Is the Gospel Good News? was the theme of the 2015 H. H. Bingham Colloquium at McMaster Divinity College in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada, held on June 4-5. The fourteen participants in this colloquium presented their own individual perspectives on the theme from three broad vantage points--Bible, theology, and crucial topics. The ""good news"" that Jesus proclaimed concerning the kingdom of God became the ""gospel"" proclaimed by his followers throughout church history. This gospel is about the coming of Jesus Christ in fulfillment of God's will for humanity. This volume presents some accounts of how this good news has been understood through the ages and continues to be understood in relation to some of the major topics and issues of our contemporary world. The papers in the Bible section discuss this good news from both Old and New Testament passages and themes. The papers in the Theology section address theological topics in light of the question of what constitutes the good news. Finally, the papers in the Crucial Topics section explore new and different perspectives on ways in which the gospel is good news. This volume highlights diverse perspectives and proposals by scholars from various locations in different stages of their academic careers, resulting in a stimulating discussion of the topic of the gospel as good news.""Can any 'good news' offset the fact that we live in such a bad-news world? Decidedly 'yes' answer the scholars and ministry practitioners contributing to this volume. Advanced students, pastors, and scholars alike will glean fresh vantage points and truths from interaction with these wide-ranging but skillfully focused studies, all arguing for the continuing validity and viability of the central Christian message. Think 'the gospel' is a yesteryear slogan? Read this for a valuable refresher course.""--Robert W. Yarbrough, Professor of New Testament, Covenant Theological SeminaryStanley E. Porter is President, Dean, and Professor of New Testament, McMaster Divinity College, Hamilton, Ontario. He also holds the Roy A. Hope Chair in Christian Worldview. He is the author of nearly thirty volumes, and has edited over eighty others. One of his latest books is When Paul Met Jesus: How an Idea Got Lost in History.Hughson T. Ong is Assistant Academic Dean and Registrar, and Associate Professor of Biblical Studies at Emmanuel Bible College, Kitchener, Ontario. He is the author of The Multilingual Jesus and the Sociolinguistic World of the New Testament, and of a number of articles and essays on various New Testament topics that use sociolinguistic theories.
The McMaster Journal of Theology and Ministry is an electronic and print journal that seeks to provide pastors, educators, and interested lay persons with the fruits of theological, biblical, and professional studies in an accessible form. Published by McMaster Divinity College in Hamilton, Ontario, it continues the heritage of scholarly inquiry and theological dialogue represented by the College''s previous print publications: the Theological Bulletin, Theodolite, and the McMaster Journal of Theology.
Iran, Israel, and the Jews have a relationship that is in the news all the time. But it cannot be understood just in modern terms. Its roots are 2,500 years old. This volume surveys that history through case studies and broad overviews--from the first intensive contacts under Cyrus the Great, through Persian influence on Judaism evident in the Dead Sea Scrolls and the Babylonian Talmud, into the Middle Ages and the flourishing of Judeo-Persian literature and culture, and finally into modern times, when the political, social, and cultural ties are multifaceted and profound. Written by experts in both Iranian and Jewish studies, these essays convey the richness and complexity of a long and tumultuous relationship between two ancient and great civilizations, which continues to shape the world today.Aaron Koller is Associate Professor of Near Eastern and Jewish Studies at Yeshiva University. He is the author of The Semantic Field of Cutting Tools in Biblical Hebrew (2013), Esther in Ancient Jewish Thought (2014), and Unbinding Isaac (forthcoming).Daniel Tsadik is Associate Professor of Sepharadic and Iranian Studies at the Bernard Revel Graduate School of Jewish Studies at Yeshiva University. He is the author of Between Foreigners and Shi''is (2007), and Jews of Iran and Rabbinic Literature (forthcoming).
Iran, Israel, and the Jews have a relationship that is in the news all the time. But it cannot be understood just in modern terms. Its roots are 2,500 years old. This volume surveys that history through case studies and broad overviews--from the first intensive contacts under Cyrus the Great, through Persian influence on Judaism evident in the Dead Sea Scrolls and the Babylonian Talmud, into the Middle Ages and the flourishing of Judeo-Persian literature and culture, and finally into modern times, when the political, social, and cultural ties are multifaceted and profound. Written by experts in both Iranian and Jewish studies, these essays convey the richness and complexity of a long and tumultuous relationship between two ancient and great civilizations, which continues to shape the world today.Aaron Koller is Associate Professor of Near Eastern and Jewish Studies at Yeshiva University. He is the author of The Semantic Field of Cutting Tools in Biblical Hebrew (2013), Esther in Ancient Jewish Thought (2014), and Unbinding Isaac (forthcoming).Daniel Tsadik is Associate Professor of Sepharadic and Iranian Studies at the Bernard Revel Graduate School of Jewish Studies at Yeshiva University. He is the author of Between Foreigners and Shi''is (2007), and Jews of Iran and Rabbinic Literature (forthcoming).
