Religious Studies’ Professor Denis Janz’, The Fortress Series, Historical Trajectories, is a short series of single-author books, each one sketching the historical profile of a currently discussed Christian belief, practice, or issue. It is grounded on the assumption that Christianity’s past is not only relevant and usable, but in fact imperative for all 21st century Christians who want to think responsibly, critically, and creatively about their faith. The books will answer the demand for exacting detail coupled with accessibility: These will be quick yet accurate overviews responsibly authored by senior theologians and historians of Christianity. The series draws on primary sources from the New Testament to the 21st century, and attempts to paint for us the big picture: What do the main contours of the tradition look like? Who were the key contributors, and what was the nature of their contribution? Where were the decisive turning points, the creative advances, the dead ends? In short, can a trajectory be discerned? Where have 20 centuries of reflection brought us? And finally, can anything be said about the question “where to from here?” Yes – in a sense this series aims for the impossible: Making the most sophisticated scholarship reader-friendly!
List of authors and volume titles:
Lois Malcolm, Christian Understandings of God: The Historical Trajectory
Denis Edwards, Christian Understandings of Creation: The Historical Trajectory
Veli-Matti Kärkkäinen, Christian Understandings of the Trinity: The Historical Trajectory
David Jensen, Christian Understandings of Christ: The Historical Trajectory
Tatha Wiley, Christian Understandings of Sin: The Historical Trajectory
Randall Zachman, Christian Understandings of Grace: The Historical Trajectory
Paul Avis, Christian Understandings of the Church: The Historical Trajectory
Grant Kaplan, Christian Understandings of Faith and Rationality: The Historical Trajectory
Charlene Burns, Christian Understandings of the Problem of Evil: The Historical Trajectory
Amy Johnson Frykholm, Christian Understandings of the Future: The Historical Trajectory
All of the volumes will be published in late December 2015.