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Theology: A Short Bibliography of Reference Tools

Reference Works and Bibliographies

  • Beinert, Wolfgang; Fiorenza, Francis Schussler, ed. . New York: Crossroad, 1995.
    • Helpful, short articles that set the question in modern Catholic theology.
  • Berardino, Angelo Di, ed. Trans. Adrian Walford. New York: OUP, 1992.
    • A wonderful resource covering individuals, movements, significant sites, etc. in the Early Church, and most entries have bibliographies to the more important primary and secondary works on a subject.
  • Cameron, Nigel M. de S., ed. . Downers Grove: IVP, 1993.
  • Chadwick, Henry. . New York: Facts on File Publications, 1987.
    • A serviceable atlas with good text offering insights and interpretations on the maps.
  • Clarke, Paul Barry; Linzey, Andrew, ed. . London: Routledge, 1996. Available online at the link provided.
  • McGrath, Alister, ed. . Oxford: Blackwell,1993. Available online .
    • These articles offer some of the best short introductions to modem theological thought, with bibliographies to guide further reflection.
  • Muller, Richard. . Grand Rapids: Baker 1985. Available online .
    • If you wonder what that phrase in Latin means, this is a good place to start, though unfortunately it is primarily limited to terminology arising in Protestant Scholasticism.
  • Musser, Donald W.; Price, Joseph L., ed. . Nashville: Abingdon, 1992.
    • A conservative perspective that also has articles on theology and individuals in North American religious thought that are not always covered in other dictionaries.
  • O’Carroll, Michael. . Wilmington: Michael Glazier, 1987.
  • . Collegeville: Liturgical Press, 1990.
  • . Collegeville: Liturgical Press, 1992.
    • Though the treatment in O’Carroll’s three encyclopedias is at times uneven, it does offer insights into the tradition, key figures, and controversies surrounding these three key areas.
  • Rahner, Karl, et al. . New York: Herder and Herder, 1968.
    • A standard work, often with extensive articles on a topic.

Theological Research

  • Bolich, Gregory C. . Lanham: University Press of America, 1986.
    • Bolich offers workbook type exercises to familiarize you with the resources, a knowledge that can certainly save you time in the future.
  • Johnston, William M. . Downers Grove: IVP. 1996. Available online .
    • The highly annotated work that offers clear analysis of the numerous works available. It is useful as a quick introduction to the types of works that are available.
  • Kennedy, James R. . 2nd Ed. Michigan: Pierian Press, 1984.
  • Kepple, Robert J.; Muether, John R. . 3rd ed.. Lanham: University Press of America, 1992.
    • Though not as comprehensive as Johnston, it still offers good guidance in identifying reference works to consult on a topic.

Theological Methodology

  • Barth, Karl. . Trans. Ian Robertson. London: SCM Press, 1960.
    • While an analysis of Anselm, this also reveals a great deal about how Barth understood the theological task.
  • Frei, Hans W. . Ed. George Hunsinger and William C. Placher. New Haven: Yale University Press, 1992.
    • Frei offers a succinct yet illuminating typology of modem theology that serves well to highlight various approaches to theology.
  • Pannenberg, Wolfhart. . Trans.Francis McDonagh. London: DLT, 1976.
    • Pannenberg’s major methodological work portrays a correlation between Christian truth claims with knowledge from other spheres.
  • Placher, William C. . Louisville: Westminster/John Knox Press, 1989.
    • Placher offers both a well written and intelligible survey of recent positions on religion and truth as well as some constructive proposals.
  • Stone, Howard W.; Duke, James O. . Minneapolis: Fortress, 2013.
    • A simple introduction to theological reflection that emphasizes its central (though often inchoate) status in the Christian life.

