The Student's Companion to the Theologians - (Wiley Blackwell Companions to Religion) by Ian S Markham (Paperback)

Book Synopsis

"As browsable as it is useful, this encyclopedic volume reads like a leisurely conversation among old friends. It will refresh professors, inspire students, and delight all who love the church. This is a book that will be fun to read in the short term but will last a long time on your library shelf."
--Stephen H Webb, Wabash University

This two-volume companion brings together a team of contemporary theologians and writers to provide substantial introductions to the key people who shaped the Christian story and tradition.

• Comprises over 75 entries on the most important and influential figures in the history of Christianity, written by an international team of nearly 50 contemporary theologians
• A to Z entries range from substantial essays to shorter overviews, each of which locates the theologian in their immediate context, summarizes the themes of their work, and explains their significance
• Covers a broad span of theologians, from Augustine to Thomas Aquinas, through to C. S. Lewis, James Cone, and Rosemary Radford Reuther
• Accessibly structured around five periods: early centuries, middle ages, reformation period, the Enlightenment, and the twentieth-century to the present
• Provides profiles of key Catholic, protestant, evangelical, and progressive theologians
• Explains the technical details of theology in accurate and accessible ways, and includes a variety of student aids, including a timeline to orientate the reader, reading lists, and a glossary of key terms

From the Back Cover

"A resource as distinctive and informative as this quickly will prove its usefulness."
CHOICE

"It stands out as an excellent resource for anyone interested in the development of theology."
Theological Librarianship

"Worth the money, intellectually sound, and well targeted."
Reference Reviews

An ideal resource for students, this Companion brings together an international team of nearly 50 contemporary scholars to introduce the theologians responsible for shaping the Christian story through the ages. It comprises over 75 entries on the most important and infl uential fi gures in the history of Christianity, including amongst others, Augustine, Thomas Aquinas, C. S. Lewis, James Cone, and Rosemary Radford Reuther.

The volume combines authoritative profiles of key Catholic, Protestant, Evangelical, and progressive theologians with a blend of substantial essays and overviews which discuss their historical signifi cance within the fi eld. The comprehensive A-Z entries establish each theologian within their immediate context and summarize their primary work. The Companion is neatly structured around fi ve key time periods spanning the early centuries through the Middle Ages, Reformation, Enlightenment, and the twentieth-century to the present. Incorporating a variety of student aids including a timeline, a glossary of key terms, and essential reading lists, The Student's Companion to the Theologians provides an accessible reference to the key people who have shaped the Christian tradition.

Review Quotes

"We are all grateful that Markham has given us such a fine work, particularly helpful on ancient and contemporary theologians." (Anglican & Episcopal History, 1 December 2015)

"Notwithstanding these gaps and some odd choices, the fact that many of the entries were of an exceptionally high quality makes the Companion a reference work that is well worth the purchase price." (Reviews in Religion & Theology, 3 July 2013)

About the Author

IAN S. MARKHAM is the Dean and President of Virginia Theological Seminary. Awards include the Robertson Fellow 2006, Teape Lecturer in India 2004, Claggett Fellow attached to Washington National Cathedral in 2000, and Frank Woods Fellow at Trinity College, Melbourne in 1997. He is the author and editor of numerous books, including The Wiley-Blackwell Companion to the Anglican Communion (edited with J. Barney Hawkins IV, Justyn Terry and Leslie Nuñez Steffensen, 2013), Against Atheism: Why Dawkins, Hitchens, and Harris Are Fundamentally Wrong (2010), A World Religions Reader (3rd edition, 2009), Understanding Christian Doctrine (2007), and Do Morals Matter (2006), all published by Wiley-Blackwell.