Christian Faith, by Peter C. Hodgson
Christian Faith: A Brief Introduction. By Peter C. Hodgson. Westminster John Knox, 184 pp., $14.95 paperback.
Peter Hodgson here continues the project of constructing the postmodern Christian theology he first set forth in Winds of the Spirit: A Constructive Christian Theology (1994). He identifies three challenges that interpretations of the Christian faith must address: ecological and cosmological awareness; the struggle for justice; and, cultural and religious pluralism. As Hodgson constructs a fresh interpretation of the Christian trinitarian God, he discusses five central themes of Christian faith: thinking theologically; the interaction of God and the world; human nature and evil; Jesus and the redeeming Christ of today; and living in the age of the Spirit.
Thinking theologically now requires us to bring together scientific and theological thought. Though such a project meets resistance from both scientists and theologians, Hodgson is unwilling to take the postliberal approach of dealing only with traditional Christian texts, stories and practices. Theology must interpret these resources in the context of current challenges arising from multiple cultural encounters. It must be sensitive to the active power of the Spirit teaching within the church today.
