Pastors and leaders of the classical church--such as Augustine, Calvin, Luther, and Wesley--interpreted the Bible theologically, believing Scripture as a whole witnessed to the gospel of Jesus Christ. Modern interpreters of the Bible questioned this premise. But in recent decades, a critical mass of theologians and biblical scholars has begun to reassert the priority of a theological reading of Scripture. The Brazos Theological Commentary on the Bible enlists leading theologians to read and interpret Scripture for the twenty-first century, just as the church fathers, the Reformers, and other orthodox Christians did for their times and places. In this addition to the series, esteemed theologian Robert W. Jenson presents a theological exegesis of Ezekiel.

Robert Jenson offers a systematic theologian's careful reading of the Song of Songs. Jenson focuses on the overt sense of the book as an erotic love poem in order to discover how this evocative poetry solicits a theological reading. Jenson finds a story of human love for God in this complex poetic book and offers a commentary that elucidates and inspires.

How does the church understand the relation between its Scripture and its creedal formulations? No one is more qualified to address that question than Robert W. Jenson, who shows how canon and creed work together and interact and that neither is an adequate or sufficient to guide Christian faith without the help of the other. His book will enable contemporary interpreters and teachers, pastors, and laity to deal with the questions and tensions that are always present as the church seeks to hold canon and creed together.

"Robert Jenson deserves to be studied as one of the more creative theologians in America today. It is perhaps due to his wisdom in the ways of this world that each of his books leaves the reader impatient to hear more. If his work in the future proves to be as stimulating as that in the past, we will not be disappointed." Christopher L. Morse Union Theological Seminary, New York "For those who have experienced genuine confusion about sacraments, Jenson's book is a breath of fresh air." Donald H. Juel Luther Theological Seminary, Saint Paul, Minnesota "Saint Augustine's distilled description of sacraments, 'visible words, ' is used by the systematic theologian Robert Jenson to title this important book. In attempting something so deceptively simple as 'to explain Christianity's sacraments, ' the author is remarkably successful." William S. Adams Vancouver School of Theology "Jenson is especially helpful in his discussion of the sacraments as communication events. One wishes great influence for this book in the Christian churches for it surely will assist the liturgical dialogue among them." John Barry Ryan Manhattan College, Bronx, New York Robert W. Jenson is a leading American Lutheran theologian. He has taught at many institutions, including Luther College in Decorah, Iowa, the Lutheran Seminary in Gettysburg, and Saint Olaf College in Northfield, Minnesota. With Carl Braaten, he founded the Center for Catholic and Evangelical Theology in Northfield, Minnesota. He was a Senior Scholar for Research at the Center for Theological Inquiry in Princeton, New Jersey, where he now resides. Among his many books are his two-volume Systematic Theology, Lutheranism: The Theological Movement and Its Confessional Writings (with Eric Gritsch), and A Map of Twentieth-Century Theology (editor with Carl Braaten).

Here Robert Jenson offers a systematic theologian's careful reading of the Song of Songs. Jenson focuses on the overt sense of the book as an erotic love poem in order to discover how this evocative poetry solicits a theological reading. Jenson finds a story of human love for God in this complex poetic book and offers a commentary that elucidates and inspires.

Interpretation: A Bible Commentary for Teaching and Preaching is a distinctive resource for those who interpret the Bible in the church. Planned and written specifically for teaching and preaching needs, this critically acclaimed biblical commentary is a major contribution to scholarship and ministry.

Since the Council of Ephesus (A.D. 431), orthodox Christianity has confessed Mary as "Theotokos, "Mother of God." Yet neither this title nor Mary's significance has fared well in Protestant Christianity. In the wake of new interest in Mary following Vatican II and recent ecumenical dialogues, this volume seeks to makes clear that Mariology is properly related to Christ and his church in ways that can and should be meaningful for all Christians.

Written with insight and sensitivity by Orthodox, Catholic, and Protestant scholars, these seven studies inquire into Mary's place in the story of salvation, in personal devotion, and in public worship.

Contributors: Carl E. Braaten
Lawrence S. Cunningham
Kyriaki Karidoyanes FitzGerald
Beverly Roberts Gaventa
Timothy George
Robert W. Jenson
Jaroslav Pelikan
David S. Yeago

The Princeton Proposal is a landmark statement on the present situation and future possibilities of modern ecumenism. Drafted by sixteen theologians and ecumenists from various church traditions, who met over a period of three years in Princeton, New Jersey, this document seeks to steer contemporary efforts at church unity away from social and political agendas, which are themselves divisive, and back to the chief goal of the modern ecumenical movement -- the visible unity of Christians worldwide, of all those who are reconciled in one body through the cross.

Since the study group that produced this statement was instituted and its participants were chosen by an independent ecumenical foundation, the Center for Catholic and Evangelical Theology, their unofficial work presents especially profound and creative reflection on the ecumenical task. With this report the study group members do not claim to speak "for" their churches, but hope to speak "to" all the churches out of shared concern for the founding ecumenical imperative that they all may be one . . . so that the world may believe.

Signatories of the Princeton Proposal: William Abraham
Mark Achtemeier
Brian Daley
John H. Erickson
Vigen Guroian
George Lindbeck
Lois Malcolm
Bruce McCormack
R. R. Reno
Michael Root
William G. Rusch
Geoffrey Wainwright
Susan K. Wood
Telford Work
J. Robert Wright
David Yeago

Since Socrates, the effort to understand ourselves precisely as human has been the central occupation of Western thought. In this profound treatise Robert Jenson shows that all philosophical attempts to accurately think the self are doomed to failure and that the category "human" is itself "unthinkable without reference to God.