History of Theology

  • Berardino, Angelo Di; and Studer, Basil, ed. . Collegeville: Liturgical Press, 1996-.
    • A very useful introduction by some of the foremost scholars in each area, it should be consulted for any introduction to theology in the Early Church.
  • Cunliffe-Jones, Hubert. . Philadelphia: Fortress,1978.
  • Gonzalez, Justo L. . Rev ed. 3 vols.Nashville: Abingdon,1987.
    • Written in a very readable style, Gonzales is probably the easiest survey to comprehend.
  • Grillmeier, Aloys. . 4 vols. Louisville: Westminster/John Knox Press, 1975-1996.
    • A definitive work on the history of christology in the first six centuries.
  • Johnson, William Stacy; Leith, John H. . 2 vols Louisville: Westminster/John Knox Press, 1993.
  • Ford, David F., ed. . 2 vols. Oxford: Blackwell,1997. Available online .
    • The best recent survey of twentieth-century theology, with essays on both individual theologians and major movements.
  • Pelikan, Jaroslav. . 5 vols. Chicago: University of Chicago Press. 1971.
    • An ambitious work that covers the history of doctrine for the early church through the modem period. It offers a reliable guide to the development of doctrine, and is one of the few works that also considers Eastern Christian thought.
  • Quasten, Johannes. . 4 vols. Westminster: Christian Classics, 1983-1986.
    • An essential work for study of the early church writings, Quasten primarily gives information on texts, editions, and translations. If you want to know the works a writer penned and if a translation is available, Quasten is a good source to consult.
  • Schaff, Philip. . 3 vols. Grand Rapids: Baker, 1983. [BT 990 C72 TRIN].
    • A standard collection that contains most important creeds and confessions from the early church to the modem period. Most are presented in both their original language and in translation.
  • Smart, Ninian. et. at., ed. . 3 vols. Cambridge: CUP 1985. Available online .
    • Short essays by experts on most significant writers on religious thought in the 19th century, not just theologians. Philosophers are significantly represented.
  • Welch, Claude. . New Haven: Yale University Press, 1972-1985.
    • The best introduction to Protestant theology in the formative 19th century.

Systematic and Dogmatic Theology: Recent and Classic

  • Aquinas, Thomas. . Philadelphia: Westminster Press, 1954.
    • Containing selections from Thomas’ Summa, these can serve as an introduction to the larger work.
  • Barth, Karl. . Edinburgh: T & T Clark. 13 vols. Available online at link provided.
    • A classic work by one of the 20th centuries foremost theologians. It is certainly worth the effort to follow Barth’s reflection on a subject.
  • . Trans.G. T. Thompson. New York: Harper & Row, 1959.
    • A short introduction to the Apostles’ Creed.
  • Braaten, Carl E.; Jenson, Robert W. ed. . 2 vols. Philadelphia: Fortress,1984.
    • A Lutheran perspective that offers beneficial essays on all the topics of Christian theology.
  • Calvin, John. . Trans.Ford Lewis Battles. Philadelphia: The Westminster Press, 1960.
  • Fiorenza, Francis Schussler; Galvin, John P., ed. . 2 vols.Minneapolis: Fortress, 1991. Available online at the link provided.
    • A modern Roman Catholic theology with essays by various writers. This makes it less of a systematic presentation.
  • Gunton, Colin, ed. . Cambridge: CUP, 1997. Available online at the link provided.
    • Not simply an introduction to the topics of theology, the companion’s essays often survey recent opinions and problems and offer constructive proposals.
  • Hall, Douglas John. , , . Minneapolis: Fortress, 1991-1996.
    • A contextual project by a significant Canadian theologian.
  • Jenson, Robert W. . New York: OUP 1997- . Available online .
  • McClendon, James W., Jr. . 2 vols. Nashville: Abingdon,1986-1994.
    • McClendon begins with ethics as the launching point for understanding Christian reflection upon the Gospel’s meaning.
  • McGrath, Alister E. . Oxford: Blackwell, 2nd ed. 2011. Available online at the link provided.
  • __________, ed. . Oxford: Blackwell, 1995.
    • A readable survey of Christian theology that is concerned with both historical and systematic themes. It is written to be used for individual study as well as group study.
  • Migliore, Daniel L. . Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 2014.
    • A brief introduction to theology that takes into account many recent concerns (e.g. feminist and liberationist critiques), but is weak in its interaction with the tradition.
  • Pannenberg, Wolfhart. . 3 vols. Trans. Geoffrey W. Bromiley. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1991-1997.
    • A significant project from a German Lutheran, Pannenberg develops his theology from the standpoint of revelation as history.
  • Rahner, Karl. . Trans. William V. Dych. New York: Seabury Press, 1978.
    • This is a serviceable introduction to a writer who continues to be significant for modern Roman Catholic theology.

