Pope Francis has taken the world by storm, captivating Catholics, Protestants, and non-Christians alike. Sneaking out of the Vatican at night, washing the feet of inmates, and taking selfies with young fans is certainly unlike any religious leader we've seen in a while, and some of the religious establishment is uneasy about it. The revitalization Francis is bringing to the Catholic Church is not without precedent, however. Jesus had a similar effect in his day, drawing crowds with his humility, kindness, and wisdomaEURO"even as he drew the disapproval of established religious leaders. The things that have brought Francis such media attention are the same things that made Jesus so peculiar and attractive in his day. Thoughtful examination of Jesus' example and legacy, as well as an honest look at the similarities and differences between Catholic and Protestant faith, invites reflection on the heart of Christianity and how we relate to our fellow Christians. Readers will discover the power of heartfelt joy, radical love, and passion for justice to shake people out of religious complacency and into dynamic, contagious faith. Jesus, Pope Francis, and a Protestant Walk into a Bar looks at what is universal among Christians, what is unique to Catholics and Protestants, and how all Christians can practice understanding and cooperation across differences. Perfect for individual or group use, discussion questions are also included to encourage further thought and conversation.

This volume is the first in a series of publications on the interface between ecumenical theology and social transformation in the (South) African context. It focuses on the significance but also the contested nature of reconciliation as one expression of a guiding moral vision for South Africa. It includes a leading essay by Ernst Conradie and responses to the theme by Mary Burton, Fanie du Toit, Sarah St Leger Hills, Demaine Solomons and Vuyani Vellem.

This volume exhibits the engaging and challenging work of public and ecumenical theologian Piet Naude. The collection of 26 essays, written over three decades, constitutes an important contribution to public theology by critically and creatively evaluating diverse pathways through the landscape of Ecumenical, African and Reformed theologies.

What is it like in that church across the street? When "that church" is Roman Catholic and the person asking the question is a Protestant, this question can be very hard to answer. Do you actually know what Catholics do? Do you know what they believe? What difference does it make? Rev. Dr. Robert LaRochelle is extraordinarily well qualified to answer the question. He grew up and was educated in the Roman Catholic Church. He was ordained a deacon. Eventually he chose to move to a Protestant denomination and is now an ordained minister in the United Church of Christ. But he isn't an angry ex-Catholic. In this book he will list for you the key beliefs and practices that distinguish protestants from Roman Catholics. But this book is not just a catalog of differences and similarities. Bob LaRochelle approaches this topic with a serious interest in dialog, in learning from one another, and in ecumenical outreach. This book is intended for any Christian, but it will be especially useful to parents in multi-faith households, to church congregations with an interest in Christian community, and to religious education programs. It is a companion volume to the forthcoming book What Roman Catholics Need to Know about Protestants, also by Bob LaRochelle.

This volume is the second in a series of publications on the interface between ecumenical theology and social transformation in the (South) African context. It explores the underlying tensions in the ecumenical movement from within the South African context by analysing various notions of what ecumenicity entails. It includes a leading essay by Ernst Conradie and 13 responses to the theme by experts in the field.

One of the most divisive issues in Western Christianity since the Reformation is the question of how humans are justified by God. In 1999, after many decades of ecumenical dialogue, Lutherans and Roman Catholics have declared that this issue of 'justification by faith' is no longer a cause of division between them. One of the fascinating features of this Joint Declaration on the Doctrine of Justification (JDDJ) is that it expresses a 'differentiated consensus' on justification. The method of differentiated consensus is generally regarded as an important methodological step forward in the ecumenical dialogue. It has been used and referred to in ecumenical documents published after 1999. But what are its meaning and implications? This study attempts to clarify the method of differentiated consensus by (1) investigating the process of doctrinal rapprochement which led up to the JDDJ, (2) examining the way the consensus takes shape in the document itself, (3) analyzing arguments offered by critics and advocates of the official dialogue and (4) reflecting on the concept of doctrinal difference.

About the Contributor(s): Brian Arthur Brown is the designer of A Diagram of Sources of the Pentateuch, featured in the sequel to this book, Forensic Scriptures. A minister of the United Church of Canada, he lives in Niagara Falls with his wife, Jenny.

The first general survey of relations between Protestants and Catholics in America during the past half century will be welcomed not only by social historians but by clergymen and laymen interested in the development of constructive interfaith relations. Lerond Curry has traced the major trends in this fifty-year period and analyzed the underlying factors that influenced them. Much of his account is based on correspondence and personal interviews with people who took part in the events and movements he describes. The rapid growth of Catholic population just before World War I, along with increasing urbanization and tensions related to the war itself, produced a period of intense religious conflict often expressed in violence. After the campaign of 1928, religious leaders made earnest efforts to ameliorate these conflicts, but with the appointment of a United States representative to the Vatican in 1939, hostilities again arose. Nevertheless, Curry finds that in the middle fifties more mature interfaith relationships began to appear, and after Vatican Council II, Protestant-Catholic dialogue developed a new depth.

There is no doubt that ecumenism occupies a prominent place in the history of the church in the twentieth century: countless churches have been renewed through encounter with Christian brothers and sisters in other confessions and cultures. But it is not clear that this ecumenical impulse will continue to figure prominently in the church's story. In this book, Michael Kinnamon argues that the ecumenical movement, which has given such energy and direction to the church, needs to be reconceived in a way that provides renewing power for the church in this era - and he shows how this might happen. He names the problems with ecumenism, identifies strengths and accomplishments upon which the church now can build, and suggests practical, concrete steps we can take in the direction of revitalization, especially at the local level.