Download or read book Christian Faith and Secular Action written by William J. Nottingham and published by . This book was released on 1968 with total page 168 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Download or read book The Secular as Methodology written by Robert L. Montgomery and published by Wipf and Stock Publishers. This book was released on 2018-08-14 with total page 140 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Secularization is a process that has been taking place throughout the world, but especially in the West. It refers to limitations of various types to religious thoughts, activities, ownership, and power, but does not necessarily mean limitation on religious freedom. Because of this contested double effect, secularization is perceived both negatively and positively. I propose that the secular be viewed primarily as a methodology in various areas of life, beginning most clearly with science, but extending to many other areas of thought and activity. When this is done I believe people then have the clear option to apply their faith to all of their thought and action and at the same time to allow for correction and improvement to their thought and action. These corrections and improvements will be debated, but in the end, for Christians, they are dependent on interpretations of the Bible. Furthermore, I believe the broad result for all people is to clarify the choice to believe in God or rather that we are chosen by God revealed in the Bible who is seeking to have fellowship with us.

Download or read book Christian faith and secular action written by William J. Nottingham and published by . This book was released on 1968 with total page 157 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Download or read book Christian Faith and Social Action written by John Alexander Hutchison and published by . This book was released on 1953 with total page 264 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book brings together the essays of many well known theologians, etc. Some of the contributors are John A. Hutchison, Paul Lehmann, Paul Tillich, Reinhold Niebuhr. 13 essays in all. Preface by John Hutchison.

Download or read book Spiritual Bankruptcy written by John B. Cobb and published by Abingdon Press. This book was released on 2010 with total page 231 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In these times many people feel that their cherished religious values are held hostage by the forces of secularization and that, as a consequence, society is morally bankrupt. While acknowledging this problem, John Cobb overturns the prevailing expectations by drawing a distinction between secularization and secularism. Secularization, as Cobb uses the term, has a prophetic function. It is a process by which religion is cleansed and refocused on mission and ministry rather than on other-worldly myths and concerns. The uncritical understanding of religion that focuses on religion for its own sake is what Cobb calls secularism. In Cobb's view, secularization has led to secularism or a culture of consumerism that threatens those very religious convictions many hold dear. After teasing the concepts of secularization and secularism apart, Cobb proposes an alternate path for secularization that will help us reevaluate our relation to our world and each other.

Download or read book Religion and Secularity written by and published by BRILL. This book was released on 2013-05-15 with total page 298 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Religion and Secularity traces the history of the conceptual binary of religion and secularity in Europe and the repercussions it had in other regions and cultures of the Eurasian continent during the age of imperialism and beyond. Twelve authors from a wide range of disciplines, deal in their contributions with the trajectory, the concepts of „religion“ and „secularity/secularization“ took, as well as with the corresponding re-configurations of the religious field in a variety of cultures in Europe, the Near and Middle East, South Asia and East Asia. Taken together, these in-depth studies provide a broad comparative perspective on a penomenon that has been crucial for the development of globalized modernity and its regional interpretations.

Download or read book A Secular Faith written by Darryl G. Hart and published by Ivan R. Dee Publisher. This book was released on 2006 with total page 296 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "A Secular Faith does precisely this. Darryl Hart, the highly regarded historian of religion, contends that appeals to Christianity for social and political well-being fundamentally misconstrue the meaning of the Christian religion. His book weaves together historical narratives of key moments in American Protestantism's influence on the nation's politics, plus commentary on recent writing about religion and public life, and expositions of Christian teaching. The tapestry that emerges is a compelling faith-based argument for keeping Christianity out of politics."--BOOK JACKET.

Download or read book Secular Christianity written by Ronald Gregor Smith and published by . This book was released on 1966 with total page 232 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Basically, this book is about faith: faith as a historical reality, a living and free response to the action of God in an essentially secular context. In the revolution which is now taking place in theological thinking, the concept of a "secular Christianity" has become widely known. For the author it represents the possibility of a truly theological faith, seen and expressed in terms of the present day and based on knowledge and understanding of historical action in the past. Dr. Gregor Smith asks such questions as, How are we related to these past events? What is the nature of our understanding of them? What are the means by which we understand them, and what are the results or consequences of that understanding? It is only by means of our understanding and our decision about events of the past that history is carried forward in real responsibility and freedom. The secular humanism which the author describes here--what he calls Christian secularity--is still Christian, because it is a humanism which flows direct from the Christian message concerning Jesus as the one truly secular man. It is this true secularity which judges the old forms of human history, and ushers in the new form. This secularity is entirely historical, permeated with what the author calls the experience of historical transcendence, and entirely open to the possibilities of history. -Publisher

Download or read book Religion Society and God written by Richard Noake and published by SCM Press. This book was released on 2014-01-20 with total page 192 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: There is a definite and growing interest and awareness amongst the general public of the competing arguments around faith, God and society. The book is divided into two sections. Section One tackles issues of ultimate concern and the place of God in the modern world, whilst Section Two considers the role of faith in public life. The contributors bring a range of different voices – both religious and secular – to the conversation.