Recent Movements and Issues

  • Boff. Leonardo: Boff, Clodovis. . Trans. Paul Burns. Maryknoll: Orbis Books, 1987.
    • A good yet brief summary of liberation theology’s issues and concerns by two of its leading writers.
  • Carr, Anne E. . San Francisco: Harper and Row, 1988.
  • Chopp, Rebecca S.; Davaney, Sheila Greeve, ed. . Minneapolis: Fortress, 1997.
  • Cobb, John B., Jr; Griffin, David Ray. . Philadelphia: Westminster Press. 1976.
    • The standard introduction to theology from the perspective of Process philosophy.
  • Dyrness, William A, ed. . Grand Rapids:Zondervan, 1994.
    • A brief yet helpful introduction to theological reflection outside the North America and Europe, it enables the reader to begin to see the breadth of Christian reflection.
  • Fahey, Michael A. . Westport: Greenwood Press, 1992.
    • An essential annotated bibliography on ecumenical writings.
  • Gonzales, Justo L. . Nashville: Abingdon, 1990.
  • Gutierrez, Gustavo. . Maryknoll: Orbis, 1973. Available online at link provided.
    • The classical statement of liberation theology which clearly puts forth some of the abiding themes of the movement.
  • Hennelly, Alfred T., ed. . Maryknoll: Orbis,1990.
  • Loades, Ann, ed. . London: SPCK, 1990. [BT 83.55 F45 TRIN; TRIN/WYCSTOR].
  • Lossky, Nicholas, et al. . Geneva/Grand Rapids: WCC Publications/ Eerdmans, 2002.
    • A crucial tool for understanding the ecumenical movement, the Dictionary identifies major writers, documents, and issues in ecumenical perspectives. Short bibliographies of important works add to each essay.
  • Musto, Ronald G. . Garland Publishing: New York & London, 1991.
    • An extensive, annotated bibliography on works in Liberation Theology.
  • Newbigin, Lesslie. . Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1989.
  • Ruether, Rosemary Radford. . Boston: Beacon Press. 1983. Available online .
    • A classic critique of theology from a feminist perspective, it treats many of the traditional topics of Christian theology.
  • Tanner, Kathryn. . Minneapolis: Fortress, 1997.
  • Young, Josiah U. . Westport: Greenwood Press, 1993.

Philosophical Theology

  • Allen, Diogenes. . Atlanta: John Knox Press, 1985.
    • An introductory text that considers philosophy and philosophers on the basis of their influence upon Christian theology from the early church to the modem period.
  • Dalferth, Ingolf U. . Oxford: Blackwell, 1988.
    • Dalferth investigates how the relation between theology and philosophy has been understood by theologians as well as how philosophy has been theologically utilized.
  • Davis, Stephen T. . Grand Rapids: Eerdmans , 1997.
    • Surveys the proofs for the existence of God both in the tradition and in more recent analysis.
  • Plantinga, Alvin; Wolterstorff, Nicholas, ed. . Notre Dame: University of Notre Dame Press, 1983.
    • Essays by respected Christian philosophers on the relation between faith and reason attempt to take into consideration recent work in epistemology.
  • Stead, Christopher. . Cambridge: CUP, 1994. Available online at the link provided.
    • A clear and concise work, written for the non-specialist, detailing the relation between philosophy and theology in the early church.

Revised Nov. 2012 by Tom Power; revised July 2021 by A. Findley-Jones