Download or read book One Layman s Contemporary Theology written by Michael S. K. Toh and published by Xlibris Corporation. This book was released on 2014-07-15 with total page 786 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Download or read book A Layman s THEOLOGY written by James Clark and published by Lulu.com. This book was released on 2008-02-01 with total page 247 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book is the presentation of a layman's take on the Christian Faith not from the formal-scholarly standpoint but by using the scriptures written in English, drawing on personal experience, and attempting to use plain, common sense.

Download or read book A Short Primer for Unsettled Laymen Second Edition written by Hans Urs Von Balthasar and published by Ignatius Press. This book was released on 2020-08-24 with total page 145 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Hans Urs von Balthasar addresses the critical issues that have been unsettling the Catholic laity since the Second Vatican Council. In a clear and readable manner, he focuses on the core elements of the faith: the Word of God; the life, death, and resurrection of Christ; the sacraments; the structure of the Church; and Mary. Speaking plainly about the polarization within the Catholic Church, he also discusses the various ideological trends—such as liberalism, progressivism, and traditionalism—that have undermined the confidence and the unity of the faithful. "In this Primer, Balthasar addresses today's faithful laity who feel that [the] solidity of the Church is shifting beneath their feet. He speaks to those who fear that the Church has done what she ought not to do: that she is in fact relaxing her demands in order to win favor, not from God, but from man. Into this situation Balthasar re-proposes the'form' of Jesus Christ as revealed in his Church. This form is 'only the whole': the whole, concrete reality of Christ, conveyed within Catholic tradition. This form is 'spun from three strands' of Word, sacrament, and ecclesial authority. These three provide the Church with the ability to remain on course despite the winds blowing through history." — Angela Franks, Ph.D., From the Foreword

Download or read book A Short Primer for Unsettled Laymen written by Hans Urs von Balthasar and published by Ignatius Press. This book was released on 2020-08-04 with total page 145 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Hans Urs von Balthasar addresses the critical issues that have been unsettling the Catholic laity since the Second Vatican Council. In a clear and readable manner, he focuses on the core elements of the faith: the Word of God; the life, death, and resurrection of Christ; the sacraments; the structure of the Church; and Mary. Speaking plainly about the polarization within the Catholic Church, he also discusses the various ideological trends—such as liberalism, progressivism, and traditionalism—that have undermined the confidence and the unity of the faithful. "In this Primer, Balthasar addresses today's faithful laity who feel that [the] solidity of the Church is shifting beneath their feet. He speaks to those who fear that the Church has done what she ought not to do: that she is in fact relaxing her demands in order to win favor, not from God, but from man. Into this situation Balthasar re-proposes the'form' of Jesus Christ as revealed in his Church. This form is 'only the whole': the whole, concrete reality of Christ, conveyed within Catholic tradition. This form is 'spun from three strands' of Word, sacrament, and ecclesial authority. These three provide the Church with the ability to remain on course despite the winds blowing through history." — Angela Franks, Ph.D., From the Foreword

Download or read book The Christian Doctrine of God One Being Three Persons written by Thomas F. Torrance and published by Bloomsbury Publishing. This book was released on 2016-01-28 with total page 306 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Written by one of the twentieth-century's foremost modern Trinitarian theologians The Christian Doctrine of God remains a classic ground work for scholars and students alike. In the book Thomas F. Torrance offers a detailed study of the most profound article of the Christian faith - the Holy Trinity. Torrance adopts a holistic approach when examining the inter-relatedness of the three persons - Father, son, and Holy Spirit - and their dynamic Communion with the Being and Nature of God. Combining immense academic range with his characteristically fresh theological perspectives, Torrance builds a significant theological bridge between ancient and modern, as well as between the Roman and Protestant theology; he engages deeply with the Church Fathers and discusses the ontological nature of God. Here Torrance conveys a simple message - the doctrine of the Trinity is the doctrine of God. This Cornerstones edition includes a new introduction written by Professor Paul D. Molnar, in which Molnar sets Torrance's classic work in its modern context and considers how it continues to influence the way we think about the Trinity today.

