This book gets at the heart of the Christian life by considering some of the great truths of God's existence. Christopher Holmes, an expert in contemporary theology, engages with the church fathers along with Augustine and Aquinas to offer a rich, accessible account of the triune God and the divine perfections. Holmes shows how we share in the life of God through imitation and participation and how the doctrines of the triune God and the divine attributes shape our understanding of the Christian life. Throughout, Holmes demonstrates the importance of theology for Christian faith and practice.

John William Fletcher (1729-1785) was a seminal theologian during the early Methodist movement and in the Church of England in the eighteenth century. Best known for the Checks to Antinomianism, he established a theology of history to defend the church against the encroachment of antinomianism as a polemic against hyper-Calvinism. Fletcher believed that the hyper-Calvinist system of divine fiat and finished salvation did not take seriously enough either the activity of God in salvation history or an individual believer's personal progress in salvation. Fletcher made the doctrine of accommodation a unifying principle of his theological system and further developed the doctrine of divine accommodation into a theology of ministry. As God accommodated divine revelation to the frailties of human beings, Fletcher argued that ministers of the gospel must accommodate the gospel to their hearers in order to gain a hearing for the gospel without losing the goal of true Christianity. 'True Christianity' contains insights from Fletcher, who devoted himself, according to Wesley, to being 'an altogether Christian'.

For many people, the word 'theology' evokes something dry, academic, irrelevant and disconnected from the everyday concerns of life. We surely would not say that about God, so why is our talk about God any different? In this engaging and accessible introduction, Keith Johnson takes a fresh look at theology. He presents the discipline of theology as one of the ways we participate in the life of the triune God. Without suggesting it should be removed from the academy, Johnson argues that theology has to be integrally connected to the traditions and practices of the church. If academic theology is to be genuinely theological, then it has to be carried out in obedience to Jesus Christ and in service to the church. Unlike other introductions, Theology as Discipleship avoids the usual overview of doctrines according to the creed, which traditionally move from the Trinity to eschatology. Instead, Johnson explains the content of theology by describing the Christian life - being in Christ, hearing God's Word, sharing the mind of Christ. Theology not only leads to discipleship, but is itself a way of following after Christ in faith.

Use this common coping mechanism to help people respond to crises This thoughtful book offers a fresh theological interpretation for the ways people talk about God in times of crisis. A Theology of God-Talk: The Language of the Heart probes the meaning behind phrases like "It must have been God's will" and "The Lord took Uncle Harry." Though many caring professionals dismiss such talk as insensitive or irrational, these phrases offer powerful clues to the speaker's personal religious feelings. A Theology of God-Talk demonstrates the ways that God-talk moves the sufferer through the grief and doubt of the crisis. By recognizing the ways God-talk resembles myth, apocalyptic tale, tragedy, story, and even prayer--all literary categories--the caregiver can begin to help sufferers rewrite their personal narratives in the wake of tragedy. A Theology of God-Talk examines the crucial issues of God-talk, including: common false assumptions about it the theology of God-talk interpretations and misinterpretations how to glean counseling insights from God-talk differing stances for sufferers and survivors of tragedy. Bringing together psychology, theology, and narrative theory, this insghtful and sensitive book offers new ways of looking at this common reaction to crisis. A Theology of God-Talk is an instant classic and an essential resource for pastors, chaplains, therapists, grief counselors, and theologians.

Is there any way to talk theologically about the Trinity and place? What might the 'placedness' of creation have to do with God's triunity? In The Place of the Spirit, Sarah Morice-Brubaker considers how anxieties about place have influenced Trinitarian theology - both what it is asked to do and the language in which it is expressed. When one is nervous about collapsing God into created horizons, she suggests, one is apt to come up with a model of Trinity that refuses place. Distance becomes a primary way of situating the divine persons in relations to each other. Conversely, theologians who wish to avoid a too-remote God likewise recruit Trinitarian language to suit that purpose. They, too, use language that encourages the importance of place, expressing triunity in terms of coinherence and mutual indwelling. And yet, suggests Morice- Brubaker, the question has received full-on attention in other areas of ethics, philosophy, and systematic theology. The Place of the Spirit calls for Trinitarian thought to avail itself of those insights and offers some ways in which it may do so.

