*Catholic Media Association Award Winner*

"A readable, serious, and compact Summa that puts you in Roger Haight's renowned classroom, condensing the insights from a remarkably creative, dynamic theological career."--Tom Beaudoin, Fordham University

"A clear, lucid, and very accessible introduction to thinking theologically in response to current issues. The Nature of Theology will be widely used as an introductory text in theology courses because it demonstrates in content and organization how theological thinking can respond in holistic and transformative ways to the challenges of skepticism, relativism, and ontic pessimism."--Susan Abraham, Vice President of Academic Affairs and Dean of Faculty, Pacific School of Religion

"The Nature of Theology offers rich resources for doing and teaching theology in an era shaped by scientific understandings of reality, characterized by religious and cultural pluralism, and marred by the reality of unspeakable suffering. At the level of both method and constructive engagement, this book provides a valuable introduction to contemporary theological discussions of classical doctrines."-- Paul J. Schutz, Associate Professor, Religious Studies, Santa Clara University

Discusses the discipline of theology in light of our current situation. As with his 1990 book Dynamics of Theology, he is still seeking to clarify what the academic study of Christian theology is about, but here he is taking into account significant shifts in the context of theology during the past three decades. These include: the dialogue with science; extensive development of liberation theologies; public acceptance of religious pluralism; and increased scrutiny on Christology as a result of the rise of religious pluralism. He will thus ask questions such as: How can theology maintain a real authority in its exchange with scientific culture and a critically informed political culture? If religious pluralism means one religious tradition can learn from other religions, how does theology justify the particular claims of its tradition? If theology arises out of a faith community, how does it retain its autonomy as an academic discipline relative to the more objective disciplines of social sciences and religious studies?

Roger Haight, SJ, is currently a visiting professor of systematic theology at Union Theological Seminary in New York City. A past president of the Catholic Theological Society of America, he is author of many books—most recently Faith and Evolution: A Grace-filled Naturalism and Spiritual and Religious: Explorations for Seekers (both Orbis).