Readings in Christian Thought

Rating:
Summary: Great for beginning or experienced scholars
Review: A great intro to the important figures in Christian thought but also a great review course for those who think they've read it all before. Well-written with substantial pieces from women theologians as well as black and liberation perspectives, plus noted theologians such as Thomas Merton, Karl Rahner, etc. Each selection has a very detailed introduction and commments on the life of each theologian and the historical and spiritual significance of his work. Sure to be used for years to come!

Rating:
Summary: EXCELLENT abridgement
Review: As stated above, I feel that Kerr's book is an excellent abridgement of some of the more prominant writings of early church, middle church, and contemporary christian theologians. The idea behind this book is fascinating - a book which carries highlights of the original writings (translated to English) of the most influential theologians of the Christian movement. This gives the beginner and excellent look into the insights and thought processes of many Christian theologians, and gives the more seasoned scholar a quick reference guide to the specifics contributed by the writers contained herein. Another great feature of this book are the brief introductions to each writer. I was assigned this text in one of my seminary courses and found that the brief biographies which precede each author's writings inestimable in studying for my exams and in getting an overall feel about the background of each author.

The only complaint I have of the book is its lack of an index. With an index, this book would be a very powerful tool.

4 stars.

Rating:
Summary: Outstanding introduction
Review: I've found this book extremely valuable on two levels: first, it provides an excellent introduction to nearly all of the important Christian theologians and thinkers of the last two millenia - Kerr does a generally excellent job at providing context and the overall significance of each text and author; second, and more personally, Kerr's book has inspired me to pursue many of these theologians to a greater depth and has led me to a new appreciation of the theology of the early church fathers. Again, highly recommended.