Divine teaching : an introduction to Christian theology Mark A. McIntosh.

Includes bibliographical references (p. [241]-247) and index.

Becoming a theologian -- How God makes theologians -- Astonishment and theological virtue -- Resurrection to Pentecost : where Christian theology begins -- But can you study theology without having to believe? -- Strange calling : theologians as adventurers, pirates, mystics, and sages -- Adventure : continuing conversion of the theologian -- Piracy : thinking analogically -- Mystical life : interpreting reality in terms of God -- Wisdom : thinking by means of God's thoughts -- Divine teaching and Christian beliefs -- Theology's weakness and wisdom's parting gift -- Sacred teaching : the nature and function of Christian beliefs -- Visions of the whole : Origen, Aquinas, and Barth -- How not to believe : the dangers of fantasy and fanaticism -- Theology's search for understanding -- Salvation : the foundation of Christian theology -- Orientation -- Why start with salvation? -- Salvation as the basis for Christian theology -- Identifying different approaches to the mystery of salvation -- Salvation : meeting heaven face to face -- Landmarks -- Irenaeus : salvation and new creation -- Brief interlude : a crucial difficulty in soteriology -- Augustine and God's justice -- Anselm and the divine order -- Pathfinding -- On the death of Christ : Orthodox, feminist, and Girardian concerns -- Salvation and the Paschal mystery -- Divine life : Trinity, incarnation, and the breathing of the Spirit -- Orientation -- Sheer bliss : why God reveals divine life to be the Trinity -- Forgiveness and abundance : origins of trinitarian awareness -- The life of the incarnate word and the power of the Spirit -- The developing principles of trinitarian theology -- Landmarks -- Augustine on the mysterious attraction of the Trinity -- Karl Barth on the God who loves in freedom -- Pathfinding -- Questions in trinitarian theology today -- The Trinity and mystical participation in God -- Creaturely life : a journey towards beatitude -- Orientation -- Death no longer has dominion : creation's path in the light of Easter -- Creation, revelation, sacrament -- Human life, ecclesial life, beatitude -- Landmarks -- Thomas Aquinas on creation : "A representation of the divine wisdom" -- Blaise Pascal on human existence -- Pathfinding -- Two disputed questions -- The human calling in creation.