Abstract
The theological discipline to which this Handbook is devoted is variously identified as Christian doctrine, dogmatics, or systematic theology. It is characterized by a measure of internal contestation. The contests are generally of two kinds: material, that is, contests about the content of Christian claims to reality, which are the matter upon which systematic theology goes to work; and formal, that is, contests about the task, modes, and structure of systematic theology. This article deals with the formal elements of the discipline. The discussion here provides a skeletal account of the genesis and development of the discipline and helps place in context contemporary contests about its nature and tasks.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Title of host publication | The Oxford Handbook to Systematic Theology |
| Editors | J. Webster, K. Tanner, I. Torrance |
| Place of Publication | Oxford University Press/Oxford |
| Publisher | Oxford University Press |
| Pages | 1-15 |
| Number of pages | 15 |
| ISBN (Print) | 9780199245765 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - Aug 2007 |