Reviews for From Fallow Fields to Hallowed Halls: A Theologian's Journey

The average rating for From Fallow Fields to Hallowed Halls: A Theologian's Journey based on 2 reviews is 3 stars.

Review # 1 was written on 2013-08-14 00:00:00 David Lewis This was a rather good find while I was browsing around the shelves in the big university library that I sometimes find myself in. The main idea is fairly straight foward: Dr. Evans, a prof at Cambridge in mediaeval theology, provides short intellectual biographies on a series of Latin mediaeval authors from Ambrose and Augustine to Gabriel Biel. The choices are intellectuals with a influential body of writings. She provides clear biographies, a discussion of their intellectual work and some indication of the influence on later writers. In addition, a bibliography is provided to spur further research. This is an introduction to these figures, so nobody is covered in considerable detail and she does sneak in a few figures like St. Benedict through the back door as it were as short digressions within the lives of other thinkers. Evan's style is readable and lively and she has the gift of explain rather abstruse theology in a clear and concise way (that is no mean feat). I found it a good relaxing and informative read.

Review # 2 was written on 2014-01-09 00:00:00 Carmen Dipaolo While this book deals with the nuances of Church apologetics and history ' specialist topics, if there ever were ' Prof. Burch writes well and gives a concise overview of three influential evangelical historians. Marsden, Hatch, and Noll all engage modernity and, while opposed to a fully secular culture, aspire to a high level of scholarship in their books of Christian history. They are believers, but they are also trying to write honest and, when necessary, critical histories about the church. Burch outlines the upbringing of the three historians and details their opposition to the anti-intellectualism of the modern Religious Right. As a result of their idiosyncratic views, claiming an evangelical identity as well as the mantle of scholar, the three historians have received criticism from the evangelical world and the secular academy. Very useful as a quick gloss on recent Christian and religious historiography, but of little interest to general readers.