Search

In 1972, renowned Canadian philosopher and theologian Bernard Lonergan published Method in Theology. Now, following the fiftieth anniversary of his landmark work, The Wisdom of Order presents the next step in advancing the thought of this significant religious theorist. In addition to the previously compiled Collected Works of Bernard Lonergan, this book aims to provide an appreciation and exploration of Method in Theology. It analyses the first five chapters of the work with commentaries to help readers traverse Lonergan's thought more effectively and deeply. John D. Dadosky presents compelling exposition and observations to assist readers. The book explores questions related to the philosophical status of beauty, which Lonergan does not address. In addition to Lonergan's three stages of meaning, the book also seeks to develop a fourth stage that pertains to the turn to alterity emphasizing positive relations with other cultures and religions. As a result, The Wisdom of Order critically analyses an important groundbreaking work while also highlighting areas for further development.

Dutch theologian Herman Bavinck (1854--1921) found himself between two eras. The end of the'long nineteenth century'and the experience of World War I marked how much the world around him had changed. This book examines Bavinck's theological methodology with a particular focus on its influence by the German historicist movement. Author Cameron D. Clausing uses Bavinck's doctrine of the Trinity to test the argument that while not embracing all of the relativizing implications of the movement, the role of history as a force that both shapes the present and allows for development into the future has a demonstrable influence on Bavinck's theological methodology. To make this argument Clausing considers Bavinck's larger nineteenth-century context. He traces the development of both history and theology being understood as sciences in the university and how this required a reimagining of both disciplines. It could be said that theology was thoroughly historicized in the nineteenth century. The book considers the three principia of Bavinck's theological methodology: Revelation; Confession; and Christian Consciousness. When considering revelation, Clausing focuses on Bavinck's argument that revelation takes its shape from the Triune God. He demonstrates how Bavinck understood the incarnation and Pentecost to be the pinnacles of divine self-revelation. When looking at confession, the author argues that Bavinck retrieved theological insights from early modern Reformed orthodoxy, particularly in the way Bavinck engaged with the Synopsis Purioris Theologiae. Finally, the book examines how Bavinck did not think that a particular time in the past was a'golden age'of theology, but that theology had to continue to develop. Therefore, as Clausing investigates Bavinck's understanding of the Christian consciousness, he demonstrates how Bavinck saw the need for theology to continue to develop and change. He demonstrates this in all parts by an examination of Trinitarian theology showing that Bavinck engaged with and developed his Trinitarian theology in light of nineteenth-century philosophical categories, particularly the language of'absolute divine personality'.

Reflections from a prolific and seasoned theologian John Frame is remarkable for his ability to pair profound thought with lucid prose. On Theology: Explorations and Controversies gathers concise reflections on wide-ranging matters of theology, philosophy, and ethics, divided into eight parts: - Theological Method - The Thomist Controversy - Systematic Theology - Essays from Lexham Survey of Theology - Essays from The Gospel Coalition's Concise Theology - Philosophy and Apologetics - Ethics and Politics - Personal ReflectionsWhether considering age-old questions or current debates, Frame evokes deep thinking about Christian theology in a style that is accessible and engaging.

Why does bad theology happen to good people? Is it even possible for theology to go'bad'? On the one hand, the answer ought to be ‘no'. It comes from God, so how can it be bad? Yet theology is predominately human construct, and as a result, humans can influence their theological conclusions with their own desires and beliefs. The result, more often than we care to admit, is ‘bad theology'. Drawing on a careful definition of ‘bad theology'as theology which denies human flourishing, avoids self-reflection and doesn't seek justice and equality, Leah Robinson offers a series of penetrating case studies which show what bad theology can look like when put into action. As we look at how theology can be bad, she argues, we might begin to understand how it might be better.

For centuries it has been discussed whether systematic theology is a scientific discipline. But it is not obvious what is meant by either'systematic theology'or'scientific discipline'. Michael Agerbo Mørch presents an understanding of systematic theology as a tripartite discipline and science as a rationally justified public discourse about a given topic. Systematic theology is shown to meet the most generally accepted criteria for scientific work, since its theories can be tested and even falsified in an intersubjective setting. This can be done by the most proper tool we have for assessing and comparing scientific theories, which is coherence theory. Therefore, even though systematic theology is a distinct and normative discipline, it is not compromising for its theories because it can present its theses in a transparent way that can be checked and criticized by peers and compared to relevant alternatives. As such, the book shows that systematic theology is a scientifically strong discourse that meets accepted criteria to the same degree as other disciplines.

