Basic Readings in Theology is a collection of theological writings spanning from the early church to the 19th century. It includes selections from figures like Irenaeus, Augustine, Luther, Calvin, and Schleiermacher, offering insights into different periods of theological development. The book is divided into sections covering: the Early Formative Period, the Period of Catholic Consolidation, the Reformation Period, the Period of Experimental Theology, and The New Beginnings which provided points of departure for the prodigious theological development of present times.