This volume explores ways of understanding equality and non-discrimination. Drawing on the timeless logic of realist philosophy, Catholic morality, and Catholic social teaching, the authors seek to provide intellectual clarity on many controversial questions. The contributors are lawyers, philosophers, and theologians who offer rich insights into the modern crisis of social thought on equality. They examine various global assaults on human life, marriage, the family, and the natural dignity of masculinity and femininity. They seek to uphold the essential foundations of reality for the attainment of the common good. The contributors attempt to move beyond a positivist mentality in order to evaluate the first principles of the natural law in which all human law is grounded.The various chapters evaluate developments and application of theories of equality and non-discrimination in the history of Western thought; in modern European practice; in contemporary inter-American practice; in the Asian setting; in the Middle East and North Africa; and in the Catholic canon law tradition. The authors strive to restore a universally valid conception of equality and non-discrimination as understood within the Catholic tradition.""A fresh insight into concepts of human dignity and equality from world-renowned experts. A must-read for those seeking a better understanding of sexual orientation, gender identity, and discrimination issues under international law and Catholic teaching.""--Ligia Castaldi, Ave Maria School of LawJane F. Adolphe is an Associate Professor of Law at Ave Maria School of Law, in Naples, Florida, and an expert with the Holy See, Secretariat of State, Section for Relations with States.Robert L. Fastiggi is Professor of Systematic Theology at Sacred Heart Major Seminary, Detroit, Michigan.Michael A. Vacca is a graduate of Ave Maria School of Law who has worked for the Holy See and for Christ Medicus Foundation-CURO in Michigan.
In celebration of Alister E. McGrath''s sixty-fifth birthday in 2018, this Festschrift aims to highlight him as a lauded scholar, who exemplifies an interface of science, theology, and religion. It comprises works by McGrath''s theological allies and colleagues from diverse ecclesial homes including Graham Ward, Oliver Crisp, Tony Lane, Sung Wook Chung, Randall Zachman, Veli-Matti Karkkainen, Jonathan Wilson, Jeffrey P. Greenman, Robert Kolb, Sister Benedicta Ward, Michael Lloyd, Bethany Sollereder, and Patrick Franklin. Critical but appreciative is the posture with which these contributors engage the wide range of McGrath''s own scholarly pursuits and publications. This volume, edited by Dennis Ngien, covers these themes that are central to the life and witness of the church: atonement, Christology, Trinity, eschatology, mission, Reformation, science, nature, culture, evangelism, and theodicy--there is much to ponder and reap here. Readers will join with the contributors and pay tribute to McGrath who has risen to a life of significance as a scientist turned theologian, professor, author, Christian apologist, and churchman.""Alister McGrath is one of the most distinguished scholars of the theology of the Reformation in the world academic community, and this splendid volume is a fitting tribute to his achievements. The thoughtful, incisive work in this collection does full justice to the range of McGrath''s interests and, collectively, attests to the continued relevance of serious scholarship to the role of Christianity in today''s world.""--Andrew Pettegree, University of St. Andrews""Ngien has assembled a fine collection of well-known theologians and essayists whose contributions reflect the breadth of McGrath''s work to Christian theology over many years. This volume is a fitting tribute to McGrath''s influential contributions to the study of the Reformation, the spiritual life of Christian faith, the conversation between theology and science, and, of course, to evangelical theology generally. McGrath''s many students, readers, and admirers will find much to engage their intellects, encourage their thinking, and enliven their souls here.""--Philip G. Ziegler, University of Aberdeen""This collection is a fitting tribute to the depth and range of Alister McGrath''s life work. Written with verve and clarity, the essays explore some of the most challenging issues confronting Christian thinkers today, offering stimulating and often persuasive solutions. These issues include theodicy: why a good and omnipotent God permits evil to exist, especially natural evil--which is not the consequence of human freedom; the mystery of the holy Trinity, the Atonement, original sin and human freedom, Christology and ''the last things'' (eschatology), among others. I have benefited greatly from reading these essays.""