Download or read book For the Life of the World Theology for the Life of the World written by Miroslav Volf and published by Brazos Press. This book was released on 2019-01-22 with total page 226 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The question of what makes life worth living is more vital now than ever. In today's pluralistic, postsecular world, universal values are dismissed as mere matters of private opinion, and the question of what constitutes flourishing life--for ourselves, our neighbors, and the planet as a whole--is neglected in our universities, our churches, and our culture at large. Although we increasingly have technology to do almost anything, we have little sense of what is truly worth accomplishing. In this provocative new contribution to public theology, world-renowned theologian Miroslav Volf (named "America's New Public Intellectual" by Scot McKnight on his Jesus Creed blog) and Matthew Croasmun explain that the intellectual tools needed to rescue us from our present malaise and meet our new cultural challenge are the tools of theology. A renewal of theology is crucial to help us articulate compelling visions of the good life, find our way through the maze of contested questions of value, and answer the fundamental question of what makes life worth living.

Download or read book Theology for Beginners written by Frank J. Sheed and published by A&C Black. This book was released on 1958-01-01 with total page 193 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In Theology For Beginners the late Frank Sheed conveys all his own excitement about theology. He also shows us how to pass that excitement on to others. His book is now established throughout the English-speaking world as one of the outstanding modern introductions to theology for the layman.

Download or read book Why Are We Here written by Ronald F. Thiemann and published by Bloomsbury Publishing USA. This book was released on 2010-07-15 with total page 175 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A one-of-a-kind book in which several outstanding theologians use their expertise to examine everyday questions that Christians ask. Christians do not just believe; they think about what they believe. Moreover, they are not content with simple answers to their questions about life and meaning. The contributors to this volume therefore provide thoughtful responses to the following questions: Why are we here? Why are we so indifferent about our spiritual lives? Why do the innocent suffer? Is Jesus Christ the only way to salvation? Are there angels? Why go to church? The unity of the church--why care? What shall parents teach their children? What does my faith have to do with my job? Must Christians believe in hell? Is there life after death? The eleven contributors to this volume--which include, in addition to the editors--Kathryn Tanner, David Dawson, Thomas F. Tracy, J.A. DiNoia, Bruce D. Marshall, James J. Buckley, Michael Root, William Werpehowski, and George Hunsinger) are friends who attended the same graduate school (Yale) and had many of the same teachers. For twenty years they have been meeting once a year to talk about their work, their lives, and their thinking about the Christian faith. In this book they share with fellow Christians and curious bystanders the intellectual and spiritual wealth and excitement and complexity they have found in that faith. Ronald F. Thiemann is John Lord O'Brian Professor of Theology and Dean of Harvard Divinity School. William C. Placher is Professor of Contemporary Theology and Philosophy of Religion at Wabash College, Crawfordsville, IN.

Download or read book Let God Be God written by Philip S. Watson and published by Wipf and Stock Publishers. This book was released on 2000-10-17 with total page 218 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: How is it possible for God to be God, in a world where human beings find it quite natural to live and think as if they themselves stood at the center of things? Philip Watson, outstanding English Methodist, whose scholarly and objective research on Luther is contributing greatly to contemporary Protestant evaluation of the Reformer, finds his answer to the question in ÒLuther's Copernican Revolution.Ó Copernicus challenged the old theory that the sun moves around the Earth. He said that the sun is the center of things and the earth moves around it. Similarly, Luther challenged the teaching, in effect, that mortals are at the center of things, and that everything moves around them. Not so. God is the center. Without Him, humanity is nothing. Human salvation lies not in things mortals do, but in what God does - through Christ. His point determines Watson's theme, ÒLet God Be GodÓ - that is, let humanity recognize God's will and way. Significantly, this study of Luther by a non-Lutheran indicates the influence of Scandinavian sources in the study and research of Watson. In his Preface, the author acknowledges assistance from such Swedish scholars as AulŽn, Nygren, Bring, and others. The first part of Let God Be God evaluates Luther as a theologian and points out the motif of his thought. The book proceeds to concentrate on three major themes in Luther: The Revelation of God, The Theology of the Cross, and The Doctrine of the Word. Philip Watson writes forcefully - with the zeal of one who has made a discovery that he feels must be shared with others. His simple literary expression makes clear some profound theological distinctions that are often difficult for the average reader to comprehend. Notes on each chapter contain numerous quotations from Luther. Those already acquainted with Luther will find this interpretation of his lectures, writings, and sermons particularly stimulating. Let God Be God is significant reading for the student and lay person who wants to know better the theology of the Reformer.

