The Christian Faith / Edition 1

by Friedrich Schleiermacher

Overview

The classic work of Christian theology, which seeks to present the Christian faith in its entirety.Schleiermacher was equally at home in the theological systems of Protestant orthodoxy and the new world of thought shaped by the historical and natural sciences and German philosophy. He follows a confident course through the entire range of themes in dogmatics but leaves both the dogmatic task and the individual themes transformed by a powerful and original mind. A new foreword by B. A. Gerrish summarises the dogmatic goals of The Christian Faith and corrects some common misreadings of his work.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780567087096
Publisher:	Bloomsbury Academic
Publication date:	03/11/1999
Edition description:	Revised ed.
Pages:	780
Product dimensions:	5.50(w) x 8.50(h) x 1.55(d)

About the Author

Friedrich Schleiermacher (1786-1834) was a German theologian, philosopher, and biblical scholar known for his attempt to reconcile the criticisms of the Enlightenment with traditional Protestant Christianity.

Paul T. Nimmo is Professor of Systematic Theology at the University of Aberdeen, UK.

Table of Contents

New preface by Paul T. Nimmo
Introduction
Ch.1: The Definition of Dogmatics
1. The Conception of the Church
2. The Diversities of Religious Communions in General
3. Presentation of Christianity in its Peculiar Essence
4. The Relation of Dogmatics to Christian Piety
Ch.2: The Method of Dogmatics
1. The Selection of the Dogmatic Material
2. The Formation of the Dogmatic System

First part of the System of Doctrine:
First Section
1. Introduction
2. First Doctrine: Creation
3. First Appendix: The Angels
4. Second Appendix: The Devil
5. Second Doctrine: Preservation
Second Section
1. Introduction
2. First Doctrine: God is Eternal
3. Second Doctrine: God is Omnipresent
4. Third Doctrine: God is Omnipotent
5. Fourth Doctrine: God is Omniscient
6. Appendix: Some other Divine Attributes
Third Section
1. Introduction
2. First Doctrine: The Original Perfection of the World
3. Second Doctrine: The Original Perfection of Man

Second Part of the System of Doctrine
1. Introduction
First Aspect of the Antithesis: Explication of the Consciousness of Sin
First Section: Sin as a State of Man
1. First Doctrine: Original Sin
2. Second Doctrine: Actual Sin
Second Section: The Constitution of the World in Relation to Sin
Third Section: The Divine Attributes which relate to the Consciousness of Sin
1. Introduction
2. First Doctrine: God is Holy
3. Second Doctrine: God is Just
4. Appendix: The Mercy of God

Second Aspect of the Antithesis: Explication of the Consciousness of Grace
1. Introduction
First Section: The State of the Christian as Conscious of the Divine Grace
First Division: Christ
1. Introduction
2. First Doctrine: The Person of Christ
3. Second Doctrine: The Work of Christ
Second Division: The Manner in which Fellowship with the Perfection and Blessedness of the Redeemer expresses itself in the Individual Soul
1. Introduction
2. First Doctrine: Regeneration
3. Second Doctrine: Sanctification

Second Section: The Constitution of the World in relation to Redemption
1. Introduction
First Division: The Origin of the Church
1. Introduction
2. First Doctrine: Election
3. Second Doctrine: The Communication of the Holy Spirit
Second Division: The Subsistence of the Church alongside of the World
1. Introduction
First Half: The Essential and Invariable Features of the Church
1. Introduction
2. First Doctrine: Holy Scripture
3. Second Doctrine: The Ministry of the Word of God
4. Third Doctrine: Baptism
5. Fourth Doctrine: The Lord's Supper
6. Fifth Doctrine: The Power of the Keys
7. Sixth Doctrine: Prayer in the Name of Christ
Second Half: The Mutable Element Characteristic of the Church in Virtue of its Coexistence with the World
1. Introduction
2. First Doctrine: The Plurality of the Visible Churches in Relation to the Unity of the Visible
3. Second Doctrine: The Fallibility of the Visible Church in Relation to the Infallibility of the Invisible
Third Division: The Consummation of the Church
1. Introduction
2. First Prophetic Doctrine: The Returban of Christ
3. Second Prophetic Doctrine: The Resurrection of the Flesh
4. Third Prophetic Doctrine: The Last Judgment
5. Fourth Prophetic Doctrine: Eternal Blessedness
6. Appendix: On Eternal Damnation
Third Section: The Divine Attributes which relate to Redemption

Conclusion: The Divine Trinity
Indexes

Editorial Reviews

'The Christian Faith is the one undisputed monument in modern Christian theology. It is the achievement by which everything else must be measured.'
Professor John Clayton, Boston University
'The Christian Faith has proved profoundly influential in the history of modern Christian theology. Even Schleiermacher's critics respect its value. It continues to stimulate creative thought, not least through its Christocentric focus, its attention to the role of human experience, and its deep concern for the role of the believing community in theological reflection. This paperback edition will enable many more people to read the full text for themselves.'
Dr Clive Marsh, College of Ripon and York St John
'Controversial in its own time and since, daring and deeply learning, The Christian Faith is Schleiermacher's attempt to sketch a 'mobile orthodoxy' - informed by the past but free for the present. Translator of Plato, Pietist, Romantic, post-Kantian, pastor and professor, Schleiermacher's work is today recognised to be of signal importance to philosophical hermeneutics. This work shows him also to be a great, theologian of the Word, unfolded as God's plan of love and wisdom for the world.'
Dr Janet Martin Soskice, Jesus College, Cambridge

"This work shows [Schleiermacher]... to be a great, theologian of the Word, Unfolded as God's plan of love and wisdom for the world."

From the Publisher