--Ian Gentles, Tyndale University College & Seminary, Toronto""Dennis Ngien has edited a most helpful volume. Leading contributors from a variety of ecclesial homes show us the impact and influence of McGrath''s work. Indeed, I am grateful for McGrath''s lucid contribution to Christian theology and to Ngien''s work in promoting its most salutary dimensions.""--Christopher Holmes, University of Otago, New Zealand""As one of the doyens of Christian theology in our era, Alister McGrath is a voice of faith and reason. In this compendium, diverse theological themes are addressed by respected scholars who write as if his faithful and influential voice is whispering in their ears. This is a readable, erudite, and highly Trinitarian work that honors the legacy of the Reformation and reveals the importance of the Christian imaginarium in our time. In essence this is a work of doxology that places God at the center of all things. A must-read for preachers today.""--Andrew Stirling, Senior Minister, Timothy Eaton Memorial Church, Toronto; Fellow of Acadia Divinity College""Alister McGrath''s scholarly output has been both prodigious and dive
The topic of the Internet is vastly underrepresented in the current literature on the intersection of technology and theology. Studies on Internet theology are certainly viewed as a topic of ""special interest,"" relevant--it might be thought--only to eccentric academics and tech geeks. Yet, this book contends that there is no topic more pertinent to our daily walk as contemporary followers of Jesus Christ than the theological implications of the Internet. The twelve essays of this volume, though standalone pieces, also work in conjunction to investigate the themes of community and character formation in the digital realm. A host of interrelated sub-themes are represented in the book, including the application of patristic theology to contemporary Internet praxis, a demonology of the Internet, virtue ethics in cyberspace, and studies that consider the implications of Internet technology on aesthetics, personhood, and the self. Together, the chapters work toward a collaborative, constructive, cruciform theology of the Internet. The Internet is more than a supplementary component to our personal lives; rather, it is a medium of vital connection for the digital communion of the saints through the HTML of cruciform love.""This book is a beautiful example of theological exploration on a component central to the lives of so many people: the internet. The essays diverge in various ways, some more appreciative of the internet''s impact on theology and religious life, others more leery. Those who take theology seriously in an age of internet need to reckon with the powerful ideas in this fine collection!""--Thomas Jay Oord, author of God Can''t, The Uncontrolling Love of God""Through a set of intelligent, well-crafted, and stimulating essays representing a diversity of views, the volume offers constructive tools for a critically faithful Christian engagement with the internet. Ranging from biblical exegesis to political theology and social ethics, Clement of Alexandria to Luther and Levinas, The HTML of Cruciform Love is necessary reading, and should be put in the hands of every seminarian and church leader.""--Ephraim Radner, Wycliffe College""This is a very timely and thought-provoking volume. Theologians formed before the internet even took its hold on contemporary culture will do well to attend to its messages. For there is no reason in principle, of course, why theology of the most demanding and life-changing sort should not be purveyed via this medium, and with great and widespread influence; the problem then is one of discernment, of ascetic choices which the internet as a whole requires of us. The contributors to this exploratory volume are well aware of this challenge and provide rich and reflective essays in response to it.""--Sarah Coakley, University of Cambridge and Australian Catholic University, Melbourne""Drawn from various perspectives-- at times in a ''point'' and ''counter-point'' sequence-- this volume combines robust theological reflection with proactive practices to guide followers of Jesus in this emerging world.""--Glenn Packiam, pastor, author of Discover the Mystery of FaithJohn Frederick is a lecturer in New Testament at Trinity College Queensland. He is the author of Worship in the Way of the Cross (2017). Eric Lewellen is an account manager at Vercross LLC.
