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Books > Religion & Spirituality > Christianity > Christian theology
Hans Kung's Global Responsiblity, published in 1991, marked an
important new stage in his work. On the one hand it led to his
magisterial books on Judaism and Christianity, and on the other
hand it led to the Declaration toward a Global Ethic, approved by
the Parliament of the World Religions in 1993, and the setting up
of the Global Ethic Foundation of which he is president. This book
marks a further practical step forward. In it Kung enters into a
detailed examination of current ethical issues in politics and
economics in a way which will surprise those who regard him solely
as a theologian. Discussed at every stage of its creation with
experts in politics and economics, his argument shows a quite
remarkable grasp of contemporary issues and has that professional
touch which is so much a hallmark of all that he has written. Can
politics break all the rules, whether in international politics,
domestic questions or in their personal lives? Is power everything,
and do the means justify the end? These are the questions dealt
with in the first part, which offers historical surveys of
Realpolitik and more idealistic attempts at an alternative along
with discussions of the war in former Yugoslavia and the Gulf War.
Is the welfare state doomed? Is the market a law to itself? Does
the future lie with the transnational companies? How much scope is
there fore ethics in a business world which increasingly seems to
be dominated by financial scandals? These are the issues in the
second part. As well as tackling all these difficult questions in
depth, Hans Kung offers his own concrete suggestions for a more
humane social order. His vision will fascinate all those concerned
for a better world, of all religious beliefs or none. Hans Kung was
President of the Global Ethic Foundation in Tuebingen, Germany.
The author of "The Gospel of" "Inclusion" continues to rouse
organized religion as he raises controversial issues and provides
enlightening answers to the deepest questions about God and faith.
What is God? Where is God? Who is the one true God? Questions such
as these have driven a thousand human struggles, through war,
terrorism, and oppression. Humanity has responded by branching off
into multiple religions, including Christianity, Judaism,
Islam--each one pitted against the other. But it doesn't have to be
that way.
In "God Is Not a Christian, nor a Jew, Muslim, Hindu" . . ., the
provocative and acclaimed Bishop Carlton Pearson follows up on his
celebrated first book, "The Gospel of Inclusion," to tackle these
questions and many more, exploring new ideas about God and faith
and putting forth the stunning assertion that God belongs to no
particular religion but is an ever-loving presence available to
all. For these beliefs, Bishop Pearson lost his thriving
Pentecostal ministry but was catapulted instead into a greater
pulpit. His readership has grown through appearances on national
television and an extensive speaking schedule. With the world in
the midst of a holy war, there is no better time for the wisdom of
Bishop Pearson to reach a global audience.
Bishop Pearson's many loyal fans, along with new readers, will
surely welcome this provocative and eye-opening exploration of a
deeper faith, one that goes far beyond any fundamentalist way of
thinking, be it Christian, Jewish, Muslim, Hindu, etc. Simply put,
Bishop Pearson dares to tell the truth so many others are too
afraid to face.
Leo Tolstoy (1828-1910) was the author of the classic novels "War
and Peace" and "Anna Karenina". In mid-life, he underwent a deep
moral and spiritual crisis that led him back to the gospels in an
effort to conform his life to the spirit of Christ. This book
focuses on his spiritual writings: autobiographical reflections on
his journey of faith; commentaries on the gospels; and, essays on
the essence of Christianity.
Christian theatre has rich roots, from ancient Hebrew dramas to
medieval plays, but where does it fit in today's media-saturated
society?
"Performing the Sacred "is a fascinating dialogue between a
theologian and theatre artist, offering the first full-scale
exploration of theatre and theology. The authors illuminate the
importance of live performance in a virtual world, of preserving
the ancient art form of storytelling by becoming the story.
Theologically, theatre reflects Christianity's central
doctrines--incarnation, community, and presence--enhancing the
human creative experience and simultaneously engaging viewers on
multiple levels.
This Engaging Culture series title will be a key volume for those
interested in theatre as well as drama practitioners, worship
leaders, and culture makers.
