The history of Christian theology can be a daunting, even forbidding field for the novice, who sees neither the need for nor pertinence of rummaging around dusty old texts. This people-friendly volume, a full-scale reader in the history of Christian theology, offers an easy, non-threatening, occasionally humorous yet quite thorough entry into Christianity's central texts from the Apostolic Fathers to Mary Daly. It is also enlivened by dozens of cartoons by Rich Diesslin. Highly accessible introductions to five periods precede brief introductions to and texts from more than fifty key thinkers. The texts highlight perennial themes and questions in Christian tradition, especially the meaning and importance of Jesus, challenges to the institutional church, tensions of faith and reason, spirituality, and the Christian quest for social justice. The new edition, half again as large as the original, adds significant work from the Cappadocian Fathers and the Christological controversialists, the Franciscan tradition, the Radical and English reforms, and deeper coverage of twentieth-century theologians. With learning aids, research-paper suggestions and guide, and glossary.
William P. Anderson Sr. is Professor Emeritus of Religious Studies and Graduate Professor Emeritus of the History and Philosophy of the Early Church, The University of Dayton in Ohio. Richard Diesslin's current position is an author, freelance cartoonist as well as an illustrator. Mr. Diesslin began his studies at Purdue University where he received his B.S. in Industrial Management (1978). He then went on to University of Dayton and received his M.A. in Theological Studies (1995). Mr. Diesslin is author/writer/cartoonist/illustrator of many publications. As of 1999-present he is a writer/cartoonist of KNOTS. KNOTS is a Boy Scout cartoon strip illustrating what NOT to do on camping trips and other scouting events. He also researched, wrote, and cartooned the book, The Cartoon Ten Commandments (2000). Along with many other cartoons he has cartooned, A Journey Through Christian Theology (2000) and The Cartoon Gospel (1990). Mr. Diesslin's cartoons are well appreciated at many presentations. He presents his humor in the Bible, Christian cartooning and theology to various seminars, retreats, churches, schools, and meetings. His two latest presentations where to the Midwest American Academy of Religion in Chicago (2001,2002). His cartooning days began when he was a child. His goal is to entertain and inform. His main focus is Christian cartooning in the form of Bible commentary as well as religion and theology cartoons. However, he also is involved in many freelance projects such as London's Times Cartoons, U.S. Scouting Service Project, and Leadership Journal.