Apologetic methodology has been the subject of intense debate in Reformed circles. This book argues that we can test Reformed apologetic methods for consistency using two linchpin theological topics: the doctrine of the resurrection and the doctrine of Scripture. Should apologetics move from establishing theism to the resurrection and then to Scripture? Or should theism, the resurrection, and the doctrine of Scripture be accepted on the testimony of the Holy Spirit as basic beliefs? Alternatively, do these doctrines need to be presupposed and incorporated into a transcendental defense of the faith? After analyzing classical apologetics, historical evidentialism, Reformed epistemology, and presuppositionalism for their apologetic cogency, Steven D. West contends that any method used by Reformed apologists should be able to argue successfully for a high view of Scripture, the source of the doctrine of the resurrection. The book will be useful to everyone interested in the relationship between theology, philosophy, and apologetics.""Debate has raged within evangelicalism regarding proper apologetic methodology with little progress. However, in this very helpful work, West breaks the impasse and navigates current apologetic approaches within Christian theology in a highly readable way. He then argues cogently for a presuppositional method that incorporates the best of the other approaches. In a short space, West not only introduces us to contemporary apologetic polemics, he also points the way forward. I highly recommend this work.""--Stephen J. Wellum, Southern Baptist Theological Seminary""There are at least three reasons why I highly welcome and recommend this book. First, there is the relevance of and necessity for truly Reformed apologetics in these turbulent times. Second, there is a great need for consensus of opinion on the best possible methodology--based on sound philosophical and other principles--in the implementation of Reformed apologetics. And finally, there is a constant and urgent need for sound doctrine on Scripture and the resurrection . . . The depth and honesty of his research add value to Reformed theology in the global context."" --Callie Coetzee, North West University""West writes the way he speaks, with clarity, conviction, coherence, and an appropriate sense of humility. His incisive analysis of Reformed approaches to apologetics convincingly shows the necessity of a presuppositional and transcendental orientation, while taking seriously the important contributions of Reformed apologists from other schools of thought . . . An important primer on Christian apologetics and a valuable addition to the library of student, pastor, and apologist alike.""--Joe Boot, Ezra Institute for Contemporary Christianity Steven D. West is an adjunct professor at Toronto Baptist Seminary where he teaches Research and Philosophy. He is also the pastor of Madoc Baptist Church in Madoc, Ontario.
Martin Luther and Buddhism: Aesthetics of Suffering carefully traces the historical and theological context of Luther''s breakthrough in terms of articulating justification and justice in connection to the Word of God and divine suffering. Chung critically and constructively engages in dialogue with Luther and with later interpreters of Luther such as Barth and Moltmann, placing the Reformer in dialogue not only with Asian spirituality and religions but also with emerging global theology of religions.""After reading I put this book down with great surprise and decided to encourage students and anyone interested in theology in Europe, America and Asia to urgently and repeatedly read it."" --Jurgen Moltmann, Professor Emeritus at the University of Tubingen.""Dr. Chung is engaged in a deeply theological reflection about Buddhism and Protestantism. His work is original and profound."" --John B. Cobb, Jr., Ingraham Professor Emeritus at the Claremont School of Theology ""Of all the ''turns'' in Luther studies, the turn to Asia, so eloquently and powerfully heralded by Paul Chung, might end up being the most significant one both ecumenically and theologically. As a scholar fully conversant with both the best of Western and Asian traditions, Dr. Chung is uniquely qualified for helping us read not only in Buddhist context but also in a wider contextual and global horizon. This is the direction of international systematic-hermeneutical theology for the third millennium!"" --Veli-Matti Karkkainen, Professor of Systematic Theology, Fuller Theological Seminary, and Docent of Ecumenics, University of Helsinki.""The primary goal of interreligious dialogue is mutual creative transformation. For this reason alone, Martin Luther and Buddhism deserves the attention of both Christians and Buddhists."" --Paul O. Ingram, Professor Emeritus, Pacific Lutheran University""The book on Martin Luther and Buddhism by Paul Chung is a fascinating attempt to develop an emancipation theology of religions in the Asian context of poverty and suffering as well as of religious plurality."" --Ulrich Duchrow, Professor of Systematic Theology, University of Heidelberg ""Paul S. Chung''s response to the challenge of religious pluralism is bold, timely, and provocative, as he engages Buddhism in Asia--with its notion of dukkha (suffering)--Luther''s theology of the cross, and Karl Barth''s accent on the universal reign of Jesus Christ."" --Winston D. Persaud, Professor of Systematic Theology, Wartburg Theological Seminary""Bringing together Luther''s theology with Buddhist understanding as embedded in Asian culture is a huge challenge. Dr. Chung takes on this challenge with a far-ranging breadth of knowledge and creative insight, especially for interfaith dialogue."" --Karen L. Bloomquist, Director for Theology and Studies at the Lutheran World Federation and Adjunct Professor of Theological Ethics, Wartburg Theological Seminary Paul S. Chung is Assistant Professor of Lutheran Witness and World Christianity at Wartburg Theological Seminary in Dubuque, Iowa.
