Story and Promise

Robert Jenson's theological primer emerged from his teaching at Luther College and reflects the ferment of systematic theology in the early 1970s. Writing for students and educated church members rather than professional theologians, Jenson sought to articulate Christian doctrine through the lens of narrative and eschatology, drawing on insights from both Lutheran confessionalism and contemporary biblical scholarship. The work represents an early statement of themes that would occupy Jenson throughout his career as one of America's most distinctive systematic theologians.

Jenson argues that the gospel is fundamentally a story about Jesus that makes a promise about the future. Rather than treating Christian doctrine as timeless truths or moral principles, he insists that theology must begin with the narrative structure of Scripture itself. The story tells of God's election of Israel, the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus, and the church's mission in anticipation of the kingdom. This narrative generates a promise that history has an ultimate destination in God's triumph over death and meaninglessness. Jenson weaves together these narrative and promissory dimensions to address classical doctrinal topics including Trinity, incarnation, atonement, and eschatology, consistently emphasizing how each doctrine serves the larger story of God's engagement with creation.

The book anticipated much of the narrative theology movement that would flourish in the 1980s and established Jenson as a theologian committed to both confessional Lutheran identity and ecumenical dialogue. His integration of story and promise influenced a generation of theologians seeking alternatives to both liberal Protestant moralism and conservative evangelical propositionalism. Who should read this: students beginning serious theological study will find an accessible introduction to systematic theology that takes Scripture's narrative seriously, while pastors and educated lay readers seeking a coherent account of Christian doctrine will appreciate Jenson's clear prose and integrative vision. Professional theologians may find the treatment too elementary for advanced work.