Jesus Christ in Modern Thought

by John MacQuarrie

Book Overview

In this long-awaited book, John Macquarrie turns to one of the few areas of Christian theology to which he has not yet devoted systematic attentionthat of christology. This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0334024463
• Release Date: May 1991
• Publisher: Trinity Press International
• Length: 468 Pages
• Weight: 1.64 lbs.
• Dimensions: 9.0" x 0.9" x 6.0"

Customer Reviews

Comments by Michael Calum Jacques author of '1st Century Radical'.

This is a book which was always going to be a well written and an interesting read by a noted writer and a theologian. The subject of Jesus Christ hols an eternal fascination for scholar and lay person alike and any contribution from Prof Macquarrie is to be welcomed cordially. John Macquarrie (1919-2007) was latterly the Lady Margaret Professor of Divinity (Emeritus) at the University of Oxford. In 1962, he had been appointed Professor of Systematic Theology at Union Theological Seminary, New York City. He served in the British Army from 1943-48, being ordained in 1945, he then served in the Royal Army Chaplains Department 1945-48. Later, he served as a parish minister in the Church of Scotland at St Ninian's Church, Brechin from 1948 until 1953. Among Macquarrie's other, numerous, works and publications we should perhaps note his 'Principles of Christian Theology' (1966) and 'Existentialism' (1972). His style can be demanding for those not au fait with Philosophical and religious terminology and this volume is no exception. The book is effectively set out in 3 sections; the first looks at the New Testament sources - a subject which Macquarrie was not completely at ease with; secondly, various Christological models and approaches are assessed; thirdly, the author pools his considerable scholarship and philosophical learning together and presents his own formulation on whom he considers Jesus Christ to be today, in the modern age. In short, this book is a stimulating read even if, at times, it is both challenging and even obscure occasionally. The title, of course, is not entirely accurate, nor can it be as modern critical 'thought' about the nature and relevance of the Galilean move, meander, or mutate on an almost daily basis. Michael Calum Jacques

An Outstanding Review of the Modern Jesus

In this excellent survey of modern Christological responses to the classical Chalcedonian conception, we are in Macquarrie's debt. He wears his learning lightly, but there is brilliance on every page. In Part One he works through the New Testament witnesses to Jesus, concluding with the heuristic vision of classical Christology ("Nicea/ Chalcedon"). In Part Two he surveys modernist critiques of this confessional Christology in an appreciative manner (without final approval). He then asks what it might take to "construct" a Christology today. This was riveting reading on every page and there was not a moment in which I did not learn something. This is not easy reading although it was very clear reading due to the literary acumen of Professor Macquarrie. If you want to think long and hard about Jesus--this is a book that will help you do so.