This work is a fresh, unusually lucid approach to Christian theology and interfaith dialogue from India. Its basic aim is to examine ""the Christian consciousness of God''s work in history""--redemption history within the entire history of the world. It uses Christian Faith by Friedrich Schleiermacher (1768-1834) as its main text, so as to view this theme ""in a reversed order from the way it is presented there."" This approach, which centers on God''s ""new creation"" in Christ, leads to an incisive understanding of Christianity''s relation to other modes of faith. Throughout, Dr. Kunnuthara compares the thought of another Indian Christian leader steeped in Hindu thought, Pandippedi Chenchiah (1886-1959), to enable renewed interfaith dialogue across a wide spectrum.""Abraham Kunnuthara has written a well conceived and creative book, offering a reading of the Christian Faith that presents its theology ''in reverse''--beginning not from the Introduction but from the theme of redemption in Christ as presented later in Part Two. This strategy opens novel access to the Christological and historical character of Schleiermacher''s dogmatics, insofar as it highlights the point that Christian consciousness of God''s work in history is identical with God''s work in Jesus. The book is an insightful achievement. I will recommend it to students as a solid resource for engaging Schleiermacher.""--Thomas E. Reynolds, author of The Broken Whole: Philosophical Steps Toward a Theology of Global Solidarity ""Kunnuthara innovatively and skillfully crosses boundaries in order to profoundly illuminate Christian experience of divine providence. He creatively works between Indian and Western Christianity, between academic and practical theological discourses, and between doctrinal and experiential starting points. This carefully written book convincingly demonstrates the power of cross-cultural examination of doctrines to enlarge and to refine Christian faith''s self-understanding.""--Catherine L. Kelsey, Dean of the Chapel and Spiritual Life, Iliff School of Theology and author of Thinking About Christ with Schleiermacher and Schleiermacher''s Preaching, Dogmatics, and Biblical Criticism""As the advisor of Kunnuthara''s research, I am happy to commend his work as an Indian professor who is involved in East-West dialogue. He examines Schleiermacher as a bridge to understanding other ways of faith. Using Chenchiah as well, he enables dialogue that is necessary in the contemporary world.""--Lanier Burns, Dallas Theological SeminaryAbraham Varghese Kunnuthara is an East-West trained theologian from the Marthoma Church in South India. He teaches at the Union Biblical Seminary in Pune, Maharashtra, India, a major graduate school serving many smaller denominations there, including those of the lower castes.
As the Protestant Reformers did, so twenty-first-century Christians also recognize the need to distinguish between the true and false church. Thus, they find themselves looking closely at the modern church to determine whether it is a true and faithful church. Today's Christians know that proper criteria are necessary to discern the true church. The most common criteria, wrote John Calvin, are that the Word of God is rightly preached and heard and that the sacraments are administered according to Christ's institution. Moreover, Martin Luther said that suffering is a telltale sign of God's people, while Anabaptist and Reformed Christians included discipline among the distinguishing marks of the church. These standards take on particular poignancy today: The global church continues to live under severe persecution, and the American church, characterized by a lack of discipline, has been wounded by its own sins of chasing sex and power. In this collection of essays, first given at annual meetings of the Evangelical Theological Society, the authors take time to reflect on the Reformational marks of the church in order to help reform Christ's bride. With contributions from: Edward W. Klink III Duane LitfinJ. Stephen YuilleJ. V. FeskoKeith D. StanglinGreg CochranJeremy M. KimbleGuy WatersJustin L. McLendon
Fr. Alexander Schmemann continues to influence liturgical and sacramental theologies some thirty-five years after his death. Despite the wide acceptance within Protestant circles of his timeless classic, For the Life of the World, there has been relatively little written about him from an ecumenical context. This volume of collected essays seeks to explore his theological legacy and further his work. With essays from leading scholars such as David Fagerberg, Bruce Morrill, Joyce Zimmerman, and more, this volume is meant for both teachers and students of liturgical and sacramental theology. In an effort to introduce Schmemann to a wider audience and to celebrate his work through meaningful engagement and dialogue, contributors come from a wide variety of ecclesiastical backgrounds: Anglican, Roman Catholic, Orthodox, Lutheran, Presbyterian, Methodist, Free Church, and more.""The Eucharist is therefore the manifestation of the Church as the new aeon; it is participation in the Kingdom as the parousia, as the presence of the Resurrected and Resurrecting Lord. It is not the 'repetition' of His advent or coming into the world, but the lifting up of the Church into His parousia, the Church's