Learning Theology : Tracking The Spirit Of Christian Faith

Preface
Introduction: What Is A Theologian

In.1 Macrina As Lay Theologian

In.2 Thomas Aquinas As Classical (Professional) Theologian

In.3 John Wesley As Pastoral And Practical Theologian

In.4 You And I As Those Who Love God And Want To Know And Serve God

Part I The Sources Of Theology
Chapter 1 Scripture: The Word And Breath Of God

1.1 Behind Of The Text

1.2 The World Of The Text

1.3 In Front Of The Text

1.4 The Spirit Of The Text

Chapter 2 Tradition: The Living Body Of Christ And The Fellowship Of The Holy Spirit

2.1 Church And Tradition: Charisma And Institution

2.2 The Spirit/s Of Protestantism

2.3 The Church Catholic As The Fellowship Of The Spirit

2.4 The Spirit Of Tradition In Its Contextuality

Chapter 3 Reason: Renewing The Mind In The Spirit

3.1 Rationality As Traditioned

3.2 Scientific Revolution, The Enlightenment, And Universal Reason

3.3 Postmodern (Ir)Rationalities(!)

3.4 The Reasoning Spirit

Chapter 4 Experience: Life In, By, And Through The Spirit

4.1 Socialization

4.2 Intersectionality

4.3 Encountering The Living God, Experiencing Redemption

4.4 The Fullness Of The Spirit And The Life Of The Mind

Part II The Practices Of Theology

Chapter 5 Theology As Spiritual Practice: What Difference Does It Make In Personal Lives?

5.1 Knowing And Loving God

5.2 Loving And Serving Our Neighbors

5.3 Discerning The Spirit

5.4 Eschatological Rationality

Chapter 6 Theology As Ecclesial Practice: By, For, And Through The Church

6.1 The Church As One: Dogmatic Identity And Ecclesial Unity

6.2 The Church As Holy: The Social Distinctiveness Of The Ecclesia

6.3 The Church As Catholic: Global Cultures And Ecclesial Witness

6.4 The Church As Apostolic: The Many Tongues Of The Spirit’s Mission

Chapter 7 Starting Out: Researching, Writing, And Studying Theology

7.1 The Initial Contexts Of (Undergraduate) Theologizing

7.2 The Theological Research Paper Or Project

7.3 Theological Integration And The Christian University

7.4 Theologizing As A Spiritual Discipline

Chapter 8 Theology By The Spirit, Trinitarian Theologians

8.1 Starting In The Spirit

8.2 Theologizing After Easter And After Pentecost

8.3 Pentecostal Perspective, Trinitarian Theologian

8.4 The Spirit Has The First, Initiating, Word

Appendix Becoming A Professional Theologian: Getting There From Here

Discerning The Call To Graduate/Doctoral Theological Education

Additional Info
Theology-the attempt to come to a deeper, more faithful understanding of ones encounter with God-is something to which all Christians are called. In Learning Theology, Amos Yong invites the reader to lay claim to that calling and to see it as yet another opportunity to love God.

Written for those taking their first course in the subject, this book introduces the foundational sources and tasks of theology. It asks what difference theology makes in our lives, how it can influence the way we write and study, and how we understand other forms of learning as part of the Spirit’s leadership. Yong encourages the reader to see all of life through the lens of faith, and Learning Theology offers tools to more thoughtfully and faithfully perform that task.