Download or read book Secular Faith written by Mark A. Smith and published by University of Chicago Press. This book was released on with total page 300 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: When Pope Francis recently answered “Who am I to judge?” when asked about homosexuality, he ushered in a new era for the Catholic church. A decade ago, it would have been unthinkable for a pope to express tolerance for homosexuality. Yet shifts of this kind are actually common in the history of Christian groups. Within the United States, Christian leaders have regularly revised their teachings to match the beliefs and opinions gaining support among their members and larger society. Mark A. Smith provocatively argues that religion is not nearly the unchanging conservative influence in American politics that we have come to think it is. In fact, in the long run, religion is best understood as responding to changing political and cultural values rather than shaping them. Smith makes his case by charting five contentious issues in America’s history: slavery, divorce, homosexuality, abortion, and women’s rights. For each, he shows how the political views of even the most conservative Christians evolved in the same direction as the rest of society—perhaps not as swiftly, but always on the same arc. During periods of cultural transition, Christian leaders do resist prevailing values and behaviors, but those same leaders inevitably acquiesce—often by reinterpreting the Bible—if their positions become no longer tenable. Secular ideas and influences thereby shape the ways Christians read and interpret their scriptures. So powerful are the cultural and societal norms surrounding us that Christians in America today hold more in common morally and politically with their atheist neighbors than with the Christians of earlier centuries. In fact, the strongest predictors of people’s moral beliefs are not their religious commitments or lack thereof but rather when and where they were born. A thoroughly researched and ultimately hopeful book on the prospects for political harmony, Secular Faith demonstrates how, over the long run, boundaries of secular and religious cultures converge.

Download or read book Soldiers of God in a Secular World written by Sarah Shortall and published by Harvard University Press. This book was released on 2021-11-23 with total page 353 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Winner of a Catholic Media Association Book Award A revelatory account of the nouvelle théologie, a clerical movement that revitalized the Catholic Church’s role in twentieth-century French political life. Secularism has been a cornerstone of French political culture since 1905, when the republic formalized the separation of church and state. At times the barrier of secularism has seemed impenetrable, stifling religious actors wishing to take part in political life. Yet in other instances, secularism has actually nurtured movements of the faithful. Soldiers of God in a Secular World explores one such case, that of the nouvelle théologie, or new theology. Developed in the interwar years by Jesuits and Dominicans, the nouvelle théologie reimagined the Church’s relationship to public life, encouraging political activism, engaging with secular philosophy, and inspiring doctrinal changes adopted by the Second Vatican Council in the 1960s. Nouveaux théologiens charted a path between the old alliance of throne and altar and secularism’s demand for the privatization of religion. Envisioning a Church in but not of the public sphere, Catholic thinkers drew on theological principles to intervene in political questions while claiming to remain at arm’s length from politics proper. Sarah Shortall argues that this “counter-politics” was central to the mission of the nouveaux théologiens: by recoding political statements in the ostensibly apolitical language of doctrine, priests were able to enter into debates over fascism and communism, democracy and human rights, colonialism and nuclear war. This approach found its highest expression during the Second World War, when the nouveaux théologiens led the spiritual resistance against Nazism. Claiming a powerful public voice, they collectively forged a new role for the Church amid the momentous political shifts of the twentieth century.

Download or read book Faith and Power written by Lesslie Newbigin and published by Wipf and Stock Publishers. This book was released on 2005-06-01 with total page 196 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "The issue . . . in the multicultural millennium is not so much the 'Islamization' of a once-Christian culture as the emergence, with state collusion, of discrete territories where vastly different norms prevail, shut off and resentful, a breeding ground for ferment and a target for hostility." In the aftermath of the London suicide bombings, this unusual book seems more prophetic than ever. Begun six years before 9/11, it examined the roots of political Islam and its offshoots in Britain. In describing the indifference of policy makers and government officials to religion, it warned of extremism taking root among disaffected young Muslims -- and offered a vision of hope tempered with realism that might have helped avert tragedy had it been more widely heeded. The book's timely republication offers another -- and a way out of it. Lamin Sanneh, himself a former Muslim, explores the history of Islam's always controversial accommodations with the West. Jenny Taylor's debut engages contribution critically at the grassroots level, looking in detail at Islam in Britain, its mission and tactics, and the State's inadequate response to them. "Neglect would appear to have been government policy." Lesslie Newbigin describes the loss of a sense of direction in the West as bankrupt secular ideologies confront fundamentalism with politically correct platitudes or coercive legislation that is destroying the West's historic freedoms. All three authors call for a radical Christian critique to replace the false and evidently failed policies of neutrality of the State.