participation in His heavenly glory."" Fr. Alexander Schmemann, Introduction to Liturgical Theology, p. 72.""We have waited too long for exactly this book! Alexander Schmemann was, without question, the most profound liturgical theologian of the twentieth century. Yet, though his writings are eminently relevant to the church in general, up to this point they have been seriously engaged almost exclusively by fellow members of his Orthodox tradition and by members of one of the other 'higher' liturgical traditions. Here, at last, we have a truly ecumenical engagement with Schmemann's thought. Top scholars from a variety of ecclesiastical traditions offer illuminating interpretations of Schmemann's texts, subject his thought to critique when that seems relevant, and then use his ideas in their own theological reflections on liturgy. Altogether, a superb contribution to the cause of liturgical theology.""--Nicholas Wolterstorff, Yale University""In this collection, Orthodox, Catholic, Anglican, Methodist, Reformed, and Evangelical essayists consider the life, work, and thought of Alexander Schmemann, whose contributions to sacramental theology, liturgical and pastoral reflection, and ecumenical engagement remain pertinent today. Readers familiar with Fr. Alexander will find here new interpretations by authors of different generations, while those not yet acquainted will come to understand the Orthodox theologian's connections between theology, liturgy, life, Church, and world.""--Karen B. Westerfield Tucker, Boston University""Porter Taylor assembles an expansive ecumenical group of authors, often from unexpected corners of Christianity, to connect, challenge, and extend Schmemann's work into encounters with new research and questions. What better way to honor such a foundational figure in the field of liturgical theology?""--Lizette Larson-Miller, Huron University""For over fifty years, serious students of Christian worship have been stirred by the writings of the late Orthodox theologian Alexander Schmemann. This volume of equally outstanding essays not only pays tribute to his intellectual legacy, but also advances exciting new lines of inquiry for the next generation of ecumenical liturgical theologians who seek to follow in his footsteps.""--Melanie C. Ross, Yale Divinity School""We Give Our Thanks Unto Thee, edited by Porter C. Taylor, brings together essays that honor Fr. Alexander Schmemann, both with its title, most apt for a eucharistic man, but also by means of its rich content. Roman Catholic, Reformed, Anglican, various evangelicals, and, of course, Orthodox join in offering perspectives by which we can better appreciate the light that continues to radiate to diverse places from this remarkable thinker and pastor, since
This long-standing series provides the guild of religion scholars a venue for publishing aimed primarily at colleagues. It includes scholarly monographs, revised dissertations, Festschriften, conference papers, and translations of ancient and medieval documents. Works cover the sub-disciplines of biblical studies, history of Christianity, history of religion, theology, and ethics. Festschriften for Karl Barth, Donald W. Dayton, James Luther Mays, Margaret R. Miles, and Walter Wink are among the seventy-five volumes that have been published. Contributors include: C. K. Barrett, Francois Bovon, Paul S. Chung, Marie-Helene Davies, Frederick Herzog, Ben F. Meyer, Pamela Ann Moeller, Rudolf Pesch, D. Z. Phillips, Rudolf Schnackenburgm Eduard Schweizer, John Vissers
The essays in this volume are an expression of appreciation of Wendell Lee Willis, who recently retired after a distinguished career as a classroom teacher, colleague, and scholar. Current and former colleagues have written to advance Wendell's research interests in the various contexts of early Christianity, particularly in the apostle Paul, New Testament ethics, and ecclesiology. Essays include discussions of issues related to Paul's correspondence with the church in Corinth and the depiction of Paul in Acts, Jesus's parables, meals, and the religious and socio-political world in which Christianity arose.""An informative, exegetically rich collection of essays exploring a range of ethical issues by relating the biblical text to its historical, social, and ecclesial contexts. This will be a valuable asset to serious biblical interpreters who practice their craft in classrooms and pulpits, and it honors a scholar who has excelled at both.""--Carl R. Holladay, Candler School of Theology ""This excellent volume brings together fifteen essays that are a fitting tribute to Wendell Willis's academic focal points. There are important essays here for anyone sharing his interests in Paul, ethics, and ecclesiology, with an eye to archaeological and sociological studies of early Christianity.""--Allen Black, Harding School of TheologyJames W. Thompson is Scholar in Residence at the Graduate School of Theology at Abilene Christian University. He is the author of the Paideia commentaries on Hebrews (2008) and Philippians (2016); and The Church according to Paul: Rediscovering the Community Conformed to Christ (2014).Richard A. Wright is Associate Professor of New Testament at the Graduate School of Theology at Abilene Christian University. He has published on the cultural world of early Christianity.
