About This Book

“This text fills a real need for a challenging introductory text in Catholic theology. It is beautifully conceived, well written, inviting, and full of splendid resources rarely, if ever, found in comparable texts. I have used it with success and recommend it highly.”

““Theological Foundations proved to be precisely the text I needed for my course, REL 334: Understanding the Christian Faith. My class is primarily dialogue and Theological Foundations provided the background necessary for the students to become involved in research and discussion. A big plus was the section ‘From the Reference Librarian.’ I asked the students to pick a topic from the assignment for the week, to follow the reference librarian’’s prompts, and to write a one-page essay based on their research, with a second page explaining how they used the research skills and the sources they found. Without that section, the students would have used Google or, with my insistence, JSTOR, but perhaps would not have entered the physical library or turned in a printed page. To help with this, I scheduled two sessions in the library with our reference librarian. The students profited from this training in research and our discussions were lively and well-informed. Thanks to the editors and contributors and especially the reference librarian for an outstanding teaching resource.”

“Theological Foundations is a welcome addition to the textbook market as it takes seriously the importance of critical theology within the Catholic purview and the application of this theology for traditional and nontraditional undergraduates. The author invites the learner to consider a variety of systematic perspectives, including a brief survey of a few interfaith and ecumenical traditions, yet he consistently remains faithful to the Catholic tradition. This is a remarkably accessible and appropriately challenging introductory theology text, particularly for students who are new to this discipline.”

“This text is an excellent introduction to undergraduate theology. The scholars chosen for each section understand that most undergrads have never studied theology and are entering a new realm of knowledge. The material is thorough but written in language that the novice can readily understand. The reference librarian sections of each chapter are invaluable. If you need one text for an introductory course, this is the one.”

““Theological Foundations deals with the BIG questions: ‘’Why am I here?’’ and ‘‘What is worth living for?’’——inviting college students to the approachability and necessity of theology and its relevance to real life. The perfect book for introducing the building blocks of theology!””

“There are two things that I particularly like about this book, and that raise it above the average intro to theology book. First, the book invites students to use the library and find the sources for further research. I think that this is especially needed in a time in which students are not willing to rise from their seats and computer screens, thinking that everything can be found through the internet. Second, it broadens the horizon of the students by including chapters on Judaism, Islam, and Catholic theology in a global context.”