This volume proposes a method for reading Milton's De Doctrina Christiana as an artifact of his process of theological thinking rather than as a repository of his doctrinal views. Jason A. Kerr argues that reading in this way involves attention to the complex material state of the manuscript along with Milton's varying modes of engagement with scripture and various theological interlocutors, and reveals that Milton's approach to theology underwent significant change in the course of his work on the treatise. Initially, Milton set out to use Ramist logic to organize scripture in a way that drew out its intrinsic doctrinal structure. This method had two unintended consequences: it drove Milton to an antitrinitarian understanding of the Son of God, and it obliged him to reflect on his own authority as an interpreter and to develop an ecclesiology capable of sifting divine truth from human error. Consequently, Milton's Theological Process explores the complex interplay between Milton's preconceived theological ideas and his willingness to change his mind as it develops through the layers of revision in the manuscript. Kerr concludes by considering Paradise Lost as a vehicle for Milton's further reflection on the foundations of theology—and by showing how even the epic presents challenges to the fruits of these reflections. Reading Milton theologically means more than working to ascertain his doctrinal views; it means attending critically to his messy process of evaluating and rethinking the doctrinal views to which his prior study had led him.

In Pentecostal Hermeneutics in the Late Modern World, L. William Oliverio, Jr. offers a series of forays into the places where late modernity and Pentecostalism have met in interpreting God, the world, and human selves and communities. Oliverio provides a historical, constructive, and ecumenical approach to understanding current trajectories in Pentecostal interpretation as he engages a variety of philosophers and theologians. Together, these essays point to a way forward for Pentecostal hermeneutics in the context of the late modern world.

This book focuses on the ethnographic study of Catholicism and media. Chapters demonstrate how people engage with the Catholic media-scape, and analyse the social, cultural, and political processes that underlie Catholic media and mediatization. Case studies examine Catholic practices in North America, Western and Eastern Europe, Latin America, South-East Asia, and Africa, providing a truly comparative, de-centred representation of global Catholicism. Illustrating the vibrancy and heterogeneity of Catholicism world-wide, the book also examines how media work to sustain larger global Catholic imaginaries.

Christianity is often viewed in Asia as a Western imposition. Challenging this, Dr. Jerry Hwang examines the Old Testament's cultural engagement of its ancient Near Eastern context, arguing that Scripture itself provides the ultimate model for contextualizing theology in Asia. While it is common for missiological studies to ignore the Old Testament in their discussion of contextualization, truly biblical contextualization must include the whole Bible, not simply the New Testament. This study provides insightful discourse between the Old Testament and various Asian contexts, while demonstrating how Asian perspectives can help overcome the Eurocentrism prevalent in Old Testament scholarship. This is an ideal resource for scholars and practitioners interested in a biblical perspective of contextualization, especially as related to constructing theology that honors the truth of Scripture in the context of Asia.

Radikalkonstruktivistische Ansätze werden in der Theologie bislang eher zurückhaltend aufgegriffen. Zu groß scheint die Sorge, mit einer solchen Erkenntnistheorie, die alle Wahrnehmung und Erkenntnis als Konstruktion versteht, die Verbindlichkeit der eigenen Rede zu riskieren. Wenn auch Gott zum Konstrukt wird, wie kann man dann noch verbindlich Theologie treiben? Jonas Maria Hoff greift diese Vorbehalte auf und kontert sie in ausführlichen Analysen mit möglichen Vorzügen eines Theoriekontakts von radikalem Konstruktivismus und (Fundamental-)Theologie. Dabei setzt er Schwerpunkte in der Auseinandersetzung mit den Themen Religiosität, Mystik, Paradoxalität und Normativität.

This volume examines what it means to proceed in the path of wisdom by beginning with fear of God, that is, mindfulness always and everywhere of God's being and presence. Michael Allen describes the praxis of fearing the Lord, how that posture of contemplative pursuit marks the theological task and defines our theological method; in so doing it takes up the significant topics of divine revelation, theological exegesis, intellectual asceticism, and retrieval/ressourcement from a distinctly doctrinal perspective. In each of these conversations, doing theology in the presence of God functions as a consistent thread. God is not mere object but truly functions as subject in the process of theological growth, though God's presence and agency fund rather than negate creaturely theological responsibility.The Fear of the Lord: Essays on Theological Method explores some of the most central questions of contemporary theological method – revelation, Scripture, theological interpretation, retrieval, intellectual asceticism, scholastic method – by asking in each and every case what it means to think fundamentally of the perfect and present God involved and active in these spheres.

