The Word Enfleshed


Book Description

A Fresh Theological Account of the Person and Work of Christ The literature on Christology is large and ever-expanding. The same is true for work on the atonement, which has blossomed in the last decade. Few studies attempt to connect the dots between these two theological topics, however. In this volume, respected theologian Oliver Crisp offers a fresh analytic-theological account of the person and work of Christ, focusing on the theme of union with God Incarnate. Along the way, he engages a range of contemporary and historic Christian thinkers and tackles a number of key issues in contemporary discussions. Wide-ranging and carefully argued, this unified account of the person and work of Christ will be of interest to scholars and students of Christian theology.




Enfleshing Theology


Book Description

Enfleshing Theology honors and engages the life work of M. Shawn Copeland, whose theology is groundbreaking and prophetic, traversing the fields of Catholic Theology, Black Theology, Womanist Thought, and Semiotics. The book opens with a brief introduction, and then moves to an interview with Copeland, which connects her theology to her life stories. The conversation with Copeland also provides a backdrop to the seventeen essays that follow, extending Copeland’s theological worldview. The contributions are divided according to the following sections: embodiment, discipleship, and politics. The essays in the section entitled "Engaging Embodiment" critically reflect on the importance of embodiment in Christian theology and contemporary culture. Following Copeland’s lead, authors in this section theorize and theologize the body, particularly (but not limited to) Black women’s bodies, as a locus theologicus that reveals, mediates, and shapes the splendor and suffering reality of human existence. The next section, entitled "Engaging Discipleship," focuses on the concrete challenges of following Jesus in today’s world. The essays included in this section reflect on Copeland’s focus on Jesus’ particularity in terms of his solidarity with and for others. Discipleship is about modeling and mentoring, so scholars in this section also comment on Copeland’s contribution to teaching and pedagogy. The last section, entitled "Engaging the Political," interrogates the political implications of the theological. It is noteworthy that there are two trajectories of the political here, one is Copeland’s development of political theology through the lens of Canadian Jesuit theologian, Bernard Lonergan. The other trajectory focuses on the work of theology in contemporary art and politics. These three sections are fluid and overlap with one another. Several of the articles on embodiment speak to questions of solidarity and a few of the essays on discipleship clearly present as political. The ways in which each of the contributions in this volume overlap with each other attests to the complex nature of doing constructive theology today, and even more how Copeland’s work is at the forefront of that multi-layered, polyvalent, intersectional theological work.




The Word Made Flesh


Book Description

Most theologians believe that in the human life of Jesus of Nazareth, we encounter God. Yet how the divine and human come together in the life of Jesus still remains a question needing exploring. The Council of Chalcedon sought to answer the question by speaking of one and the same Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, the same perfect in divinity and also perfect in humanity, the same truly God and truly a human being. But ever since Chalcedon, the theological conversation on Christology has implicitly put Christs divinity and humanity in competition. While ancient (and not-so-ancient) Christologies from above focus on Christs divinity at the expense of his humanity, modern Christologies from below subsume his divinity into his humanity. What is needed, says Ian A. McFarland, is a Chalcedonianism without reserve, which not only affirms the humanity and divinity of Christ but also treats them as equal in theological significance. To do so, he draws on the ancient christological language that points to Christs nature, on the one hand, and his hypostasis, or personhood, on the other. And with this, McFarland begins one of the most creative and groundbreaking theological explorations into the mystery of the incarnation undertaken in recent memory.




Divinity and Humanity


Book Description

The doctrine of the Incarnation lies at the heart of Christianity. But the idea that 'God was in Christ' has become a much-debated topic in modern theology. Oliver Crisp addresses six key issues in the Incarnation defending a robust version of the doctrine, in keeping with classical Christology. He explores perichoresis, or interpenetration, with reference to both the Incarnation and Trinity. Over two chapters Crisp deals with the human nature of Christ and then provides an argument against the view, common amongst some contemporary theologians, that Christ had a fallen human nature. He considers the notion of divine kenosis or self-emptying, and discusses non-Incarnational Christology, focusing on the work of John Hick. This view denies Christ is God Incarnate, regarding him as primarily a moral exemplar to be imitated. Crisp rejects this alternative account of the nature of Christology.




The Word of Christ and the World of Culture


Book Description

The theological revolution that Karl Barth inspired was by no means a dismissive reaction to modern culture but, rather, was a dynamic and carefully nuanced encounter with the concerns of his day. This excellent new work by Paul Lewis Metzger provides an exposition and extension of Barth's engagement of culture in view of his doctrine of the Word. Metzger demonstrates that Barth endeavored to relate Christ to culture in inseparable terms while maintaining a distinction between them. Working from an intimate knowledge of all of Barth's writings, Metzger shows how Barth's doctrine of the Word provides a sound basis on which to build a theological model of culture that guards against the two extremes of either the divinization or the secularization of culture, while at the same time nurturing a healthy appreciation for the secular domain. The first part of the book analyzes Barth's formative theological period, which is characterized by his engagement with culture and what is termed "Culture Protestantism." The second part of the book focuses on how Barth's answer -- a dialectical model of the Word -- enabled him to offer a constructive synthesis of Christ and culture. The final section of the book traces the way Barth was able to frame culture within his theological model and yet continue to champion the secular domain. "The Word of Christ and the World of Culture is a superb volume that will benefit anyone studying Barth, modern theology, or the relation of Christianity and culture.




Retrieving Doctrine


Book Description

Oliver Crisp offers a set of essays that analyze the significance and contribution of several great thinkers in the Reformed tradition, ranging from John Calvin and Jonathan Edwards to Karl Barth. Crisp explains how these thinkers navigated pressing theological issues and how contemporary readers can draw relevant insights from the tradition.