Contemporary discussions of problems of selfhood and knowledge have offered a wide range of solutions, from calls for a new Enlightenment (in the face of the resurgence of myth and the irrational), to attempts to "re-enchant the world" (in the face of the growth of an impersonal instrumental Reason). In "Between Vision and Obedience - Rethinking Theological Epistemology," George Ille offers a theological response to these competing views, with the specific purpose of evaluating the present state of epistemological rationality in theology. Ille anchors his concerns historically and thematically through the work of the philosophers Paul Ricouer and G.F.W. Hegel. Invoking theological insights from Eastern and Western philosophies, and seeking recourse to a number of philosophers and theologians from both the continental and analytical traditions, he traces the contours of a theological rationality freed from both modern and post-modern hermeneutical anxieties. He proposes a rationality that follows the drama of God's engagement with the world through dying and resurrection, ascesis and abundance, suffering witness and eucharistic communion. This important text challenges and reframes existing theological and philosophical engagements with hermeneutics and epistemology. The new critical perspective it offers will be an invaluable resource for academics and scholars across the humanities. George Ille is Affiliate Professor of Theology and Philosophy at Asbury Theological Seminary. "George Ille is a fine scholar and a creative mind. His book breaks new ground by both examining a wide range of attempts (and failures) to connect theology and epistemology and by offering insights into the exploration of an explicitly theological epistemology." Paul Copan, Palm Beach Atlantic University. "This is an exceptionally bold exercise that seeks to break the logjam between the continental and analytic traditions. On the one hand, it is firmly rooted in the work of Ricoeur; on the other, it engages the work of Audi. Most importantly, it argues that epistemology can and should be rooted in a robust Trinitarian vision of divine action. This is a sophisticated, learned, and accessible volume that advances the discussion in ways that are both illuminating and surprising." William J. Abraham, Southern Methodist University.

Preaching is a very personal process: a minister or speaker prepares his or her own sermon and presents it to the congregation. Sermons draw upon the Bible as a central source, and the source provides a basis of faith for the believing community. The preaching event is also personal for the individual members of the congregation, who receive the preacher's words, based on a biblical text, in their own unique way. In the synthesis of Biblical text, sermon, and listener response, many testimonies are present. "Preaching and the Personal" is a collection of papers that have been presented at the Society of Biblical Literature. These papers encourage and nurture dialogue among scholars who share an interest in the unique theological problems inherent to the relationship between biblical interpretation and proclamation. Preaching and the Personal opens a stimulating dialogue in the field. J. Dwayne Howell is Professor of Old Testament and Hebrew in the School of Theology at Campbellsville University in Campbellsville, Kentucky, and pastor of the Rolling Fork Baptist Church in Gleanings, Kentucky. He serves as the chair of the Homiletics and Biblical Studies Section of the Society of Biblical Literature. "People do not resist the call to the ministry because they are afraid they will have to prepare church budgets. No, like so many who went before them, they do not feel adequate to accept the responsibility of proclaiming God's word. I encourage all, from neophyte to seasoned preachers, to engage in this fascinating conversation. These preachers and scholars challenge us to reflect upon the crucial issues of identity and authority in the pulpit." Lucy Lind Hogan, Hugh Latimer Elderdice Professor of Preaching and Worship, Wesley Theological Seminary. "This volume provides a much-needed insight into the preaching event. Its title aptly reflects the authors' firm belief that text, preacher, and congregant are all active participants in interpreting and understanding Scripture. Divergent voices have contributed essays, yielding a collection that addresses many kinds of preaching events." Nancy L. deClaisse-Walford, Carolyn Ward Professor of Old Testament and Biblical Languages, McAfee School of Theology."

