Putman Authors Book on Christian Theology

Dr. Rhyne Putman, Associate Vice President of Academic Affairs and the Director of Worldview Formation, has authored a new book, “The Method of Christian Theology: A Basic Introduction” that addresses the fundamental question of “What is Theology?”

Putman explains that when we think about God, we all have a method of thinking about the subject whether it is something we are conscious of or not. In this book, he aims to help those understand how we should approach Scripture and what roles tradition, philosophy and experiences play in our method of thinking.

“For anyone studying the word of God and thinking about Theology, it can be a bit overwhelming,” Putman. “In this book my purpose was to break down that process and touch on subjects that play a role in how we think about and form ideas about the subject.”

Theology is an important tool in ministering to others, but understanding how and why we use it can provide critical insight in how to minister better.

The idea for the book came from Putman’s experiences and a theological professor where his students often struggled to understand the roots of theology and how and why it can be different from one person to another.

“I wanted my students to be able to have a guide for using theological sources to find answers to difficult questions,” he said. “My hope is that they take the knowledge from this book and apply it to their lives and perhaps ministries that they may be involved in.”

Putman has also published two other books, “When Doctrine Divides the People of God: An Evangelical Approach to Theological Diversity” and “In Defense of Doctrine: Evangelicalism, Theology, and Scripture (Emerging Scholars).” In addition to his administrative roles at Williams, he also serves as a professor in the Christian Ministries department.