Christian Theology in the Pluralistic World: A Global Introduction

by Veli-Matti Kärkkäinen

Publisher:

Eerdmans

, 2019

Overview

Kärkkäinen’s acclaimed five-volume constructive theology abridged in one accessible volume.

Providing a new and unique way of doing theology in our pluralistic world, Veli-Matti Kärkkäinen presents historic Christian doctrines in relation to the natural sciences and four other living faiths—Judaism, Islam, Buddhism, and Hinduism. This textbook covers all systematic topics along with a host of current issues such as violence, colonialism, inclusivity, sociopolitical liberation, environmental care, and more.

Accessible and student-friendly, Christian Theology in the Pluralistic World is the ideal text for exploring a theological vision at once rooted in the Christian tradition and constructive in its engagement with the complexities of our global, pluralistic world.

Key Features

• Includes a wide engagement of the current global, gender, and racial contexts
• Explores the relationship between natural and behavioral sciences, and Christian theology
• Examines the foundational teachings of Judaism, Islam, Buddhism, and Hinduism

Contents

Top Highlights

“The world was filled with spirits, spiritual powers, ‘spiritual warfare,’ and similar experiences and intuitions. Just consider the cosmology of the New Testament, whether Jesus’s own ministry or the worldview of the Apocalypse, and you get the picture.⁶¹ The cosmos was ‘spirited.’” (Page 336)

“Christian theology of religions attempts to think theologically about what it means for Christians to live with people of other faiths and about the relationship of Christianity to other religions.’” (Page 6)

“Among the Semitic faiths, there is no unified conception of human misery” (Page 205)

“rejection of, or—as in his mature theology of revelation” (Page 16)

“Christianity is no longer exclusively identified as a Western religion. In fact, Christianity is already not only a world religion but also a world Christianity. This means Christianity cannot be understood exclusively from a Western perspective.’” (Page 4)

Praise for the Print Edition

Kärkkäinen’s masterful introduction to theology is ecumenical, interdisciplinary, and interreligious. But one senses on every page a yearning to be faithful to the church’s Scripture and shared tradition. Open this book and feast on the many years of research and reflection from one of the most important theologians of our time.

—Frank D. Macchia, Vanguard Unive

Only a theologian of Veli-Matti Kärkkäinen’s erudition and pastoral sensitivity can perform this scholarly tour de force. An extremely prolific author, Kärkkäinen distills all the fruits of his immense learning and exact scholarship into this comprehensive volume of systematic theology. Religious pluralism is a theological minefield, and a wise and experienced guide is needed. From this book both beginning theology students and advanced scholars can learn how to reexamine all the loci theologici from the perspective of religious pluralism. The fact that the book is written in a highly accessible and clear style makes it a perfect choice as a textbook.

—Peter Phan, Georgetown University

With Christian Theology in the Pluralistic World, theologian Kärkkäinen delivers the first truly global, comprehensive, contemporary, and evangelical-ecumenical systematic theology. This Christian vision is based on the biblical revelation, is in dialogue with other faith traditions, and takes into account the rest of human knowledge as discovered in the sciences. It is all brought together in a magisterial but eminently readable constructive theological summary.

—Roger E. Olson, Baylor University

Product Details

• Title: Christian Theology in the Pluralistic World: A Global Introduction
• Author: Veli-Matti Karkkainen
• Publisher: Eerdmans
• Publication Date: 2019
• Pages: 656
• Resource Type: Introduction
• Topic: Modern Christianity

About Veli-Matti Kärkkäinen

Veli-Matti Kärkkäinen joined the Fuller faculty as associate professor of systematic theology in 2000 and was named full professor in 2003. He also holds a teaching position at the University of Helsinki as Dozent of Ecumenics. Prior to coming to Fuller, Kärkkäinen served as president and professor at IsoKirja College in Keuruu, Finland. He has taught and lived with his family on three continents: Europe, Asia (Thailand), and North America (the U.S.) He has also lectured and served as visiting professor in various schools around the world. He travels widely and has a command of several languages.

A prolific writer, Kärkkäinen has published 11 books in English (and seven in his native language, Finnish), most recently The Trinity: Global Perspectives (2007), One With God: Salvation as Deification and Justification (2004), and Trinity and Religious Pluralism: The Doctrine of the Trinity in Christian Theology of Religions (2004), as well as more than 100 articles, which have appeared in international scholarly journals. He is also the editor (with William Dyrness) of Global Dictionary of Theology (2008). Kärkkäinen was appointed to three editorial boards in 2008, which include the Strategic Initiatives in Systematic Theology series by InterVarsity Press, the Studies in Systematic Theology series by Brill Press (Leiden, Netherlands), and the International Journal of Systematic Theology. He is a member of three working groups of the World Council of Churches and has participated in numerous international consultations. He is also an external examiner for Wales University.