Theologies of Liberation in Palestine-Israel is a challenging collection of essays concerned with the development of contextualized theologies of liberation in Palestine and the indigenous Palestinian people's struggle for justice and liberation. The innovation of the work stems from the inclusion of indigenous perspectives within its remit and the introduction of new concepts such as civil liberation theology. The collection offers other ways to look at biblical discourses and their impact on the ongoing conflict, ways to live peacefully, ways to be ethical when visiting these conflicted lands, understandings of resource ethics, and even a new way to understand how we approach our understanding of liberation theology. Contributors include well-known scholars from Muslim, Jewish, Christian, Palestinian- Israeli, Indian, American and British backgrounds. This work goes beyond typical academic collections; vast in scope, it will be informative not only to scholars and students but also to peace activists and policymakers. It should be of use not only in academic courses but also for practitioners of conflict resolution, peace, and reconciliation.

Along with his Confessions, The City of God is undoubtedly St. Augustine's most influential work. In the context of what begins as a lengthy critique of classic Roman religion and a defence of Christianity, Augustine touches upon numerous topics, including the role of grace, the original state of humanity, the possibility of waging a just war, the ideal form of government, and the nature of heaven and hell. But his major concern is the difference between the City of God and the City of Man - one built on love of God, the other on love of self. One cannot but be moved and impressed by the author's breadth of interest and penetrating intelligence. For all those who are interested in the greatest classics of Christian antiquity, The City of God is indispensible. This long-awaited translation by William Babcock is published in two volumes, with an introduction and annotation that make Augustine's monumental work approachable. For all those who are interested in the greatest classics of Christian antiquity, The City of God is indispensible. Books 1 - 10 contain Augustine's critique of the Roman religious, political, and intellectual tradition and prepare the way for the great vision of the two cities that he sets out in Books 11-22.

The Reformed tradition in the twenty-first century is increasingly diverse, dynamic, and deeply engaged in a wide variety of global and public issues, from the arts and business to immigration and race to poetry and politics. This book brings together the insights of a diverse group of leading Reformed thinkers--including Nicholas Wolterstorff, Makoto Fujimura, Bruce Ashford, John Witvliet, Ruben Rosario Rodriguez, and James K. A. Smith--to offer a contemporary vision of the depth and diversity of the Reformed faith and its global public impact.

Drawing on stories from the lives of the saints, scripture, and everyday life, Jim Forest opens up the mysteries of the Beatitudes. These ancient blessings, with which Christ began his Sermon on the Mount, are all aspects of communion with God. As Forest shows, they are like rungs on a ladder, each one leading to the next. They appear at the doorway of the New Testament to provide an easily memorized summary of everything that follows, right down to the crucifixion ("Blessed are you who are persecuted") and the resurrection ("Rejoice and be glad").

This book provides a comprehensive description of how evangelicals in Northern Ireland interpreted the "Troubles" (1966-2007) in the light of how they read the Bible. The rich and diverse landscape of Northern Irish evangelicalism during the "Troubles" is ideally suited to this study of both the light and dark sides of apocalyptic eschatology. Searle demonstrates how the notion of apocalypse shaped evangelical and fundamentalist interpretations of the turbulent events that characterized this dark yet fascinating period in the history of Northern Ireland. 'The Scarlet Woman and the Red Hand' uses this case study to offer a timely reflection on some of the most pressing issues in contemporary negotiations between culture and religion. Given the current resurgence of religious fundamentalism in the wake of 9/11, together with popular conceptions of a 'clash of civilizations' and the so-called War on Terror, this book is not only an engaging academic study; it also resonates with some of the defining cultural issues of our time.

Bringing together artifacts, texts, and practices within an interpretive framework that stresses the cultural work performed by saints, Kathleen Ashley presents a comparative study of the cults of the medieval Sainte Foy at a number of the sites where she was especially venerated. This book analyzes how each cult site produced the saint it needed, appropriating or creating whatever was required to that end. Ashley's approach is thoroughly interdisciplinary, incorporating visual, religious, medieval, and women's and gender studies as well as literary studies and social history. She uses the theoretical framework of "cultural work" to analyze how the cult of Sainte Foy was sponsored and received by specific groups in different locales in Europe. The book is comprehensive in terms of historical as well as geographical range, tracing the history of the cult from the early Middle Ages into the present day. It also includes historiographical analysis, examining the way the cults of Sainte Foy have been represented in various historical accounts. Ashley's narrative challenges the boundary between "elite" and "popular" culture and complicates the traditional vernacular vs. Latin language binary. A chief aim of the study is to show how "art" objects always operated in conjunction with other cultural texts to construct a saint's cult. The volume is heavily illustrated, showing artifacts such as stained-glass windows and wall paintings which are not readily available from any other source. This book will be of special interest to scholars in art history, medieval history, gender studies, and religion.

