Gerald Bray

This book was originally published in 1984, and I'm very glad that Christian Focus has reprinted it.

It is a wonderful presentation of and argument for the appreciation of the development of the fundamental doctrines that are rightly called orthodoxy. In a detailed survey over 7 chapters it is at once history, theology and critique. It is full of detail, but not in any way bloated. It is erudite but not showy. I'd see it as a book a first year student should read, but clearly he is writing for a present church in need of getting its historical and theological bearings - so the audience is anyone with a role in teaching, and many more besides. The loss in much of the church of a commitment to doctrine that is not doctrinaire is perhaps so serious that only the godly display of the fruit of knowing God in such a deeply informed way as Bray presents is antidote.

Those looking for an introduction to the first 6 or so centuries will be greatly assisted. From the developments of this period, Bray argues for the place of theology in the life of the church, describes its connection to the Bible texts themselves, explains the interactions between expanding Christianity and the world which it encountered and evangelised, examines the development of the creeds under the heading of the Rule of Faith (a term now rarely heard, sadly), portrays the rapidly changing political scene and its significance for Christian faith and thought, charts the movement from theology to Christology and concludes with a loving exposition of the thought behind what we know as the Athanasian Creed. The last chapter seeks to join the dots from the early period to ours, making a suggestion or two for how the light of that past can illuminate the issues of our day.

The appendices are also valuable, containing critique of modern translations of the creeds as well as Greek and Latin texts of the key documents. Notes give short lists of further reading for each chapter.

It's a little like the TARDIS - bigger on the inside that its slim exterior would suggest - and good reading for any and every minister of the Gospel.… (meer)

A compilation of comments directly on Paul's letter to the Romans-- or inspired by the letter-- from patristic literature from the second through eighth centuries.

Most of the comments come from Origen, Ambrosiaster, Chrysostom, Augustine, and Pelagius. The eastern fathers are fairly well represented also.

The compilation is nicely laid out. The substance highlights the disputes over interpretation of Romans that developed over the first few centuries. Nevertheless, many comments are quite pointed and do well at making sense of Paul in his context.

Worthy of consideration when studying Romans.… (meer)