God: preserving the mystery 118

The failed quest for certainty: Tomáš Halík on faith and mystery 121

The Trinity: wrestling with mystery 122

Glimpsing glory: theology, worship and spirituality 126

7 Conclusion: making theology matter 130

On theological education 132

Theology and the life of faith 133

What's the point of theology? 135

Taking things further 138

Questions for reflection 141

Notes 144