A comprehensive account of the role and work of the Spirit, covering the entire Bible. Written by a team of leading evangelical scholars, including world authorities such as Craig Bartholemew, David deSilva, James D. G. Dunn, Walter Kaiser and Max Turner.Informed by the latest scholarship.

When evangelicals make a mess, who cleans it up? Many today are discarding the evangelical label, even if they still hold to the historic tenets of evangelicalism. But evangelicalism is a space, not just a brand, and living in that space is complicated. As a lifelong evangelical who happens to be a biracial Asian/White millennial, Dan Stringer has felt both included and alienated by the evangelical community and has wrestled with whether to stay or go. He sits as an uneasy evangelical insider with ties to many of evangelicalism's historic organizations and institutions. Neither "everything's fine" nor "burn it all down," Stringer offers a thoughtful appreciation of evangelicalism's history, identity, and strengths, but also lament for its blind spots, toxic brokenness, and complicity with injustice. From this complicated space, we can move forward with informed vision rather than resignation and with hope for our future together.

Christian Ethics and Commonsense Morality goes against the grain of various postmodern approaches to morality in contemporary religious ethics. In this book, Jung seeks to provide a new framework in which the nature of common Christian moral beliefs and practices can be given a new meaning. He suggests that, once major philosophical assumptions behind postmodern theories of morality are called into question, we may look at Christian morality in quite a different light. On his account, Christian morality is a historical morality insofar as it is rooted in the rich historical traditions of the Christian church. Yet this kind of historical dependence does not entail the evidential dependence of all moral beliefs on historical traditions. It is possible to argue for the epistemic autonomy of moral beliefs, according to which Christian and other moral beliefs can be justified independently of their historical sources. The particularity of Christian morality lies not in its particular historical sources that also function as the grounds of justification, but rather in its explanatory and motivational capacity to further articulate the kind of moral knowledge that is readily available to most human beings and to enable people to act upon their moral knowledge.

The rapid advancement of technology has led to an explosion of speculative theories about what the future of humankind may look like. These "technological futurisms" have arisen from significant advances in the fields of nanotechnology, biotechnology and information technology and are drawing growing scrutiny from the philosophical and theological communities. This text seeks to contextualize the growing literature on the cultural, philosophical and religious implications of technological growth by considering technological futurisms such as transhumanism in the context of the long historical tradition of technological dreaming. Michael Burdett traces the latent religious sources of our contemporary technological imagination by looking at visionary approaches to technology and the future in seminal technological utopias and science fiction and draws on past theological responses to the technological future with Pierre Teilhard de Chardin and Jacques Ellul. Burdett's argument arrives at a contemporary Christian response to transhumanism based around the themes of possibility and promise by turning to the works of Richard Kearney, Eberhard Jungel and Jurgen Moltmann. Throughout, the author highlights points of correspondence and divergence between technological futurisms and the Judeo-Christian understanding of the future.

This book offers an original interpretation of the origin and early reception of the most fundamental claim of Christianity: Jesus' resurrection. Richard Miller contends that the earliest Christians would not have considered the New Testament accounts of Jesus' resurrection to be literal or historical, but instead would have recognized this narrative as an instance of the trope of divine translation, common within the Hellenistic and Roman mythic traditions. Given this framework, Miller argues, early Christians would have understood the resurrection story as fictitious rather than historical in nature. By drawing connections between the Gospels and ancient Greek and Roman literature, Miller makes the case that the narratives of the resurrection and ascension of Christ applied extensive and unmistakable structural and symbolic language common to Mediterranean "translation fables," stock story patterns derived particularly from the archetypal myths of Heracles and Romulus. In the course of his argument, the author applies a critical lens to the referential and mimetic nature of the Gospel stories, and suggests that adapting the "translation fable" trope to accounts of Jesus' resurrection functioned to exalt him to the level of the heroes, demigods, and emperors of the Hellenistic and Roman world. Miller's contentions have significant implications for New Testament scholarship and will provoke discussion among scholars of early Christianity and Classical studies.