The insightful studies contained in this book will be of significant value to anyone interested in experiencing more deeply the intersections between materiality and spirituality. Part 1 introduces readers into Egyptian, Israelite, Christian, and Hindu temples, shrines, or sanctuaries. Part 2 helps readers understand how items of colored fabrics, clothing, robes, and veils, convey ritual meanings. Part 3 reports two panel discussions that exemplify the pathway of fruitful conversation. Matter and spirit might seem to some to be polar opposites. But as these studies by distinguished and diverse scholars demonstrate, spiritual experiences are constructively defined and refined within the coordinates of place and time. Sacred space, as well as sacred cloth, define borders, but not necessarily boundaries, between the sacred and the profane. These material coordinates physically enclose and also spiritually disclose. They both symbolize and synergize, as they encompass and expansively inspire. These original and enjoyable presentations will help all readers to hold tenaciously to the tenets and also the tensions inherent in physical spiritual experiences.""Creative academics are pushing back on the one-hundred-year-old specialization of academic disciplines. These scholars study fields, not narrow disciplines. They do cultural and visual history, and enrich our understanding with 'thick descriptions.' The scholars who have contributed to this fascinating volume make use of a whole array of approaches--including the study of color, smell, space, clothing, music--that, taken together, shed a much needed, more comprehensive and creative light on sacred space and performance.""--James L. Heft, SM, Alton Brooks Professor of Religion, President, Institute for Advanced Catholic Studies at USCJohn W. Welch is the Robert K. Thomas Professor of Law at Brigham Young University's J. Reuben Clark Law School, editor-in-chief of BYU Studies Quarterly, and a Distinguished Scholar in Residence at USC and with the John A. Widtsoe Foundation.Jacob Rennaker is Scholar in Residence and Director of the John A. Widtsoe Foundation.
The publication of Martin Luther's Ninety-Five Theses in 1517 immediately elicited responses from dozens of Roman Catholics in Germany and beyond. While Luther's works and those of his leading supporters have been available in English translation for many years, those of most of his Catholic opponents have not. In order to address this imbalance, win a fairer hearing for the Catholic opposition, and make it possible for students to understand both sides of the sixteenth-century religious debates, translators have drawn on the rich resources of the Kessler Reformation Collection at the Pitts Theology Library to present here introductions to and translations of ten Catholic pamphlets. The volume begins with an essay sketching the larger background for these publications. The editors' hope is that this book will prove useful for teaching and research and will foster a deeper understanding of the sixteenth-century theological discussions by allowing today's readers to hear voices that have been mostly silent in the English-speaking world for centuries.