Guilds and conferences have grown up around historical theology, yet no volume has ever been dedicated to the definition and illustration of the method undergirding historical theology. This volume both defines and illustrates the methodology of historical theology, especially as it relates to the study of early Christianity, and situates historical theology among other methodological approaches to early Christianity, including confessional apologetics, constructive theology, and socio-cultural history. Historical theology as a discipline stands in contrast to these other approaches to the study of early Christianity. In contrast to systematic or constructive approaches, it remains essentially historical, with a desire to elucidate the past rather than speak to the present. In contrast to socio-historical approaches, it remains essentially theological, with a concern to value and understand the full complexity of the abstract thought world that stands behind the textual tradition of early Christian theology. Moreover, historical theology is characterized by the methodological presupposition that, unless good reason exists to think otherwise, the theological accounts of the ancient church articulate the genuine beliefs of their authors. The significance of this volume lies in the methodological definition it offers. The strength of this volume lies in the fact that its definition of the historical method of studying theology is not the work of a single mind but that of over twenty respected scholars, many of whom are leaders in the field. The volume begins with an introductory essay that orients readers to various approaches to early Christian literature, it moves to two technical essays that define the historical method of studying early Christian theology, and then it illustrates the practice of this method with more than twenty essays that cover a period stretching from the first century to the dawn of the seventh.

Pope John XXIII called the Second Vatican Council so that the Church's doctrine might be'more widely known, more deeply understood, and more penetrating in its effects.'However, since the close of the Council in 1965, the results are wanting. Rather than announcing the gospel boldly in the present age, the Church has been seemingly reduced to silence. How did she lose her voice? How did the structures of proclamation, intended to hand on the Catholic faith, devolve and even contribute to vaporizing a Catholic culture? Because He Has Spoken to Us traces such developments from fixed points drawn from the fluid theology of Karl Rahner to their postmodern condition--successive steps that usher in the crisis by subduing, dismissing, and silencing the tradition. This postconciliar anthropocentric structure can now be better understood, critiqued, and displaced by a Ratzingerian approach. Rather than embracing a'given'demanded by contemporary context, Ratzinger proposes the revelation of the Logos in Jesus Christ as the'given,'the true object of Christian faith. His alternate proposal requires the courage to face the full scope of the Christian structure, accessed through the Church's tradition, and a willingness to proclaim the gospel personally and with humble confidence.

Dieses praxiserprobte Lehrbuch führt auf dem neuesten wissenschaftlichen Stand in die Methodik kirchengeschichtlichen Arbeitens ein. Es bietet eine grundlegende Orientierung zur Kirchengeschichte und begleitet in Verbindung mit einer zugehörigen Website Studium und Lehre vom Proseminar bis zum Examen. Zahlreiche Grafiken, Beispiele und Praxishinweise unterstützen den Einsatz in Seminaren und beim Selbststudium. utb+: Zum Buch gibt es eine redaktionell betreute Website, die aktuelle Informationen und Links zu wichtigen Internetseiten, interaktive Repetitorien, Digitalisate von Quellen sowie Literaturhinweise bietet.

Das Nachdenken über Gott muss konkret werden. Unser eigenes Gottesverhältnis wird dabei ausdrücklich. So entsteht eine Vielfalt des Nachdenkens über Gott, die sich auch in den Texten der jüdisch-christlichen Tradition spiegelt. Die Disziplinen der wissenschaftlichen Theologie verdanken sich dieser Vielfalt. Eine enzyklopädische Theologie bedeutet immer auch ein Nachdenken über uns selbst und über unsere Welt. Die Vorträge der 22. Jahrestagung der Rudolf Bultmann Gesellschaft für Hermeneutische Theologie e.V. bieten einen aktuellen Ausschnitt dieses gemeinsamen Nachdenkens über Gott (mit Beiträgen von Friedhelm Hartenstein, Eberhard Hauschildt, Bernd Kuschnerus, Andreas Lindemann, Friederike Nüssel, Martin Ohst). [Thinking about God. Theology in the Concert of Disciplines] Reflection on God must become concrete. Our own relationship with God becomes explicit. In this way, a diversity of reflection about God is created, which is also reflected in the texts of the Jewish-Christian tradition. The disciplines of scholarly theology owe this diversity. An encyclopedic theology always also means a reflection on ourselves and on our world. The lectures of the 22nd Annual Conference of the Rudolf Bultmann Society for Hermeneutic Theology offer a current excerpt of this common reflection on God (with contributions by Friedhelm Hartenstein, Eberhard Hauschildt, Bernd Kuschnerus, Andreas Lindemann, Friederike Nüssel, Martin Ohst).

