As I’ve thought more about Patrik’s “The Best in Contemporary Theology” meme, I thought I’d expand on it a little since after all, making long lists is the easy thing. So, what I’ve got here are key categories in contemporary theology and two books from 1981-2006 (though I tried to be as recent as possible, even cheating and including one book that’s technically from 2007) that I think are essential reading in that field. Maybe it’s cheating to include the full sets of Jenson, Jones and Pannenberg, but whatever. They’re still essential reading.

American Mainline Theology

1. Robert Jenson, Systematic Theology, 2 Vols.
2. Joe Jones, A Grammar of Christian Faith, 2 Vols.

American Evangelical Theology

1. Kevin Vanhoozer, The Drama of Doctrine
2. Mark Noll, The Scandal of the Evangelical Mind

German Theology (Protestant)

1. Wolfhart Pannenberg, Systematic Theology, 3 Vols.
2. Juergen Moltmann, The Crucified God

British Theology (Protestant)

1. John Milbank, Theology and Social Theory
2. Colin Gunton, The One, The Three, and The Many

Catholic Theology

1. J.-M.-R. Tillard, Church of Churches
2. Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger, Pilgrim Fellowship of Faith

Eastern Orthodox Theology

1. John Zizioulas, Being As Communion
2. David Bentley Hart, The Beauty of the Infinite

Liberation Theology

1. Daniel Bell, Jr., Liberation Theology After the End of History
2. J. Kameron Carter, Race: A Theological Account

Theological Ethics

1. Stanley Hauerwas, With The Grain of the Universe
2. Samuel Wells, God’s Companions

Old Testament

1. Walter Brueggemann, Theology of the Old Testament
2. Brevard Childs, Biblical Theology of the Old and New Testaments

New Testament

1. N.T. Wright, The New Testament and the People of God
2. Richard B. Hays, The Moral Vision of the New Testament