Why Jesus? is a concise and easy-to-read study of the very real questions surrounding Jesus that your guests might be thinking about when first attending your church or Alpha:
- Who is Jesus?
- Why do we need Him?
- Why did He have to die?
- Why is He relevant to my life today?
These booklets are an effective evangelistic tool to pass out to guests at your services or at Alpha, sharing the Gospel in a warm and relevant way. Alpha is based on a pattern found in the New Testament of people bringing their friends, family, and work colleagues to meet Jesus. Alpha is an easy way to say to friends, "Come and see, come and explore your questions, come and hear about Jesus, come and see for yourself." Everyone is welcome at Alpha, but the program is designed especially for people who would not describe themselves as Christians or church-goers.
In 1988 Virginia Fabella from the Philippines and Mercy Amba
Oduyoye from Ghana coedited With Passion and Compassion: Third
world Women Doing Theology, based on the work of the Women's
Commission of the Ecumenical Association of Third World Theologians
(EATWOT). The book has been widely used as an important resource
for understanding women's liberation theologies, in Africa, Asia,
and Latin America emerging out of women's struggles for justice in
church and society. More than twenty years have passed and it is
time to bring out a new collection of essays to signal newer
developments and to include emerging voices.
Divided into four partsContext and Theology; Scripture;
Christology; and Body, Sexuality, and Spiritualitythese carefully
selected essays paint a vivid picture of theological developments
among indigenous women and other women living in the global South
who face poverty, violence, and war and yet find abundant hope
through their faith.
Was Jesus divine? Was Jesus human? Could God suffer? Can people
save themselves by their own efforts? Do Christian ministers have
to be perfect? These and other questions were answered by the early
Christian Church so as to rule in certain orthodox beliefs and rule
out certain heretical beliefs. Anyone could be a Christian, but a
Christian could not believe simply anything. Here, twelve top
theologians, all practising Christians, tackle ancient heresies and
show why the contemporary Church still needs to know about them.
The contributors argue that heresies are never finally defeated but
always continue in some form or other as live options for belief.
Christians therefore need to remember what these great early
heresies were and why they were ruled out, or else risk falling
prey to their modern-day manifestations. The essays included here
are scholarly but accessible, academic but highly relevant. They
show how attractive and plausible heresies are and how the Church
has always required intellectual effort, moral courage and
political skill to resist them.
Craig Keener carefully examines the New Testament Gospels and the
book of Acts to provide a fuller understanding of what the Holy
Spirit meant in the lives of early believers. Christianity did not
arise in a vacuum, but rather it appropriated, modified, and
utilized the Jewish understanding of the work of the Holy Spirit.
By understanding the world in which Christianity emerged, we can
better understand the earliest believers' experience of God's
empowering and purifying Spirit. This paperback edition contains a
new preface by the author.
What is so creative and fruitful about Anne Hunt's work on the
Trinity is her unique focus on interconnections. She adopts this as
a theological method, insightfully exploring the interconnections
between the Trinity and other mysteries of Christian faith. - Denis
Edwards, Flinders University School of Theology.
With clear writing---technical terms kept to a minimum---and a
contemporary approach, emphasizing how each doctrine should be
understood and applied by present-day Christians, Making Sense of
Who God is explores the existence of God through inner knowledge
and evidence found in Scripture and in nature. Topics include but
are not limited to Traditional Proofs for God s Existence: covering
cosmological, teleological, ontological, and moral evidence of the
Creator; The Trinity: the three distinct persons each equal to the
whole being of God; Creation: including the assertion that, when
all the facts are understood, there will be no final conflicts
between Scripture and natural science; and God s Providence: the
Creator s continued involvement with all created things and human
actions that make a difference within God s providence. Written in
a friendly tone, appealing to the emotions and the spirit as well
as the intellect, Making Sense of Who God is helps readers overcome
wrong ideas, make better decisions on new questions, and grow as
Christians."
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