In Learning the Language of Scripture, Mark Randall James offers a new account of theological interpretation as a sapiential practice of learning the language of Scripture, drawing on recently discovered Homilies on the Psalms by the influential early theologian Origen of Alexandria (2nd-3rd c. C.E). Widely regarded as one of the most arbitrary interpreters, James shows that Origen's appearance of arbitrariness is a result of the modern tendency to neglect the role of wisdom in scriptural interpretation. James demonstrates that Origen offers a compelling model of a Christian pragmatism in which learning and correcting linguistic practice is a site of the transformative pedagogy of the divine Logos.

This book introduces a new'multilateral'methodology for the contemporary study of theology. It bases this methodology on the idea that there are too many materials contributing as sources for theologizing to sustain the'one method fits all'approach found in many systematic theologies within Christianity. What is needed instead is something that reflects the various and varied natures, purposes, and tasks of theologians'theologizing for their respective contexts.Engaging materials from a range of Christian traditions, including Evangelicalism, the Catholic Magisterium, and a limited range of pan-Orthodox resources, the book analyzes and assesses major factors that have shaped different streams of theology. Addressing doctrinal development, scripture and revelation, historical tradition and creeds, philosophy and truth, sciences and interdisciplinarity, experience, religious pluralism, and culture, it demonstrates how these various streams can form a multilateral whole. The book concludes by examining the centers and peripherals of methodologies in theologization for a spectrum of theological traditions/streams, both across and beyond Christianity. By offering an approach that keeps in step with the increasingly interconnected and pluralistic world in which we live, this book provides a vital resource for any scholar of Christian theology, constructive theology, contextual theologies, and systematic theology, as well as religious studies.

Christianity has an inherent capability to assume, as its novel mode of expression, the local idioms, customs, and thought forms of a new cultural frontier that it encounters. As a result, Christianity has become multicultural and multilingual. What is the role of theology in the imagination and articulation of Christianity's inherent multiculturalism and multi-vernacularity? Victor Ezigbo examines this question by exploring the nature and practice of contextual theology. To accomplish this task, this book engages the main genres of contextual theology, explores echoes of contextual theological thinking in some of Jesus's sayings, and discusses insights into contextual theology that can be discerned in the discourses on theology and caste relations (Dalit theology), theology and primal cultures (African theology), and theology and poverty (Latin American liberation theology).

This book advances that history by exploring stories, images and discourses across a worldwide range of geographical, cultural and confessional contexts. Its twelve authors not only enrich our understanding of the significance of the contextual method, but also produce a new range of original ways of doing theology in contemporary situations. The authors discuss some prioritised thematic perspectives with an emphasis on liberating paths, and expand the ongoing discussion on the methodology of theology into new areas. Themes such as interreligious plurality, global capitalism, ecumenical liberation theology, eco-anxiety and the anthropocene, postcolonialism, gender, neo-pentecostalism, world theology, and reconciliation are examined in situated depth. Additionally, voices from Indigenous lands, Latin America, Asia, Africa, Australia, and Europe and North America enter into a dialogue on what it means to contextualise theology in an increasingly globalised and ever-changing world.Such a comprehensive discussion of new ways of thinking about and doing contextual theology will be of great use to scholars in Theology, Religious Studies, Cultural Studies, Political Science, Gender Studies, Environmental Humanities, and Global Studies.

“Our God is a God of surprises... Am I open to the God of surprises?”—Pope Francis, 2014Responding to this challenge, Surprised by God explores what it means to reflect on life and our journey of faith. Theological reflection has been primarily used in academic training for ministry preparation, but it is an essential tool for any person pondering Pope Francis'questions.Christina Zaker provides an in-depth look at the foundational elements of theological reflection including definitions and guidance through various methods. Offering a lens for reflection based on the unique way Jesus'parables surprise and invite listeners to collaborate in the reign of God, the book foregrounds the importance of reflection as a spiritual practice committed to justice.Reveling in the many ways God surprises us, we learn how to respond to the invitation of faith with open minds and hearts.

Faith Thinking provides a stimulating introduction to some vital questions of method in Christian theology. The book argues that faith commitments are necessary not in theology alone but in all serious acts of our knowing anything at all as human beings. Knowledge, in other words, is always bound to be the outcome of some process of'faith seeking understanding.'Fresh consideration is given too in this book to relationships obtaining between the authoritative canon of Scripture, tradition, and'reason'in the theological task. Finally, in this new edition an important reevaluation is undertaken of the potentially explosive impact of'truth claims'in a post-truth world.

