Taking the Long View: Christian Theology in Historical Perspective

Taking the Long View argues in a series of engagingly written essays that remembering the past is essential for men and women who want to function effectively in the present. Without some knowledge of their own past neither individuals nor institutions know where they have been or where they are going. The book illustrates its thesis with tough-minded examples from the Church's life and thought, ranging from more abstract problems like the theoretical role of historical criticism to such painfully concrete issues as the commandment of Jesus to forgive unforgivable wrongs.

Table of Contents:
01 - The Superiority of Pre-critical Exegesis 02 - Miss Marple Reads the Bible 03 - Inclusive Language and the Trinity 04 - Creator God 05 - Mary Reconsidered 06 - The Catholic Luther 07 - Starting Over: Reformation and Conversion 08 - Forgiving the Unforgivable Wrong 09 - The Domestication of Prophecy 10 - The Learned Ministry Revisited 11 - Marriage, Celibacy, and Ordination 12 - Christ and the Eucharist 13 - World Christianity under New Management 14 - Religion in the Public Square 15 - The Necessity of the Past 16 - Taking the Long View 17 - Concluding Notes for a Pilgrim People 18 - Appendix - Footnotes to an Old Complaint

About the Author :
David C. Steinmetz is the Amos Ragan Kearns Professor Emeritus of the History of Christianity, The Divinity School of Duke University, Chapel Hill, NC, US. He has also been a Visiting Professor at Harvard, Emory, and Notre Dame. He is the founding editor of Oxford Studies in Historical Theology and has published widely in late medieval and Reformation theology, including several pioneering studies in the history of biblical interpretation. He is a Fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences and a recipient of the Distinguished Career Award of the American Society of Church History.

Review :
David Steinmetz has long been known as a preeminent Reformation and early modern church historian. This collection of papers, lectures, and articles cements his reputation as an essayist and as the dean of church historians...this book is a wonderful read, and while it may appeal to church historians, its audience is quite universal."--Religious Studies Review "This collection of engaging writings by a master teacher and scholar puts issues of contemporary religious and ethical significance-interpreting the Bible, inclusive language, debates over intelligent design and human sexuality-in larger historical context. Always accessible, sometimes provocative, and sure to engender discussion, Steinmetz's case studies demonstrate in myriad ways why 'memory of the past is essential for proper functioning in the present." -- Barbara Pitkin, author of What Pure Eyes Could See: Calvin's Doctrine of Faith in its Exegetical Context "Steinmetz is a senior scholar who can distill his learning in graceful, compact essays."--The Christian Century "reading an essay by David Steinmetz is like having a learned conversation with your wise and gracious grandfather--if your grandfather had taught church history for nearly forty years. Steinmetz is a celebrated historian, yet his plain and earnest style seeks to communicate rather than impress. He does not keep readers at arm's length by overwhelming them with his brilliance, but, by clearly explaining difficult and complex topics, he draws them in close. Steinmetz is a historian for the people, a scholar without airs. Perhaps this is why a collection of his essays is such a richly edifying--and enjoyable--experience."--Calvin Theological Journal "Tremendously enjoyable...It gives the reader a taste of a number of good theological insights gleaned from decades of studying church history."--Anglican and Episcopal History "This collection of essays presents some of David Steinmetz's particular wisdom for church, faith, and ministry on a thesis dear to his heart: the importance of knowing history in order to do good theology...This is the stuff to help pastors make confident use of Paul again, and to help parishioners grasp the way the Bible's story lines actually work."--Interpretation