Church Doctrine

The present volume is the second in a five-volume study of church doctrine. The multivolume set will cover the major parts of church doctrine: Canon, God, Creation, Reconciliation, and Redemption. The first volume (now in print) begins with an introduction to the entire project on why doctrine matters, which stresses the ecumenical, global, and above all biblical horizons of church doctrine as a primary expression of Christian witness.

The purpose of this second volume can be simply stated: to let God be God. In a world in which the God of the Christian witness is often confused with the tribal god of religion--a god who sets "us" against "them," who divides humanity into nations, peoples, regions, races--the gospel proclaims the living God of the Bible who fashions a new humanity on the earth. This God in the freedom of his love elects to be for humanity, and calls all humanity to live for him.
Church doctrine is not a luxury, but a necessity for the living community of faith, by which its witness in word and deed is tested against the one true measure of Christ the risen Lord.


Praise for Church Doctrine Volume I: Canon

"A clear, learned, accessible, and profoundly courageous volume. . . ."
--Thomas W. Currie, Union Presbyterian Seminary, Charlotte, NC

"A major contribution to theological synthesis for our day. . . ."
--Ephraim Radner, Wycliffe College, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada

"Wonderfully lucid . . . takes care to speak to pastors and teachers in today's church. . . ." --Mark Tranvik, Augsburg College, Minneapolis, MN

"The first volume of a full dogmatics . . . informed by the faith of the wider church. . . ."
--Bruce D. Marshall, Perkins School of Theology, Southern Methodist University, Dallas, TX

Praise for Church Doctrine Volume 2: God

"In this beautifully written work with learning lightly worn, Paul McGlasson leads us to a reverence for God. Church Doctrine draws deeply from Christian theological traditions in order to speak to our age. Avoiding polemic and generous in spirit, McGlasson calls us to set aside the gods we have made to seek something greater, something awe-inspiring and wonderful--the God of the Bible."
--Bruce Gordon, Yale Divinity School, New Haven, CT


Paul C. McGlasson is pastor of First Presbyterian Church in Sullivan, Indiana. He received his MDiv from Yale Divinity School and his PhD from Yale University in Systematic Theology. He is the author of several books, including God the Redeemer, Canon and Proclamation, and Invitation to Dogmatic Theology. Before entering parish ministry, McGlasson taught theology for several years in college and seminary.