The world has shrunk in the processes of globalization, and the old ways of actively ignoring plurality in theology are no longer viable. Contextual differences between different Christian traditions and theologies are highly visible due to improved communications and migration. These differences also witness that this plurality has existed since the very beginning of Christianity. Religious studies demonstrate that no religion is pure and hermetically sealed from others, but they all are syncretistic in the sense of giving and taking. In the world of religions, where boundaries are porous and the internal plurality of Christianity is vast, there is a temptation either to reject the plurality in a fideistic manner or succumb to relativism. The first solution is intellectually hard to defend, and relativism is often seen as detrimental to Christian identity. This book proposes a way of recognizing the contextual and syncretistic dimensions of pluralism while not surrendering to relativism. Christian identity and tradition can be affirmed while staying open to the challenges of pluralism.

In The Holy Spirit and Christian Experience, Simeon Zahl presents a fresh vision for Christian theology that foregrounds the relationship between theological ideas and the experiences of Christians. He argues that theology is always operating in a vibrant landscape of feeling and desiring, and shows that contemporary theology has often operated in problematic isolation from these experiential dynamics. He then argues that a theologically serious doctrine of the Holy Spirit not only authorizes but requires attention to Christian experience. Against this background, Zahl outlines a new methodological approach to Christian theology that attends to the emotional and experiential power of theological ideas. This methodology draws on recent interdisciplinary work on affect and emotion, which has shown that affects are powerful motivating realities that saturate all dimensions of human thinking and acting. In the process, Zahl also explains why contemporary theology has often been ambivalent about subjective experience, and demonstrates that current discourse about God's activity in the world is often artificially abstracted from experience and embodiment. At the heart of the book, Zahl proposes a new account of the theology of grace from this experiential and pneumatological perspective. Focusing on the work of the Holy Spirit in salvation and sanctification, he retrieves insights from Augustine, Luther, and Philip Melanchthon to present an affective and Augustinian vision of salvation as a pedagogy of desire. In articulating this vision, Zahl engages critically with recent emphasis on participation and theosis in Christian soteriology, and charts a new path forward for Protestant theology in a landscape hitherto dominated by the theological visions of Barth and Aquinas.

This study guide introduces gospel of John, also known as the Fourth Gospel, from an ideological perspective. First, Lozada deals with the key historical questions about how we come to understand John's historical identity. Lozada explores debates around how scholars construct a picture of who, where, when, and why John was written helping readers to recognize how scholars construct an historical identity for John. Second, Lozada introduces literary questions related to John such as its structure, plot, and narrative development, showing readers on how an ideological reading is constructed. Finally Lozada devotes three chapters to key ideological themes in the gospel related to otherness, such as the portrayal of women, the Samaritan woman, and “the Jews.”

In the 21st century, Lutheran theology takes place on a global level. Just as the Lutheran communion has spread into all parts of the world, so also theology is now practised in a variety of linguistic and cultural contexts. For this reason, the United Evangelical Lutheran Church of Germany (VELKD), in cooperation with the German National Committee of the Lutheran World Federation, is starting a series of English translations of current VELKD publications. The first volume contains five texts by well-known German theologians on core topics of the Lutheran Church: Theology (Michael Roth), Worship (Christian Lehnert), Congregations (Martin Kumlehn), Ecumenism (Bernd Oberdorfer) and Church Law (Hendrik Munsonius). [Was bedeutet Lutherisch? Beiträge zu Theologie, Gottesdienst, Gemeinde, Ökumene und Kirchenrecht] Lutherische Theologie im 21. Jahrhundert ist global. So, wie die lutherische Gemeinschaft auf der ganzen Welt vertreten ist, so wird heute auch Theologie in einer Vielzahl sprachlicher und kultureller Kontexte getrieben. Aus diesem Grund eröffnet die Vereinigte Evangelisch-Lutherische Kirche Deutschlands in Kooperation mit dem Deutschen Nationalkomitee des Lutherischen Weltbundes eine Reihe mit englischen Übersetzungen aktueller VELKD-Publikationen. Den Auftakt macht in diesem Band eine Zusammenstellung von fünf Texten bekannter deutscher Theologen zu Kernthemen der Kirche aus lutherischer Perspektive: Theologie (Michael Roth), Gottesdienst (Christian Lehnert), Gemeinde (Martin Kumlehn), Ökumene (Bernd Oberdorfer) und Kirchenrecht (Hendrik Munsonius).

This book narrates a reflexive account of the'doing'of contextual theology at the Jesuit School of Theology (JST) of Santa Clara University. The collection explores practicing contextual theology in the classroom and beyond, in service, international immersions, interreligious dialogue, and mission. This collection narrates the story of contextual theology at JST: how the School came to select this theological method and how it guides the vision and mission of the School; how contextual theology shapes pedagogy and work in the classroom; how contextual theology and education flourish in ministerial praxis in the local intercultural San Francisco Bay Area; and more.

