Divine Self Investment

In a time when muttering the word "God" doesn't come easy, what does it mean to call Jesus the Christ? In this book, Fuller investigates the possibility of a robust constructive Christology that engages three different theological registers - the historical, the existential, and the metaphysical Beginning his Christology, not from above or below, but from within the Disciple's confession of Jesus as the Christ, Fuller goes on to construct a powerful Open and Relational Christology. At the heart of the text are three generative pairings of contemporary thinkers that share a thematic center with distinct trajectories. Each figure is articulated and woven into a developing vision of God's divine self-investment in history and ultimately in the person of Jesus. The constructive proposal not only utilizes an Open and Relational vision but reshapes it in light of God's self-investment in Christ. The theological significance of Fuller's proposal is wide-reaching, engaging topics such as revelation, divine power, evil, the cross, eschatological hope, the imago dei, and the Spirit. What They're Saying... "This ambitious Christology marks Tripp Fuller as one of the most significant young systematic theologians to emerge on the scene in recent years. One can profitably read this book as an introduction to Open and Relational Theology; as a refresher on Logos Christology, Spirit Christology, and the quest for the historical Jesus; or as a primer on his six theological discussion partners. But the brilliance of the volume is actually the blending of biblical, classical, and process insights into a single moving vision of God's self-investment in creation, Israel, and Jesus. Rarely have I encountered a young theologian who writes with this level of systematic depth." -- Philip Clayton, Ingraham Professor, Claremont School of Theology "Tripp Fuller masterfully engages the crucial Christian question: Who do we say Jesus is? Engaging history, philosophy and theology, Fuller offers a vision of Jesus that weds evangelical convictions with progressive insights. His work stands aside that of John Cobb, David Griffin and Elizabeth Johnson for required reading in Christology." -- Monica A. Coleman, Professor of Africana Studies, University of Delaware, author of Making a Way Out of No Way: a Womanist Theology

In tough times, we look outside ourselves for things to change instead of looking inward, where true abundance resides. It’s tempting to downplay important values like generosity, integrity, and intuition. These niceties can take a backseat because we think the world needs to change before we can find wealth. But they are what make it possible to find prosperity, no matter what happens in the world around us. These inner traits help us reach our outer goals. Ernest Chu’s transformational concept of “soul currency” refers to both something we use to exchange value (as with money) and the circulation of a divine force in our lives. Chu’s own example, as an entrepreneur who pulled himself out of crushing debt, shows his practical, ready-to-implement principles in action. Soul currency bridges the material world of finance and the invisible world of Spirit, allowing abundance to come to us and flow through us. When we tap into the creative force of soul currency, we can experience unprecedented abundance and fulfillment.

