Evangelicals have a reputation for being ahistorical biblicists when it comes to our theology and ethics. While this has always been too simplistic a criticism, there is more than a kernel of truth to the accusation. Fortunately, a growing number of both scholars and pastors of evangelical conviction are drawn to historical theology, dogmatic theology, theologies of retrieval, confessional theology, and other related trends that draw upon the theological wisdom of the Christian tradition. But if we are to engage with doctrine faithfully, we need wise guides. Enter Doug Sweeney, a church historian who understands the role of doctrine in Christian discipleship.

Sweeney’s latest book, The Substance of Our Faith: Foundations for the History of Christian Doctrine, is a prolegomenon for how Christians should understand the history of doctrine. According to Sweeney, doctrine is “a form of church teaching intended for the shaping of daily faith and practice” (p. xiii). Doctrine is teaching from God, about God and all things in relation to God, for the benefit of God’s people. Thus, while doctrine may at times overlap with the academic discipline of theology, local churches are the most appropriate venues for doctrinal formation. Sweeney divides his book into four main chapters.

Chapter 1 provides an overview of the historical development of doctrine. The apostolic kerygma was inscripturated and canonized. The key teachings of Scripture and its proper interpretation were summarized in the regula fidei and ecumenical creeds, often refined in response to heresies. Over time, Christian communities debated the proper relationship between Scripture and tradition. Since the Enlightenment, scholars have offered academic theories of doctrinal development, the best of which recognize that doctrine has developed by way of both a deposit of inspired teaching (Scripture) and an ongoing dialog about that teaching (tradition). Sweeney argues the Holy Spirit has been active throughout, and that the Spirit continues to unite believers in a common faith that is in continuity with Scripture and the best of the Christian tradition.

Chapter 2 addresses the role of geography and ethnicity in the history of doctrine. The church has always been an international, multi-ethnic movement. Many ancient Christian theologians hailed from parts of Africa and Asia that most modern Westerners think of as mission fields. With the (re-)emergence of vibrant Christian communities in the so-called Global South, doctrinal development has been increasingly influenced by non-Western voices doing indigenous theologizing in post-colonial contexts. The net effect is a growing awareness that not only is doctrine rooted deeply in the Christian past, but it is also far more diverse than many Western believers realize.

Sweeney’s third chapter focuses on the nature of doctrine and its role in the life of the church. There is no single definition of doctrine agreed upon by all Christians. In Sweeney’s understanding, doctrine “represents the faith and practice of the church and is taught in congregations in a manner that is guided by their creeds, confessions, and contemporary authorities” (p. 109). He engages with a diverse community of historians and theologians who have reflected on doctrine, its history, and its implications. He also summarizes how major Christian traditions have developed their own understandings of what doctrine is, how it has developed, and its ongoing relevance for the Christian life. Sweeney closes the chapter by making a case for the pastoral function of doctrine as an important means of spiritual maturity.

The final chapter argues that the history of doctrine matters for Christian discipleship. Sweeney summarizes and critiques several recent scholarly movements that seek to draw upon the Christian past for contemporary application. He emphasizes his own approach is both evangelical and catholic. It is evangelical because it is rooted in the gospel and its implications. It is catholic, not only because it is in continuity with the Great Tradition but because it is in dialog with the global body of Christ. The consensus teachings of the church matter more than the insights of individual thinkers, even as the latter helps to continually refine the former. Evangelicals always begin from their particular confessional streams, but they look to enter the river of the wider body of Christ by engaging with the global history of Christian doctrine. In the power of the Holy Spirit, learning from that history helps contribute to present Christian flourishing.

I am not aware of another book that is exactly like The Substance of Our Faith. Sweeney wears his own faith on his sleeve and makes no apologies for wanting to see the gospel advanced, individual believers grow, and the church thrive. Yet Sweeney is also a serious scholar who engages critically with the leading scholars and movements related to the history of Christian doctrine. Sweeney’s sensitivity to the international nature of the church is also refreshing, especially in a work that argues that doctrine matters for the life of the church. Most global studies of Christian faith and practice overemphasize diversity, sometimes dismissing outright the concepts of unity and continuity as the fruit of Western, imperialistic thinking.

In sum, Sweeney’s commitments and emphases are refreshing, resulting in a book that will be appreciated by both thoughtful pastors and faithful scholars. The Substance of Our Faith is intended to be the first in a two-volume project. In his projected second volume, which he promises will be much longer, Sweeney hopes to offer a survey of the history of Christian doctrine from a global perspective for the sake of the church. The value of this initial volume should lead many church historians, theologians, and pastors to eagerly anticipate the arrival of volume two.