To celebrate the 270th anniversary of the De Gruyter publishing house, the company is providing permanent open access to 270 selected treasures from the De Gruyter Book Archive. Titles will be made available to anyone, anywhere at any time that might be interested. The DGBA project seeks to digitize the entire backlist of titles published since 1749 to ensure that future generations have digital access to the high-quality primary sources that De Gruyter has published over the centuries.

A Discerning Church presents a theological model for these changing times. It examines the thought of Bernard Lonergan and offers an assessment of the significance of Pope Francis and the church since the Second Vatican Council. It then explores major insights and issues such as ecclesial reform, globalization, and sexuality, that will impact the future of the church.

Theological Reflections: Methods, offers a comprehensive collection of models of theological reflection. By bringing this diverse collection together in one place, the editors create a unique reference work that allows a clear and visible contrast and comparison as each model is treated formally and in a standard format. Throughout each chapter the distinguishing features of the model are examined, the geneology and origins are discussed, worked examples of the model applied to contemporary theology are provided, and critical commentary, future trends and exercises and questions are provided. Now firmly established as an essential text on theological reflection, this new edition has been revised and updated with a new introduction, updated examples, and refreshed bibliographies

A'how-to'manual for doing theology, and a handbook of etiquette for doctrinal discussions with other believers.Around a table sit men and women with distinct roles: The Interpreter, the Theologian, the Virtuous, the Philosopher, the Scientist, the Artist, the Minister, and the Historian. Each is ready to engage in a passionate discussion centered on God, his works, and his ways. Regardless of which role you play at the same table, you're invited. You simply need to pull up a chair and join the conversation. But how? What do you say when you take your seat? Where do you start? What are the'rules'of the dialogue?A Practical Primer on Theological Method will help you answer these questions. This primer is not only a'how-to'manual for doing theology, but a handbook of etiquette for doctrinal discussions with other believers. This popular-level introductory text presents the proper manner, mode, and means of engaging fruitfully in theology.

In the first volume of Essays in Ecumenical Theology Ivana Noble depicts differences between what she calls a sectarian outlook and one which engages in the search for common roots, dialogical relationships and shared mission in a world that has largely become post-Christian, but often also post-secular. Drawing on both Western and Orthodox scholarship, and expressing her own positions, Noble sketches what ecumenical theology is, how it is linked to spirituality, the methods it uses, how it developed during the twentieth century, and the challenges it faces. Specific studies deal with controversial interpretations of Jan Hus, Catholic Modernism, the problematic heritage of the totalitarian regimes, and responses to the current humanitarian crisis.

Restless for rootedness, many Christians are abandoning Protestantism altogether. Many evangelicals today are aching for theological rootedness often found in other Christian traditions. Modern evangelicalism is not known for drawing from church history to inform views on the Christian life, which can lead to a'me and my Bible'approach to theology. But this book aims to show how Protestantism offers the theological depth so many desire without the need for abandoning a distinctly evangelical identity. By focusing on particular doctrines and neglected theologians, this book shows how evangelicals can draw from the past to meet the challenges of the present.

This book contains Lecture transcripts, entire courses and articles the author has produced in the last 16 to 17 years in a highly cross-cultural setting by lecturing and designing a number of undergraduate and graduate courses addressing seminary students in Africa, Asia and the Caribbeans. Most of these texts are in English, and only four articles are in German. There is also a strong emphasis on Comparative Religion focusing on African Traditional Religion, Buddhism, Islam and Christianity. A comprehensive subject index concludes the material covered in this book. It can be used as a complementary textbook in high quality seminary courses at undergraduate and graduate level.

En las últimas décadas ha surgido un nuevo movimiento que lleva las herramientas conceptuales de la filosofía analítica a la reflexión teológica. La llamada teología analítica, busca traer una claridad de pensamiento y un uso disciplinado de la lógica al trabajo de la teología cristiana constructiva. En esta introducción a la teología analítica para especialistas y no especialistas por igual, Thomas McCall expone lo que es y lo que no es. La meta de este campo creciente y energético no es la eliminación de todo misterio en la teología. Al mismo tiempo, insiste en que el misterio no debe confundirse con la incoherencia lógica. McCall explica las conexiones de la teología analítica con las Escrituras, la tradición cristiana y la cultura, usando estudios de caso para iluminar su discusión. Más allá de la mera descripción, McCall llama a la disciplina a un compromiso más profundo con los recursos tradicionales de la tarea teológica. En esta introducción a la teología analítica para especialistas y no especialistas por igual, Thomas McCall establece lo que es y lo que no es. El objetivo de este campo creciente y energético no es la eliminación de todo misterio en teología. Al mismo tiempo, insiste en que el misterio no debe confundirse con la incoherencia lógica.