As Jenson says at the outset of his book, the problem of anthropology is that the very concepts we need to use when we talk about ourselves as human resist being thought. "On Thinking the Human explains why this is so. Under chapter titles that reflect the problem's different facets -- "Thinking Death," "Thinking Consciousness," "Thinking Freedom," "Thinking Reality," "Thinking Wickedness," and "Thinking Love" -- Jenson limns the difficulty inherent in each concept and then shows how the unthinkable becomes thinkable in light of the triune God of Scripture.

Carefully constructed and skillfully worded, "On Thinking the Human will be valued by anyone reflecting deeply on what it means to be human.

In modern theology the last things of traditional Christian doctrine have largely been ignored or replaced with various metaphysical, psychological, or ethical reinterpretations of Christianity. This volume takes the biblical vision of the future seriously once again, explaining the significance of Christian eschatology for the faith and theology of the contemporary church.

Written by nine front-ranking Christian thinkers, "The Last Things offers fresh interpretations of the major themes in eschatology. Wolfhart Pannenberg begins the volume by laying out the challenges of eschatological reflection in today's world. Carl E. Braaten speaks to our need to recover the apocalyptic imagination that defines both the early church and the gospel itself. Robert W. Jenson explores the nature of the eschaton. Paul D. Hanson discusses the relationship between the Bible and politics. Arland J. Hultgren looks at eschatology in the New Testament, particularly Jesus' own view of the future. David Novak compares and contrasts the Jewish and Christian approaches to God and history. John A. McGuckin focuses in depth on the book of Revelation. Philip D. W. Krey describes Martin Luther's understanding of the Apocalypse. Last, George L. Murphy asks what contributions science might make to the study of eschatology.

Recognizing that the doctrine of the last things has been a source of disagreement in the history of the church, the contributors offer ecumenical perspectives on their respective topics, together casting a promising image of the future for the whole church.

"Church Unity and the Papal Office" provides the first theological and ecumenical response to Pope John Paul II's encyclical "Ut Unum Sint" ("That All May Be One"). Scholars representing Anglican, Orthodox, Lutheran, Methodist, and Evangelical churches, offer fresh perspectives on this pivotal document, calling for a "patient and fraternal dialogue" concerning the ministry of the papal office, in the service of church unity. Contributors include Carl E. Braaten, Edward Idris, Cardinal Cassidy, Brian E. Daley, S.J. Joseph-Augustine DiNoia, O.P. Robert, W. Jenson, Richard J. Mouw, Stephen W. Sykes, Geoffrey Wainwright, George Weigel, and David S. Yeago.

Sin, death, and the devil, called "the unholy trinity" by Martin Luther, are the classic biblical tyrants. This volume, which takes its cue from John Paul II's description of Western society as a "culture of death," unveils the faces of sin, death, and the devil in modern culture. Far from being pessimistic, however, these engaging chapters by eight recognized theologians take care to affirm God's victory over the diabolical forces that oppress humanity--a victory continually realized through the proclamation of the gospel and the sacraments of the church. Contributors: Gary A. Anderson, Carl E. Braaten, Vigen Guroian, Stanley Hauerwas, Robert W. Jenson, Gilbert Meilaender, Richard John Neuhaus, and A. N. Williams.

Martin Luther once listed seven "marks" of the church-those defining ecclesial features that show where the true church is to be found. This insightful volume brings together essays by ten leading Catholic, Episcopal, Lutheran, Methodist, and Orthodox theologians, each analyzing one of the seven traditional marks of the church and discussing how it is found, or not found, in today's churches. Writing about each "mark" of the church are these scholars: Gerhard O. Forde and Richard Lischer on proclamation; Susan K. Wood and John H. Erickson on baptism; K. Paul Wesche and Richard A. Norris Jr. on the eucharist; David S. Yeago on the office of the Keys; Carl E. Braaten on ordination; Robert W. Jenson on catechesis; and William J. Abraham on discipleship. The picture of contemporary church life that is developed by these authors is grim, but their analyses and practical suggestions are both constructive and necessary.

This book introduces the English-speaking world to the new Finnish interpretation of the theology of Martin Luther, initiated by the writings of Tuomo Mannermaa of Helsinki University. At the heart of the Finnish breakthrough in Luther research lies the theme of salvation. Luther found his answer to the mystery of salvation in the justifying work of Christ received through faith alone. But Protestant theology has never enjoyed a consensus on how to interpret the Reformation doctrine of justification by faith. In opposition to the traditional forensic understanding of justification, Mannermaa argues that for Luther "Christ is really present in faith itself." Mannermaa's interpretation of Luther's view of justification is thus more ontological and mystical than ethical and juridical. As such, his work challenges a century of scholarly opinion concerning a foundational doctrine of Protestant theology.

The chapters of this book offer informed perspectives on a "theology of the world," exploring the question: How does/should the church relate to the secular world? The standard dogma of the 1960s was Let the world set the agenda! Such a perspective has often caused the American church merely to reflect, rather than to inform and lead, the society in which it lives. Surely, say the authors of this volume, it must be the other way around. Contributors: Robert Benne, Robert W. Jenson, Carl E. Braaten, Gilbert Meilaender, Christopher R. Seitz, Anthony Ugolnik, George Weigel, Robert L. Wilken