Born into a sharecropping family in New Hebron, Mississippi, in 1930, and only receiving a third-grade education, John M. Perkins has been a pioneering prophetic African American voice for reconciliation and social justice to America's white evangelical churches. Often an unwelcome voice and always a passionate, provocative clarion, Perkins persisted for forty years in bringing about the formation of the Christian Community Development Association--a large network of evangelical churches and community organizations working in America's poorest communities--and inspired the emerging generation of young evangelicals concerned with releasing the Church from its cultural captivity and oppressive materialism.

John M. Perkins has received surprisingly little attention from historians of modern American religious history and theologians. "Mobilizing for the Common Good" is an exploration of the theological significance of John M. Perkins. With contributions from theologians, historians, and activists, this book contends that Perkins ushered in a paradigm shift in twentieth-century evangelical theology that continues to influence Christian community development projects and social justice activists today.

In this book, established scholars from different religions, regions, and disciplines continue the dialogue that Veli-Matti Karkkainen began in his A Constructive Christian Theology for the Pluralistic World series and respond to his work in light of their diverse expertise and context. Each of the three parts focuses on a key area of Karkkainen's engaging work: 1) highlighting how his method shaped each volume, 2) highlighting his commitment to global perspectives, and 3) highlighting his interreligious and interdisciplinary dialogue partners. Together, these essays seek to deepen and extend the impact of Karkkainen's work, taking it seriously as a substantive model for contemporary systematic theology in listening and engaging with this world.

An examination of the rise of political evangelicalism and what it tells us about the relations between religion, race, and politics in America This timely book investigates the increasing visibility and influence of evangelical Christians in recent American politics with a focus on racial justice. Peter Goodwin Heltzel considers four evangelical social movements: Focus on the Family, the National Association of Evangelicals, Christian Community Development Association, and Sojourners. The political motives and actions of evangelical groups are founded upon their conceptions of Jesus Christ, Heltzel contends. He traces the roots of contemporary evangelical politics to the prophetic black Christianity tradition of Martin Luther King, Jr., and the socially engaged evangelical tradition of Carl F. H. Henry. Heltzel shows that the basic tenets of King's and Henry's theologies have led their evangelical heirs toward a prophetic evangelicalism in a shade of blue green-blue symbolizing the tragedy of black suffering in the Americas, and green symbolizing the hope of a prophetic evangelical engagement with poverty, AIDS, and the environment. This fresh theological understanding of evangelical political groups shines new light on the ways evangelicals shape and are shaped by broader American culture.

Born into a sharecropping family in New Hebron, Mississippi, in 1930, and only receiving a third-grade education, John M. Perkins has been a pioneering prophetic African American voice for reconciliation and social justice to America's white evangelical churches. Often an unwelcome voice and always a passionate, provocative clarion, Perkins persisted for forty years in bringing about the formation of the Christian Community Development Association--a large network of evangelical churches and community organizations working in America's poorest communities--and inspired the emerging generation of young evangelicals concerned with releasing the Church from its cultural captivity and oppressive materialism.

John M. Perkins has received surprisingly little attention from historians of modern American religious history and theologians. "Mobilizing for the Common Good" is an exploration of the theological significance of John M. Perkins. With contributions from theologians, historians, and activists, this book contends that Perkins ushered in a paradigm shift in twentieth-century evangelical theology that continues to influence Christian community development projects and social justice activists today.

Chalice Introduction to Disciples Theology offers a comprehensive introduction to theology and ethics from the standpoint of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ). Including a broad range of Disciples authors, the text represents the racial-ethnic, generational, and theological diversity that characterizes the denomination from a postmodern and postcolonial view. Contributors include: D. Newell Williams, James O. Duke, Verity Jones, William J. Nottingham, Hee An Choi, William Tabbernee, W. Clark Gilpin, Kristine A. Culp, Don Browning, Clark M. Williamson, Rita Nakashima Brock, Dyron Daughrity, Victor L. Hunter, Sharon E. Watkins, Keith Watkins, Thomas F. Best, Belva Brown Jordan, Stephanie A. Paulsell, Kay Bessler Northcutt, Mark Miller McLemore, Darryl Trimiew, Joe R. Jones, William Wright, Boseale Eale, Karen-Marie Yust, Bonnie J. Miller-McLemore, Joseph D. Driskill, Angel Luis Rivera-Agosto, Michael K. Kinnamon, Michael St. A. Miller, Carmelo ?lvarez, Christobal Mareco Lird, Don A. Pittman, Carlos F. Cardoza-Orlandi, and Peter Goodwin Heltzel

In Resurrection City Peter Heltzel paints a prophetic picture of an evangelical Christianity that eschews a majority mentality and instead fights against racism, inequality, and injustice, embracing the concerns of the poor and marginalized, just as Jesus did. Placing society's needs front and center, Heltzel calls for radical change and collective activism modeled on God's love and justice. In particular, Heltzel explores the social forms that love and justice can take as religious communities join together to build -beloved cities.- He proclaims the importance of -improvising for justice- -- likening the church's prophetic ministry to jazz music -- and develops a biblical theology of shalom justice. His vision draws inspiration from the black freedom struggle and the lives of Sojourner Truth, Howard Thurman, and Martin Luther King Jr. Pulsing with hope and beauty, Resurrection City compels evangelical Christians to begin -a global movement for love and justice- that truly embodies the kingdom of God.