A Multitude of Names

You may have noticed by now that Volf uses a lot of other names as he writes, quoting from theologians and prominent thinkers in order to set a good foundation for his work. I had a conversation with someone who is reading along with the blog who found this a bit difficult and confusing, so I thought I'd share my response for everyone.

First of all, Volf is establishing that he knows his genre, he knows the works that have been published, and he knows what major theologians have said on his chosen subject. He is writing a scholarly work, and this kind of referencing is essential in order for his work to be highly regarded in the scholarly community.

Second, and most important for our process, don't worry about it. We don't need to know the major theologians, either who they are or what they've said. If they have something important to offer, Volf has brought it into these pages for us. So concentrate on what's between the quotes, not necessarily on who said what. I would recommend skimming the names, or skipping them altogether, unless you are someone who also knows who these major theologians and thinkers are.

I think that some of the quoting will diminish as we move to the meat of Volf's work. That is where he will show his own creativity and his own thinking. In the meantime, read for the content, not for the names.