Abstract
To write an introduction to modern theology is an admirable project, even more so to write an introduction that is accessible to the masses. This task is what Kirk MacGregor has attempted in his Contemporary Theology: An Introduction. He describes this book as a “tour through . . . the major thinkers and schools of thought in Christian theology from the nineteenth century to the present, both inside and outside the scope of the evangelical tradition, in roughly chronological order” (p. 11).
MacGregor introduces the reader to 38 different schools, movements, events, and people that comprise a vast scope of the modern theological landscape. Each of the 38 receives a chapter approximately 10 pages long, and each chapter ends with a brief bibliography of relevant works from the school’s/scholar’s work as well as secondary literature about said schools/scholars. Formatted like an encyclopedia, each chapter is short but focused, offering a brief biography or history, an explanation of the theology in question along with its key themes, and a tidy conclusion that offers critiques of and insights into the theology discussed.
As inferred from the quote above, the author consciously centers this tour around the evangelical tradition, particularly how it forms in relation to other traditions and movements. For example, the author devotes a chapter to Charles Haddon Spurgeon. As a fellow Baptist, I have no quarrel with Spurgeon, but he has not contributed as much to modern theology as, say, Jurgen Moltmann who is relegated to a shared chapter. The book does have a clear evangelical center. The book’s cover lists four perspectives: classical, evangelical, philosophical, and global. This list could lead a reader to believe the book would be roughly equal in its division among the four perspectives. A cursory look at the table of contents, however, shows that this is not the case. While it does offer global perspectives, these perspectives are relegated to four main chapters, with a nod to South America in a chapter on liberation theology. Similarly, only six chapters deal primarily with philosophy, with a nod to Whitehead in a chapter on process theology. Philosophy, unlike global perspectives, at times does have a role in other chapters; for example, MacGregor speaks about the influence of Nietzsche on death-of-God theologies (p. 191). MacGregor seems to be attempting to introduce the reader to the development of the evangelical tradition, while gradually broadening the scope of perspectives with which evangelicals interact. This strategy helps the reader to see the evangelical tradition, and other traditions, develop alongside each other all over the world and alongside the world.
Another feature of the book worth noting is its clear presentation of the ideas. While MacGregor is an able guide, at times he makes highly complex conversations easy to understand, perhaps suspiciously easy. This feature is most prominent in his chapter dealing with Hegel, a philosopher who is traditionally difficult to understand. In this chapter, MacGregor does a masterful job of attempting to make the writings of Hegel understandable. He accomplishes this task, however, by using only two citations in the whole chapter. Such a lack of citations may diminish the perceived quality of the content. This approach is of course a function of the readability of the book. Nevertheless, sacrificing academic rigor for accessibility is not a new trend, and it can have real consequences when done imprudently.
This book fills a unique role for novice theologians who are wading into the waters of academic theology for the first time. As a graduate assistant working in a university library, I have noticed that most of our divinity school students, those who use the library at least, do not know the major scholars or schools of thought. Thus, they have difficulty searching through library databases, or the library in general, when they are beginning research for their papers. What is so helpful about MacGregor’s book is how quickly it introduces the reader to a plurality of scholars and schools of thought, subsequently giving resources for the student to begin reading in each of those theologies. I see this book as a way to facilitate learning these differences, so that students who are starting their first theology paper do not have to despair at the task of finding helpful thinkers. Finding this book early on could help students get their bearings straight, allowing them a better understanding of recent trends in theology and, in turn, better theological reflection that will profit the whole church.
MacGregor’s book does what it sets out to do in the introduction: it offers a helpful tour through recent developments in Christian theology from a primarily evangelical perspective. It does this in a way that is very accessible if, at times, simplistic. In so doing, it fills a gap of accessible introductions to the many different schools of thought in modern theology. This book will be helpful for students who are beginning the study of theology and want a guide to discerning the many differing schools of modern theological thought.