Theology In Community: The Deity of Christ

The Deity of Christ, edited by Christopher W. Morgan and Robert A. Peterson and published by Crossway is the third title in the Theology in Community series.  A complimentary copy was sent to me by Crossway for the purpose of review.  The other two titles in this series are:  Suffering and the Goodness of God and The Glory of God.

From the back cover of the book:

"The Theology in Community series assembles teams of scholars to explore key theological themes and apply them to contemporary concerns.  Each volume approaches a topic from the vantage points of the Old and New Testaments, and of historical, systematic, and practical theology.  The books draw upon a variety of contributors to craft a unified and accessible message.  They aim to help pastors, church leaders, and laypersons alike."

Contributors for this volume are:

1. Gerald Bray, Research Professor of Divinity, Beeson Divinity School
2. Alan W. Gomes, Professor of Historical Theology, Talbot School of Theology
3. J. Nelson Jennings, Professor of World Mission, Covenant Theological Seminary
4. Andreas J. Kostenberger, Professor of New Testament and Greek, Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary
5. Christopher W. Morgan, Professor of Theology, California Baptist University
6. Stephen J. Nichols, Research Professor of Christianity and Culture, Lancaster Bible College and Graduate School
7. Raymond C. Ortlund Jr., Pastor, Immanuel Church, Nashville, TN
8. Robert A. Peterson, Professor of Systematic Theology, Covenant Theological Seminary
9. Stephen J. Wellum, Professor of Christian Theology, Southern Baptist Theological Seminary

The chapters are:

1. The Deity of Christ Today (Nichols)
2. The Deity of Christ and the Old Testament (Ortlund)
3. The Deity of Christ in the Synoptic Gospels (Wellum)
4. The Deity of Christ in John's Gospel (Kostenberger)
5. The Deity of Christ in Apostolic Witness (Wellum)
6. The Deity of Christ in John's Letters and the Book of Revelation (Kostenberger)
7. The Deity of Christ in Church History (Bray)
8. Toward a Systematic Theology of the Deity of Christ (Peterson)
9. The Deity of Christ and the Cults (Gomes)
10. The Deity of Christ for Missions, World Religions, and Pluralism (Jennings)

The book is 281 pages in length with appendixes by author, subject and scripture at the end.  The chapters are lengthy with an average chapter being around 25 pages.  The Deity of Christ is a challenging read due to the weightiness of its subject matter and the academic nature of the writing.  With that said, don't be afraid of those challenges and let them stop you from approaching this volume. 

Each contributor puts forth scripture as the first and foremost authority.  You also get perspective from both the Old and New Testaments.  In The Deity of Christ, you will find word studies, quotes from other sources well versed in the study of the deity of Christ, and a careful look at the implications of viewing Christ's deity rightly or wrongly.  I am excited to have this title as a part of my personal library and encourage you to make it a part of yours.

The Deity of Christ can be purchased from Crossway by going HERE.  Or you can order the volume by following the link to Amazon.com provided below:














Blessings,
Jennifer