Download or read book Speaking of God written by D. Stephen Long and published by Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing. This book was released on 2009-05-21 with total page 352 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In this theological tour de force D. Stephen Long addresses a key question in current theological debate: the conditions of the possibility of God-talk, along with attending questions about natural theology, fideism, and theological truth-claims. He engages not only the most significant contemporary theologians and philosophers on this score (Denys Turner, Bruce Marshall, Charles Taylor, Fergus Kerr) but also the legacy of twentieth-century theology (Barth, von Balthasar) and the analytic philosophical tradition from Wittgenstein to Davidson. Throughout, Long sustains a careful exegetical engagement with Aquinas, showing that what s at stake in contemporary theology is just how we inherit St. Thomas. / Central to Long s project is averting the charge of fideism so often laid at the feet of postliberal approaches (like his own). To that end Long argues for a (chastened) natural theology, while challenging any simple distinction between natural and confessional theology. / In joining these many voices into one conversation, Long does a remarkable job of surveying the current theological scene with respect to issues of language and truth, arguing for the need to deal head-on with classical questions of metaphysics. . . . An excellent and significant book. James K. A. Smith / Calvin College / Long s discussion of the topic of God and language offers a refreshingly original treatment of traditional approaches. His book cannot be ignored by anyone interested in this topic at any level. John Milbank / University of Nottingham

Download or read book The Gagging of God written by D. A. Carson and published by Zondervan Academic. This book was released on 2009-09-01 with total page 641 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The Gold Medallion Award-winning book that presents a persuasive case for Christ as the only way to God in light of contemporary religious pluralism. A great majority of social commentators attempting to define modern Western culture land on a common characteristic: pluralism. This isn't unique to secular culture. Many modern approaches to Christian hermeneutics, or biblical interpretation, have given credence to contemporary pluralism. What began as a refreshing restraint and humility in modern theology has fallen more and more into irresoluteness. It's no secret that the contemporary challenges to Christianity are complex and serious. Yet, far from simple fear-mongering, or cultural warmongering, The Gagging of God takes a hard look at the background and intricacy—of pluralism, postmodernity, and hermeneutics—and equips thoughtful Christians to have intelligent, culturally sensitive, and passionate fidelity to the gospel of Jesus Christ. In his contemplative, even-handed approach, Carson provides a structure of Christian thought capable of facing the philosophies of today and piercing their surface. It invites Christians to grapple responsibly with urgent questions of biblically-grounded theology, spirituality, and the defining lines of Christianity, along with its range of challenges from without and within. The Gagging of God offers an in-depth look at the big picture, shows how the many ramifications of pluralism are all parts of a whole, and provides a systematic Christian response.

Download or read book Foundations of Systematic Theology written by Thomas G. Guarino and published by Bloomsbury Publishing USA. This book was released on 2005-05-01 with total page 369 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Guarino argues in this book that the doctrinal form of the Christian faith, in its essential characteristics, calls for certain theoretical exigencies. This is to say that the proportion and beauty of the form is not served or illuminated by simply any presuppositions. Rather, a determinate understanding of first philosophy, of the nature of truth, of hermeneutical theory, of the predication of language and mutual correlation is required if Christian faith and doctrine are to maintain a recognizable and suitably mediative form. Failing to adduce specific principles will lead either to a simple assertion of Christian truth, in which case the form of Christianity becomes less intelligible and attractive-or one will substitute a radically changed form, which is itself inappropriate for displaying the fundamental revelatory narrative of faith. The house of Christian faith possesses a certain proportion of structure; the form will sag badly if one removes an undergirding item, or if one beam is replaced with another of variable shape or size. The form's beauty will either be obscured, no longer clearly visible, or the form will become something quite different, no longer architectonically related to what was originally the case. The intention of this book is to discuss those doctrinal characteristics considered fundamental to the Christian faith, as protective of its revelatory form and, concomitantly, to examine the theoretical principles required if such form is to remain both intelligible and beautiful.

