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Who Needs Theology?: An Invitation to the Study of God

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Authors: Stanley J. Grenz, Roger E. Olson
Publisher: InterVarsity Press
Category: Book

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Avg. Customer Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

8 reviews
Sales Rank: 127273

Media: Paperback
Number Of Items: 1
Pages: 150
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.4
Dimensions (in): 8 x 5.4 x 0.5

ISBN: 0830818782
Dewey Decimal Number: 230.01
EAN: 9780830818785
ASIN: 0830818782

Publication Date: September 1996
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Condition: Some highlightings/markings A copy that has been read, but remains in clean condition. All pages are intact, and the cover is intact (including dust jacket if applicable). The spine may show signs of wear; pages can include limited notes and highlighting. Goodwill Industries of Greater Grand Rapids, Inc. is a non-profit organization dedicated to changing lives through the power of work. The organization offers a wide range of employment and training programs free of charge to assist those with disabilities and other barriers to employment.

Also Available In:

•	Paperback - Who Needs Theology ?, An Invitation to the Study of God

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Editorial Reviews:

Product Description
To many Christians theology is something alien, overly intellectual and wholly unappealing. Even seminary students are known to balk at the prospect of a course on theology. Yet theology--most simply, the knowledge of God--is essential to the life and health of the church.In this short introduction, Stanley Grenz and Roger Olson, two theologians who care deeply about the witness of ordinary Christians and the ministry of the church, show what theology is, what tools theology uses, why every believer (advanced degrees or not) is a theologian and how the theological enterprise can be productive and satisfying. Their clear, easily understood book is ideal for students, church study groups and individual Christians who want to strengthen understanding, belief and commitment by coming to know God more fully.

Customer Reviews: Read 3 more reviews...

4 out of 5 stars

We need theology! October 30, 2008
Grenz and Olson address the problems that students of theology face in the modern evangelical world in a way that is both engaging and informative. They address the concerns of those who believe that theology will destroy one's faith, that it creates more problems than anything else, and other concerns that a student of theology will often hear from well-meaning friends and family. They provide an intelligent response to those who hold these views and encourage those who do not. In many ways, their book can be seen as a pre-prolegomena: the things that must be said before the things that must be said before one can really get down to theological business. My only concern with the book was that I did not agree with some of the theology they put forth - but then, that only encouraged me to pursue my theological studies harder.

5 out of 5 stars

Everyday theology September 3, 2008
This is a great book for the layman. It presents Theology in a way that is understandable to the average person. It also presents it so that it is interesting and practical. I would reccommend this book to anyone wanting to know more about Biblical Theology.

5 out of 5 stars

Every Christian's Responsibility is a 'Faith Seeking Understanding' July 30, 2008
2 out of 2 found this review helpful

This is an excellent primer for every Christian to understand how to engage with the discipline of studying theology. This day and age, the Church has become practically irrelevant on so many levels because of the lack of both the leadership and the congregation in its consistent reflection on theology and how to approach it carefully.

Just like the other disciplines of the faith: prayer, fasting, tithing, meeting together as a body, devotional reading, studying the scriptures theologically is one of our commands from God (2 Tim. 2:2, 15, 2 Pet. 3:18). We are to be checking the scriptures daily so as to be faithful to God and His teachings (Acts 17:11). To engage in this, not abstractly, but with a healthy view of practicality within this discipline, Grenz and Olson do a nice job of showing each believer's responsibility as a theologian. We all can think, reason, etc., thus we all reflect and think about God (theology).

I would use this book for both seminary classes and for church bible study courses and classes. I think every person in a Christian congregation needs to know how to approach this issue. The normal thought of the average pew Christian is that too much theology (or theology itself) is unhealthy and even dangerous for their faith. This is unbiblical and exemplifies the 'folk theology' Grenz and Olson speak so clearly about in the majority of Christian churches. We have to know what we believe and why so that we can engage honestly with a lost and broken world. This is an excellent beginning to this all-important task for every Christian.

4 out of 5 stars

"What must we be, say, and do?" January 14, 2006
13 out of 13 found this review helpful

One of the reasons I enrolled in seminary back in 1999 was to cure my theological ignorance. I was tired of being misled by autocratic pastors and high-sounding authors. After I began school, it didn't take long for me to see how naive I was about God. Although it raised all sorts of new questions, a seminary education was worth the time and money. That's because it forced me to continually ask myself the question used for this review's title, which Grenz and Olson claim is theology's fundamental query (94).

However, not every Christian can attend a Bible college (or even wants to). Even so, he or she should have 1) a well-defined theology, and 2) critical thinking skills. "Who Needs Theology?" helps encourage the believer along this path. It is the authors' desire that Christians leave behind credulity and the half-truths of "folk" theology in favor of a more profound lay, ministerial, or even professional level of theology. Of course, there are some pitfalls of theological study. A student can neglect their heart and embrace what the authors call "academic" theology, which is so cognitive that it has no practical worth. However, we should not be afraid of such detours. They can be avoided by remaining in community with other Christians and maintaining a personal relationship with God.

"Who Needs Theology?" isn't overly dry and dense. The authors write in an accessible manner, and even use examples from the "Peanuts" comic strip to drive home some theological points. Their explanation of the differences between Christian dogma, doctrine, and opinion helped me understand these categories better. Practical advice is saved for the last chapter, where study resources and methods are recommended. However, I wish the authors had spent more time emphasizing the value of the classroom. Studying alone is good, but ultimately it's like trying to learn karate out of a book. As with martial arts, the best way to learn theology is from a gifted teacher and by interacting with others. They do recommend teaching as a way to learn, which is a good point. But taking on that role prematurely can be perilous and should be done with care.

One of my theology profs had struggling students read this book and write a report for extra credit. That would have been a valuable exercise for the whole class, because "Who Needs Theology?" is a great introduction to the value of critical thinking and crafting a solid theological foundation. If you're curious about theology, or wonder why you should bother to study it, start here before diving into deeper waters.

5 out of 5 stars

Everyone Is a Theologian September 26, 2005
9 out of 9 found this review helpful

This truly was a pleasure to read. It put into words the motivational factors I had for bring the study of theology into my church. Grenz and Olson lovingly invite any and everyone to rich discipline of "studying God" by delineating the following:

1. Everyone Is a Theologian
2. Not All Theologies Are Equal
3. Defining Theology
4. Defending Theology
5. Theology's Tasks & Traditions
6. The Theologian's Tools
7. Constructing Theology in Context
8. Bringing Theology into Life
9. An Invitation to Engage in Theology

They understand the many misconceptions, intimidations, and difficulties in pursuing knowledge of God, yet charitably demonstrate that it can be done to the gory his glory even by a child. Holding high views of Scripture, tradition, and culture, they set forth a non-threatening view of how God can be loved through faith seeking understanding.

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