In einer Zeit, in der sich unterschiedliche und zuweilen widersprechende Wahrheiten nahezu täglich neu Geltung verschaffen, müssen die Wahrheits- und Geltungsansprüche des christlichen Glaubens überprüft und in einer steten Interpretation der biblischen Texte vergegenwärtigt werden. Sich in den vielfältigen Deutungen der Großbegriffe zu orientieren und theologische und philosophische Konkretionen zu formulieren, hat sich die 20. Jahrestagung der Rudolf-Bultmann-Gesellschaft für Hermeneutische Theologie zur Aufgabe gemacht. Der Sammelband dokumentiert deren Erträge. 20 Jahre waren auch Anlass für eine Rückschau. Neben zwei Beiträgen der beiden Vorsitzenden findet sich deshalb auch eine Übersicht zu den Vorstandsmitgliedern sowie zu den Themen und Vorträgen der Jahrestagungen. Mit Beiträgen von Volker Gerhardt, Corinna Körting, Michael Labahn, Malte Dominik Krüger, Isolde Karle, Ulrich H. J. Körtner und Christof Landmesser. [Truth – Faith – Validity. Theological and Philosophical Concretions] In a time where different and sometimes contradicting truths assert themselves almost on a daily basis the claim of truth and validity of the Christian faith must be reappraised and envisioned through a constant exegesis of biblical texts. The focus of the 20th Annual Meeting of the Rudolf Bultmann Society for Hermeneutical Theology was on finding an orientation in the various interpretations of main concepts and on formulating theological and philosophical concretions. This volume documents the outcome. The 20th anniversary has also been a reason for retrospect. Therefore, overviews of board members as well as topics and lectures from the Annual Meetings are accompanying two articles by the presidents of the board.

Impossible God introduces Derrida's theology for a new generation interested in Derrida's writings and in the future of theology, and clarifies Derrida's theology for those already familiar with his writings. Derrida's theological concerns are now widely recognised but Impossible God shows how Derrida's theology takes its shape from his earliest writings on Edmund Husserl and from explorations into Husserl's unpublished manuscripts on time and theology. Rayment-Pickard argues that Derrida goes beyond both the nihilism of the'death of God'and the denials of negative theology to affirm a theology of God's'impossibility'. Derrida's'impossible God'is not another God of the philosophers but a powerful deity capable of wakening us into faith, ethical responsibility and love. Showing how central theology has been to Derrida's philosophy since the beginning of his career, Impossible God presents an accessible study of a neglected area of Derrida's writing which students of philosophy and theology will find invaluable.

This book doesn't endorse any systematic theology; rather, it's about how we theologize. Why do two equally trained theologians, studying the same book and loving the same Lord, arrive at such different conclusions? This theological disagreement, at times becoming personal, spills over from the academia to seminaries and churches. And if history is any indicator, this always weakens the unity of the church. Who needs unity when correct doctrines are at stake, right? But, is the defense of all doctrines worth foregoing the unity of the church, despite Jesus'prayer that'they may be one even as we are one'? At bottom, our theological contentiousness stems from not recognizing that the way biblical revelation is framed is not designed to be handled the way seminaries typically do. Regardless, we strive for the rightness of our tidy theology, even disowning those who disagree while doing so. The disavowal of continuationists by the Strange Fire crowd is the most recent instance in a long line of placing doctrinal purity over the unity of the body. This book uncovers how Scripture is really structured and how, therefore, we need to theologize differently so that we may grow spiritually in Word and Spirit.

One of the most influential works in the debate over the concept and definitions of liturgical theology, Context and Text by Monsignor Kevin W. Irwin is now available in a completely rewritten, new edition. In light of the historical, theological, and pastoral mandates of the Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy, Context and Text is both a proposal for and an example of an investigation of the Church's liturgical praxis from a liturgical-theological perspective. This second edition, which includes an expanded introduction, covers: new liturgical and ecclesial contexts resulting from newly promulgated liturgies further research in method for liturgical studies consideration for changes in the cultural contexts in which people celebrate the liturgy. Besides brand-new chapters on time and sacramentality, and additions to the chapter on the arts, this edition also considers the “ongoing ‘texts and contexts'of the liturgy as always a new event in the life and ongoing discussion of liturgical theology within Christianity.

