Formation For Knowing God

"God is Self-Revealed" we are assured by many Christians today. Yet this conviction stems only from eighteenth-century Enlightenment debates. Early and ongoing Christians, with their Jewish roots, trusted God as a committed and saving but heavily clouded presence (whether by God's choice, or our inadequacy, or both). Continuing Christian tradition has thus insisted that there is much more to this God than we can hope to get our heads round. Yet such Christians have trusted that this loving, saving, triune God's purpose is to transform us Godward. "The divine Word became as we are so we might become as he is." Meanwhile, some of us at least can find ourselves drawn to share with our predecessors and one another in imagining how this may be. And then we may be drawn to realize in practice what we imagine--in active service to God among fellow humans and all God's fragile creation. Then, we may hope, we may have been brought to know God more nearly as God is. Gerald Downing first argued this fifty years ago, and here he restates the issues with fresh insights and renewed hope.

In this challenging and engaging discussion, F. Gerald Downing draws on evidence from Ancient Jewish and New Testament scriptures to analyse the changing history of the concept of 'revelation' within Christianity. Through the discussion of central concepts in the philosophy of language, such as reference and identity, Downing provides a comprehensive analysis of our notion of the concept of knowledge through revelation and self-revelation. Formation for Knowing God contains an overview of the history of the debate regarding the methods and extent of God's revelation, specifically his self-revelation. Downing argues that the conviction that God is selfrevealed stems from eighteenth-century Enlightenment debates, and has no roots in the early Christian tradition, from which we learn that God is incomprehensible. Downing rejects the view that it was the primary purpose of Christ's death to show God's love, claiming that this is unsupported by the scriptural evidence. The positive thesis argued by Downing isthat what has been revealed to us is not a matter of knowledge but a matter of faith. Downing's Formation for Knowing God will challenge the assumptions of its readers, providing an alternative and thought provoking approach to the nature of knowledge and certainty within Christianity.

This book shows that theology is both integrally related to formation in Jesus Christ and shapes our understanding of the world. Christian formation is incomplete and impossible without theological formation, because Christ transforms our hearts and minds, attuning them to the reality of God. As the authors explore the deep connections between theology and the life of the Christian, they emphasize Christian formation as a defining feature of the church, arguing that theology must be integrally connected to the church's traditions and practices.

How can I know God if he is incomprehensible? Is it possible to know God in a way that takes seriously the fact that he is beyond knowledge? Steven Boyer and Christopher Hall argue that the "mystery of God" has a rightful place in theological discourse. They contend that considering divine incomprehensibility invites reverence and humility in our thinking and living as Christians and clarifies a variety of theological topics. The authors begin by investigating the biblical, historical, and practical foundations for understanding the mystery of God. They then spell out its implications for theological issues and practices such as the incarnation, salvation, and prayer, rooting knowledge of God in a concrete life of faith. Evangelical yet ecumenical, this book will appeal to theology students, pastors, church leaders, and all who want intellectual and practical guidance for knowing the unknowable God.

This book is a multichapter introduction to spiritual formation within the Christian tradition. Corneliu C. Simuț discusses spiritual formation from the views of several Christian thinkers, with a chapter devoted to each thinker. The concluding chapter notes common themes shared by each thinker. The author presents some key Patristic, Medieval, Early Modern, Modern, and Contemporary theologians in a way that is characterized by brevity, concision, and clarity. Thus, this small book is a useful introduction to spiritual formation from a Christian perspective. It would be helpful for a college student or young adult who seeks to be educated on the subject. The conciseness of the book is a benefit. Yet the book raises interesting questions for further pursuit. A very succinct – but comprehensive – historical presentation of sanctification through the lens of spiritual formation, a concept which has been revived in the past two decades, especially in Evangelical circles, this text is useful for a college course in spiritual formation or religion.

An updated edition with two all-new chapters, a new introduction, and a fresh look, this book challenges widely accepted ideas about what it means to know God and offers fresh paths for pursuing genuine spirituality. This practical guide speaks to those who are weary of formulaic faith or who are haunted by nagging doubts about the church, as well as those who find the traditional spiritual disciplines impractical or even agonizing because of their personal wiring. Easy to read but filled with challenging ideas, this book provides a spiritual foundation for pastors and teachers, committed Christians, and anyone interested in discovering God for themselves but wary of predictable paths.

How do you practice real conversation with God? How can you make your experience of God 's presence part of everyday life? In this six-session LifeGuide® Bible Study, Jan Johnson covers the disciplines of prayer and of practicing God's presence. Going deeper in these areas will help you to draw closer to God in everything you do.

Kyle Strobel mines the work of Jonathan Edwards in search of the Puritan minister?s personal vision for spiritual development. "In Edwards," Strobel writes, "we find a grasp of spiritual formation that tries to balance deep thought with deep passion . . . a life of love with the contemplation of divine things."