New Directions in Mission and Evangelization 3 contemplates the relationship between Christian faith and human culture. Representing a variety of branches from the Christian church and located in areas around the world, the contributors express their views on the question of "inculturation" in a text designed for classroom use in courses on mission and world Christianity.

The Scottish theologian John Oman (1860-1939) conceived of God in terms of a personal reality who calls forth - rather than inhibits - freedom, creativity, and responsibility. Although he never wrote a book on God as such, all Oman's thought is based on this conception of God's radically personal nature and gracious - though often challenging - dealing with humanity. This book systematizes the thoughts on God which are scattered throughout Oman's writings, and places Oman in his historical and cultural context of the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. In the picture which emerges, evil and suffering are the result of cosmic independence and human freedom; God's power is revealed not in his ability to override human freedom, but in the patience to deal with its consequences, which include the emergence of moral and physical evil. For Oman, God's face has been revealed most clearly in the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus, whose gracious dealing with men and women shows God to be both eternal Father and abiding Spirit.

A collection of essays that demonstrates that to be effective in the twenty-first century, mission must be prophetic as it encounters other cultures and religious traditions.

"When we speak as mission as dialogue, then, we are about as far away from imagining mission as 'conquering the world for Christ' and missionaries as 'marines of the Catholic Church' as we probably can get. There has indeed been a radical shift, both in the world in which the church does mission and within the church's own consciousness of the goodness and even holiness of that world." These words from one of the essays in this superb collection clearly demonstrate the changing of mission today.

In this volume, Fathers Bevans and Schroeder address a primary challenge faced by Christians missioners today: How can they bring the Christian tradition to interact respectfully and effectively with members of other cultures and traditions from around the globe and still be prophetic?

Opening the Field of Practical Theology introduces students to practical theology through an examination of fifteen different approaches-ranging from feminist to liberationist, Roman Catholic to evangelical, Asian American to Latino/a. After an introduction to the field of practical theology and its broad range of practice today, the book features chapters written by leading experts in the discipline. Each chapter has an identical structure to facilitate comparison, covering historical context, key features and figures, norms and sources of authority, theory-practice, contexts, interdisciplinary considerations, areas of current and future research, and suggested readings. Opening the Field of Practical Theology is an ideal introduction to the field, highlighting the diverse ways practical theology is engaged today.

This is a comprehensive guide to doing theology as part of the Catholic ecclesial community in today's global world. The book bears the hallmark of Bevans's work and experience teaching and doing pastorial work on five continents, bringing together insights garnered over a lifetime.

Mental health issues, stress and chronic illness are the biggest causes of absence from work and loss of productivity in most Western economies. Research and public awareness of this epidemic of physical and mental ill-health among working age people is growing, but our understanding of its impact on company performance and productivity and possible solutions for the future is less advanced. The Healthy Workforce: Enhancing Wellbeing and Productivity in the Workers of the Future examines current challenges and future solutions to understand issues around how we can improve the health of today's and tomorrow's workforce. This book will look at why workforce health is such an important challenge for businesses, governments and for employees today and how this will increase in the future with an ageing workforce. Closely linked to the authors' exploration of health issues in the work context is a focus on the impact of worker health on direct and indirect productivity costs. This book offers practical guidance for professionals on getting started in the delivery of an effective and evidence-based workplace health plan which can enhance and sustain productivity growth in business now and for the future.

Leading Voices from across Christian Traditions Discuss the Mission of the Church What is the mission of the church? Every seminarian and church leader must wrestle with that question. No matter what designation a church uses to describe itself, it must also think critically about why it exists and what it should be doing. In this book, five leading voices representing a range of Christian traditions engage in an enlightening conversation as they present and compare their perspectives on the mission of the church. Each contributor offers his or her view and responds to the other four views. Contributors include Stephen B. Bevans, Darrell L. Guder, Ruth Padilla DeBorst, Edward Rommen, and Ed Stetzer. The book's format is ideal for classroom use and will also benefit pastors and church leaders.

Building on the work and legacy of Darrell L. Guder, Converting Witness: The Future of Christian Mission in the New Millennium constructively explores key questions and new possibilities in the field of missiology in light of the context of world Christianity. The conversation around missional theology and the missional church sought to address the gap between theology and mission and foster renewal within North American Christianity, but the growing consciousness around world Christianity has forced theologians and missiologists to give greater consideration to global cultural diversity. Many of the classic categories and methods-such as church planting, catholicity, and even the term "world Christianity" itself-are in need of fresh examination and thoughtful analysis. The contributors to this volume address a range of important missiological topics, including globalization, interfaith dialogue, integral mission, intercultural hermeneutics, and church practices.

Opening the Field of Practical Theology introduces students to practical theology through an examination of fifteen different approaches-ranging from feminist to liberationist, Roman Catholic to evangelical, Asian American to Latino/a. After an introduction to the field of practical theology and its broad range of practice today, the book features chapters written by leading experts in the discipline. Each chapter has an identical structure to facilitate comparison, covering historical context, key features and figures, norms and sources of authority, theory-practice, contexts, interdisciplinary considerations, areas of current and future research, and suggested readings. Opening the Field of Practical Theology is an ideal introduction to the field, highlighting the diverse ways practical theology is engaged today.

The Scottish theologian John Oman (1860-1939) conceived of God in terms of a personal reality who calls forth - rather than inhibits - freedom, creativity, and responsibility. Although he never wrote a book on God as such, all Oman's thought is based on this conception of God's radically personal nature and gracious - though often challenging - dealing with humanity. This book systematizes the thoughts on God which are scattered throughout Oman's writings, and places Oman in his historical and cultural context of the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. In the picture which emerges, evil and suffering are the result of cosmic independence and human freedom; God's power is revealed not in his ability to override human freedom, but in the patience to deal with its consequences, which include the emergence of moral and physical evil. For Oman, God's face has been revealed most clearly in the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus, whose gracious dealing with men and women shows God to be both eternal Father and abiding Spirit.

This is the first book in English on priesthood in religious life to be published in twenty years. Its fourteen contributors search for new ways forward in the understanding of the distinct identity and ministry of religious men-committed to community, the prophetic lifestyle of vows or promises, and the particular charisms of their congregations-who have also answered the call to priesthood. Essays in this collection include reflections from a bishop, from the perspective of a lay theologian, from an expert in the social sciences, and on Pope Francis's teachings on priesthood. Included as well are essays that are rooted in particular cultural traditions, in spirituality, and in canon law.