Graham McFarlane - A Model for Evangelical Theology: Integrating Scripture, Tradition, Reason, Experience, and Community

Clear and accessible, this book serves evangelical students and church people alike. McFarlane guides readers to help them to form their theological commitments and articulation, andwhile he draws on a range of thinkershe never deviates from conclusions and discussions which are textured by evangelical theological commitments and emphases. This is a good introduction for any evangelical wishing to think more about the faith in which they so passionately believe: it opens up the vast horizons of theological wisdom which can be explored in praise and love of God for all eternity.

Tom Greggs , FRSE, University of Aberdeen

Like the wise steward in Jesuss parable, Graham McFarlane brings out of the storehouse things old and new. A Model for Evangelical Theology presents the best insights from a wealth of theological sources, creatively woven into a fresh presentation that is a manifesto for the theological endeavor and, more importantly, a celebration of the high vocation of the evangelical theologian. McFarlane rehabilitates the Wesleyan Quadrilateral as an Evangelical Quintilateral, adding community to Scripture, tradition, reason, and experience, arguably bringing out what Wesley himself emphasized: that theology is only possible in the presence of God and of all others with whom we are formed and transformed. This is innovation on the theological tradition at its energizing best.

Andrew Stobart , Wesley House, Cambridge

At a time when the word evangelical is increasingly misunderstood or politicized, McFarlanes comprehensive and systematic account of an evangelical theological method is a breath of fresh air. His writing is clearly the product of decades of teaching theology, allowing curiosity and questioning to shape his approach, engaging heart and mind in equal measure. McFarlanes proposal of community as a fifth dimension to the method of evangelical theology places theology right where it should beat the heart of the church, and as the calling not of the academic elite but of all who are baptized into the body of Christ. This book will not only deepen your understanding of the foundations of your faith but also increase your love for the God of the gospel and his mission in the world today.

Hannah Steele , St. Mellitus College, London

A preoccupation with theological method has been described as clearing ones throat. If that is true, Graham McFarlane has accomplished this so well that those who read this book will speak with a more profound theological voice. McFarlane provides us with a truly evangelical prolegomena that goes further and deeper than anything that has been published, unpacking five dimensions of the theological enterprise in the company of a wide range of practitioners. He dissects, clarifies, and exemplifies the process of theological thinking that will assist us in remaining true to the Word and relevant to the human situation.

Dennis Okholm , Azusa Pacific University; author of Learning Theology through the Churchs Worship

McFarlane provides a much-needed critical-confessional model for evangelical theology revisited for the ecclesial realities of the twenty-first century. Thoughtfully engaging Albert Outlers descriptive Wesleyan Quadrilateral of Scripture, tradition, reason, and experience, McFarlane offers a systematic consideration of theology that is almost abandoned or at least overlooked in evangelical discussions. I highly recommend this book for students and individuals seeking a model for theology that is robustly evangelical and relevant for theological engagement today.

Joy J. Moore , Luther Seminary