This book focuses on the comparatively unknown cults of new saints in late-mediaeval Venice. These new saints were near-contemporary citizens who were venerated by their compatriots without official sanction from the papacy. In doing so, the book uncovers a sub-culture of religious expression that has been overlooked in previous scholarship. The study highlights a myriad of hagiographical materials, both visual and textual, created to honour these new saints by members of four different Venetian communities: The Republican government; the monastic orders, mostly Benedictine; the mendicant orders; and local parishes. By scrutinising the hagiographic portraits described in painted vita panels, written vitae, passiones, votive images, sermons and sepulchre monuments, as well as archival and historical resources, the book identifies a specifically Venetian typology of sanctity tied to the idiosyncrasies of the city's site and history. By focusing explicitly on local typological traits, the book produces an intimate and complex portrait of Venetian society and offers a framework for exploring the lived religious experience of late-mediaeval societies beyond the lagoon. As a result, it will be of keen interest to scholars of Venice, lived religion, hagiography, mediaeval history and visual culture.

What is God the Father like? He is the perfect dad, all powerful and his love is unconditional. This study guide looks at what the Bible has to say about Father God: his Love, Power, Grace and Will.

The Incarnation, traditionally understood as the metaphysical union between true divinity and true humanity in the one person of Jesus Christ, is one of the central doctrines for Christians over the centuries. Nevertheless, many scholars have objected that the Scriptural account of the Incarnation is incoherent. Being divine seems to entail being omniscient, omnipotent and omnipresent, but the New Testament portrays Jesus as having human properties such as being apparently limited in knowledge, power, and presence. It seems logically impossible that any single individual could possess such mutually exclusive sets of properties, and this leads to scepticism concerning the occurrence of the Incarnation in history. A Kryptic Model of the Incarnation aims to provide a critical reflection of various attempts to answer these challenges and to offer a compelling response integrating aspects from analytic philosophy of religion, systematic theology, and historical-critical studies. Loke develops a new Kryptic model of the Incarnation, drawing from the Greek word Krypsis meaning 'hiding', and proposing that in a certain sense Christ's supernatural properties were concealed during the Incarnation.

The revival of Trinitarian studies in the twentieth century ushered in a new era of theological innovation. The renewed and dedicated articulation of the Trinity as a doctrine in its own right is indeed noteworthy, but more important and praiseworthy are the recent endeavours of theologians to integrate the doctrine of the Trinity with other Christian doctrines and with the many variegated aspects of the life and ministries of the church. Today, it is common to encounter the term 'Trinitarian' being used as a modifier: Trinitarian worship, Trinitarian ecclesiology, etc. This book presents Thomas F. Torrance as a participant theologian in this integrative paradigm. Because Torrance argues that the Trinity is 'the ground and grammar of theology', his doctrine of salvation is consistently Trinitarian. But how did he formulate his unique Trinitarian soteriology? Communion with the Triune God seeks to answer this question.

Is the doctrine of the Holy Spirit in Christian theology good news or bad news for women? Is the Holy Spirit in traditional Christian doctrine the guardian of the status quo or does it offer the dynamic possibility for change? How do the gifts of the Spirit, ecstatic and relational, inform feminist thinking of the Christian God. Opinions on these key questions vary wildly but are often formulated without coherent theological argument. Feminist theology has a history of questioning God the Father and God the Son - this study begins the theological questioning of God the Holy Spirit. Searching for the Holy Spirit brings feminist pneumatology into discussion with more traditional doctrine of the Spirit, notably the very significant early Christian treatise by Basil of Caesarea, De Spiritu Sancto. The results offer exciting new possibilities for both theology and the place of women in the church.