This book, arising out of the 1988/1989 Hale Lectures given at Seabury-Western Theological Seminary, covers a period of theological freedom and ferment when the early churches were seeking to express their faith in innovative, meaningful terms.It deals with doctrines of the Christ: first with various biblical ideas,second with Gnostic christologies, third with an influential Jewish-Christian bishop and apologist, Theophilus of Antioch, and fourth with the christology of Irenaeus of Lyons, which is Catholic but still boldly speculative. Its aim is to show how some Gnostics and apologists, as well as a great anti-Gnostic theologian, could work out distinctive doctrines from the biblical materials.Yet again, Professor Grant here offers a fascinating glimpse into aneventful and creative period of Christian history which in a numberof respects is not totally unlike our own.Robert M. Grant is Professor Emeritus of New Testament and EarlyChristianity, The University of Chicago.