Bücher von Joseph Boot

For several generations, Christians have bought into a worldview that radically separates the realms of natural and supernatural. But this is not a biblical way of seeing the world, and such a view leads to unwanted, unorthodox, and even pagan conclusions: locating the root of sin in the physical, created world; a belief in the supremacy of human reason; an empirical, value-neutral science, and more. Over against such a position, faithful apologetics recognizes a confrontation between religious worldviews, between opposing philosophies of life that put human understanding (reason) and the various tools of the sciences to different uses, cutting in different directions. Biblically founded Christian apologetics will lay bare this antithesis, pointing people to Christ alone as the one in whom all things find their origin, meaning and resolution. At the heart of our existence, all of life is a continuous response to the Word of God.

This is a work of practical theology and cultural philosophy, demonstrating the religious nature of all human actions and institutions. In The Mission of God, Joe Boot examines the historic biblical perspective on everyday cultural matters, demonstrating the abiding validity and authority of the whole word of God for every area of life.He writes in the introduction, "What is the calling of God's covenant people in history? What is the kingdom of God and how does it manifest itself? What does the reign of God look like and how are we to discern God working? What is the relationship between faith and public morality and policy? What should be the relationship between church and state? Is religious pluralism a biblically compatible and workable theology of state? Does the church have a future in history? Are Christians called to transform cultures? In short, what is the mission of God and what part do we have to play? These questions have become increasingly pertinent for the church today, especially in the Western world, because it is widely recognized that Western civilization is facing an epochal turning point."The Mission of God is an exhortation to rediscover and return to a robust biblical faith in the lordship of Christ for every area of life.

Culture is something we build, something we do with creation; it is the outward expression of a people's worship, in terms of which they cultivate their society, including its law, education, arts and customs and much more besides. Whether we realize it or not, we all participate daily in culture-building of one form or another. The gospel of the kingdom is the good news that Jesus Christ is King of kings and Lord of lords, and that he is at work to redeem this fallen world, remaking it in accordance with his good purposes. To speak of gospel culture, then, is to speak of a total meaning for the cosmos, a design plan. The gospel has something to say about the way we go about all our cultural activities. God's Word is a total structuration of life and thought. If we would see Jesus Christ honoured and worshipped, if we would see our Lord's will done on earth as it is in heaven, then we must faithfully consider the scriptural view of the gospel and its implications for culture. ';Dr. Joseph Bootis a rigorous thinker, uncompromisingly committed to biblical truth and unafraid to articulate it in the boldest way. He is a cultural theologianof the highest order.'P. Andrew Sandlin, Founder and President, Center forCultural Leadership, Coulterville, California, U.S.A.

The apostle Peter wrote that God’s people need to always be ready to make a defense “to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you.” Christians have responded in several ways to this “apologetic mandate,” but what is the most biblically faithful approach? How do we present the Christian story in a culture that denies any overarching story or purpose to the world as we know it? The answer lies in first correctly identifying the nature of the hope that is in us; this hope is grounded in the historical work of Jesus Christ, and in his present reign as Lord and King over all the earth and over every area of human activity.

The fullness and vigour of Christianity has been in decline in the life of the West, the application of gospel truths often limited to personal evangelism and our personal prayer life. But this is a radically narrow view of the Christian mission. In the biblical narrative we see a vision for the mission of God’s people that is nothing less than the faithful worship of God in every area of life and culture – in our laws, educational institutions, politics, and arts, to name just a few.

How should we think about Christian apologetics in a society where people are encouraged to discover, determine and live their own truth? In this short book, Joe Boot explains that Christ-centred gospel witness is about getting to the heart of a person, for the root of unbelief is a heart condition, not a lack of evidence or convincing arguments. Dr. Boot considers some of the prevailing worldviews in the West today, demonstrating that their foundational problem is a refusal to acknowledge Jesus Christ as Lord and King. As we engage in witnessing to the gospel of the Kingdom, the heart and its attachment to cherished lies must be taken into account. Gospel Witness is part of the Cornerstones series of short books for Christians wishing to strengthen their understanding of the scope and implications of the gospel in the twenty-first century.