Presenting two dialoging essays on each of nine foremost theological questions, William Placher -- the recipient of the American Academy of Religion's 2002 Award for Excellence in Teaching -- has provided an unparalleled introductory reader in theology. Himself giving an excellent discussion of the history and current state of each doctrinal issue, he allows the essays. to explore and raise questions about their key elements -- and the contemporary issues confronting them.

Are you looking for an accessible and concise overview of the major theological debates raging between professionally spiritual Christians today? Look elsewhere! To a layman this book is an obscure and often unreadable mishmash of the worst collegiate-style pretension. If you are a seminarian who enjoys the self-important and jargonistic writing of lazy theologians, you might find the topics of the book tired and repetitive. If a couple of very ambitious editors with big scissors were let loose on this volume, they might extract something worthwhile out of it. The editor's commitment to preserving the words of the opinionated blowhards who contributed to the book was a terrible weakness. As it is, the introductory sections preceding the selected essays are by far the best part of the book. ( )

Very brainy ( )