In North America over the last three decades, no one has thought as long and hard about the nature of the Catholic university, has been so passionate in its avowal, so visionary in its conception, and so persistent in reminding all who would listen that the university is a specifically Catholic achievement and the Catholic university an enduring legacy, as John Cavadini.As the long-time chair of the Department of Theology at the University of Notre Dame and the even longer-serving McGrath-Cavadini Director of the McGrath Institute for Church Life, John C. Cavadini has provided a vision for leadership in Catholic higher education and especially the Catholic university's call to serve the Church with unparalleled creativity, industriousness, and hope. The breadth and wisdom of Cavadini's distinctive leadership is a model for guiding the Catholic university along its unique mission, both within higher education and for the life of the Church. This vision is captured in Cavadini's person and, by extension, in the initiatives, projects, and institutional activities that he has designed and executed. The vision is difficult to see all at once because of its comprehensiveness but, once glimpsed, it shines as a standard by which leadership in Catholic higher education may be measured. This leadership has never been more necessary for the life of the Catholic university and its service to the Church.""Simply put, this is a must-read for Catholics and all students concerned with the Catholic university in twenty-first-century American society.""--Lou Nanni, Vice President of University Relations, University of Notre Dame""John Cavadini has been a master teacher, an effective administrator, and trusted advisor to generations of students. This volume reflects John's great love of the Church and his efforts to make Christ better known, loved, and served.""--Monk Malloy, former President, University of Notre Dame""Both richly theoretical and eminently practical, this is required reading for those seeking to understand Cavadini's view that a university's Catholic identity is not a hindrance to be endured, but a privilege to be celebrated.""--Mark L. Poorman, President, University of PortlandLeonard J. DeLorenzo is Director of Undergraduate Studies and Academic Director of Notre Dame Vision in the McGrath Institute for Church Life with a concurrent appointment in the Department of Theology at the University of Notre Dame. His publications include Witness: Learning to Tell the Stories of Grace that Illumine Our Lives, Work of Love: A Theological Reconstruction of the Communion of Saints, and What Matters Most, and he is the editor of another volume published under a Wipf & Stock imprint: Dante, Mercy, and the Beauty of the Human Person.Timothy P. O'Malley is Director of Education and Academic Director of the Center for Liturgy in the McGrath Institute for Church Life with a concurrent appointment in the Department of Theology at the University of Notre Dame. He is the author of Liturgy and the New Evangelization, Bored Again Catholic, and Off the Hook: God, Love, Dating, and Marriage in a Hookup World
Believers' Churches have their origin in the Radical Reformation of the sixteenth century. Over the past 450 years the movement has included the Brethren, Mennonites, Hutterites, various types of Baptists, and the Restoration Movement. While never a unified denominational structure, the Believers' Churches together have been characterized by a strong personal faith in Christ, a call to discipleship and Christian activism, a high view of the authority of Scripture, and profession of faith in believers' baptism. The Believers' Churches have represented their beliefs in various ecumenical settings, missionary gatherings, and theological conversations.In the late 1950s, representatives of the several Believers' Churches began to meet in a series of conferences to explore their common views on doctrine, history, and ethics. Topics at the conferences have included baptism, Lord's Supper, the nature of the church, and religious voluntarism. In 2016, the 17th Believers' Church Conference was held at Acadia University and sponsored by Acadia Divinity College. The theme was ""The Tendency Toward Separationism Among the Believers' Churches,"" a key recurring characteristic. This volume includes the papers presented at the conference and examines the theme from an immediate post-Reformation perspective, including Baptists, Black Baptists, Restorationists (including the Churches of Christ), the Hutterites, Pentecostals, the role of women, and significantly, the separationist tendency as it occurs in New Religious Movements. Typologies and analyses are provided by leading historians, theologians, and social science specialists.""As a corollary to the 500th anniversary of the Radical Reformation, here is a collection of fresh and scholarly essays that carefully underscores General and Particular Baptists, Black Baptists, Mennonites, Hutterites, Pentecostals, and other Restorationist movements. Taking their cue from the great Brethren historian, Donald Durnbaugh, this nonsectarian volume entitled 'Be Separate' elucidates the meaning of the Believers' Church tradition.""--Chris Chun, Professor of Church History and Director of Jonathan Edwards Center at Gateway Seminary near Los Angeles, California""Since the Reformation, Evangelical Christians have been asked: Why do your churches proliferate? Isn't separation a sign of division? Or does separation mask a deep unity? The excellent historical, theological, and social essays herein offer profound answers to these important questions. Every Christian thought leader should read this timely treasure from the Believers' Church Tradition, but especially scholars who are Baptist, Mennonite, Church of Christ, Brethren, Pentecostal, or Free Church.""--Malcolm B. Yarnell III, Research Professor of Systematic Theology, Southwestern Seminary""I am grateful to Dr. Brackney for capturing the major themes of that specific group of congregations known as Believers' Churches. The reader will be informed and inspired by the deeply held biblical and theological convictions of those leaders of this movement in the immediate post-reformation period. The breadth of contributors and academic disciplines represented add to the value and weight of this book."" --Harry Gardner, President, Acadia Divinity College, Dean of Theology, Acadia UniversityWilliam H. Brackney is currently the Pioneer MacDonald Professor of Baptist Studies and Ethics at Carey Theological College in Vancouver, BC. Evan L. Colford is an MA student in Baptist Studies at Acadia University in Wolfville, Nova Scotia, Canada, and serves as pastor of Berwick Baptist Church, Berwick, Nova Scotia.
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