HOW TO READ THEOLOGY

Contents

List of Illustrations ix Acknowledgments xi

Prologue: What Kind of Book Is This? xiii

Part 1 On Reading Charitably

1. Enemies of Love: The Challenge of Reading Theology Charitably 3

2. Context, Context, Context: The Backstory of Theology 25

Part 2 On Reading Critically

3. The Bible Tells Me So: Theology and Scripture 59

4. Haven't We Heard This Before? Theology and Tradition 93

5. Believing Possible Things: Theology and Reason 121

6 The Trial of Real Life: Theology and Experience 145

Epilogue: Practice Makes Perceptive 173

Index 177