Download or read book One Nation Under God written by Mark A. Noll and published by HarperCollins Publishers. This book was released on 1988 with total page 250 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Download or read book God and Caesar written by John Eidsmoe and published by Wipf and Stock Publishers. This book was released on 1997-12-05 with total page 253 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Jesus said, Render therefore to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's, thereby approving (at least for this age) the idea of human government. The hard part is deciding what actually belongs to Caesar and what should be reserved exclusively for God. How Christians are to understand and apply Jesus' words has been a point of controversy since the days of the apostles. Many difficult issues that continue to trouble Christians are dealt with in this book: -Is there a biblical pattern for human government? -What should we as Christians expect from government? -Should Christians participate in government? -What does the Bible have to say about issues related to government such as wealth and poverty, left and right, crime and punishment, the family, education, censorship and pornography, civil disobedience, liberation theology, military service? -Do some systems of government follow biblical teaching more closely than others? What about American democracy - how does it measure up? Would a socialist or redistributive economic and governmental system be more biblical? John Eidsmoe brings a wealth of biblical insight, theological reflection, and practical experience to bear on the crucial issue of how biblical Christianity and politics relate. Here at last is a book that simply and clearly shows how we really can give both God and Caesar their due.

Download or read book Leading In A Secular World written by Richard A. Hardy and published by Christian Faith Publishing, Inc.. This book was released on 2022-11-03 with total page 176 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: As progressivism, identity politics, and moral relativism engulf our nation, Christians find themselves living in an increasingly hostile environment. This current state of affairs has many feeling disillusioned and helpless. Combined with escalating governmental intervention, a deepening racial divide, and a declining moral base, many are finding it more difficult to live by one's faith. Never before in our nation's history has Christianity faced such a hostile environment. In Leading in a Secular World, Richard A. Hardy defines biblical leadership principles to overcome the challenges of leading in this troublesome climate. Founded upon Jesus's last prayer before His crucifixion, these principles define the purpose and goal of biblical leadership. When paired with supporting biblical truths, these concepts will bring clarity to the social chaos we are now witnessing and healing to strained race relations. This book was written for any Christian interested in turning our nation back to God and making a difference in the communities in which they live. It is a practical guide to establish, reinvigorate, and transform your leadership. These concepts will support current leaders and empower a generation of future ones.

Download or read book Blessed is the Nation written by Jared D. Williams and published by WestBow Press. This book was released on 2016-02-02 with total page 120 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In today’s political climate, where most American Christians feel increasingly excluded, this book provides a step-by-step guide on how to apply historical references—as well as the words of past American leaders—as an avenue to reintroducing Christian principles into the political discussions of contemporary America. American history is full of demonstrations of faith and references to Christian principles. The very foundation of our nation rests upon ideas that were greatly influenced by the teachings of the Bible. In today’s America, there is a growing movement to silence Christianity from the public square. Many in our society today preach that Christianity has no place in the political structure of our nation. An increasingly vocal assembly of secular Americans wishes to restrict the principles of Christian faith entirely from our government. More and more, believers of the Bible are told to keep silent and not to interfere with the progress of America. Fortunately for religious Americans, there is an ample amount of our nation’s history that supports the right of Bible-believers to participate in politics. The purpose of this book is to reassure American Christians of their rightful place in our republic. More than ever before, American Christians need to be active in politics.

Download or read book In Defense of Faith written by David Brog and published by ReadHowYouWant.com. This book was released on 2011-02 with total page 598 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Religious faith is under assault. In books, movies, and on television, secular critics are attacking religion and the religious with ever-increasing intensity. These ''new atheists'' typically repeat a two-part mantra: They claim that only an idiot could believe in God, and that idiots who do so have been responsible for most of the hate and violence that have plagued humanity. Abandon religion, they urge, and the world will finally know peace. Surprisingly few books have emerged to defend faith from this onslaught. Yet when it comes to this second argument - the behavior of religious people in the world - abstract claims can be tested by reference to objective facts. In Defense of Faith examines the historical record and demonstrates that far from encouraging hate and aggression, the Judeo-Christian tradition has been the West, s most effective curb on these dangerous defects of human nature. In Defense of Faith asserts that the belief in the sanctity and equality of all humans at the core of both Judaism and Christianity - what Brog calls the ''Judeo-Christian idea'' - has been our most effective tool in the struggle for humanity. The Judeo-Christian idea, Brog argues, has provided the intellectual foundation for human rights. Even more importantly, he maintains, the Judeo-Christian idea has repeatedly inspired the faithful to devote their lives to, and often risk their lives in, the fulfillment of these high ideals. In Defense of Faith also convincingly demonstrates that when we abandon religion as the critics urge, peace does not break out. Instead, we quickly revert to the most base instincts of our selfish genes. Written by a Jewish author who works closely with the Christian faith community, In Defense of Faith will appeal to secular and religious readers alike. This book will challenge the secular to reconsider the role of religion in Western civilization. It will inspire the religious to embrace a proud legacy of faith in action for the sake of humanity.