Most theologies suck. They're too technical or they describe a God nobody understands. Sometimes the God portrayed sounds like a controlling boyfriend or absentee parent. Rather than woo or persuade, most theology books clobber readers into submission. This book is different. Thomas Jay Oord presents a theology that makes sense. It fits the way we live our lives and matches our deepest intuitions. To the surprise of some, it harmonizes with sacred scripture... at least the good parts. And it promotes a genuinely loving God. Open and relational theology is controversial. Oord and others have lost their jobs because they embrace it. Others have been booted from religious communities or shunned by families and friends. It's that radical! This way of thinking is life-changing - for good - for so many. This theology doesn't suck. People around the world are turning to open and relational theology. It answers our biggest questions about good and evil, purpose and freedom, love and science. "Timely!" - Cody Stauffer & Craig Morton, All That's Holy Podcast "Cosmic!" - Pete Enns & Jared Byas, Bible For Normal People Podcast "Conceptual!" - Seth Price, Can I Say This in Church? Podcast "Inspirited!" - Jay McDaniel, Conversations in Process Podcast "Clear!" -Joe Smith and Drew Dunbar, Crisis of Faith Podcast "Radical!" - Shaleen Kendrick & Holland Fields, Desert Voices Podcast "Prodigious!" - John Williamson, Deconstructionists Podcast "Relieving!" - Joey Monteleone, Dismantle Podcast "Compelling!" - Loren Richmond Jr, Future Christian Podcast "Liberating!" - Melanie Mudge & Gary Alan Taylor, Holy Heretics Podcast "Magnificent!" - Tripp Fuller, Homebrewed Christianity Podcast "Enlivening!" - Michael Frost, In the Shift Podcast "Tantalizing!" - Jim Stump, Language of God Podcast "Captivating!" - Jason Elam, Messy Spirituality Podcast "Thought-Provoking!" - Gabriel Gordon, Misfits Theology Podcast "Interrogating!" - Todd Littleton, Patheological Podcast "Exceptional!" - Keith Giles, Peace Catalyst Podcast "Zesty!" - Mason Mennenga, A People's Theology Podcast "Tangible!" - Hayden Bruce, Pragmatic Christian Podcast "Clarifying!" - Mary-Anne & Andre Rabe, Question Your Answers Podcast "Trailblazing!" - Todd R. Vick, Reconstruction Rebel Podcast "Peace-Bringing!" - Chris Harman, Redrawing the Bath Podcast "Stimulating!" - Greg Boyd and Dan Kent, ReKnew Podcast "Punchy!" - Ryan T. Mullins, Reluctant Theologian Podcast "Exciting!" - Josh Patterson & Marty Fredrick, (Re)thinking Faith Podcast "A Gift!" - Beth Hayward, Souls in Soles Podcast "Inviting!" - Kurt Willems, Theology Curator Podcast "Accessible!" - Dustin Kensrue, Thrice & Carry the Fire Podcast "R-/evolutionary!" - Tim Victor, Urban Mystic Podcast "User-Friendly!" - Glenn Siepert, What If? Podcast "Reinvigorating!" - Jon Steingard, Wonder & Mystery of Being Podcast

Christology is crazy. ItÕs rather absurd to identify a first-century homeless Jew as God revealed, but a bunch of us do anyway. In this book, Tripp Fuller examines the historical Jesus, the development of the doctrine of Christ, the questions that drove christological innovations through church history, contemporary constructive proposals, and the predicament of belief for the church today. Recognizing that the battle over Jesus is no longer a public debate between the skeptic and believer but an internal struggle in the heart of many disciples, he argues that we continue to make christological claims about more than an ÒeventÓ or simply the ÒJesus of history.ÓÊOn the other hand, C. S. LewisÕs infamous Òliar, lunatic, and LordÓ scheme is no longer intellectually tenable. This may be a guide to Jesus, but for Christians, Fuller is guiding us toward a deeper understanding of God. He thinks itÕs good newsÑgood news about a God who is so invested in the world that God refuses to be God without us.

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Published in 1999. How can we reconcile assumptions about the lawfulness of the universe with provision for chance events? Do the ‘laws of nature’ indicate what absolutely must happen, or just what is most likely to happen? These are important questions for both science and theology, and are explored here in the first in-depth coverage of an important but neglected topic. Including perspectives from prestigious contributions, and published with the backing of the International Society for Science and Religion (ISSR), Creation: Law and Probability employs the disciplines of history and philosophy, as well as cosmology, evolutionary biology, and neuroscience in a fascinating dialogue of faith traditions.

A preliminary cruciform theology using the metaphor of a gift as its thematic principle, this book is intended to articulate a foundation for a Christian theology centered around the concept of God’s Way of self-gift. Using the Cross of Christ as a starting point for a doctrine of God, The Gift of the Self utilizes insights from biblical studies, the sciences, and Open and Relational Theology to construct a Christian framework that is compatible with the life and death of Jesus Christ as fully revelatory of God’s Personhood. This book engages issues of systematic theology, metaphysics, and ethics in hopes to deconstruct and reconstruct a conceptualization of God’s character and power that is most consistent with the Cross, as well as a vision for the vocation of the community of faith. Finally, a seven-day liturgy thematized around generosity and the book’s primary topics is included so that the reader might become more spiritually formed around this fresh contextualization of the ancient Christian faith. As such, the underlying purpose of The Gift of the Self is to construct a plausible Christian worldview for a post-Christian context, rooted totally in the Way of Christ, as an alternative to some of the dominant forms of historic Christianity that do not take seriously the Cross’s critique of unilateral power and communal exclusivity. The author intends that embracing this worldview oriented by self-gift can help transform the Church from a power-seeking organization to a peace-seeking community.

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