Theology Applied
Southwestern Journal of Theology
Volume 63, No. 1 – Fall 2020
Editor: David S. Dockery
By Christopher W. Morgan and Robert A. Peterson. Nashville: B&H, 2020, 192pp., $19.99
This succinct reference book contains over 700 entries from, “the Bible, theology, church history (people, movements, councils, and documents), philosophy, church practice, and more” (p. x). Entries include topics such as: aseity of God, authority of Scripture, biblical theology, Christ’s names and titles, homiletics, inerrancy, simplicity of God, and sola scriptura. A Concise Dictionary of Theological Terms serves as the companion piece to Morgan’s Christian Theology: The Biblical Story and Our Faith textbook.
Each entry is cleanly defined from a Baptist framework built upon an evangelical foundation. Most of the terms contain further references so that the reader can locate and connect terms to their larger theological conversations. For instance, “Council of Chalcedon” is
summarized and then sends the reader to “Deity and Humanity of Christ.” Many of the terms also contain helpful biblical references so that those seeking further Bible study can easily locate applicable passages. The single-column format helps the user to utilize the reference work more like a book rather than a typical two-column dictionary.
This volume meets two major needs. First, it will be effective as a textbook in theology classes. It is a fitting companion to a theology textbook, particularly Morgan’s, but it would also work well with others. Second, if scholars, pastors, students, and church leaders download the Kindle version, this volume could effectively replace any tendency to search Wikipedia or Theopedia for such terms. Solid theology clearly and concisely written could be as close as our phones. Morgan and Peterson’s Dictionary will serve as a valuable resource for scholars, pastors, students, denominational leaders, and church leaders.
