Across the Spectrum: Understanding Issues in Evangelical Theology
Authors: Gregory A. Boyd and Paul Rhodes Eddy
Publisher: Baker (2009)
Topic: Theology: What are the issues that divide Evangelicals and why do people hold the various views they hold?
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Description: This new edition of a popular text presents an accessible and comprehensive primer that helps readers understand the breadth of viewpoints on major issues in evangelical theology, with chapters using the popular three- or four-views book format. The authors carefully examine positions taken by evangelical scholars on seventeen seminal issues. They lay out the biblical, theological, and philosophical arguments for each position in point-counterpoint fashion and discuss possible objections.
The second edition retains the helpful features of the first edition and adds an expanded discussion of “The Foreknowledge Debate” as well as an appendix that addresses thirteen peripheral issues in contemporary evangelicalism.
Greg’s story behind the writing of Across the Spectrum: In 1998 Paul Eddy and I were rooming together at an academic conference. We were at the time both theology professors who were frustrated by how overly academic and/or biased all the Introduction to Theology textbooks were. Wouldn’t it be great if there was a simple, unbiased text that simply presented all the major issues in the strongest possible light, leaving for readers to decide what they believe on their own? Isn’t that what a college class is supposed to do?
So we wrote our own. This is Across the Spectrum.
The greatest compliment I’ve received on this book came from a Calvinist who, in the process of reviewing the book, claimed he couldn’t understand how I, an Open Theist, could write such a compelling defense of Calvinism and yet not convert to it. I love it!
The book continues to be adopted by many professors for use in classrooms and continues to be read by others who simply want to be informed “on the issues.”