Since it was first published, the SCM Studyguide to Theological Reflection has quickly gained a reputation for being a vital and accessible guide to the subject for all who embark on it for the first time. This studyguide offers newcomers a step by step introduction to understanding what theological reflection is and helps them to explore which of the methods introduced best suits them and their particular situation. It is practical in emphasis, providing students with a wide variety of worked examples and opportunities to carry out their own exercises. This 2nd edition will bring the content up to date, offering a revised and improved bibliography and updated and refreshed examples and exercises, including new sections on scriptural reasoning and contemplative theology.

Rubén Rosario Rodríguez addresses the long-standing division between Christian theologies that take revelation as their starting point and focus and those that take human culture as theirs. After introducing these two theological streams that originate with Karl Barth and Paul Tillich, respectively, Rosario asserts that they both seek to respond to the Enlightenment's critique and rejection of Christianity. In so doing, they have bought into Enlightenment understandings of human reality and the transcendent. Rosario argues that in order to get beyond the impasse between theologies of the Word and culture, we need a different starting point. He discovers that starting point in two sources: (1) through the work of liberation and contextual theologians on the role of the Holy Spirit, and (2) through a comparative analysis of the teachings on the hiddenness of God from the three “Abrahamicâ€� religions â€'Judaism, Christianity, and Islam.Rosario offers a strong argument for why this third theological starting point represents not just a marginal or niche position but a genuine alternative to the two traditional theological streams. His work will shift readers'understanding of the options in theological discourse beyond the false alternatives of theologies of the Word and culture.

For a generation and more, the contribution of Christian theology to interreligious understanding has been a subject of debate. Some think of theological perspectives are of themselves inherently too narrow to support interreligious learning, and argue for an approach that is neutral or, on a more popular level, grounded simply open-minded direct experience. In response, comparative theology argues that theology, as faith seeking understanding, offers a vital perspective and a way of advancing interreligious dialogue, aided rather than hindered by commitments; theological perspectives can both complement and step beyond the study of religions by methods detached and merely neutral. Thus comparative theology has been successful in persuading many that interreligious learning from one faith perspective to another is both possible and worthwhile, and so the work of comparative theology has become more recognized and established globally. With this success there has come to the fore new challenges regarding method: How does one do comparative theological work in a way that is theologically grounded, genuinely open to learning from the other, sophisticated in pursuing comparisons, and fruitful on both the academic and practical levels? How To Do Comparative Theology therefore contributes to the maturation of method in the field of comparative theological studies, learning across religious borders, by bringing together essays drawing on different Christian traditions of learning, Judaism and Islam, Hinduism and Buddhism, the wisdom of senior scholars, and also insights from a younger generation of scholars who have studied theology and religion in new ways, and are more attuned to the language of the “spiritual but not religious.” The essays in this volume show great diversity in method, and also—over and again and from many angles—coherence in intent, a commitment to one learning from the other, and a confidence that one's home tradition benefits from fair and unhampered learning from other and very different spiritual and religious traditions. It therefore shows the diversity and coherence of comparative theology as an emerging discipline today.

How should one approach the task of theology? The question of methodology is increasingly one of interest among theologians, who recognize that the very manner in which we approach theology informs both the questions we ask and the conclusions we reach.This volume in IVP's Spectrum Multiview series brings together five evangelical theologians with distinctly different approaches to the theological task. After presenting the approaches—which include appeals to Scripture, context, missions, interdisciplinary studies, and dogmatics—each contributor responds to the other views.Emerging from this theological conversation is an awareness of our methodological commitments and the benefits that each approach can bring to the theological task.Contributors:Sung Wook ChungJohn R. FrankeTelford C. WorkVictor Ifeanyi EzigboPaul Louis MetzgerSpectrum Multiview Books offer a range of viewpoints on contested topics within Christianity, giving contributors the opportunity to present their position and also respond to others in this dynamic publishing format.

Ob Theologie eine Wissenschaft genannt werden kann, wird verschärft durch das Aufkommen neuer theologischer Studiengänge als auch durch Sparmaßnahmen an theologischen Fakultäten in Frage gestellt. Darauf reagieren die theologischen Disziplinen mit einer Suchbewegung, die ihren theologischen Charakter zunehmend außer Acht lässt oder methodisch ungesichert herstellt. Der vorliegende Ansatz beschreibt die Verifikation theologischer Aussagen als das Aufdecken eines Nicht-Selbstverständlichen im Selbstverständlichen: Wahrheit wird erkannt, indem sie widerfährt. Da Menschen von Gott sprechen, wenn sie den Widerfahrenscharakter von Ereignissen thematisieren, wird ein Bezug zwischen Gottesoffenbarung und Verifikation wissenschaftstheoretisch rekonstruiert.