Biography as Theology: How Life Stories Can Remake Today's Theology

This is a wonderful exploration of how the lives of Christians can shape and form theological thinking. McClendon's basic idea is that when we explore the lived lives of people, we will find certain images to be central. When these are people of faith, these images are formed by and therefore display their convictions. These images can then serve as a guide to correct past theological thinking or spur new thought. When used in community, biography becomes a means of self-correction for theology. To illustrate his point, McClendon gives biographical sketches of four men of faith and then explores the images that are central to these lives. The work is not complete, but it was not intended to be, as the process of theology is a continual one. This book should be read by those intrested in narrative approaches to theology. It should also be read by people who want to explore how the lived experiences of one person can be used to change a community of faith.