The Word is Out


Book Description

Though many think of the Bible as monolithic, that is, of a single point of view, the Bible is rather a compendium of viewpoints on a variety of issues. To enter the Bible is like entering any community: there may be some common beliefs, but there is also disagreement. The dialogue of the Bible therefore invites rather than inhibits further conversation. Lesbians and gay men know all too well the experience of having to leave families, friends, hometowns, and even their faith traditions to be blessed as they are. Nevertheless, many still struggle to maintain an authentic faith that also affirms and recognizes their right to joyously celebrate their biblical heritage. Chris Glaser liberates the Bible from those who would hold it hostage to an anti-gay agenda. In this inspiring and moving collection of 365 daily meditations, the Bible's good news "comes out" to meet us all with love, justice, meaning, and hope.




Nothing but the Best


Book Description

US Senate Chaplain Barry C. Black, PhD. Senate Chaplains Office, S-332, The Capitol, Washington, DC, 20510. He wrote: I look forward to devouring your final chapters, for I have been greatly blessed by what you had previously written. . . I believe this will be a significant contribution to the homiletical literature, combining scholarship and practicality as it is rarely seen, helping to fill a void. Dr. Derek J. Morris. Director, Hope Channel, and former editor of Ministry Magazine, published by the Seventh-day Adventist Church and read by clergy of all faiths. He responded, This is the best work I have read by an Adventist author on preaching. Its EXCELLENT! Pastor Adrian Craig. Australian church leader and internationally acclaimed preacher. He said, Here are a few preliminary comments about your excellent book on preaching. In 321 pages, you have packed full a comprehensive and detailed volume on the art of preaching. One has to read and pause and absorb. Your terse verse, one-liners, and the illustrations are readily saleable. Mummies dancing, the description of the horse as it relates to the pace of preaching, the Ravi illustration on page 99, and your repeated use of scripture to illustrate points shouts volumes of your commitment to the Word.




God's Everlasting Kingdom


Book Description

DESCRIPTION An in-depth exposition of the person of GOD as viewed through the revelation of His eternal purpose in the Holy Scriptures. SUMMARY OF THE BOOK GOD's Everlasting Kingdom sets the jewel of redemption with its facets of faith, the Word of God, the Savior, the church, and the knowledge of GOD in the context of GOD's person, will, and eternal purpose. The whole of Truth is put into focus and made more understandable. Men of faith are brought into a fellowship of reason with their Maker, which is essential, to our pilgrimage in this world and obtaining our inheritance in the world to come. The believer, as with all things, is of, by, and to GOD. This is not a book primarily about man and how GOD can be given participation in our lives to make things better for us now. Rather, it is about GOD, who is ruling and reigning according to the councils of His own will, and how we can be adopted into that glorious and eternal purpose to everlasting life and joy. THE CENTRAL TOPIC OF THE BOOK Who GOD is, what He is doing, and how man relates to it. WHAT QUALIFIED BROTHER BLAKELY TO WRITE THIS BOOK? Faith. Extensive knowledge of the scriptures. Devotion to and exhaustive study in the Word of God for more than fifty-five years. Neither reliance upon nor ignorance of the works of other men of GOD (long deceased and living). WHAT IS UNIQUE ABOUT THE BOOK? Most books on the topic of Scripture deal with a particular aspect of it, or is confined to specific accounts, personalities, or times. This work looks upon the whole of GOD's revelation in reference to Him from the foundation of the world, through the present, into the new heavens and new earth. It explains the realities governing this present world, and shows the reasonableness of making things which are temporal secondary to things eternal. It validates the believer in his assurance of faith and confidence in God. FIVE SINGLE WORDS DESCRIBING THIS BOOK Fresh, non-sectarian, discerning, intelligent, foundational. WHY SHOULD YOU OBTAIN THIS BOOK? 1. No other book like it (in content and perspective) of which I am aware. 2. It is written to communicate profound truths in an understandable manner. THE PRIORITIES OF THE BOOK 1. God Himself. 2. The eternal purpose of God. 3. The relationship of Jesus Christ to that purpose. 4. The relationship of the Word of God to that purpose. 5. The relationship of man to that purpose. WHO WILL PROFIT FROM THIS BOOK? Theologians, Preachers, Teachers, believers, anyone with a genuine interest in the Holy Bible. Click here to go to brother Blakely's website THE OBJECTIVE OF THIS BOOK The objective that dictated both the subject and the content of this volume is the glory of God. His kingdom, like Himself, is great and thus is apt to be perceived less clearly than is possible. Because the kingdom of God involves His deliberate dealings with men, it is of particular importance to them. To neglect the kingdom is to neglect God Himself while to "seek fi rst the kingdom of God" is to seek Him primarily. We cannot think properly about God in separation from His kingdom. It is related to His objectives, His will, and His person. The law of God, the grace of God, the salvation of God all are resident in, and associated with, the kingdom of God. Any concept of God or His kingdom that introduces contradictory thoughts or that mystifi es God's person and work contributes to man's basic spiritual ignorance. Such concepts obscure deity and thus constitute alienating influences. My purpose is to elaborate upon that most worthy objective of the pure religion and sound doctrine: to glorify God and to advantage men by clarifying the nature of God's kingdom and establishing the priority of an intelligently revealed religion as evidenced in the holy scriptures. In earlier days in the U




Christian Theology


Book Description

In Christian Theology, author Christopher W. Morgan presents an accessible introduction to the core areas of systematic theology, including God, revelation, humanity, sin, Christ and his work, the church, and the future. Each chapter highlights Scripture's teaching on a topic as it unfolds in the Bible's story line, intentionally connecting readers to the doctrines with a focus on personal application and missional living.