A monumental work which combines theological acumen with a readable style, and remains an indispensable aid in the study of historical theology."-Cyril J. Barber from The Minister's Library"

These questions are irresistible to ponder. The Bible says, "For who has known the mind of the Lord? Or who has been His counselor? Or who has ever first given to Him, and has to be repaid? For from Him and through Him and to Him are all things" (Romans 11:34-36a, Holman CSB).

The Historical Volume of what was originally called Reformed Dogmatics now appears with a new title, namely, History of Christian Doctrines. Works on the gradual development of theological truth in the Church of Jesus Christ usually appear alongside of those which deal with the systematic reproduction of it, and thus stand out as separate works. It was thought best to follow this practice, since this will stress the fact that, after all, the history of the development of Christian thought in the Church is a separate study.

"Who do you say that I am?" This question that Jesus asked of his disciples, so central to his mission, became equally central to the fledgling church. How would it respond to the Gnostics who answered by saying Jesus was less than fully human? How would it respond to the Arians who contended he was less than fully God? It was these challenges that ultimately provoked the Council of Nicaea in A.D. 325. In this volume covering the first half of the article in the Nicene Creed on God the Son, John Anthony McGuckin shows how it countered these two errant poles by equally stressing Jesus' authentic humanity (that is, his fleshliness and real embodiment in space and time) and his spiritual glory or full divinity. One cottage industry among some historical theologians, he notes, has been to live in a fever of conspiracy theory where orthodox oppressors dealt heavy-handedly with poor heretics. Or the picture is painted of ancient grassroots inclusivists being suppressed by establishment elites. The reality was far from such romantic notions. It was in fact the reverse. The church who denounced these errors did so in the name of a greater inclusivity based on common sense and common education. The debate was conducted generations before Christian bishops could ever call on the assistance of secular power to enforce their views. Establishing the creeds was not a reactionary movement of censorship but rather one concerned with the deepest aspects of quality control. Ultimately, what was and is at stake is not fussy dogmatism but the central gospel message of God's stooping "down in mercy to enter the life of his creatures and share their sorrows with them. He has lifted up the weak and the broken to himself, and he healed their pain by abolishing their alienation."

The Formation of Christian Doctrine is a high-level academic study of the history of Christian doctrinal development. The book distinguishes at length between the scholarly term “inventio” (making explicit what is implicit in the biblical revelation) and the idea of “invention” (presenting a novelty as Christian teaching that conflicts with the biblical revelation). Specifically, The Formation of Christian Doctrine identifies biblical inerrancy as an inventio but sees the “priesthood of believers” concept as a license to believe “whatever teaching seems right to me.” Sure to be of interest in academic circles, even to those who might disagree with the author, this book will appeal to three major groups: Evangelicals in relation to the twentieth-century development of a detailed doctrine of biblical inerrancy, Baptists in light of both biblical inerrancy and the seventeenth-century development of believer’s baptism, and Roman Catholics because of their respect for tradition and interest in such a challenging conservative Protestant perspective as is found here.