Download or read book Divine Simplicity written by Paul R. Hinlicky and published by Baker Academic. This book was released on 2016-07-19 with total page 367 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A Fresh Articulation of the Unity of God This volume critiques various ways divine simplicity--which suggests God's being is identical to God's attributes--has shaped Christian theology and offers a fresh articulation of the unity of God. The author proposes that the concept of divine simplicity, carried over from the Greek metaphysical tradition, was heedlessly incorporated into the language of Christian trinitarian theology during the patristic period. He identifies numerous problems that have resulted from its retention in postpatristic Christian dogmatics, arguing that uncritical use of the concept renders the biblical God inexpressible and unknowable. This major contribution to contemporary trinitarian dogmatics also contains a unique approach to the problem of Christian-Muslim relations.

Download or read book The Perfectly Simple Triune God written by D. Stephen Long and published by Fortress Press. This book was released on 2016-08-01 with total page 447 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A particularly nettlesome question is that around the relationship of the confession of God as a simple yet threefold being—the treatises of the one God and the Trinity. Although God as simple and Triune was widely accepted for over a millennium, simplicity has been widely critiqued and rejected by modern theology. The purported error is in conceiving God’s unity prior to the Triune persons, an error begun by Augustine and crystallized in Aquinas. The Perfectly Simple Triune God challenges this critique and reading of Aquinas as a misunderstanding of his doctrine of God. By refusing to begin theology with God’s oneness, who God is collapses into who God is for us, a loss of the biblical and dramatic character of God for us. D. Stephen Long posits that the two treatises were never independent, but inextricably related and entailing one another. Long provides a constructive rereading of Thomas Aquinas, tracing antecedents to Aquinas in the patristic tradition, and readings of him through to the Reformers, taking into account challenges to the classical tradition posed by modern and contemporary theology and philosophy to offer a robust articulation of divine Trinitarian agency for a contemporary age that adheres to broadly considered orthodox and ecumenical parameters.

Download or read book Inquiring After God written by Ellen Charry and published by Wiley-Blackwell. This book was released on 2000-02-08 with total page 378 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Instead of introducing students to Christian theology through its doctrines, this text introduces it through discussion of church practices and of the experience of everyday Christian life.

Download or read book Christ the Key written by Kathryn Tanner and published by Cambridge University Press. This book was released on 2009-12-10 with total page 323 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Through the intensely intimate relationship that arises between God and humans in the incarnation of the Word in Christ, God gives us the gift of God's own life. This simple claim provides the basis for Kathryn Tanner's powerful study of the centrality of Jesus Christ for all Christian thought and life: if the divine and the human are united in Christ, then Jesus can be seen as key to the pattern that organizes the whole, even while God's ways remain beyond our grasp. Drawing on the history of Christian thought to develop an innovative Christ-centered theology, this book sheds fresh light on major theological issues such as the imago dei, the relationship between nature and grace, the Trinity's implications for human community, and the Spirit's manner of working in human lives. Originally delivered as Warfield Lectures at Princeton Theological Seminary, it offers a creative and compelling contribution to contemporary theology.

Download or read book The God of Intimacy and Action written by Tony Campolo and published by John Wiley & Sons. This book was released on 2010-12-21 with total page 272 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Praise for The God of Intimacy and Action "Tony Campolo...and Mary Darling...are like gunpowder and a spark. The result is a dynamite book that many have been waiting a long time for." —Relevant Magazine "In 25 years, when we look back as journalists chronicling this era of religious reawakening—this book likely will turn up as a classic....This book is both a manifesto—and a sturdy guidebook—for the journey of reclaiming much that has been lost." —David Crumm, founder of Read the Spirit "Tony Campolo and Mary Darling...are two first rate minds grappling with classical and contemporary theology, and then adding to that a set of concrete practices...The Network of Spiritual Progressives (including those of us who are not Christian) can draw much wisdom and guidance from this book." —Tikkun Magazine "I know both Tony and Mary personally and can testify to the genuineness of their search for spiritual wholeness. It is a search that always holds in creative tension a profound intimacy with God through Christ with a vigorous engagement in the social realities of our day." —Richard J. Foster, author of Celebration of Discipline "Darling and Campolo sift through the dirt of Christendom and uncover the precious treasures of our faith." —Shane Claiborne, founding member of The Simple Way community; author of The Irresistible Revolution; and recovering sinner