Table of Contents
Preface ix
Editor's General Introduction xv
Preface To The First Edition (1811) xix
Preface To The Second Edition (1830) xxi
Introduction 1
[The Nature of Christian Theology] (§§1-8) 1
[Church Leadership and the Scientific Spirit] (§§9-13) 4
[Basic Aims for Theological Education] (§§14-20) 7
[Understanding the Place of Christianity in History] (§§21-23) 10
[Three-Part Organization of Theological Studies] (§§24-31) 11
Part 1 Regarding Philosophical Theology 15
Introduction: [The Nature and Tasks of Philosophical Theology] (§§32-42) 15
I Basic Principles for Apologetics (§§43-53) 20
II Basic Principles for Polemics (§§54-62) 24
Concluding Remarks on Philosophical Theology (§§63-68) 28
Part 2 Regarding Historical Theology 31
Introduction 31
[Use of Historical Method in Theological Study] (§§69-80) 31
[The Three Divisions of Historical Theology] (§§81-85) 35
[Organization and Use of Auxiliary Study] (§§86-102) 37
I Exegetical Theology 44
[The Canon] (§§103-109) 44
[Higher and Lower Criticism] (§§110-124) 46
[Original Languages] (§§125-131) 50
[Hermeneutics] (§§132-139) 53
[New Testament Background] (§§140-144) 55
[General Requirements] (§§145-148) 57
II Church History 58
[Introduction: On Viewing Christianity Historically] (§§149-159) 58
[The Organization of Church History] (§§160-167) 61
[The Church's Life] (§§168-176) 64
[The Church's Doctrine] (§§177-183) 67
[General Requirements] (§§184-194) 69
III Historical Cognizance of the Present Condition of Christianity 72
[Introduction: The Two Main Aspects] (§195) 72
A Dogmatic Theology 73
[The Nature and Tasks of Church Dogmatics] (§§196-202) 73
[Orthodox and Heterodox] (§§203-208) 76
[Verification (The Ecclesial Character of Dogmatics)] (§§209-212) 78
[Mode of Exposition (The Scientific Character of Dogmatics)] (§§213-217) 80
[General Requirements] (§§218-222) 82
[Christian Ethics] (§§223-231) 84
B Church Statistics 87
[The Nature and Tasks of Church Statisitics] (§§232-241) 87
[General Requirements] (§§242-248) 91
["Symbolics" and "Biblical Dogmatics"] (§§249-250) 93
Concluding Remarks on Historical Theology (§§251-256) 94
Part 3 Regarding Practical Theology 97
Introduction 97
[The Nature and Tasks of Practical Theology] (§257-266) 97
[The Clergy and Laity] (§267-270) 100
[Church Government and Service to the Congregation] (§§271-276) 102
I Principles of Church Service 104
[Basic Distinctions] (§§277-279) 104
[Communication and Worship in the Congregation] (§280-289) 105
[Pastoral Work] (§§290-302) 109
[Regulative Activity] (§§303-306) 113
[Epilogue: The Church's Ministry and Its Ministers] (§§307-308) 114
II Principles of Church Government 115
[Evangelical Polity] (§§309-314) 115
[The Authoritative Feature] (§§315-327) 118
[The Free, Discretionary Feature] (§§328-334) 123
Concluding Remarks on Practical Theology (§§335-338) 125
Editor's Postscript 127
The Outline 127
Part 1 Philosophical Theology 127
Part 2 Historical Theology 130
I Exegetical Theology 131
II Church History 133
III Dogmatics and Statistics 134
Part 3 Practical Theology 137
Historical Background 138
Issuance of a New Perspective 138
The Comparative Contribution and Its Reception 141
Challenges, Internal and External 143
Some Basic Influences of Philosophy on Theological Studies 146
The Nature of Dialectic 146
Forming Philosophical Theology for Oneself 147
Theology as Knowing 149
The Object of Theology 150
Theology as Critical Thinking 151
Theology in Space and Time 154
Theology as Professional Study 155
Bibliographical Note 157
Indexes
Names and Places 167
Subjects and Concepts 169