For The Serious Student

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Historical Theology by Gregg Allison

Historical Theology presents the key pillars of the contemporary church and the development of those doctrines as they evolved from the history of Christian thought. Most historical theology texts follow Christian beliefs in a strict chronological manner with the classic theological loci scattered throughout various time periods, movements, and controversies—making for good history but confusing theology.

This companion to the classic bestseller Systematic Theology is unique among historical theologies. Gregg Allison sets out the history of Christian doctrine according to a topical-chronological arrangement—one theological element at a time instead of committing to a discussion of theological thought according to its historical appearance alone.

This method allows you to:

  • Contemplate one tenet of Christianity at a time, along with its formulation in the early church—through the Middle Ages, Reformation, and post-Reformation era, and into the modern period.
  • Become familiar with the primary source material of Christian history's most important contributors, such as Cyprian, Augustine, Aquinas, Luther, Calvin, Barth, and others.
  • Understand the development of evangelical doctrine with a focus on the centrality of the gospel.
  • Discern a sense of urgent need for greater doctrinal understanding in the whole church.
Book Description from Amazon

One benefit of Historical Theology is it helps the church distinguish orthodoxy from heresy. Orthodoxy is that which the New Testament calls "sound doctrine." Heresy is anything that contradicts it. 

Another benefit is that it provides sound biblical interpretation and theological formulations. In some cases, the immense effort and careful study exercised by the church in the past has resulted in such excellent biblical and theological understanding that the majority of the groundwork has been laid for the church as it engages in the study of theology today. 

A third benefit is that it presents stellar examples of faith, love, courage, hope, obedience, and mercy - in the stories of early church figures such as Polycarp, Perpetua, and Felicitas, Athanasius, Irenaeus, Augustine, Aquinas, Olympias, Calvin, Luther, to name a few. Its study also protects the church against individualism. It guards against the yearning for relevancy, and the tendency to follow strong leaders who are biblically and theologically shallow. It also helps the church understand the historical development of its beliefs, and enables it to express those beliefs in contemporary form.

Another benefit of historical theology is that it encourages the church to focus on the essentials, that is, to major on those areas that have been emphasized repeatedly throughout the history of the church. For good reason, the church has concentrated much study of Scripture and expended significant theological effort developing doctrines such as the Trinity, the person and work of Jesus Christ, human dignity and depravity, the inspiration and inerrancy of Scripture, salvation, and other cardinal beliefs. These doctrines are the foundation of the gospel, the core of the Christian faith and worldview, and constitute the repeated themes of divine revelation. Fascination with "new truth and an inordinate attachment to minor beliefs has produced churches that are not centered, not unified, and not missional" infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of men in their deceitful scheming"(Eph. 4:14). Recognizing and committing themselves to what the church has traditionally emphasized spares churches today from such disasters and helps them become gospel-focused communities. (Introduction, 23-29.)

Table of Contents

  • Introduction to Historical Theology
  • Part 1: The Doctrine of the Word of God
    • The Canon of Scripture
    • The Inspiration of Scripture
    • The Authority of Scripture
    • The Inerrancy of Scripture
    • The Clarity of Scripture
    • The Sufficiency and Necessity of Scripture
    • The Interpretation of Scripture
  • Part 2: The Doctrine of God
    • The Existence and Knowability of God
    • The Character of God
    • God in Three Persons: The Trinity
    • Creation
    • Providence
    • Angels, Satan, and Demons
  • Part 3: The Doctrine of Humanity
    • The Creation and Nature of Humanity
    • Sin
  • Part 4: The Doctrines of Christ and the Holy Spirit
    • The Person of Jesus Christ
    • The Atonement
    • Resurrection and Ascension
    • The Holy Spirit
  • Part 5: The Doctrine of the Application of Redemption
    • Election and Reprobation
    • Regeneration, Conversion, and Effective Calling.
    • Justification (Right Legal Standing Before God)
    • Sanctification (Growth in Likeness to Christ)
    • The Perseverance of the Saints (Remaining a Christian)
  • Part 6: The Doctrine of the Church
    • The Church, Its Nature, Its Marks, and Its Purpose
    • Church Government
    • Baptism
    • The Lord's Supper
    • Worship
  • Part 7: The Doctrine of the Future
    • Christ's Return and the Millenium
    • The Final Judgement and Eternal Punishment
    • The New Heavens and New Earth
  • Glossary
  • General Index

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